13th Century England

At war with the Barons, 13th Century England

For some time now I've been planning a Victorian British version of the classic Avalon Hill game Republic of Rome.  This would be used in my wargaming as the background for a series of "The Men Who Would be Kings" Colonial games, culminating in the Great War.  It's very much a work in progress, especially given that I'm still a couple of armies short in my 15mm collection.  

It occurred to me that I could streamline that ambitious plan right down to develop a campaign structure for a series of Scottorum Malleus Medieval games.  The focus here is on the Kingship of England, a job everyone seems to want, but also one that should be extremely difficult.  

As in Republic of Rome history forms only the basis for the game.  Broad historical events are card drawn, almost certainly out of any true chronological order.  Historic Wars and battles (in the broadest terms) are randomly generated, so that King John may end up fighting a battle King Edward I won, or vice versa.

We start in 1200AD, with King John, a chancer soon beset by enemies, often of his own making.  

 

The Forces involved:

The King of England and his loyal barons.

The Rebel English barons

The Marcher Lords

The Welsh Prince

The King of Scots

The Irish Pale

The Irish Kings

The French King

The Norman, Breton and Anjou Nobles

The Flemish Wool Citys.

 

Troop types

Good Cavalry. 5. BR

(May dismount as foot knights. 5)

Average Cavalry. 3 BR

Good Infantry. 4 BR

Average infantry. 3 BR

Good Missile infantry. 4 BR

Average Missile infantry. 3 BR

Skirmishers. 2 BR

The game currency is in "marks". These are randomly generated for the King, who is the only one who needs to worry about money in this game.  All of his enemy's forces are randomly generated with a d6 roll.  The King raises d6 x1000 marks from his own and loyal lands during a campaign year.  He may call a parliament, to raise a further d6 x 1000 from his barons, including those in Normandy, Brittany and Anjou, but every year parliament sits, or he draws continental revenues, his unpopularity grows, possibly sparking a rebellion.

The King raises forces essentially by paying for them.  Basically 1 BR costs 100 marks.  Thus a Good Cavalry group costs 500 BR for the year.  His army pool is allocated to the various wars, revolts and skirmishes randomly drawn for the year.  

Part of the random deck however are politics cards.  The Pope, for example, may ask for cash and threaten excommunication if it isn't paid, a peace treaty may be agreed with the French King, or an alliance with the German Emperor.

I'll develop these ideas as I go through the game, but I'm interested to see how far I can get the King through the Thirteenth Century.
 

The deck

1. 1.      French Invasion of Normandy
2. 2.      First Barons War
3. 3.      Second Barons War
4. 4.      War with Scotland
5. 5.      Welsh Marches raid
6. 6.      War with the Welsh
7. 7.      Revolt of the Irish Kings
8. 8.      Revolt of the Marched Lords
9. 9.      Battle of Bouvines
10. 10.    Pope threatens excommunication Unrest +1 per year until the King pays.
11. 11.    The Royal treasure lost in the wash
12. 12.    Royal marriage. Unrest -1
13. 13.    A powerful Earl or Bishop in play Unrest -d6
14. 14.    Magna Carta is raised Unrest -d6
15. 15.    Reform of the English legal system Unrest +1
16. 16.    Bad harvests double all prices and Unrest +1
17. 17.    Scutage is levied on all of the King's nobles. Unrest +1
18. 18.    French Pirates in the Channel.  Unrest +1
19. 19.    Revolt of a noble character in play.
20. 20.    Royal Birth or Death, Unrest -1

 
Special Tactics

Hedgehog or Schiltron  Spearmen. Choose one area containing at least  one of your Foot Spear units, and  none of your Mounted Warrior or  Skirmisher units.   Until the end of this turn, hits are  inflicted on a 5+ in every Battle and Battle Back.  Shooting action  targeting this area remains at 4+.   Your own units cannot move out of  the area in this turn. A second  Schiltron added to, or terrain effects  of, the area do not increase the  effect! Place a marker in each  Schiltron area to remind you where  they are formed, and remove these  markers at the end of turn.

Murderous Barrage, As Shoot but roll 2 extra dice, one unit only.

Unstoppable force, As Battle but roll 2 extra dice, one unit only.

Pongniés, "Spur!"  Mounted Charge.  Any mounted (at least one at full BR)  Choose one area containing at least  one of your Mounted units with  current BR at full strength (5 or 3). All  of your Mounted units in this area  must move into a single adjacent  area and Battle immediately if any enemy units are in the area.   A Charge must always move before  the Battle (you cannot declare a  Charge and remain in your current  area to Battle) and the area you  charge into cannot already contain  any of your own units.

