Hundred Years War BBDBA 1415

[paulr]

A few weeks ago Pierre the Shy and I took a trip a couple hours north to visit a wargaming friend, Rhys. We decided it was a good opportunity to play a couple of Big Battle De Bellis Antiquitatis (BBDBA) games and to give the six completed armies from my Hundred Years War project their first run.

As the armies are painted including personalities from Agincourt it made sense for their first outings to be in 1415. To reduce set up time I selected the options to be used for all six armies, this gave the following forces.

Two English armies: IV/62c 100 Years War English
1x General (Bd s), 2x men-at-arms (Bd s), 8x archers (Lb s), 1x False-French town militia (Bd s)

One army from Ghent: IV/57c Low Countries
1x General (Pk s), 7x guildsmen (Pk s), 1x guildsmen with halberd (Bd s), 1x crossbowmen (Cb s), 1x hand gunners (Ps), 1x organ gun (Art)

Two French Armies: 2x IV/64c Medieval French
1x General (Kn), 1x rich nobles (Kn), 4x men-at-arms (Bd s), 2x pavisiers (Sp), 1x crossbowmen (Cb s), 1x Scots men-at-arms (Bd s), 1x Scots archers (Bw s), 1x peasant levy (Hd s)

One Burgundian army: IV/76 Early Burgundian
1x General (Bd s), 2x men-at-arms (Bd s), 2x Burgundian crossbowmen (Cb s), 2x Burgundian longbowmen (Lb s), 2x Low Countries crossbowmen (Cb s), 2x Low Countries pikemen (Pk s), 1x Italian elmetti (Kn)

Game 1

In the first game Rhys invaded with the English and the guildsmen from Ghent. Pierre the Shy commanded the Burgundians and the central French while I commanded the French on the left. The field was open with a small wood on the French right, a road running from the French right to the English left and a couple of ploughed areas.

The French deployed a long line of mixed bowmen and dismounted men-at-arms with three small reserves of foot and mounted knights. Those on the French left were aiming to work their way around the English right.

The English deployed with the pike from Ghent in the centre with the English long bowmen and dismounted men-at-arms on the flanks.



Both sides advanced and the lines became disrupted as some units were forced back by effect shooting by enemy bowmen.



A close up of Charles I d'Albret's, Constable of France, and Jean the Fearless', Duke of Burgundy, armies closing against the guildsmen of Ghent and the Duke of Gloucester's English.



Casualties mount on both sides in the centre and the English left. Arthur de Richemont, Duke of Brittany and Charles I d'Albret's, Constable of France are going to have to charge the pike from Ghent.



The charges did not go well and the central French army broke. The English left was broken by the Burgundians. This left the guildsmen of Ghent with heavy casualties trying to redeploy to cover their left as the Burgundians tried to redeploy to attack the centre. On the French left the lines were becoming more fragmented as both sides were pushed back or advanced.



Both the English right and the guildsmen of Ghent had suffer heavy casualties and finally the slow steady pressure from the French left told and the English broke, giving victory to the depleted French and Burgundians.



Despite the very linear initial deployment it was an interesting game with lots of subtle interactions between the various troop types. Both the French left and the Burgundians had suffered casualties and so it might have gone the other way.

Game 2

After a pleasant brunch we set up for the second game. This time Pierre the Shy invaded with the English and the guildsmen from Ghent while Rhys commanded the French and I commanded the Burgundians. The field was much more cluttered this game with three woods on the French left and a couple of ploughed areas which turned out to be rough going.

The Burgundians deployed on the left aiming to contest the central wood with some of their bowmen and push the rest of the army between the woods. The guildsmen of Ghent opposed the main push and deployed a few hand gunners into the wood.

The French deployed in the centre and on the right again with their mounted knights in reserve. The English deployed in the centre and on their left with small dismounted reserves and columns of troops aiming to deploy to cover the central wood and to expand their left.



A close up of the Burgundians trying to apply pressure to the left flank of the pike of Ghent as they press forward against the main Burgundian line.



A close up of the disordered French and English lines.



Casualties are mounting alarmingly in the French centre and the Burgundians have suffered some casualties in the confused fighting on the left. But the mounted French knights on the right look to have moved onto the English flank.



Further casualties broke the French centre and casualties were mounting for the Burgundians and the French right.



A close up of the Burgundians struggling to take advantage of the exposed left flank of the guildsmen of Ghent. The astute amongst you will note the absence of the French as mounting casualties on the right had broken that army as well.  At this point the Burgundians conceded defeat.



Another interesting game, comprehensively won by Pierre the Shy.

Overall a really good catch up with Rhys and a very enjoyable day trip.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Nice to see the stuff in action.

[Steve J]

Two lovely looking games and great to see your armies in action .

[Techno II]

Cracking ! 

Cheers - Phil.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Fabulous looking games. Great reports.

[mmcv]

Great stuff, good to see them on the table

[DHautpol]

Really nice.

Some great painting and the photos with the sunlight on them look superb.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

So, what happened before quater past two?

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Crecy...