The Battle of Chalgrove Field June 18th 1643.re

This article is my personal interpretation of events. Any mistakes are my own.

The Parliamentary General Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex was not having a good time. Having successfully taken Reading from the Royalists in April, his army had come to a halt. Lack of money and supplies had curtailed any further Operations around Oxford, the Royalist capital.

His lack of aggression was raising doubt amongst his Peers as to his enthusiasm for the Parliamentary ( Roundhead) cause. To add to his woes, one of his Generals, a Colonel Urry had gone over to the enemy.

Urry had information of a paychest being delivered to the Roundhead Garrison at Thame ( pro: Tame ). The Kings Nephew, Prince Rupert of the Rhine decided on a raid in order to capture the money. In the early hours of the 18th of June, as the sun was rising, Rupert led 2,000 men out of Oxford to attack various Roundhead garrisons around Windsor trying to locate the waggon.

Rupert achieved complete surprise but, apart from “ beating up of quarters” and the taking of a few prisoners not much else was gained. The Roundhead waggonmaster had spotted the Royalist forces and hidden the waggon with the paychest in a wood.

By 8am the alarm had been raised across the area and hastily raised Parliamentary forces were moving as fast as possible to intercept Prince Rupert’s group. At about nine in the morning Rupert had halted his force at Chalgrove Field to rest the Infantry, troopers and horses.

The Royalist forces were about to move on when shots rang out and bullets were flying through a large Boundary hedge in the direction of  Rupert’s men. The Roundhead force had caught up with  the Royalist column ……..

PARLIAMENT: 1000 men = 1pt x 20 = 20pts.

900 Cavalry = 0.900 pts x 20 = 18 pts.

= 7 stands of Cavalry @ 2pts = 14pts.

Colonel Dalbier ( Dragoons )  @ 1 pt.

John Gunter  @ 1pt.

John Hampden  @ 1pt.

Philip Stapleton  @ 1pt.

100 Dragoons = 0.100 pts x 20 = 2pts

= 2 stands of Dragoons @ 1pt =2 pts.

THE ROYALISTS: 2000 Men = 2pts x 20 = 40pts.

1,150 Cavalry = 1.150 pts x 20 = 23pts.

= 10 stands of Cavalry @ 2pts = 20pts.

Prince Rupert of the Rhine  @ 2pts.

Sargeant-Major William Legge  @ 1pt.

350 Dragoons = 0.350 pts x 20 = 7 pts.

= 3 stands of Dragoons @ 2pts = 6pts.

Lord Wentworth ( Dragoons ) @ 1pt.

INFANTRY: 500 = 0.500 pts x 20 = 10pts

Colonel Lunsford  @ 1pt.

2 stands of Pikemen @ 3pts = 6 pts.

3 stands of Muskets @ 1pt = 3pts.

 

THE BATTLE:

* MORALE:

* The Royalists have 20pts. The Parliamentary troops have  10pts. ( half of their respective totals.) This is then SWOPPED OVER. 

This is to reflect the tiredness of the Royalist force.

TO GAIN VICTORY:

* The Royalists must cause 8pts of the Parliamentarian stands to be removed before their morale drops to Zero. Otherwise they loose the battle.

* The Parliamentary forces must cause The Royalists to loose all their Morale Points in order to win the battle.

* The battle is played out for Eight Game-Turns maximum unless the above morale conditions are met at the end of any Game-Turn prior to the 8th Game-Turn.

* Colonel Hampton:

* If any Parliamentary stand adjacent to Colonel Hampton is lost, the Colonel is also removed from play with a loss of 2 pts to the Parliamentary total.

* The Parliamentary force has the Initiative Point on the first Game-Turn. They will move first and fire first.

* From Game-Turn two until Game-Turn eight both sides throw die for the Initiative Point.

* All Cavalry stands must move through the face of a square not a diagonal.

* Mounted and dismounted Dragoons can move in any direction

* FIRING:

All the Cavalry and Dragoons can fire while mounted. All firing is at pistol range of one Square. Generals DO NOT add their points to any firing die. ( firing is individual and not controlled).

