I fought an interesting game of RW on Labor Day against Doug Mudd using Scots Covenanters (me) versus ECW Royalists (Doug). The board was 8'x 4 1/2' with Covenanter left flank and center were open except for a patch of steep hills (light delaying terrain) about 8-10" across in the middle of the tablecentered 3' from the flank. The right flank was anchored by a small village and marsh (about 16") with a stone wall (obstacle) extending in another 16". Files depicting the terrain and set-ups are (or soon will be) on the web site.

The Royalists deployed a mixed cavalry brigade on the open flank consisting of a 4-stand unit of Elite cavalry, 4-stand unit of Veteran cavalry and 4-stand unit of Dragoon infantry. A Pike and Shot (P&S) regiment was set up behind the hill, able to move to support either the center or flank with a General nearby. Next came a single stand unit of field artillery, a brigade of infantry (three 4-stand units - 2 of shot, 1 of pike) and another single stand artillery unit. Beyond this was the CinC, 2 veteran P&S regiments and a small cavalry brigade with 5 stands of Veteran cavalry in 2 units.

The veteran infantry were to hold the line of the wall while the strong cavalry brigade was to sweep across the open field and defeat the Scots mounted contingent and threaten the center. At this point the center (which was to weaken the Scots with artillery fire (and infantry/cavalry attacks as seemed opportune) would attack frontally to defeat the Scots center and send them packing.

The Scots fielded a much larger infantry force and a comparable sized cavalry force (though lower in quality and without the benefit of brigade leaders). They also had a third General to help direct the larger number of units and help counteract the Royalist's cavalry leader command advantage.

The Scots had no artillery. They faced the Royalist cavalry with two 3-stand units of Seasoned cavalry and a 2-stand unit of Seasoned Lancers in support. There were two P&S regiments (1 veteran) able to support either the flank or center and a unit of Highlanders whose mission was to seize the hills and come crashing down on either the artillery unit or the flank of a unit that might be attacking either along the flank or up the middle. The center had 2 small P&S regiments one behind the other and an infantry brigade similar to the Royalists except that the Scots shot was irregular (3 figs per stand vice 4) and there were only 2 stands of pike. A reserve 3-stand unit of Veteran cavalry stood in the middle along with the CinC (the other generals were out towards each flank). On the right was another unit of Highlanders and a small 2-stand unit of shot whose purpose was to hold the wall, or possibly stop any Royalist move through the delaying terrain.

Two additional P&S regiments were positioned to support the infantry brigade or Highlanders and a last 3-stand unit of Veteran cavalry was also available for support. The Scots planned to hold or counter attack along the wall on the right. Against the superior Royalist cavalry they intended to provide adequate support from infantry or the cavalry reserves to neutralize that main threat and bring their superior numbers to bear either in the center or left (if the Royalist cavalry was actually turned back rather than stopped).

The battle opened with each side starting to implement their respective game plans. After some rather effective artillery fire on a center/right Covenanter P&S Regiment that unit decided to pull back and reorganize and let the infantry brigade spread out and absorb some shots for a while. The Covenanter left had the Lancers moving out around the flank to either threaten the dragoons or possibly flank the Royalist cavalry, while the reserve Veteran cavalry started moving over to support the defense of the left flank.

The following turn saw a continuation of this action with the cavalry coming into charge range of each other and the Covenanter foot on the right reaching the wall before the Royalists.

The battle on the right progressed as follows: A firefight broke out along the wall with the outgunned Covenanters eventually getting the worst of it and losing the wall (and the small unit of shot) to an assault on the far right. As the Royalists came over the wall in victory the reserve cavalry counterattacked and drove them back over the wall. After the cavalry disengaged the Highlanders holding the rest of the wall retreated behind the reserve P&S regiment leaving the Royalists with the wall and two reasonably intact regiments.

On the Left

The superior Royalist cavalry charged the Covenanter cavalry. Doug opted to try a frenzied charge that automatically occurred for the elite unit with the Leader, but he rolled a 1 for the Veterans and they halted in place, disordered. The Covenanters also charged clashing with the Royalists at a severe disadvantage in the one case and with newfound hope in the other. The failure of the Royalist unit to execute the charge almost worked out well for him as the Covenanters nearly failed to make contact and in any case were unable to take advantage of their adjacent P&S regiment's supporting fire. The result of the first round of melee was to have the Covenanters (through a highly advantageous random die roll) manage to fight the elite Royalists to a draw while failing to push back the other unit resulting in a draw their as well. The elite unit managed to defeat their opponents over the next couple of rounds while the other Royalist unit failed a morale check and withdrew fragmented almost off the board.

Meanwhile in the Center

As Covenanter infantry moved up to the middle of the field, supporting the Highlander who made it into the rocky ground and hoped to flank the reserve P&S regiment (which was facing to repel a possible breakthrough on the flank). The Royalists saw this as a possible opening to attack and sent their smaller cavalry brigade across the field and charged the regiment nearest in support of the rocky ground. That regiment failed its morale check for being charged and in two turns had routed and taken the panicked Highlanders with them. But at this heady moment the Covenanters kept their head and the 2nd Royalist cavalry unit, coming up to support or exploit the gains, was shot out of its saddles by the center brigade's shot units and all impetus of the attack was lost. The remaining Royalist cavalry pulled back out of reach.

At about this time the Covenanter reserve cavalry arrived on the flank and struck the depleted Royalists where they were beaten and routed. The Royalist Dragoons, preparing to absorb the charge of the Scottish Lancers broke at the sight of Rupert and his men fleeing in terror and suddenly the Covenanter battle plan boiled down to getting around the blocking P&S regiment guarding the flank to take the guns in flank and send the Royalists packing. The Lancers were intact with a head of steam in the right direction.

The Royalists attempted to get their infantry brigade turned around and the cavalry unit redirected in time, but to no avail. The guns were taken and that was enough to break the army.

The bypassed P&S regiment would almost certainly have surrendered or been butchered in pursuit with 2 Covenanter P&S regiments bearing down on them from in front and 2 cavalry units on the flanks. Some of the center infantry brigade may have gotten away, particularly if the remaining cavalry could have fought a decent rearguard, but the Veteran P&S regiments on the wall would almost certainly gotten away to fight another day. Still, it was a good victory for the Covenanters and a fun game for all.