Plashed woods (In Ireland) Elsewhere: Defensive ditch.  Must be within a terrain area.  Ditches surround a village, plashing within any woods one area adjacent to the base line of the Irish army choosing the tactic.   Both are defensive, and raise the To Hit requirement to a 6.  Battle back also requires a 6.

Charge Choose one area and immediately Battle there due to inspired leadership, the luck of the gods, or some other action noted by a watching bard, all of your units in this area roll 1 extra dice in this Battle. 

Swines head  German and Scandinavian Forces.  Haven't decided on this one yet.

Rush Mounted or Skirmishers. All of your Skirmishers and MountedTactics.

Skirmish Skirmishers and bow only Choose one area. Your Skirmishers here may Shoot within this area (using 2 dice; use just 1 dice if your unit is only Battle Rating 1), then must move out of the area (abiding by the usual rules for leaving an area). 

"The Saint is with us!"  Choose one area and immediately Battle there due to inspired religious fervour all of your units in this area roll 1 extra dice in this Battle. 

Last Stand.  Dismounted Knights only.   Choose one area and immediately Battle there   any of your Warrior units in this area with BR 1 roll three Battle dice but are then immediately routed and removed from play. 

Embolden  Any  Carry out an immediate Rally order in one area of your choice. 

 

Nobles in Play

1. Robert Fitzwalter
2. William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke
3. Prince Louis, Dauphain of France
4. William Longsword, Earl of Salisbury
5. William Earl of Arundel
6. Ranulph Earl of Chester
7. King David of Scotland
8. King Louis of France
9. Simon De Montfort Earl of Leicester
10. Theobald Lord  Butler of I Ireland
11. De Burgh, De Braose, De Lacey. Lordship in Ireland

 

The field of Saint Quincie, patron Saint of all Bretons. Two hills, two woods and a bog and muddy stream

King John has a residual treasury of 5000 marks.  Just as well since he only rolls 1 and gains just 1000 marks for the year 1200.

Event roll (19) roll for character in play Arthur Duke of Brittany.

King John's forces.
Brabancon mercenary bodyguards (BR6)
4 Feudal Knight Cavalry  (BR5)
1 Mtd Sergeants  (BR3)
2 foot spearmen  (BR3)
3 bowmen  (BR3)
1 Bidower Skirmishers  (BR2)

4100 Marks

Treasury total: 1900 Marks

Revolt of Arthur Duke of Brittany.

Supported by King Louis of France the Duke has risen in Revolt against his uncle, King John.  

Duke Arthur's forces.
Breton Noble Cavalry (BR6)
3 French feudal Knights (BR5)
1 Mtd Sergeants  (BR3)
3 foot spearmen  (BR3)
3 French crossbowmen  (BR3)
2 Bidower Breton Skirmishers  (BR2)

The Bretons have unfurled the banner of St Quincie of Quimper, patron Saint of all Bretons.  Its a bit of a rag on a pole, but Arthur believes it will motivate his men.

The Game

The King's army deployed

The Duke deploys

The Bretons take the central position among that bogland.

And the crossbows are out-shooting the bows today.

Never rolled that one before.  The Dukes crossbows pour a murderous barrage down onto the King.

And out on the flank the King sends a strong force to deal with the Breton skirmishers.  What was I thinking?

Randomly choosing the action tokens each turn seems to work in a solo game.

Again the crossbows pour in a murderous fire.  The King is almost killed.

John withdraws to safety

John brings up his bows to duel with the Crossbows.

But the crossbows shoot back and its a wipe-out.  I hope Arthur is paying these guys well.

The battle against the skirmishers is still going on, fruitlesly.

Arthur moves up behind his crossbows.

And John can't even rally today.

John's knights take on the French Chivalry

Mid game.

And today I`m blind drawing from the pot of fate.

Knight versus Knight in the centre.

Its one of thse protracted fight as action tokens from both sides are added in.

Arthus uses a Rally well, and the fight continues.

And John is winning the fight.

And finally the skirmishers are dealt with.

But when I check the casualties, the English have been hammered.

The end game as those damn crossbows wipe out the remains of King John's successful Knights. Not fair really!

And a battered King John makes his escape.

John retreats back to England, lucky to escape.   The unrest roll for Normandy is a 5.  That turns the Duchy over to Arthur.  I dice for anjou and Maine, and these are taken by King Louis as payment for his assistance, but he will probably not help Arthur again so John gets a breathing space.   English unrest -2.

John draws Theobald, Butler of Ireland as an active character and decides to campaign there for the rest of the year in the hopes of recovering his finances and reducing the unrest in England.