DRAGOONS DISMOUNTED fire their short Muskets at 2 squares.

THE GATE: A cavalry stand can open the gate IF there are no enemy Cavalry soldiers stands in an adjacent square. A stand must stop moving as it is positioned in the gate square.

* No stands can be moved onto squares containing trees.

THE HEDGEROW;

* Cavalry stands cannot be moved over Hedgerows. However the stand representing Prince Rupert CAN be moved over hedgerow ( He was a consummate Horseman).

* Deduct 1 point from all firing die rolls if there is a hedgerow between the firing stand and the target stand.

* Dismounted Dragoons can move through a hedge if they are dismounted, but not their horses. Generals can add their points to the dismounted Dragoon fire.

THE VICTORY;

THE HISTORY:

Chalgrove Field was one of many battles that could be classed as a skirmish. However in 1995 it was designated as a battle.

By the 17th century a large amount of common land was gradually being taken over by rich landowners. They in turn, were gradually enclosing their land with hedgerow, mostly to keep their grazing animals in place.

Double Hedgerows with a ditch between was also used to mark County and District boundaries.That made life really difficult for the Cavalry as they could not close with enemy infantry sheltering behind it.Therefore any gaps in the hedgerow became the centre of battle is each side tried to deny access to the enemy. Another reason why the Cavalry ( or “ The Horse” carried pistols, if they had access to them.)

This battle had special significance as John Hampton, a Parliamentary M.P lost his life in this battle. No one is sure if he was shot or his own pistol exploded. He passed away from his wounds soon after. He had not previously served in any military capacity.

A number of the Parliamentary horse were all Officers. They had been sent to Tame to pick up the wages for their troops. One puzzle for me is the Royalist Infantry.

One source says that the Royalist Infantry and The Dragoons under Major Lunsford and Lord Wentworth were sent on to keep the road open and to guard the booty looted from the raiding.

Another source said says that the Royalist infantry and Dragoons were kept in reserve to delay the pursuers. I have gone with the later and represented the Royalist Foot and Dragoons on the table.

CREDITS.

All the illustrations are from the English Civil War book by Peter Dennis. The hedgerow are made of panscrubbers on cardboard stands.

The villages are made from 5mm thick foamboard again with various parts of building illustrations glued on.

The pikes are made from cocktail sticks as are the flagstaffs. The flags are cut from self adhesive labels and hand painted.

The cloth is felt. 3feet x 2feet ( 90cm x 60cm ) with 2inch ( 50mm ) squares drawn on. 

The Start of The Seven Years War and the Battle of Lobositz: Bohemia: 1st October 1756.

This is my personal interpretation of events at this time. Any mistakes are my own.

As the year 1756 dawned, the political situation in Europe was once again becoming tense. Talks were taking place between Austria and its new Allies, France, Saxony and Russia. The focus of this group centered on Prussia, and its nominal Ally, Great Britain ( although King George detested Frederick!)

The Empress of Austria, Maria Theresa had every intention of regaining the lost Province of Silesia from Prussia. Minor clashes had already taken place between other potential belligerents. France had decided to take the island of Minorca in the Mediterranean from the British.

Admiral John Byng and his Fleet, were tasked with defending the Island but he failed to do so. The British Captains owned their ships. All costs for running the ship came from the Captains pocket. Therefore they were reluctant to risk them in combat.

The Captains would not follow Byng’s  orders for closing with the French Fleet, ultimately losing  the engagement. Although not entirely to blame for the debacle, Byng, after a Court Martial, payed for this defeat with his life. He was shot by firing squad on his own quarterdeck. ( This was also to put other Captains on notice that the Admiralty would no longer tolerate this behaviour, leading to more aggressive action in combat!)

( note: of the four Regiments defending Minorca,  at least 30 Officers were absent including all the Senior Commanders. The Garrison surrendered after a brief siege!)

Meanwhile, in the American Colonies, a young Militia Lieutenant in the British Service by the name of George Washington, leading a group of Native Americans, clashed with a French Patrol resulting in fatalities.

 ( Jumonville Glen was named after the French Ensign who lost his life there.The circumstances of this clash are still debated to this day.)

