Friday, October 30, 2020

1st Battle of Newbury, September 20, 1643: Scenario for Field of Battle, 3rd edition

    The new 3rd edition of Field of Battle by Brent Oman includes rules for the English Civil War.  I have wanted to try these rules out, as well as to put pretty much my entire EXW collection on the table. This action provides a good excuse to do both, the game to be played solo due to the pandemic and rising prevalence of Covid-19 in our area.


    The First Battle of Newbury was fought in the Fall of 1643, and followed a series of Royalist successes, culminating in the capture of Bristol. The one remaining Parliamentary army under the Earl of Essex was demoralized. The Royalist moved on Gloucester, having reason to believe that the Governor of the city would capitulate to the King. When that failed to materialize, they laid a half hearted siege to the city. The siege was relived by Essex's army, gaining much needed gunpowder from the magazines of the city. In the meantime, the King assembled forces from other regions of England, and a race began with Essex attempting to return to London, and the King attempting to cut him off and force a decisive battle on ground of his choosing. The two armies met outside the city of Newbury. Essex launched a surprise dawn attack, catching the Royalist forces off guard. 

    Although perhaps decisive, in that the battle offered the best chance for the King to defeat the last Parliamentary army and end the Civil War, this battle is among the worst documented of the conflict, with fairly sketchy information about most aspects of the action, including the exact composition of the forces involved . In the OOB I have done my best to assign commanders to the various forces. The exact units involved are governed solely by the composition of my own collection.







Terrain: Hedges, woods, and hills are all class II terrain, buildings provide Class III cover. The rivers may not be crossed. There was heavy rain the night before the battle. On the first MOVE card for each side, no command may win more than 2 segments, regardless of how high it rolls. 

Surprise: All Royalist LD rolls for their first MOVE card are Down one die type as well to reflect the effects of surprise. 

Victory: The Parliamentary forces were attempting to break through the Royalist position to reach London, while the Royalists hoped to destroy the last effective Parliamentary army in the field. For each Parliamentary uinit that can exit off the Royalist edge of the table, subtract the UI value of the unit (at full strength) from the Royalist Morale Point pool. Otherwise, normal FoB3 rules apply for Army Morale Checks and margin of victory.


View across the Commons towards Newbury.


Round Hill and Falkland Farm are off to the right.


"Skippon's Green Lane" is to the right of the first hill to the right. I had to uses fences, but more hedges are on the way!


The Enborne Lodge is in the foreground. All of the buildings are my Lodestone MDF modular buildings; I can put each together in under a minute!


View over the rooftops of Newbury.


The stone walls will also soon be replaced by new hedgerows!  Ruperts cavalry deployed and fought on this part of the field. 

ORDERS of BATTLE

1st Battle of Newcastle, September 20, 1643


Royalist Army, C-inC King Charles II 

(Average)  Leadership:  D12+1     Command Radius: 13”

Sequence Deck: Superior

34 Units,   Morale Points  34



Left Wing (Prince Rupert)


Commander:  Prince Rupert of the Rhine                    Rating:  Skilled

Leadership Die  ?              Command Radius: 

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

Lord Capel’s Horse #1

Bluecoats

Crack

D8

D12+1

3

Gallopers

Lord Capel’s Horse #2

Bluecoats

Crack

D8

D10

3

Gallopers

Lord Capel’s Horse #3

Bluecoats

Crack

D8

D12

3

Gallopers

Gentlemen Pensioners

Lobsters

Crack

D8

D12

3

Cuirassier, Gal



Commander: Lord Wilmot                                              Rating: Average

Leadership Die  ?              Command Radius: 

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

Dragoon #1

whitecoats

Raw

D4

D10

3


Dragoon #2

whitecoats

Raw

D4

D10

3


Earl of Northampton Hrs

Greencoats

Regular

D6

D12

3

Gallopers

Lord Byron’s Horse

Bluecoats

Regular

D6

D10

3

Gallopers


Center (Byron and Charles) 


Commander:  Lord Byron                                              Rating: Average

Leadership Die  D8              Command Radius: 16”

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

Earl of Norwich Foot #`1

Whitecoats

Regular

D6

D12

4


Earl of Norwich Foot #2

Whitecoats

Regular

D6

D10

4


Col Henry Tillier Foot #1

Greencoats

Regular

D6

D8

4


Col Henry Tillier Foot #2

Greencoats

Regular

D6

D10

4



Commander: Colonel John Belasyse                             Rating: Average

Leadership Die  D12+1              Command Radius: 13”

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

Sir Thomas Blackwell  Ft

Blackcoats

Raw

D4

D10

4


Heavy Gun


Regular

D6

D12

2


Light Gun


Raw

D4

D8

2


Sir Thomas Gerard Ft #1

Bluecoats

Regular

D6

D8

4


Sir Thomas Gerard Ft #2

Bluecoats

Regular

D6

D8

4



Commander: Jacob Astley                                             Rating:  Average

Leadership Die  D10              Command Radius: 10”

