The world is grown so bad, that wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch".

Impetus is fast becoming the rule  set of choice for nearly all our games recently.  I think this is because it lends itself so well to different scales and periods.  The Baroque supplement is excellent for ECW/TYW games and the Basic set is ideal for a quick game if time is of the essence.

So it was using the Basic Rules that Rob (B) had devised a scenario for a re-fight of the Battle of Bosworth Field.

Being for Impetus Basic the armies were kept to about 12 stands aside.  I chose to be Richard as I do have a bit of a soft spot for him.  Mick and Rob (B) played Henry and John (S) was the Stanley.

Stanley deployed on my extreme right but his loyalty, as we know was questionable.  The rule was that he would come off the fence and fight for the side that destroyed an enemy stand.

Both side deployed with a line of longbow men in front of their dismounted men-at-arms and bill men (the rules allow for these units to interpenetrate without penalty.)  In addition each side has a stand of impetuous heavy cavalry.

Both armies began to rumble towards each other in to bow range and in typical Richard style he outstripped his foot troops with his cavalry and isolating himself.  I had a unit off Staves (light horse) which charged some Tudor skirmishers on the right but following a disastrous roll (see below) I failed to cause a casualty and was then disposed of clinically by these light troops.  This meant that first blood had gone to Henry and I found myself with Stanley to my rear and throwing his lot in with the enemy!

Things looked quite bad for me at this point.  Richard's cavalry looked doomed as they were isolated and I could not withdraw them due to their impetuous nature and I had a unit off bow and a I unit of bill men to my rear.  However I did outnumber Henry in the Centre.  What I needed to do was smash through hear and go for the points win before I got surrounded.

I had a unit of Irish heavy infantry that I had kept behind the battle line as a reserve and I turned them to face Stanley.  I was in bow range and so started to exchange volleys with the enemy.  Things went well for me here.  I softened up the bow, Mick then decided to commit his melee troops and marched through his bow units ready to charge my bowmen.   I had judged the distance here quite well for once and managed to disorder most of his melee troops before charging through my bowmen in to contact with them.  I had the advantage of fresh troops who were not disordered and it told.  I caused a lot of damage to his centre.

However Richard and his Heavy cavalry had been destroyed which gave Mick and Rob (B) a bunch of victory points.

Rob (B)'s Lancastrian heavy cavalry had been disordered and lost a casualty so were lacking their impetus bonus.  They were forced to charge a unit of fresh bill men.  This looked like it would be decisive.  If I could have finished this unit off it would have given me a points win.

Unfortunately things did not go exactly according to plan.  Rob (B) had manouvred his skirmishes and a unit of mercenary crossbow on to my right flank however they were blocked by Henry and his knights.  I had the Tudor pretender on the ropes put they managed to break off.  Because they had lost half their strenght they were not forced to charge again and this opened up my left to the Rob (B)'s flanking troops and their volleys was enough to finish off some weakened bowmen.  John has seen off my Irish foot and was marching in to my rear.  The Lancastrians now had enough points for a win unless I could force a draw by destroying one more unit of the enemy heavy foot.  

Unfortunately I didn't managed it and the game ended with a win for Henry Tudor.

A fun game with lots of discussion about the actual battle and a historical result.  A great little scenario for a club night and the special rule for Stanley did provide some extra depth.