In Prussia, the King, Frederick the 2nd was also weighing his options. His spies had heard rumours of an attack but had no actual evidence. By September of 1756, Frederick had made his decision. He wasn’t going to wait on events.

Before any formal declaration of war, the  King marched his army of 60,000 into Saxony, taking the capital and besieging the Saxon army at their camp at Pirna. His troops ransacked the Royal Residence looking for proof of collusion between the Allied States. The Queen of Poland, Maria Josepha ( a relation to the Empress of Austria) was manhandled from her Chancellry while trying to stop the depredation..

This action caused outrage amongst the Nobility of Europe and labelled Frederick as a Vandal.

Frederick could not find any evidence of collusion, but that didn’t stop him from pillaging the Kingdom. He also found the dyes for the Polish coinage. ( The Saxon Elector Augustus 3rd was  also titular Monarch of Poland).

Having bottled up the Saxon Army at Pirna with part of his army, Frederick marched the rest of  his troops into the Austrian Province of Bohemia intending to spend the winter there, ( and loot it as much as he could!).

The Austrian Ministry issued orders to General Ulysses Von Browne ( one of the famous Irish Generals ( Wild Geese ) in Austrian service). His brief was to intercept the Prussians, using any means he saw fit. Browne had scouts out and knew where Frederick’s army would appear from the Mountain passes.

 At 7:30 in the morning of the 1st October 1756, Browne’s army was in position at Lobositz facing west as the Prussian army came out of the pass…..what would become known as the Seven Years War had started in ernest……

THE AUSTRIAN ARMY: 36,000 = 36pts x 2 = 72 points.

26,500 Infantry = 26.5pts x 2 = 53 points.

7,500 Cavalry = 7.5pts x 2 = 15 points.

74 Guns x 30 Gunners = 2220 gunners = 2.220pts x 2 = 4pts r/d.

11 stands of Line Infantry @  3pts  =  33pts.

3 Grenadier Infantry stands  @ 4pts  =  12pts.

4 stands of Light Infantry Grenzer  @ 1pt = 4 pts.

1 General Count Ulysses Von Browne @  2pts

1 General Moritz Von Lacy  @ 1pt.

1 General Karel Adam Felix Von Lobkowitz  @ 1pt.

( These three Generals are part of the Infantry tally.)

6 stands of Cavalry @ 2 pts  = 12 pts.

2 stands of Light Cavalry  @ 1pt = 2pts

1 Cavalry General: Joseph Count Lucchesi d’Averna @ 1 pt.

1 stand of Heavy Artillery  @ 2pts.

2 stands of Light Artillery  @ 1pt = 2pts.

THE PRUSSIAN ARMY: 35,000 = 35 pts x 2 = 70pts.

21,000 Infantry = 21pts x 2 = 42 points.

10,800 Cavalry = 10.8pts x 2 = 22pts r/u.

97 guns = 97 x 30 gunners = 2,910 gunners = 2.910pts x 2 =6pt r/u.

3 stands of Grenadier Infantry @ 4pts =12pts.

9 stands of Line Infantry @ 3pts = 27points.

1 stand of Light Infantry Jagers @ 2pts.

1 General the Duke of Brunswick-Bevern @ 1pt.

( the above General is part of the Infantry total.)

9 stands of Cavalry @ 2 pts = 18 pts.

1 General: King Frederick the 2nd  @ 1pt

1 General: Field Marshal James Frances Edward Keith  @ 2pts.

1 General Friedrich Leopold Von Gessler @ 1pt.

( These three Generals are part of the Cavalry total. Keith was a Scottish Jacobite Emigre who had previously found service with the Russian army then left and joined the Prussian Army.)

2 stands of Heavy Artillery @ 2pts = 4pts.

2 stands of Light Artillery @ 1pt = 2pt

Note: I’ve given Frederick a value of 1 point because of his mistakes and his retirement from the field.

THE BATTLE:

* The battle will be played for 7 Game-Turns instead of the normal eight. ( 7:30 am until 2:30 pm ).