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

Kings Lifeguard Foot #1

Redcoats

Crack

D8

D12

4

Salvo Fire

Kings Lifeguard Foot #2

Redcoats

Crack

D8

D10

4

Salvo Fire

Henry Talbot’s Foot

Yellowcoats

Raw

D4

D8

4



Commander:  Lord Henry Percy                                   Rating:  Average

Leadership Die D10               Command Radius: 20”

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

Duke of York’s Foot

Redcoats

Raw

D4

D8

4


Sir Edward Fitton’s Foot

Bluecoats

Raw

D4

D8

4


Henry Bard’s Foot

Greycoats

Raw

D4

D10

4


Medium Gun #1


Raw

D4

D12

2


Medium Gun #2


Raw

D4

D10

2


Right Wing: Vavasour



Commander:  William Vavasour                                    Rating:  Average

Leadership Die  D10              Command Radius: 20”

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

Devonshire Halberdiers

Yellowcoats

Raw

D4

D8

3


Marmaduike Rawdon #1

Redcoats

Raw

D4

D12+1

3

Trotters

Lord Lucas Horse #1

Buffcoats

Regular

D6

D12

3

Gallopers

Lord Lucas Horse #2

Buffcoats

Regular

D6

D12

3

Gallopers



Commander: Earl of Caernarvon                                    Rating:  Average

Leadership Die  D10              Command Radius: 10”

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

Marmaduike Rawdon #2

Redcoats

Raw

D4

D10

3

Trotters

Marmaduike Rawdon #3

Redcoats

Raw

D4

D10

3

Trotters

Dragoons #3

Whitecoats

Raw

D4

D10

3


Dragoons #4

Whitecoats

Raw

D4

D10

3


Lord Lucas Horse #2

Buffcoats

Regular

D6

D12

3

Gallopers



The Armies deployed; view from the Roundhead Left...


and right.


Parliamentary Army, C-in-C Earl of Essex

(Poor)  Leadership:  D8     Command Radius:   8”

Sequence Deck: Average

33 Units,   Morale Points  38



Left Wing (Middleton)


Commander: General John Middleton                         Rating:  Average 

Leadership Die D10               Command Radius: 10”

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

Dragoon #1

Buffcoats

Regular

D6

D12

3


John Hapden’s Horse

Greencoats

Regular

D6

D12

3

Galloper

William Tirrell Horse #1

Whitecoats

Raw

D4

D12+1

3

Trotter

Dragoon #2

Buffcoats

Raw

D4

D12

3


William Tirrell Horse #2

Whitecoats

Raw

D4

D12

3

Trotter



Commander: Oliver Cromwell                                       Rating:  Skilled

Leadership Die D10               Command Radius: 10”

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

William Tirrell Horse #3

Whitecoats

Raw

D4

D12

3

Trotter

Cromwell’s Ironsides

Redcoats

Crack

D8

D10

3

Galloper

Hasselrig’s Lobsters

Cuirassiers

Regular

D6

D12

3

Trotter



Left Center:  Skippon and Mainwaring;  Right Center Essex and Robarte


Commander: General Randall Mainwaring                  Rating:  Average

Leadership Die D8               Command Radius: 8”

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

London Trained Band #1

Redcoats

Crack

D8

D10

4


London Trained Band #2

Redcoats

Crack

D8

D8

4


Sir Thomas Grantham Ft

Russetcoats

Raw

D4

D8

4



Commander: Philip Skippon                                         Rating:  Average

Leadership Die D10               Command Radius: 10”

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

Earl of Essex Foot #1

Orangecoats

Regular

D6

D10

4


Earl of Essex Foot #1

Orangecoats

Regular

D6

D10

4


Cornish Halberdiers

Greencoats

Raw

D4

D12

4


Heavy Gun


Regular

D6

D12

2


Medium Gun


Raw

D4

D10

2


Medium Gun


Raw

D4

D10

2




Commander: Lord Robarte                                           Rating:   Average

Leadership Die  D10              Command Radius: 10”

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

Thomas Ballard’s Foot

Greycoats

Raw

D4

D10

4


Christopher Potleys Foot

Yellowcoats

Raw

D4

D10

4


Lord Say and Sele Foot

Bluecoats

Raw

D4

D10

4


Light Gun


Raw

D4

D10

2



Commander:  Earl of Wessex                                          Rating:  Poor

Leadership Die  D8               Command Radius: 8”

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

Earl of Stamford Foot #1

Bluecoats

Regular

D6

D10

4


Earl of Stamford Foot #2

Bluecoats

Regular

D6

D10

4


Lord Brooke Foot #1

Purplecoats

Regular

D6

D12

4


Lord Brooke Foot #2

Purplecoats

Regular

D6

D8

4


Right Wing: Stapleton




Commander: Philip  Stapleton                                      Rating:  Average

Leadership Die  D10              Command Radius:  10”

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

Alex. Popham Horse #1

Yellocoats

Regular

D6

D12

3

Galloper

Alex. Popham Horse #2

Yellowcoats

Raw

D4

D10

3

Galloper

Earl Denbigh Horse #1

Greycoats

Regular

D6

D12+1

3

Trotter

Earl Denbigh Horse #1

Greycoats

Raw

D4

D12

3

Trotter




Commander:  Sir Sammuel Luke                                  Rating:  Average 

Leadership Die  D10              Command Radius:  10”

Name

Description

Rating

DD

CD

UI

Comments

Dragoon #3

Buffcoats

Regular

D6

D12

3


Alex. Popham Horse #3

Yellowcoats

Regular

D6

D12+1

3

Galloper

Earl Denbigh Horse #3

Greycoats

Raw

D4

D10

3

Trotter

Dragoon #4

Buffcoats

Raw

D4

D10

3




View down the table; the Cavalier right flank cavalry enter from off table at the start of the game.


