I ran the scenario for the Battle of Wakefield, 1460, from one of the Test of Resolve Scenario books. This is an unusual action that some modern historians think was maybe just a glorified skirmish… but if so, it had very outsized results! Briefly, Richard of York, the wealthiest noble in England, had gained control of the mentally incompetent Lancastrian King Henry VI. He lacked sufficient support to take the Crown outright, resulting in the Act of Acord, whereby Richard, himself descended from both the 2nd and 4th of King Edward III’s surviving sons, would inherit the crown upon Henry’s death, bypassing the son of Henry VI and his Queen, Margaret of Anjou, the 7 year old Edward, Prince of Wales. Not surprisingly, Margaret and a number of English nobles found the Act unacceptable, and mustered armies to contest the issue. Richard headed North to augment his forces. In the traditional version, while staying at his manor in Sandal Major, he is said to have seen a party of Yorkist foragers beset upon by some Lancastrians, ran out with his local forces to aid them, was ambushed, captured, and later executed. The ToR scenario by Tim Couper and David Knight envisions a version of those events.
The scenario as set up in my basement a few days before Historicon.
In the center is Richard of York and his entourage… he has Lancastrian enemies to his front, right, left, and rear, with only a few allies (upper left) who may be able to aid him.
To his right, Exeter’s battle (black die frames and chips /Battle Morale Points)
To his front, Somerset’s battle (Blue dice frames and chips)
Richard of York and companies.
To his left,. Roos’ battle *(red dice frames and chips)
To Ricard’s left rear, a single unit of mounted Household under Richard’s 2nd son, Edmund, Earl of Rutland. Arriving later will be a second Yorkist battle under Salisbury.
The final Lancastrian force is Baron Clifford, who arrives along the road to Sandal Magna shortly after the action commences.
Close up of our hero (?), Richard of York and his Battle (white die frames and chips).
Version 1, Wednesday night at Historicon. My freind (and roommate for the Convention), Thomas (green shirt) graciously volunteered to play Richard, knowing that he woukld not likely end with his head still attached to his shoulders.! As it developed, we couldn’t turn a Yorkist “MOVE AND MELEE”card for the longest time, whilst the Lancastrians turned many! This lead Somerset to advance upon York, the “ambush forces of Exeter and Roos to emerge from the woods, and Clifford’s battle to strike Yoprkm in the rear ere he had a chance to move even once. Yikes! By the terms of the scenario, the whole result largely turns on the fate of Richard. Richard is a “rash” commander, and MUST attack Somerset until he has engaged him, OR any of the Lancastrians emerge from the woods. Attacked from all sides, Richard ran for it, while his men, and those of Rutland and Salisbury tried to delay the pursuing Lancastrians. Richard nearly made it off the Sandal Magna table edge, which would be a draw, but then he rolled a “1” not once but twice in a row for movement. That was enough time for the Lancastrians to kill most of Richard’s troops, exhausting all of his Battle Morale points. On the Battle Resolve Test, Richard’s battle then broke. On the subsequent post game tests, it transpired that Richard was captured and executed the next day, more or less as we understand it happened. Huis head was displayed on a pike, adorned by crown of thorns. No wonder that brutality of “The Game of Thrones” was inspired by the Wars of the Roses!
Set up for Game 2, Friday afternoon. This time Greg K, a long time convention wargames freind, volunteered to be Richard, whilst his gaming buddies ganged up against him as Lancastrians. As hopeless as Richard’s situation looks, I assured both Thomas and Greg that it WAS possible for Fichard to win outright (it happened during a playtest of the scenario during the Pandemic), but that Richard had to be very, very lucky to do so.
Aided by a Lancastrian “Flummoxed card, Richard gets three moves in a row and slams into Somerset’s Battle opposite him. Greg/Richard had very hot dice and Somerset… did not. Richard eliminated all of Somerset’s Battle for the cost of a single lost BMP – which he regained when Somersets’ battle broke!@
With no enemy in sight (Exeter and Roos haven’t been able to emerge from their respective woods yet!), except the newly arrived Clifford to his former rear, Richard turns around and heads back towards Sandal Magna. Richard could likely escape the field at this point, so Greg asked what Richard would have done. I answered, “Why, try to ride down Clifford too, of course!” After pointing out that he could have escaped, Richard resolved to do just that!
Richard’s men take on Exeter’s Battle first….
Meanwhile, Clifford and Salisbury/Rutland entertain one another around Sandal Magna.
Fierce combats between Richard’s men and those of Exeter and Roos.
Clifford emerges victorious over both Rutalnd and Salisbury (who falls in combat), buit has only 5 BMP’s left after the scrum.
York battles on against Exeter and Roos, slowly gaining the upper hand against both!@
The Lancastrian battles are both melting away, until…
and then there were none!
Clifford comes for Richard; both have 3 units and 5 BMP’s left, but Richard’s men are of better quality. They are, however,, “damned tired”, having defeat not one, not two, but three enemy Battles already.
Clifford and York go head to head to determine who will emerge the Victor!
York doesn’t lose a single round of melee; Clifford is eliminated, and Richard and his companies are the Last Men Standing. It transpires that Somerset, Roos, Clifford, and Exeter are all either killed on the battlefield, or captured and then executed. Rutland survives unharmed, and Salisbury is wounded but later recovers. All hail Richard of York, the Once and Future King of all England!
What a blast this game was (and a tour de force of card sequence and die rolling by Greg/York). Not a game that any involved will soon forget. Thanks to all the players!
