"Honours of War a Williamite Engagement" Topic

I'm still painting my 7YW armies but I do have both sides for the Williamite War in Ireland. Having read the rules I was eager to try them out and so Jacobite and Williamite forces were assembled in line with HOW's St Ulrich scenario.

A few adjustments were needed to accomodate the British and Irish units that still carried pikes and Matchlocks. I decided a down 1 for firing and an up 1 for melee* would do the trick. The fiing range would be 'muskets only' as specified in HOW.

The forces were as follows:

Jacobite (defender)

Brigadier General Sarsfield (Dashing)

1st Battalion Irish Guards*(Superor)
2nd Battalion Irish Guards*(Superior)
Sarsfieds Horse (Superior)
Gun (Standard)

Williamite

Brigadier General MacKay (Dependable)

Calmotte Hugeonot (Superior)
Fynske Danes (Superior)
Earle's Battalion* (Standard)
Scomberg's Horse (Standard)
Gun (Standard)

It worked very well. The Irish rolled high and a series of double moves saw the both units of Guards confront Camotte's battalion while the horse on both sides squared off. The Williamite gun unlimbered but could not find a target as Earle's battalion masked its front. The Irish gun was out of range.

The Guards sent the Hugeonots realling back with 4 hits while the Schomberg's Dutch horse held their Irish counterparts in melee.

Calmotte's boys fell back 2 moves to regroup and Mackay pulled back the Danes and shuffled Earl's battalion to give his artillery a target. He now had a coherent line.

Fynske and the 2nd Battalion of the Guards exchanged a volley to the discomfort of the latter. The Williamite gun inflicted casualties on the 1st Battalion of the Guards and the Irish horse 'Did For' their Dutch opponents who fled the field.

We stopped there but Sarsfield would have needed to rally off the hits from his units and Mackay would need to consider how he could continue to advance without cavalry.

All in all I thought it worked well and had the right feel for a Williamite battle. Neither of us attempted an infantry charge though so that's for next time.

Sounds a fun game! Where's the photos???;0)

Flat batteries! Ray.

I'm going to try them out for the central part of the action at Aughrim next and then have a go at a FIW engagement with the Indians and other lights rated as Croats as it were. There will be photos.

It is a fun set of rules and as I'm sworn to FOB that's high praise indeed from me. Very reasonable price too.

Will be interested to see your AAR report for the Aughrim scenario. It's a fascinating little battle, with massive consequences. I intend to try it with my 10 mm figures, using modified Twilight of the SunKing rules. There were a couple of crucial events that had a big influence- the wrong bullets for the musketeers in the castle and the death of the Jacobite c-in-c from a random (?) cannon shot. There was also the apparent lack of communication between de St Ruth and Sarsfield. I need to work out how they can be modelled in the scenario.

It should be interesting. St Ruth seemingly told no one of his plans post deployment hence the confusion when the roundshot took his head off.

I don't think you need model any confusion in a game until and if St Ruth gets killed. It was Dominic Sheldon who led the Irish cavalry retreat and I suppose you could Just throw a D6 1-3 off they trot 4-6 they stay. Up till St Ruth's death the cavalry had performed well.

The Irish foot seem to have packed the field boundaries with musketeers the pikes remaining in reserve giving them improved fire power and the advantage of cover. Still not a match for the Danes and Dutch etc in that respect but likely an advantage over the similar pike and shot British battalions.

As you say a facinating and far reaching battle.

Just a note on the forces for Aughrim for anyone interested.

Jacobite

Right
Life Guards
4 Rgts of Horse
4 Rgts of Dragoons

Centre
26 Battalions
1 Rgt of Horse
2 Batteries

Left
3 Battalions
4 Rgts of Horse
4 Rgts of Dragoons

Williamite

Left
10 Rgts of Horse
1 Rgt of Dragoons

Centre Right
14 Battalions
7 Rgts of Horse
3 Rgts of Dragoons

Centre Left
14 Battalions

Artilery: I still need to establish a figure.

I'm going to have to bathtub this one as it is a big battle by Irish standards and I dont have enough units.