Battle of Montgomery, 1644 - Conclusion

    We pick up the action with the start of Royalist Turn 5. The Royalists once again lead off with their (now diminished) right wing cavalry forces.

Things don't go so well for the King's Men here. The Red Horse attempt to turn 90 degrees to the right to threaten the flanks of the distant Parliamentary Horse, but fail with a 2; the accompanying General replays the card with an 8, so the wheel does at last succeed. The Blue Horse really need to turn to face their attackers to get out of their "charged in flank dilemma. This requires a 3+, and they turn an Ace. "Bad luck, old bean". The Cavalry are done for turn 5. 

Next the Royalist Dragoons activate.  forward 1 box into the marshy terrain on a 5, shoot on a 6, They miss with a 7 played , and fail their attempt to shoot again with a 5. On to the Royalist infantry (not shown). The Blue Foot is on the flank (diagonally) of the Purple Regiment of Roundhead foot, and attempts to charge it in the flank. An Ace is played, and the accompanying General replays the card with... another Ace. Royalist Turn 5 is over, just like that! This isn't good for the Cause!

Parliament starts with its Cavalry command; the pursuing Lobsters MUST be activated first, which they do (6), abn hit the Blue Horse in the flank. They Hit with one card (8), but miss with their bonus card for the flank attack (3). The Blue Horse fail to Save (^ - needed a 7), and become Disordered, and also miss on their strike back (3). The Mixed Horse then successfully move forward 2 boxes (10).   

The Lobsters attempt to charge again but fail (Ace); the accompanying General replays, and is lucky to draw a 10, which succeeds. Having made a successful non pursuit Activation, their Pursuit marker is removed. They once again play 2 to Hit cards, with one miss (7, being Disordered they need an 8+), and one Hit (9). The Blue Horse Save (10), and again miss on their strike back (4). The Lobsters attempt to charge again, not surprisingly, failed (2, not shown); they woukld have needed another 10 to succeed. The Roundhead Cavalry wing is done for Turn 5. 

The Orange Regiment of Foote fires twice (4) at the Green Regt of Foote opposite, expanding 1 Ammo, and scoring 2 hits (9,9). The Greenies manage to Save once (7), but not a second time. As the unit already had 2 hits, it is destroyed and removed from play - three Victory Medals to Parliament Ouch. Those Orange guys are a pain in the proverbial posterior!

The Purple Regt of Foote Tries to Rally, and succeeds with the aid of a General (Ace, replayed activation as 5, needs 6+ to Rally, and turns a 6).

The Brown Regiment of Foote fires (5) twice into the Cavalier Yellow Foote Regiment opposite it, expending 1 Ammo. They score 1 hit (9, 6, needing an 8+ to hit), but the Yellowbellies and their General both Save (9, 4).

 The Purple Regiment's attempt to Fire at the Black Regiment of Foote to their front fails (2, not shown. The General's replay has already been used for this Turn), so the Infantry is done. 

The Army C-in-C makes a Command Move to join the Yellow Horse, and then they move one box to the side in difficult terrain (6, requiring a 4+). Their attempt to charge the Dragoons in the marshy ground fails (5, General replay 6 - they needed an 8+), Turn 5 is over!

Situation at the end of Turn 5, as seen from the Royalist Right...

and from their Left. The Royalists have lost 2 Regiments of Horse and one of Foote for 7 Victory Medals (out of 11 needed for the army to break), While the Parliamentarians have lost 2 Regiments of Horse for 4 Victory Medals (out of their 9 breakpoint). 

The Cavaliers start Turn 6 by moving the Red Horse forward 1 across the river (8).

I am now using my i-phone instead of my i-pad for the pictures; I though the i-pad might have a better camera, but in fact it is unwieldy to use for these shots and hard to steady; the phone pictures are actually far superior. 

The Blue Horse successfully turn right to face off against the Lobsters to their flank.

The Red Horse attempt to charge the flank of the Lobsters, but fail to activate, even with the General throwing in his influence. 

The Blue Foote barely manage to charge the flank of the Purple Foote, succeeding only with the intervention of their General.

The Blue Foote Hit twice (7, 7), and the Purple Foote fail to save twice (Ace, 2). The Purple Foote battle back - and hit (9)! The General Saves (3), but the Blue Foote take a hit themselves (Ace). 

The Royalist General makes a Command Move from the Yellow to the Black foot, which then charges the Purple foot, trying to eliminate them. However, they Miss (3), and the beleaguered and Disordered Grapemen also fail in their strike back (3). 

The Yellow Foote Shoot twice (5) at the Roundhead Brown Foote, scoring 1 hit (8, Ace) and expending 1 Ammo; the Browns save (8). 

The Blue Foote charges the flank of the Purple Foote again (10), but misses twice (3,7), being Disordered, and the Purple foot miss on their strike back as well (2).

The White Regiment moves one box to the side (5, not shown), placing it in front of the Orange Parliamentary Foote, and then the Black Foote attempts to charge the Purples again, but fails to activate , regardless of their Generals exhortations (2,4).

The Royalist Dragoons shoot once (8) at the Yellow cavalry, but miss (5), and fail in their attempt to shoot. again (Ace). Being "out" (low) of Ammo, they can only shoot once per activation, and only at a unit in the box directly to their front. The Royalist segment of Turn 6 is over. 

