Battle of Hastings-1646

What can I say about last nights game?-colourful,exciting,fast-moving,even controversial at times,but thoroughly enjoyable never-the-less-well done to Graham,Dave,Paul and Brian who actually played the game,and Richard for sitting quietly and handing out the "smoke"(I just sat and looked on in amusement!!)

The usual,top photo is scenario and bottom is the table before any movement.Paul and Brian were the Parliamentarians,whilst Dave and Graham were the Royalists.

Paul "kicked" the game off by loading two regiments into the provided boats and sailed them past the Ship(which didn't have any guns!) and past Hastings,eventually marching them onto Church Hill!!-and they didn't fire a shot the whole game-bizarre!!

As soon as the game started,Graham replaced the defenders in the redoubt,with his reserve troops,and was immediately attacked by Paul-thrilling stuff.

On the left flank of the Royalists,Dave and Brian got engaged in a fire-fight,resulting in one of the thatched roofs, in the town of Battle,catching fire!!(which enabled me to use one of my new "explosions" to simulate the fire-hurrah!)
Both Brian and Dave seemed reluctant to engage their cavalry in the early stages of the game,but is was inevitable that they would eventually come to blows!!

With the house on fire,everything within half a measuring stick had to move out of the way-this caused quite a bit of swearing!!-but it looked good,and only burned for three moves!

The effects of the house fire can be seen,as both Brian and Dave have withdrawn troops to escape the fierce heat!!-Brian's cavalry are moving forward to take on Dave's.

The initial cavalry clash!!-both sides held back reserves,which they fed in when necessary.

In the centre and Royalist right flank,Paul is putting in a magnificent attack,countered by Graham's magnificent defence-great wargaming!!

Paul is being pushed back! the centre is being pounded by musket fire and melee,this might just come down to Dave and Brian's cavalry melees!!

The cavalry melee is in full swing,and Brian's dice throwing let him down in a couple of fights,but won him a melee in another!!-tense stuff!!

During the fight for Hastings,Paul put his brigadier into the fray to boost his fighting points,and got him killed!!!-the whole of the brigade had to take morale,and they all fled!!!

This shot shows the position at move number 15!!-Hastings is still in Royalist hands,so is the central redoubt,however Battle is in Parliamentarian hands,and the far flank is still being contested,although Dave was in the better position,so both sides claimed victory-this of course wouldn't do,and they asked me to decide the issue!!Well,Graham did lend me his circular saw last week,so I had to give the Royalists the victory!!(a very fair and democratic way of deciding,I thought!!)
This was good game,and well played to all,roll on Thursday-probably a 7 Years War game.