BATTLE - the encounter in Camberwick Wood

The Battle at Camberwick Wood

(The battle has now been played three times in the course of  the year using the Vauban and Shandy draft rules, with ECW additions - and a comparative play test with the Wesencraft rules - an old favourite.  The result has been the same in all three games...

Camberwick Wood and Deadman's Hill

The Trumpton Trayned Band headed down the old road to Camberwick Green – two squadrons of the Trumpton Horse recced ahead in the fog….meanwhile Lord Belborough had decided to intercept the Trayned Band in Camberwick Wood. 

The Lord is a God of battles,
the Lord is His name

Order of Battle - Trumpton

Van – the Trumpton Horse – commanded by Sgt Pugh (two troops)  Militia

·      Centre – the cannon ‘loud-ish Brenda’ commanded by the other Sgt Pugh and the Trumpton generalissimo, Captain Philibertius Flack with the Reverend Munnings accompanying. (Captain Flack has seen service on the Continent and is rated experienced.) The groom is ‘Nibs’ Minton, son of the MP.

·         Rear – The Trumpton Trayned Band – comprising two companies of muskets and one of pike commanded by Ensign Dribble and Sgt Grub.    Rated militia  (If Reverend Munnings is attached they receive a morale +1

 As the fog clears, Lord Belborough’s Chigley Royalists appear on Deadman’s Hill, at the edge of Camberwick wood. 

Order of battle - Chigley

·        Right – Lord Belborough’s Lobsters – (three Troops) militia/- but rated as trained as they are well drilled. Commanded by His Lordship with Mr Brackett, with Fr. Bilton at their side. Lord Belborough is rated as a veteran from his Continental service and his troop commanders, Gubbins and Sneed are rated as experienced - and reportedly ‘unsavoury’ mercenaries.

·        Centre – The Chigley Whitecoats comprising one company of muskets and one of pike commanded by Captain Clutterbuck (less than enthusiastic)  and Sgt Varley.  Militia/trained

·         Left – one Company of the Whitecoats – a Forlorn Hope commanded by Sgt Swallow. Militia/trained

 

The ‘forlorn hope’ of musketeers opened fire on the Trumpton Horse, and the battle begins, with the Trumpton forces defending the hedge.  The Trumpton forces may deploy into the field and attack…should they wish...

The Forlorn Hope give fire

Game 1

WESENCRAFT – WITH PIKE AND MUSKET

 

Turn 1 – the fog clears

Chigley – Forlorn Hope fires inflicting 2 x casualties on the Trumpton Horse

-          The Whitecoats on the hill roll a 1 and fall back!

-          Lord Belborough orders the Lobsters to stand - and moves to the Whitecoats

Trumpton – The Trumpton Horse roll a 2 and retreat

-          The Cannon scores a hit on the Lobsters – one trooper in Sneed’s company is killed

-          The Trained Band stand

 

Turn 2 

Trumpton – The Horse rallies and crosses the hedge –

-          The cannon crew run away

-          The Trained Band cross the hedge in good order and form up

Chigley – His Lordship rallies the Whitecoats and leads them down Deadman’s hill

-          The Lobster’s charge and give fire

-          Firefight – the Lobster lose 2 troopers – the Trained Band 3, including the standard bearer

Turn 3 

Chigley – the Lobsters retire and reform

-          His Lordship leads the Whitecoats through the hedge and give fire

-          Firefight – the Whitecoats destroy the Trumpton Horse – and receive one casualty

Trumpton – the gunners rally and return – they fire – and miss!

-          The Trained Band engage the Whitecoats – Firefight - and receive one casualty

Turn 4

Chigley – His Lordship leads the Whitecoats in a flank attack – Firefight – the Trumpton cannon crew are all killed

-          The Lobsters advance – Firefight – they inflict 2 casualties and receive 1

Trumpton – Captain Flack orders the Trained Band to retire, and along with the remnant of the cavalry and Nibs Minton, who holds the cannon’s horses, they depart back to Trumpton…

 

Battle Record Chart – Trumpton

 

Name	Strength	P M  C	Efficiency Factor	Dead	Captured	Report
Trumpton Horse	7	/ /     7	1	5	0	Attempted to reform but routed
Trumpton Trained Band	16 + Chaplain	6  10  /	1	8		Forced to retire – Ensign killed but Colour saved
Cannon	3		1	3	Cannon	Cannon lost but ‘Nibs’ Minton saved

 

Battle Report Card – Chigley

Name	Strength	P M  C	Efficiency Factor	Dead	Captured	Report
The Lobsters	10	/ /     9 + 2 non comb	2	4		Two successful Pistol attacks
Whitecoats	10	5  5  /	2	1		Led in person by His lordship – victorious in the centre
Forlorn Hope	5	5	2	0		Scattered the Trumpton Horse

 

P = Pike + Ensign/commander

M= Musket

C = Cavalry

The Trained Band and Horse retired in reasonably good order to Trumpton….to the horror of the Burghers and Godly folk of the Town; who had listened with increasing apprehension to the sounds of the battle.

 Defeat.  Well may Reverend Munnings declare a day of fasting and lamentation.

An old friend