The Parliamentary Mixed Horse Regiment charges the flank of the Royalist Black Foote (7).

In the ensuing Melee, the Horse hot twice (8, 10), but the Black Foote Save twice (9, 10). The Cavalier General however is hit once (Ace, 4). Another card played for him (4, not shown), which indicates that he is stunned by a blow to the head, and thus unable to function for this turn and the next. The Black Foote's attempt to strike back at the Horse misses (3). 

The Lobsters attempt to rally (5, needed a 4+ to activate for same due to being in charge range of 2 enemy units and no Gallant Gentleman attached), but fail to do so (3).

The Mixed Horse attempt to Charge again but fail (7). 

The Roundhead cavalry are thus finished for the turn.

The Purple Foote attempts to Rally (7), and succeeds (9); one hit removed. 

The Brown Foote shoots (3) at the Yellow Foote, missing twice (5,3) and expending one Ammo. 

The Purple Foote, threatened by 2 units to its flank, attempts to form Hedgehog, but fails (7, General replay 8 - they needed a 9+ to succeed).

The Parliamentary Yellow Horse Charge (7) through the swamp and score a hit (10) on the enemy Dragoons, but they Save (10). The Dragoons miss on their strike back (4). The General makes a Command Move to join the Orange Foote.  A second charge attempt fails (8, not shown - a 9+ was needed due the swamp). 

Situation at the end of Turn 6.

Same from the other end of the Battlefield. 

The Royalist Red Horse starts off Turn 7 by charging the Lobsters in the flank. The General considers replaying the card (looking for a lower number for subsequent activations) but is unwilling to risk turning an Ace. 

In the ensuing melee, the Red Horse score 1 hit (10, 3). The Lobsters fail to save and are thus destroyed./ The General fails to save as well (Ace); another card os played -a 5, indicating a light wound.He is displaced to the nearest friendly unit. Another such wound will remove him form play. 

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The Red Horse will have to pursue next turn.  The General makes a Command Move to join the Blue Horse, who then attempt to wheel 180 degrees and move 1 box, and succeed (3). 

The Blue Horse are unable to make a Rally attempt, failing to activate (2, General Replay 3). 

The Blue Foote activate to Rally (5), but their attempt fails (6; they are trained and need 7+. Had they been a Veteran outfit, the 6 would have worked).  The Black Foote charge the still Disordered Purple Foote (6). 

However, the fail to hit (3), with their enemies doing no better (2). 

The Blue foot attempt to Rally again (6), but fail in the attempt again (6 - "why couldn't we be Veterans, eh Milord?!")

The White Foote is Out of Command, but still manages to shoot twice at the Orange Foote (5), scoring 1 Hit (9,1). The General Saves (2, but the Foote does not (5). 1 Ammo expended. An attempt to shoot again fails (3, not shown). 

The Royalist Dragoons, who are "out (low) on Ammo shoot (9) once at the Yellow Cavalry and Hits (8). They fail to save (3), but the Gallant Gentleman is untouched (4, not shown. A second attempt to fire fails (3). 

Overview of the Battle and the end of the Royalist segment of Turn 7.

The Mixed Horse attempt to Rally (8), but fail to do so (6, needed a 7+). 

They then decide to put some distance between themselves and the Blue Horse on their tail, and move 2 boxes ahead, with the encouragement of Sir Thomas (2, replayed to a 10). An attempt to wheel 90 degrees to the right fails (4).

The Purple Foote attempt to Rally (4) but do not succeed (2). 

They then attempt to form Hedgehog, and succeed with supervision by their General (failed 4 replayed to a 10). 

The Brown Regiment of Foote, "out" of ammo, takes 1 shot (2) at the Yellow Foote, but misses (2), as (4) does a second round of fire (5).

The Orange Foote, also "out" of Ammo, fires (3) once at the White Foote, but misses (Ace). Their powder low, they cannot get off another shot (Ace). 

The Yellow Horse's attempt to charge the Dragoons bogs down (2, needed 3+).

Situation at the end of Turn 7.

Royalists start Turn 8 with the mandatory Pursuit Move (6) by the Red cavalry - forward 1 box. Thw Blue cavalry then chases their Roundhead counterparts (7),  moving straight 2 boxes. 

The Blue Horse want to rally, but Fail to activate, even with the General prodding them (2, 2).

The Blue Foot want to rally; they turn a 10; as he has more plans for them the General chooses to replay the card, getting a 6. The attempt, however fails (a 6 yet again - "will we count as Veteran next game, Guv?") 

The Black Foote activates to shoot (5), and expends an Ammo to shoot twice - One hit, one Miss (8, 4), but the Purple Foote fail to save (2). They now have 2 hits. One more, and they will be destroyed!

"Out" of Ammo, the Black Foote decides to charge the Purple Foote's Hedgehog (6). They score a hit and the Grapecoats fail to Save it (Ace). With three hits, the unit is Lost.

And with that, Gentlemen, the Foote is the Game, as it were! The Parliamentarians have lost 9 Victory Medals (3 units of Horse at 2 each, and one unit of Foote at 3). That is just over 1/3 of their starting total, so they must concede, doubtless withdrawing sullenly across the bridge. 

I enjoyed the game a lot; there are still some minor rules questions to answer and a tweak or to to be made, but overall the game seems solid. It felt like an ECW battle. My veteran Minifigs, many of which are 40+ years old, were very happy to stretch their legs as well!