Wargaming Agincourt with DBA+
In strict DBA, Henry V would likely be slaughtered without ranged missile fire. So, we need to tweak the rules a bit, borrowing here and there from DBM to suit the situation. We pick up the battle after Henry moves his line forward to goad the French into attacking. First, the orders of battle.
The English
3 x Bd: Dismounted knights and men-at-arms. All stands are considered generals: Henry V, York, Camoys
8 x Lb: Longbow archers (Combat value = 3)
1 x camp: English baggage
The English are arranged from their left flank to the right as follows: 2 Longbow stands (one behind the other) adjacent to woods, Camoys’ Bd stand, 2 Longbow stands (one behind the other, in between Camoys and Henry V), King Henry V’s Bd stand in the middle, 2 Longbow stands (one behind the other, in between Henry V and York), the Duke of York’s Bd stand, and 2 Longbow stands (one behind the other) adjacent to woods. The camp is 8” behind the middle of the battleline.
The French
1st Line: 12 x Bd Dismounted knights and men-at-arms in the center. 1 stand in middle is a general: Boucicaut. On each flank (adjacent to woods) is 1 x Kn (mounted knights and men-at-arms) stand.
2nd Line: 8 x Bd Dismounted knights and men-at-arms centered behind the 1st line. 1 stand in middle is a general: Duke of Alencon
3rd Line: 8 x Kn (mounted knights and men-at-arms) centered behind the 1st line. 1 stand in middle is a general: Count of Marle. On each flank 1 x Crossbow (Xb).
4th Line: 8 x Peasants (Combat value = 1) centered behind the 1st line.
Terrain Set Up and Effects
The deployable battleground was essentially flat and muddy, flanked by woods, and starts out wider on the French until it narrows at the English battleline.
The deployable “field” is 7 stands wide at the English battleline, and 8 stands wide at the French battleline. The distance between the English and French battlelines is 8”. Halfway (4”) between the two lines, the deployable field narrows to 7 stands wide. Due to mud, the French move at half speed (i.e. Bd at 1”). English Bd move at half speed, but English Archers move as normal.
The woods are impassable to the French. No portion of any stand may be placed into the woods. English archers (but not Bd) may move into the woods, but may not shoot out unless the front edge of their stand is at the edge of the woods facing clear ground.
The Sharpened Stakes are considered to be in front of each English Archer block (4 in total). No stakes are in front of the Bd. Sharpened Stakes provide the English with +1 vs. French infantry, and +2 versus French cavalry. The stakes do not hinder English Lb movement.
Command Pips and Command
The French have the initiative on turn 1. Players alternate initiatives. The English have one command: King Henry V. The French have three commands: Boucicaut’s 1st line of 12 Bd and 2 mounted Kn stands, the Duke’s 2nd line of 8 stands, and the Count’s 3rd line of 8 mounted Kn stands, 2 Xb stands, and 8 Peasant stands.
The English player throws 1d6 for command pips as usual.
The French player throws 3d6 and assigns each die to a command as he sees fit.
LongBow Fire
English Longbow fire ONLY in the ENGLISH portion of the turn.
Longbow range is 8”. Crossbow range (assuming they can even get in range) is normal. A stand must have a clear line of sight to fire at a target. The “arc” is the width of the firing stand directly to the front and the width of a stand to the left or right directly to the front. Longbow stands fire at a 3, with a corner-to-corner touching adjacent supporting stand giving the target a -1 modifier. French Bd defend at a 5 (Generals do NOT add +1 for bowfire), Kn at a 4, Xb at a 3, and Peasants at a 1.
If a Lb rolls modified greater than a target (but not 2x greater), the target recoils AND receives 1 casualty cap. If Lb modified roll is 2x or more greater than target, target is eliminated.
If the target recoils into another stand, that stand also recoils and also takes 1 casualty cap. If this second recoiler recoils into a third stand, then the third stand also recoils and takes 1 casualty cap...and so on.
Each casualty cap gives a -1 modifer in all subsequent rolls. Bows may not fire into a melee. Longbow that meleed may not fire bows unless they spend a complete turn not moving, not meleeing, and not supporting any other melee. Then, they are considered to have recovered their bows and shaken themselves back into some sort of order enough to fire on the next turn.
Melee
Melee is as per DBA with following exceptions:
Each casualty cap gives a -1 modifer for melee rolls.
Stands do NOT turn to face as a result of contact. Stands in melee with enemy to rear or flank do so at an additional -1 modifier. If enemy is in flank AND rear, that’s an additional -2 modifier. If the stand in melee recoils into another stand, that stand also recoils and also takes 1 casualty cap. If this second recoiler recoils into a third stand, then the third stand also recoils and takes 1 casualty cap...and so on.
Bd and Kn stands eliminated as a result of melee (not bowfire) are captured instead. Remove these stands and place in the enemy camp. Lb, Xb, and Peasant stands are eliminated, never captured. If captured, leave the casualty caps on.
If the French move onto the English stakes, the defending Longbow receive a +1 modifier (if attacked by French infantry) or a +2 modifier (if attacked from French cavalry). If the French start the melee “atop” the stakes (i.e. previously recoiled English moved up on the French, or a previous melee was locked in place and now it is the English turn), then the + modifiers do NOT apply.
