The Anarchy in Midshire 1139

My interest in the Anarchy of the mid twelfth Century in England is not exactly spur of the moment.  I read Jim Bradbury's Stephen and Matilda when it was first published, as well as his Medieval Warfare which is an excellent overview of that period.  I just finished Martins Bishop's of Stephens Reign for goodness sake, though I'm not quite sure what he would make of Phallus, baby eating Bishop of Midshire!  

I based my map of Midshire on the long out of print Robin Hood board game, although my map is far larger.  Also in the mix here is The Anarchy, a Cry Havoc supplement.  Finally I want to use my mash up of rules from Bash the Bishop and Steel and Steed for the combat.

On the death of Henry I in 1135 the old King had attempted to pass the throne to his daughter Matilda, but the King's nephew Stephen of Blois seized the throne, with the help of his brother, Henry the Bishop of Winchester.  The Kingdom was thrown into the Anarchy, a civil war in England and Normandy between 1135 and 1153. 

Stephen's early reign was marked by fierce fighting with English barons, rebellious Welsh leaders and Scottish invaders. Following a major rebellion in the south-west of England, Matilda invaded in 1139 with the help of her half-brother Robert of Gloucester.

Midshire was, as ever, on the edge of these events.  Hugh Biggot, Earl of Midshire, is a strong supporter of King Stephen, whilst the Bishop of  Midshire supports the Empress Matilda.  In reality everyone is simply  out for themselves.  Across the County Knights have gathered to scheme and feud, throwing the land into chaos. 

The County of Midshire 1139

The campaign game.  Basically ludo, or a card draw with fighting.

The Anarchy in Midshire

The Characters

Hugh Biggot Earl of Midshire.  Controls the the great coastal fortress of Bumburgh.

Bishop Phallus de Farthingdale, of Midshire Minster

Lord Rollo Arundel, of Castle Grope

Odo Tanville, Mercenary Captain

Robbing Hood, a woodland outlaw leader of the Mincing Woods, and his lieutenant Scarlet Willy.

Squire FitzQuilp - the twisted Crookback, Sheriff Of Much Rutting, obsessive tile collector

	Missions cards	Location	Random Encounters
1	A taxing afternoon	Feltup	Enemy Character+ Retinue
2	Street Fight	Much Rutting	Enemy Character+Retinue
3	Peasant revolt	Lower Tosser	Enemy Character+Retinue
4	Robbery with Violence	Long Winkle Hill	Mercenary Band
5	The trap	Potter's Knob	Mercenary Band
6	The Border raid	The Midden Bridge	Wolf's head Outlaw Gang
7	Bloodfeud	Nether Quarters	Ancient Quilp, Hermit
8	Heroic last stand	Great Juggs	Master Grasping, Merchant
9	Find the Lady	Pratt's Bottom	Mayor of Much Rutting
10	The Convoy	Cold Keep	Edward de Farthingdale
11	Coup de main	Fircombe	Abbess Audrey, Great Juggs
12	Assaulting the breach	Lower Cocker	Witch of Long Winkle hill
13	Burning the Camp	Grope	Friar Feck
14	The strategem	Spanker	Grumpy old John the Archer
15	Royal Justice	Slippery Bent	Old Mother Paxman,
16	In Extremis	Dribbly Rump	The homely Abbess Griselda
17	Vanguard Clash	Upper Midden	Minstrel Eric O'Clapton
18	Royal Writ	Ball's Cross	The King's Marshal
19	Royal Writ	Mincing Woods	The Bishop of Winchester,
20	Royal Writ	The Town of Midden	The Earl of Pembroke

Royal Writ (Missions issued by the King or the Empress)

1  Protect the Messenger

2  Capture the Fugitive

3  Send monies to the Royals

4  Provide troops outside the County

5  Lay siege to or Capture...

6  Break the siege at...


The Skirmish at Pratt's Bottom

The forces of Earl Hugh Biggot, that deluded fool who supports King Stephen over the Empress, have appeared at the Abbey of St Quentin.  The Earl has been ordered to capture the Abbey since the King seems to believe it has been turned into a castle.  

Fortunately that Just and Honest man, the Bishop of Midshire has turned up with his own retinue to foil the Earl's plans.  After all fortifying an Abbey isn`t a crime... sort of...

The Earl has diced his Mission as a Royal Writ, King Stephen wants the village of Pratt's Bottom, and the great Abbey there captured.  The Abbey is one of the Bishop's holdings and he is quick to defend it.  It's a pretty much straightforward fight in the fields outside the village.

The Village of Pratt's Bottom has been a manor of the Bishop of Midshire since shortly after the Conquest.  When the Abbey of St Quentin's was built as a beneficence of Old King Henry it was located here, on Church land.

The villagers thrived in the shadow of the Abbey, until the Anarchy during which the Bishop fortified the Abbey, in effect turning it into a castle at a time when creating new castles was deemed to be an act of rebellion against the King.

The Bishop of course supports Empress Matilda, but his policy has put him in direct conflict with the Earl. 

The Bishop arrives, with a relic, a tiny piece from the True Cross inserted into a massive cross. That has to be heavy. 

The Earl with Louis, his trumpet player.  

In the village Leopold the Merchant inspects his goods and his guards.

The Bishop surges forward 

The Earl's Men investigate Leopold the Merchant.
Blurry camera!

The Earl readies himself to receive the Bishop...

Battle, and very complicated it was too.  Overall the Bishop does better...

The Bishop himself deals with the Earl's foot.  Its a wipe out...

The Earl's men are sent back reeling, their Captain killed. 

The Bishop solicits a contribution for the Church roof from Leopold the Merchant.

The Earl's men run for it.  A complete victory for the Bishop

A long long game, and using the Steel and Steed mechanisms made it too complicated.  It would have worked well for a game with half a dozen figures per side but here there were too many to easily track.  In the interests of Keep it Simple Stupid I need to rethink this...