A Solo Kingmaker

Serendipity or a happy coincidence?  I had only just begun using Bloody barons 2 or "Wars of the Roses" wargaming rules when Tabletop Simulator came on offer on Steam.  I was aware that TS had loads of old dice hex chit games as mods but flicking through before I spent my 6.99 I found Kingmaker and B17.  the mods are free and there are hundreds of them. Sold!
I like a board wargame but am notoriously parsimonious, far too much so to physically buy them.

The basic setup gives you all you need to play.

HOUSE OF LANCASTER 

Henry VI-in London 

Margaret of Anjou-in Fotheringhay 

Edward, Prince of Wales-in Coventry 

Duke of Somerset in play.

HOUSE OF YORK 

Richard, Duke of York-in York 

Edward, Earl of March-in Harlech

Edmund, Earl of Rutland-in Ireland 

George, Duke of Clarence-In Cardigan 

Richard, Duke of Gloucester-in Calais 

The deal: 36 cards.

Faction 1 Blue Lion 
Percy: Earl of Northumberland 100,  Steward of the Royal Household  50, Town Ipswich,
Herbert 10, Bishop of Norwich, Le Rose of Plymouth Ship,

Faction 2 Bear and Ragged
Neville: Earl of Warwick 50, Chancellor Cornwall  50, Ship Le Micheal of Bristol
Hastings 10, Lieutenant of Ireland, Bishop of Carlisle

Faction 3 The White Lion
Mowbray: Duke of Norfolk 50, Warden if the Cinque ports 50.
Clifford  10, Earl of Essex 20, Chancellor of England 50, 

Faction 4  Portcullis,
Beaufort: Duke of Somerset  50, Marshall of England 100, 
Talbot: Earl of Shrewsbury 30
Courtenay: Earl of Devonshire 30, 
Howard 30, Title Earl of Salisbury 30

Faction 5 The Apes Clog  
Pole: Duke of Suffolk  30,
Audely  10, Title Earl of Exeter 20,
Cromwell 10, Bishop of Lincoln.
Berkeley 10,

Faction 6  Boars head
Grey  30,  Earl of Wiltshire 30, Constable of the Tower 50, Town Swansea 
Roos  20  Office Treasurer of England 50.

Two more Factions
The White Rose   Faction of the Duke of York  Holder of the Senior Yorkist heir
The Red Rose      Faction of the Duke of Lancaster, holder of the Senior Lancastrian heir.

... and on to deployment.

Negotiation Phase This phase preceeds the Players' Turns and during it the Players may agree and communicate to the GM : Permission to enter a Faction's town, city or castle may be granted to another          Faction or cancelled if previously granted. Permission to leave a Faction's port may be granted to another Faction or cancelled if previously granted. A captured royal heir may be executed. Nobles captured in the previous Combat Phase must be ransomed or executed or pardoned. Transferables may be transferred or traded. Alliances may be declared or ended. Held Crown cards may be played. Play commences in random order.

Negotiation Phase

This phase preceeds the Players' Turns and during it the Players may agree and communicate to the GM : Permission to enter a Faction's town, city or castle may be granted to another          Faction or cancelled if previously granted. Permission to leave a Faction's port may be granted to another Faction or cancelled if previously granted. A captured royal heir may be executed. Nobles captured in the previous Combat Phase must be ransomed or executed or pardoned. Transferables may be transferred or traded. Alliances may be declared or ended. Held Crown cards may be played. Play commences in random order.

Negotiation Phase

This phase preceeds the Players' Turns and during it the Players may agree and communicate to the GM :

• Permission to enter a Faction's town, city or castle may be granted to another          Faction or cancelled if previously granted.
• Permission to leave a Faction's port may be granted to another Faction or cancelled if previously granted.
• A captured royal heir may be executed. Nobles captured in the previous Combat Phase must be ransomed or executed or pardoned.
• Transferables may be transferred or traded.
• Alliances may be declared or ended.
• Held Crown cards may be played.
• Play commences in random order.

Chance Phase  - The top card of the Event deck is drawn and the instructions on it are followed.

Movement Phase  - All, some or none of the player's counters are moved.

Combat Phase  - Any battles or sieges are resolved.

Parliament Phase  - Parliament may be summoned by the sole king or Chancellor of England, if there is no sole king, as long as the player has the Event card that allows this.

Coronation Phase  - A royal heir first in the line of succession in his or her royal house may be crowned king

Crown Deck Phase  - A card is drawn from the top of the Crown deck. It may be played immediately or place in the   player's hand, it may be played any time after this.

1453  The Game

Negotiation.
A solo game but I rolled some dice all to no avail.  No dealing this turn.

Chance

Plague in Norwich?  No result.

Movement Phase

Random order Turn 1

1.  Portcullis
2.  The Apes Clog
5.  The White Lion
6.  Bear and Ragged Staff

4.  Boars head

3.  Blue Lions

First faction move: Portcullis

Beaufort goes for the King.  Moves from Corfe to join Howard.  

Beaufort has gathered 210 army points at Farnham in striking distance of London and King Henry.  
Ever the Lancastrian!

Talbot moves from Ludlow to secure Edward of Lancaster, wishful thinking with 30 points.  Coventry has a garrison of 200.  
He is also in easy reach of Warwick here so not well thought out...

Courtenay and his force of 30 moves past Taunton to try and join Beaufort.  Berkeley looks on from his castle. 

The Portcullis have had an active first move.

Second faction: The Apes Clog

Pole at Wingfield with 30 points marches to join Cromwell And Audley.  They meet at Grantham having mustered a less than impressive 50.

Berkeley remains at Berkeley 

Third Faction Move: The White Lion

As on the picture directly above Mowbray holds at Castle Rising and Clifford at Conisborough.

Fourth faction Move: Bear and Ragged Staff

Warwick with his 100 is joined by Hastings to bring their force to 110.  They confront Talbot outside Coventry.

Fifth Faction Move: Boars head

Grey joins Roos force now totals 180.  They head north but are delayed passing Newark. 

Looks like Grey and Roos may be Yorkists! 

Blue Lions

Percy heads south towards York with a force of 150 

Herbert leaves Llanstephan heading north into Wales with his retinue of 10.

And I pause the game to fight the battle.

The battle of Coventry on tabletop...

Talbot is outnumbered

Talbot assaults the rough ground

The death of Warwick

Hastings assaults Talbot from the adjacent ward

But Hastings is thrown back.  Talbot stands.  

I called the game there.  Talbot has stood off the attack of Warwick and Hastings and Warwick's death means his card is returned to the crown deck.