* On the 7th Game-Turn neither side can shoot. So much ammunition was used in the battle that both sides ran short.

* The Austrians retain the Initiative Point for the entire battle.

* The Austrians also win any tied results.

* On the first Game-Turn, the Prussians MOVE first but the Austrians FIRE first.

* Both sides will roll as normal at the beginning of Game-Turn 2.  The higher score moves first,Fires first and decides order of close quarter combat.

* Any stand entering the Morellenbach must stop moving. Cavalry stands do not get the extra 3 points when in close quarters combat with Infantry and artillery whilst positioned in the stream.

* The sunken part of the road west of Lobositz counts as “ Trench”.

* The Bridge at Sullowitz can only be crossed from the west by entering the village.

VICTORY:

* If the Austrians are either driven from the field and/or suffer the greater number of stands lost, by the end of Game-Turn 7, the Prussians win.

* If the Austrians are still on the field by the end of Game-Turn 7, and/or the Prussians suffer a greater number of stands lost, the Austrians win the battle.

THE HISTORY:

When Frederick started his campaign, his low opinion of his erstwhile opponents had its roots in the previous war. On arriving at Lobositz, the fog hindered any proper reconnaissance. Frederick decided that the enemy troops he could see were part of a rearguard left behind by the main Austrian Army.

There were also Austrian  light troops in walled vineyards up on the Lobosch to the Prussian left. Having taken up position on the vacant Holmolka Mound to the right of his army, Frederick sent orders to his Generals to attack both groups. That’s when reality took a hand.

The Prussian cavalry thundered forward to sweep away the fragile Austrian rearguard……and galloped into a wall of shot and shell from front and flank.  Meanwhile, Bevern’s troops advanced uphill to deal with the Grenzer ( Austrian Militia Light Infantry )…..and into well-aimed fire, bringing the movement to a halt.

As the battle progressed it dawned on Frederick that he had marched into a trap. Whoever was in command of the Austrian army knew what they were doing, and that the Austrian Army had not retreated.

At one stage, as at Mollwitz,  Frederick left the field putting Keith in charge of a possible retreat. As before, it was the bravery of the Prussian rank and file making repeated attacks and suffering severe casualties that pulled Frederick’s backside out of the fire, ( again!).

 When the battle ended, Frederick returned to the front line and claimed a victory because the Austrians had retreated. However Browne had stopped the Prussian army from  invading Bohemia, achieving his main objective. Browne had also dispatched a Flying Column to aide the Saxons in escaping the siege. Unfortunately the Saxon Command had dithered and the opportunity was lost.

Frederick returned with his battered army to Saxony whereupon the Saxon troops in Pirna surrendered. The Prussian Monarch then press-ganged all 15,000 of the captive Saxon troops into his army to make up his losses!. His troops ordered to beat into submission any of those who protested.

Frederick had found out the hard way that his main protagonists were no longer the “ the same old Austrians”, and this war was going to be tougher than he thought…….

CREDITS :

The figures are a mix of Miniature Figurines, Peter Pig and Essex 15mm. The ships Captains are Minifigs and the ships guns and crew figures are from the Peter Pig “ Pieces of Eight range. The ships are scratchbuilt from foamboard and cardboard.

The scenery for the game is all nearly all scratchbuilt from cardboard. The hill sections are made from cork self adhesive tiles. The trees are from various manufacturers, Guagemaster being one. The “ flat-pack” villages are scratchbuilt from Foamboard and cardboard.

The tiny trees marking the edge of the sunken road are from The Square. The small hedge sections are from Pendraken Miniatures. The wall sections marking the Vineyard are from Debris Of War.

The round MDF stands are from Sarrisa Precision. The square 40 x 40 mm stands are cut from picture framing card ( although Sarrisa do these as well now).

The table mat is a custom 3ft x 2ft ( 90 cm x 60 cm ) overlayed with 2 inch ( 50 mm ) squares obtained from Deep Cut Studios. ( Their customer service is excellent).

The Sea cloth is also a custom cloth overlaid with 4 inch x 4 inch squares (100mm x 100mm) also from Deep Cut Studios.