Henry V has a special one-time “re-roll” if his command stand is captured. Instead of falling into French hands, a fleuret is knocked from his helmet and the combat re-rolled by both French and English players. This occurs only once. If he is captured again, such is the fortunes of war.
English Camp, Count of Marle, and Peasants
Captured French stands are placed in the the English camp. The camp has a combat value of 2. The Count of Marle can use 10 pips to send 1 Peasant stand on a flank march to the English Camp. These pips can be accumulated from turn to turn until 10 are reached. The Count then secretly rolls a d6-this is the number of turns it takes for the Peasant to appear 4” from the English camp. When the turn arrives, remove a Peasant stand from the table and place it 4” from the camp. It is possible, through die roll combinations, for more than 1 Peasant stand to appear during a turn.
EACH Peasant stand that emerges from their flank march requires 2 command pips from the Count to move. Thus, if 2 Peasant stands are present, the Count must spend 4 pips to move them both. The Count of Marle MUST use his pips to move these successful flanking Peasant stands BEFORE moving any other stand.
Peasant stands must move directly towards the camp and only melee the camp. They may not head towards the main battle line. If a Peasant rolls modified 2x greater than the camp, the Peasant stand “breaks into” the camp. A greater than result has no effect because the camp cannot recoil.
If TWO Peasant stands break into the English camp, ALL captured French stands are considered freed and may rejoin the battle. Remember, casualty caps are left on. The Count pays 1 pip for EACH now freed stand. Peasants may never do anything except attack the camp. If the English Camp recoils a Peasant, place a casualty cap (-1 die modifier as usual) on the Peasant. If the English camp eliminates the Peasant (2x or greater modified roll), NO MORE Peasants may enter and all Peasant stands “in transit” are eliminated instead. Peasant stands remaining may continue to attack the camp.
If any English stand is in the English Camp, all captured French stands may, at the English player’s option, be eliminated instead. If an English stand is in the camp, the Peasants melee the stand instead.
Routing
Command Rout: When 1/3 of a command is captured or eliminated, the command routs. If it is the English command, the game is over. Count Victory Points.
If it is the French command, turn all surviving stands around and have them flee (half speed) unless the French player spends a pip to hold a single stand (not a group) in place. Stands locked in combat remain so until recoiled, eliminated, or recoil the English. French general stands may ignore the flee result-they may spend a pip on themselves and advance towards the English.
Routing stands may flow around other stands if a gap exists. Stands that rout through other stands cause both stands to pick up a casualty cap. French Army Rout: When 1/2 the total stands are captured, eliminated, or routed, the entire army routs. Game Over. Count Victory Points.
Victory
English:
1 victory point for every eliminated Bd or Kn.
2 VPs for every captured Bd or Kn.
3 VPs for every eliminated General.
5 VPs for every captured General.
-2 VPs for each eliminated Lb.
-5 for each eliminated or captured English Bd.
-25 VPs if Henry V captured.
10 or less VPs: Tragic English Loss. The nation of France takes a step forward.
11-19 VPs: Marginal English Victory. The army will be able to continue its march to Calais.
20-39 VPs: Historical English Victory. Calais march continues, considerable loot.
40+ VPs: Massive English Victory. Can Paris be far behind?
Design Notes
Agincourt abounds with Shakespearean drama, but the battlefield realities represent more slaughter than chivalry. The French marched 300 yards in the mud to be arrowed into disorder. The dead and wounded dragged down the living, many suffocated beneath the piles, and the more agile longbowmen completed the slaughter. Prisoners were taken, only to be murdered when it looked like a flank attack on the English camp might succeed. The rest of the French fled.
To represent that, straight DBA needed some help from DBM, plus a little more to show the increasing disorder and casualties from being shafted and smothered. Hence the casualty caps and ability of Longbow to reach out and tag the French from the start. The more disorder inflicted on the French, the smaller the impact when they stagger to the English battleline.
In many ways, this makes a fine solo game, as the English remain in place firing arrows into the French attack. The French have to cope with the increasing disorder as well as terrain restrictions that funnel their attack. And yet, with reduced movement, they have to keep their lines moving forward.
Although I made every effort to make this a balanced scenario, albeit one with an English slant to it, you can alter this in several ways. If you feel the French have too little chance to win, you can move their starting point to 6” or 7” away instead of 8”. One or two fewer turns of bow fire from the English make a difference. If you’d like to see what would happen in dry weather, restore movement to normal rates. Or, allow the French to enter the woods. If the English need stiffening, add two extra Archer stands, one on each flank (in the woods). For a melee-less battle, allow the archers to fire every initiative-English and French.
References
Carey, John, ed. Eyewitness to History . Avon, 1987. ISBN: 0-380-70895-7
Delbruck, Hans. Medieval Warfare . Univ of Neb. Press, 1990. ISBN: 0-8032-6585-9
Hibbert, Christopher. Agincourt . Batsford, 1978. ISBN: 0-7134-1150-3. Dorset Edition ISBN: 0-88029-054-4
Seward, Desmond. Henry V: The Scourge of God . Viking, 1988. ISBN: 0-670-81174-2.
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