On the 23rd October 1642, the first major battle of the English Civil War took place, the Battle of Edgehill. The Royalist army of King Charles I and his nephew Prince Rupert was marching for London when their way was blocked by the Earl of Essex's Parliamentarian army. This is a solo refight, using the solo rules Dominion of Cavaliers and Roundheads.
Both armies deployed as they did historically, with their Foot in the centre and their Horse on both flanks. All of the Royalist cavalry, the Cavaliers, were deployed while there was still some Parliamentarian cavalry in their reserve. Prince Rupert and his Cavaliers on the Royalist right flank led the attack charging the opposing Parliamentarian cavalry. But in their haste they charged too early and their blown horses were unable to hold their momentum when they reached the Parliamentarians! The Parliamentarian cavalry fired their pistols but in the confusion had little effect, and the fight on the Royalist right degenerated into a swirling mess, until both sides pulled back creating some distance between them – and the Royalist gentry could refresh themselves with strong alcohol from their flasks!
In the centre, the two Foot lines advanced towards each other moving into musket range. The Parliamentarians, with a greater number of muskets than the Royalists, forced back the Royalist front line, but they were quickly replaced. Over on the Royalist left, the two Horse wings clashed, with again the Royalist Cavaliers enthusiastically charging. Here they did better, riding down the Parliamentarian cavalry, as they nervously fumbled to fire their pistols at the charging Cavaliers. Now came a moment of truth. Would the victorious Cavaliers pursue their broken foe for miles off the battlefield, or would they rally and remain fighting on the battlefield? They failed to rally and disappeared off the battlefield leaving their Foot to fill the gap, while for Parliament their Foot also moved over while their Reserve Cavalry waited for an opportune moment.
With a brief lull in the fighting, the Royalist army was now looking quite stretched. Back over to the Royalist right, and their Cavaliers having regrouped and refortified themselves with liquid refreshment charged again. This time they swept the Parliamentarians away, who obviously had not been paying enough attention to their lessons on reloading pistols. Would Prince Rupert's valiant horsemen pursue or rally? Again they pursued! On both flanks the Royalist cavalry had defeated their opponents but on both flanks pursued them off the battlefield. Rather ominously for the Royalists, the Earl of Essex directed his Reserve Cavalry forward and around the now open Royalist right flank threatening the Royalist centre. There in the centre, the Foot were again fighting but indecisively with both armies throwing worried glances to their flanks. Over on the Royalist left, with the Horse gone, the opposing Foot clashed with the Royalists pushing forward through the Parliamentarian musket fire, and winning the push of pikes. The last of the Parliamentarian backline Foot swung right to defend this flank.
The Parliamentarian cavalry on the Royalist right manoeuvred into position to strike the Royalist centre, but to the Earl of Essex's frustration took their time. In the centre though, the Royalist Foot facing Parliamentarian Foot to their front, and enemy Horse to their right, threw down their weapons and ran for it. On the Royalist left, both lots of Foot paused and watched the action elsewhere, then as the Royalist Foot there realised they were the only Royalist troops left on the battlefield, they quickly made themselves scarce.
A victory for Parliament!
ponders nirvana.