"Verneuil using Days of Knights Part 2" Topic

Beware, house rules stampede.

The Battle of Verneuil 17 August 1424
Part 2: The Armies and Field of Battle
Reviewing the troops involved is an interesting exercise despite the similarities. We can divide up the participants into the English, the French, the Scots, and the Lombards.
The English – No surprises here. Men-at-Arms (MAA) and Longbows (LB). It's easy to let the results influence one's opinion and classify both as elite. So easy in fact that we'll start with that.
Elite Dismounted MAA Combat Factor (CF) 4, Move 2/1 (grid), Rally 5+, Heavy Armor, Special Support
Elite LBs CF 2, Move 2, Rally 6+, Subject to Panic, Special Support.
Scenario Note: One LB starts the game mounted. It is Move 3 until it dismounts at the end of any move. It may not shoot until it dismounts.
The French – A bit of variety. MAA (mounted and dismounted), Foot (FT), Crossbows (CB), and Skirmishers. Should any unit be elite? I think I heard somewhere that it's easy to let the results influence one's opinion. So easy in fact that we'll start with no. However, the Lombard cavalry are about to be allowed to use the Heavy Armor rule, so we'll allow the French cavalry to also receive this bonus.
Mounted MAA CF 4/2, Move 3/1, Rally 7+, +2 Charge Bonus, Heavy Armor, Cause Panic, Shock, Pursuit
Dismounted MAA CF 3, Move 2/1, Rally 6+, Heavy Armor, Special Support
Foot CF 2, Move 2/1, Rally 7+, Subject to Panic
Crossbows CF 1, Move 2/1, Rally 7+, Subject to Panic
Skirmishers CF 0, Move 3, Rally 8+, Subject to Panic, Skirmish
Skirmish: Units with this rule may move in any direction and change facing without penalty.
The Scots – Actually, surprises here! Long ago I would have gone with Pike, but we're now told that the Scot contingent consisted of MAA and LB. As these guys were spoiling for payback, let's give them the Curtis Wright Rash rule. Simple and effective.
MAA CF 3+1*, Move 2/1, Rally 7+*, Heavy Armor, Special Support, Rash
LB CF 1+1*, Move 2, Rally 8+*, Subject to Panic, Special Support, Rash
Rash: Units with this rule gain a +1 CF until demoralized, after which the bonus is lost permanently. Rash units must follow up if not engaged on another facing, even if singly or doubly demoralized. Rash units have a Rally Factor one higher than normal.
The Lombards – State of the art harness. Like shiny new cars. But the Lombards were mercenaries, out for loot, and not particularly concerned with the overall results of the conflict. Designation as Mounted MAA with Heavy Armor should serve them well.
Mounted MAA CF 4/2, Move 3/1, Rally 7+, +2 Charge Bonus, Heavy Armor, Cause Panic, Shock, Pursuit
The Battle: The battle itself was part of the Duke of Bedford's tireless effort to protect the interests of young Henry VI after his father's early passing. The French did not seem to have complete confidence in their own arms at this time, and Charles VII supplemented his army with large numbers of Scots and small numbers of Lombard mercenaries. He was eager to employ the new recruits (and it was expensive to maintain), and, after trickery resulted in the surrender of Verneuil, Bedford was equally ready to force a decisive battle.
Bedford's army of around 1800 MAA and 8000 archers was opposed by a mixed band of 14,000. The battle features a destructive charge of mounted chivalry as the French/Lombard attack met with some success, a murderous exchange of archery between the English and Scots, and very bitter hand to hand fighting that must have been a narrow contest. While conclusions on details differ, the result was that the French collapsed and the Scots were mostly slain on the field. A decisive English victory.
The Terrain: The French and Scots formed up in front of the walls of Verneuil, with a small stream at their backs that had no effect on the battle. The English deployed in two battles, with Bedford on the right, Salisbury on the left, and their baggage with its garrison just behind them at the edge of the woods. A road ran from the woods to the gates of Verneuil.
The English using DOK
Right Battle: Marshal – Bedford (+1 CF/+1 RF), Captain – Suffolk (+1 RF) 2 Elite MAA, 6 Elite LB, 2 Elite LB in camp, 1 mounted Elite LB
Marshal of Left Battle: Marshal – Salisbury (+1 CF/+1 RF), Captain – Fastolf (+1 RF), 2 Elite MAA, 6 Elite LB
Bedford Morale = 11. Salisbury Morale = 8. The Camp is worth 2 additional points of Army Morale (explained later) to each battle so long as an English unit occupies it.
The French using DOK
Left Battle: Marshal – Aumale (+1 RF), Captain – Narbonne (+1 RF), 3 MAA, 4 Foot, 3 Crossbows, 1 Skirmishers
Vanguard: Captain – La Hire (+1 RF), Captain – Caqueran (+1 RF), 4 Mounted MAA (1 French and 3 Lombard)
French/Lombard Morale = 15
The Scots using DOK
Right Battle: Marshal – Douglas (+1 CF/+1 RF), Captain – Buchan (+1 RF), 4 Rash MAA, 8 Rash LBs
Scot Morale = 12
Army Morale has been mentioned several times, with no explanation. What gives? This method of determining an army or battle collapse is lifted with great admiration from Bruce MacFarlane's Flower of Chivalry. In his rules, an army basically gets one point of Army Morale for each unit. Possession of important terrain features add to this number, with their loss being subtracted from it. It's a very clever way of making important battlefield landmarks matter, which includes camps and baggage. In fact, for a particularly determined army, it can be used to subtly increase their willingness to fight. It can also be used with a turn limit as Victory Points to force an army to eventually attack or lose. This number drops one every time a unit retreats due to double demoralization (and legally completes its retreat, otherwise keep reading…), and it drops two if a unit is eliminated (including a doubly demoralized unit that can't complete its retreat). The capture of an enemy commander raises Army Morale by 2, while capture of any other character raises Army Morale by one. It works great!
A final scenario point for discussion before we play. In just about every map of the battle, the Scots were placed to the right. Tom Thomas' scenario in Great Battles of History for DBA 3 is the first time I've seen the Scots placed to the left. I don't know of any evidence that he's incorrect. Adventurous souls should feel free to use their preference.
On to the battle!

I think I'll use your info to build relevant forces – again thanks.

Glad it was of use! And Tom Thomas gets the real credit, as his BBDBA scenario and Wadge's book are so well synchronized.

Intesting thanks again Steve

Cheers
Matt