This is a report on the third of three
For King & Parliament refights of the battle of Cheriton, 29 March 1644, at the New Zealand National Wargames Convention on Kapiti during Easter 2019.
About 10 players were involved over the 3 days with 7-8 playing in each game. The majority of players who had played in the first two games had played for either the Royalists or Parliament in both games. For this final game these players switched sides and the new players joining the game slotted in around them.
The Parliamentary plan was to push forward on their right using Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Leighton's Brigade from Cheriton Wood to restrict the Royalists response to Sir William Balfour's Brigade of Horse. They also planned to move Potley and Browne's London Brigades of Foot to the right to support this attack. The gap created on their left would be covered by Hesilrigge's Brigade of Horse screening off the Commanded Shot of Lisle's Tertia of Foot, outside musket range.
The Royalist plan was to defend the hedges on the forward slope of Cheriton ridge while pushing forward on their right to contest Yew Farm and the bridge near it. Two of Major-General Sir John Smyth's Brigades of Horse would face off Sir William Balfour's Brigade of Horse while the third provided a reserve.
Stawell's Brigade of Horse deploys to cover the Royalist left flank while the Royalist Foot advance to the front of Cheriton ridge
Browne's London Brigade of Foot press forward while Potley's Parliamentary Brigade of Foot and Balfour's Brigade of Horse stall
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40741533413_46cafe8822_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/255c1tg)
Livesey's Parliamentary Brigade presses forward with Cooke's Regiment of Horse reaching the bridge by Yew Farm
The majority of the Royalist Foot advances to the hedge line
Howard's Royalist Brigade of Horse advances towards Yew Farm and the bridge
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46791847295_330b0c024b_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ehQrZR)
Slow progress by both sides on Parliament's right with Apsley & Paulet's Royalist Regiments of Foot pressing on further than was perhaps wise on the left of Paulet's 'Tertias' of Foot
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40741533263_9d20e14135_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/255c1qF)
Livesey's Parliamentary Brigade moves up in support of Cooke's Regiment of Horse at the bridge by Yew Farm
The majority of Hesilrigge's Parliamentary Brigade of Horse crosses the stream
Howard's Royalist Brigade of Horse closes on Yew Farm and the bridge
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46791847155_42269c389e_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ehQrXr)
Potley's Parliamentary Brigade of Foot, Browne's London Brigade of Foot and Balfour's Brigade of Horse all advance
Apsley & Paulet's Royalist Regiments of Foot withdraws in line with the remainder of Paulet's 'Tertias' of Foot
Vaughan's & Lindsey's Regiments of Horse deploy onto the left of Smyth's Royalist Brigade of Horse
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33830610668_00be0f2c6c_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TxuHUQ)
Cooke's Parliamentary Regiment of Horse charges over the bridge and scores two hits on Prince Maurice & Manning's Regiments of Horse, neither of which are saved, destroying them. Cooke's Horse pursue (yellow marker)
To their right Norton's Regiment of Horse is less successful and is disordered by the Queen's & Neville's Royalist Regiments
To their left a unit of Commanded Shot of the Yellow Regiment of the London Trained Bands occupies Yew Farm forcing Howard & Bard's Regiments of Horse to withdraw rather than face short range musket fire
Eure's Dragoons of the Earl of Forth's command deploys to cover the line of pursuit of Cooke's Parliamentary Regiment of Horse supported by Gerard & Bard's Commanded Shot
Stuart's Royalist Brigade of Horse reconsiders its plan to enter Lamborough field via Broad Lane, between Lisle & Paulet's Foot, and instead moves to support the Royalist right
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47707932321_d3f2c8e876_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2fFMCag)
Sir Michael Livesey plans to lead his own Regiment of Horse forward and into the flank of the Queen's & Neville's Royalist Regiments. The turn starts perfectly, drawing a 2 which is just enough to activate and advance allowing plenty of scope to beat it to activate again. The regiment draws another 2, lower than the 4 required to turn to the right. Sir Michael is able to replay the chit and draws ... another 2 ending the activation of his brigade ~X(
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40741533003_e6688a2501_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/255c1mc)
Potley's Parliamentary Brigade of Foot and Balfour's Brigade of Horse catch up with Browne's London Brigade of Foot forming a solid line
Paulet's Royalist Artillery fires from the top of Cheriton ridge over Astley & Appleyard's Regiments of Foot at the advancing Parliamentary Foot
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47707931841_e1fc4ef2be_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2fFMC1Z)
Norton's disordered Parliamentary Regiment of Horse turned and withdrew and was replaced by one of the regiments of Hesilrigge's Brigade of Horse which managed to disorder the Queen's & Neville's Royalist Regiments while being disordered itself