The fiorces of the King deploy!


Royalist Deployment from their Left.


The Parliamentary Right; It's a pleasure to be able to use Wizardkraft rivers again! 


Online references (I especially based this scenario on the first reference)

http://www.gajominis.com/blog/scenarios/ps%20First%20Newbury.pdf

http://yarkshiregamer.blogspot.com/2016/06/1st-battle-of-newbury-1643-scenario.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Newbury

https://jdglasco.wordpress.com/2013/03/09/february-2013-game-field-of-glory-renaissance-first-newbury-english-civil-war/

http://bcw-project.org/military/english-civil-war/southern-england/first-newbury

http://bcw-project.org/military/english-civil-war/southern-england/first-newbury-order-of-battle

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/tothestrongest/first-newbury-sort-of-scenario-t980.html

30 comments:

  1. 67 units sounds like a bunch to operate. Show me the photos!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I just realized I forgot to upload the photos of the setup; coming in a few minutes! :-)

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    2. Wonderful. Almost like being there.

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  2. A splendid looking tabletop with all the troops deployed, and a very nice ECW collection.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Peter. The ECW collection has the nor of having among the the oldest and newest troops in my possession. The core of the collection are the Minifigs I painted in the mid 1970's while in college. Some of them resided atop my bureau there - a not so subtle advertisement for my hobby!

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  3. I love the way this post develops Peter, with beautiful, tranquil English countryside shattered by the noise and anguish of battle!
    Regards, James

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is the way of war, a fine spectacle in our games, and a brutish thing in reality. Beethoven's 6th symphony (Pastorale) would make a suitable sonic backdrop for this stage of the action, with the "cloudburst" being the opening musket fire of the Roundheads!

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  4. A magnificient table Peter, splendid terrain and armies...Sounds great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Phil. You were obviously hearing the Pastorale in your head before I mentioned it to James! :-)
      I hope to rate the troops and Leaders, set the sequence decks and Morale Points, and attach the unit markers (as in the Caldiero game) later today, and hopefully play some of it out on Sunday!

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  5. Looks great! Looking forward to your play through.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Brent! I haven't yet decided how detailed to do this one!

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  6. Great looking set-up. First Newbury is a big beast of a battle by ECW standards. It’ll be interesting to see how long it takes you.

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    Replies
    1. As this will be solo and my first time with the ECW version of FoB3, plus time out for pictures and game notes, I have no idea. I would guess it will take 3-4 gaming sessions of 1-2 hours given those parameters and the size of the battle.

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  7. Oh, this is truly an impressive setup, Peter! Your battlefield looks superb and evokes the hedged English landscape beautifully.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jon. Hopefully I will start to play it out tonight and tomorrow.

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    2. Many years ago, my future wargames friend, Bob Jones, wrote in the original NEWA Courier that reading battle reports was like watching somebody else kiss a pretty girl; he'd rather do it himself! :-)
      I'm not sure I'd fully agree, really well written battle reports can be quite enjoyable. With the global effects of Covid, remote gaming and vicarious gaming via blog posts have become far more common that in person games. That seems unlikely to change before the summer of 2021 at the earliest at this point!

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  8. The terrain and figures came together beautifully here Peter. This has to be one of your finest-looking tables yet.

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  9. Very impressive looking tabletop Peter. Gives me the urge to return to my own ECW project sooner rather than later.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Jon. I always enjoy your own excellent reports!

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  10. Lovely looking table, terrain and figures both! Looking forward to the game report!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Iain! I've been on call today, and very busy on the phone, so no progress thus far! :-)

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  11. Oh, this is just a fantastic post, Peter. With my current, new found interest in ECW, your information here will be used heavily by me in the future.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Dean. Your ECW troops have been coming fast and furious, and at an exceptional quality level as well!
      To me, the ECW really needs a campaign mechanism (such as Season of Battle, part of FoB3). That allows the troops to start out fairly poor and improve with time and experience... as well as track the "National Will" that will decide, if not the whole war, at least the outcome in that part of the Kingdom.

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  12. Superb looking. Epic battle to follow.
    I really should have tried FoB3 myself with late C17th by now... you have reminded me to move it up the list.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! This will be my first ECW battle with FoB, so yiou're not really that far behind the curve! :-)

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  13. Looking great, look forward to the after action report.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Gary. Working on the last details to start the game now! :-)

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