The rear regiments of Stuart's Royalist Brigade of Horse closed up as they prepared to support Howard's Brigade of Horse
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46791846815_39b0068b1e_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ehQrRz)
A picture from the Royalist side for a change, Gerard & Bard's Commanded Shot of the Earl of Forth's Royalist command advance and fired muskets and light artillery at Cooke's pursuing (yellow marker) Regiment of Horse
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47707931601_0d188b26ba_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2fFMBWR)
Cooke's pursuing Regiment of Horse has been destroyed by the combined fire of the Commanded Shot, light artillery and Dragoons of the Earl of Forth's Royalist command
The Queen's & Neville's Royalist Regiments have been destroyed and the pursing regiment from Hesilrigge's Brigade of Horse has in turned been destroyed by the Clerke's Regiment of Horse from Stuart's Royalist Brigade
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40741532793_55c9ce68a1_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/255c1hz)
Meanwhile in the centre Royalist Major-General Sir John Smyth is faced with a dilemma by the advance of Potley & Browne's London Brigades of Foot on his Horse and Paulet's 'Tertias' of Foot. Standing and taking the light artillery and musket fire is unthinkable, withdrawing and exposing Paulet's flank, particularly from raw apprentice boys from London would be unconscionable. So charge he must into the storm of fire and thickets of pikes. After a period of heavy fighting he is appalled to realise that only Bennet's Regiment of Horse remains of his brigade.
Paulet's 'Tertias' of Foot fairs not much better, the hedge they are defending provides some protection from the light artillery and musket fire of Potley's Parliamentary Brigade of Foot but hinders his counter charge. Apsley & Paulet's and Astley & Appleyard's Regiments of Foot are both destroyed
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47707931401_04c3394353_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2fFMBTp)
The situation only worsens as the Yellow Regiment of the London Trained Bands turns onto the flank of Bennet's Royalist Regiment of Horse and delivers a devastating volley destroying the regiment. Royalist Major-General Sir John Smyth is stunned by a musket ball and subsequently captured.
Parliament's Lieutenant-General Sir William Balfour is killed in the confused fighting.
Jones' Regiment of Foot from Potley's Parliamentary Brigade of Foot advances and captures Paulet's artillery on the top of Cheriton ridge.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46791846385_31da5d951a_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ehQrJa)
Back near Yew Farm the remaining regiment of Howard's Brigade of Horse (obscured yellow marker) managed to destroy one of Livesey's regiments of Horse on the Itchen Way
Stuart's Brigade of Horse got its first regiment through the congestion into Lamborough field.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47707931121_77cb1abcb6_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2fFMBNz)
Stuart's Royalist advance into Lamborough field is met with a charge by one of Hesilrigge's Regiment of Horse to little effect to either unit
The Commanded Shot of the Yellow Regiment of the London Trained Bands nervously prepare to defend the bridge from the pursuing Horse of Howard's Royalist Brigade
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40741532603_682a842824_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/255c1ei)
Another picture from the Royalist side for a change, the remaining regiment of Howard's Brigade of Horse has pursued into the London Trained Bands at the bridge and to the surprise of many been destroyed with Colonel Thomas Howard being captured
Lisle's Royalist Tertia of Foot is still yet to fire a shot and the Earl of Forth's command still has plenty of musket ammunition
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47707930801_c4b20a8b80_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2fFMBH4)
This had been a particularly dangerous battle for commanders
| For Parliament |
| Lieutenant-General Sir William Balfour | Dead |
| Major-General Christopher Potley | Seriously wounded |
|
| For the King |
| Sir Ralph, Lord Hopton | A manly scar while attempting to restore the situation in the centre |
| Major-General Sir John Smyth | Captured by the Yellow Regiment of the London Trained Bands |
| Colonel Thomas Howard | Captured by commanded shot of the Yellow Regiment of the London Trained Bands |
The Royalists lost all 32 of their victory points
Parliament had 21 of their 35 remaining giving them a major victory
A great time was again had by all the players.
The Parliamentary plan had worked extremely well aided by some key early successes on both flanks.
The reserve Royalist Horse experienced similar difficulties deploying on their right as did their historic forebears.
Deploying Leighton's Parliamentary Brigade in the south west corner of Cheriton Wood had again effectively taken Appleyard's Brigade out of the game. In this game Appleyard's Brigade almost reached the main table but was too late to effect the outcome. As noted in the report on game 2 this will be addressed by limiting Leighton's deployment area to the northern part of Cheriton Wood in the updated scenario.
Whew! Had to read that in instalments! Another great spectacle, Paul. =D>