Battle Report: Poitiers 1356

 

A week ago Kyle and I play tested the scenario for Poitiers  for Test of Resolve: Hundred Years War. Tim Couper had kindly sent me the scenario. I was planning on doing it solo, but fortunately Kyle was available. Given the scenario, and the fact that it was his first game with the rules, I gave him the Anglo-Gascon forces. 

The first group of two mounted Men at Arms and 2 units of Crossbows with Pavises benefited from a good play of cards and high movement dice rolls, and waded through the Arrow storm with only minor losses. Here they are just shy of the hedge that marks the defender’s position. 
One of the mounted troops has been repulsed (“turned tail”, but the other is locked in combat. Meanwhile, the 2nd group is moving up. Despite the horses, these units are in fact dismounted and advancing on foot. 

Bow fire takes out one unit of my Crossbows. 

French men at arms closing on the Defenders! In Melee, they actually manage to take out 2 units of Anglo-Gascon Men at Arms!

The Black Prince moves his men up up to fill the gap! Shortly thereafter, the French commands run out of Battle Morale Points, fail their tests, and disperse!  But wait, there are plenty more French where those came from! 

After the defeat of the French first wave, the defenders do a “Wave Reset”. This scenario then allows the defenders the option to defend their position in the same fashion as the first, OR, the Black Prince’s command can mount up along with up to 2 units of other Men at arms if they have not taken excessive casualties; no units qualified in our case. Also in that case, an ambush by a small Gascon force of mounted Men at Arms and Archers makes a flank attack. In both cases a D12 is rolled to determine how far from the French those two commands will set up; the remaining Anglo Gascons start just the other side of the hedge. Kyle rolled for both attacks – and rolled a “1”, twice. Talk about a good time to get your “ones” out of your system. Yikes!

Per the Scenario rules, the front line of the French must take a “panic test”. 2 of the French units failed, and dispersed (with the loss of their precious Battle Morale points). “Run away!” The remainder of the french front line musty then withdraw behind the second line, composed  (mostly) of inferior troops. 

Things get ugly fast for the French and King Jean. In combat, the opposing commanders are captured and recaptured with great regularity. The dazed back Prince is heard muttering something incoherent about “shubbery”, a result of one two many blows to his nibs noggin!

“It’s just a Flèche wound…. arrgh!” Frenchmen are dropping like they were uncertain as to the wing speed of a swallow. 

Swallow’s eye view of the approaching doom of the French….

Crunch!

and crunch again!

The rest of the Anglo-Gascons are approaching now, too!

The few remaining Frenchmen break and run, a few being heard muttering some nonsense about bunny rabbits; in the process, the Black Prince escapes from his captors! “Hey Dad, I just saved you fortune in ransom!”
Another English Lord escapes (the loser of the battle returns all of their captives). The English have captured King Jean, as well as one of the French Commanders from the first attack. Time to roll for ransom; as a VIP, King Jean is worth 10,000 gold ecus x die roll, which is a … 12!  That will 120,00 gold ecus for his Majesty’s return, s’il vous plaît! “He really shouldn’t have said those uncouth things about my mother and elderberries”, remarked the Black Price dryly. 
 Historically, Poitiers was a very hard fought, yet decisive Anglo-Gascon victory. After lengthy negotiations, the English gained sovereignty overt roughly 1/3 of France, and King Jean’s ransom was set at 3 million gold ecus, equal to the entire income of the Kingdom of France for 1 year! The French proved unable to p[ay such a massive amount, but what they did pay still markedly profited the royal treasury!

28th Chasseurs a Cheval

 

This regiment was formed in 1808 from the Tuscan Dragoons, which themselves were raised earlier  that year in January. 

The regimental facing color is Amaranth, a color beloved of Marechal Murat. I used Delta Ceramcoat “Dusty Mauve” for the hue. 

These are the first of the cavalry from the Great Horse Project.

oThe figures themselves are by Lucas Luber and Piano Wargames. 

The regiment fought in Spain at Figuieres in 1810, Fuentes d’ Onoro in 1811, and Los Arapiles in 1812.

The regiment then saw service in Russia at Smolensk, Moskowa, Wiasma, Krasnoe, Beresina, Wilna, and Kowno. In 1813 it was in action at Koenigsberg, Ebling, Goerde, and the defense of Hamburg. Finally, in 1814, it saw action at Willemsbourg.

Battle of Golymin, December 26, 1806

 Catching up with a report this battle fought way back the end of April this year; Battle Command rules by Brent Oman. The scenario was covered in an earlier post back in April; here’s the Wikipedia article on the combat. 

I had the attacking French; Kevin couldn’t make it due to a sudden work issue. Barry and Thomas had the Russian defenders. They were out numbered but had a good defensive position, and the French would have little or no artillery, most of it being mired in mud on the abysmal Polish roads

The French infantry advance at the Northern end of the Battlefield got off to a good start, with the French Light Infantry threatening the flank of the village position. 
French Legere maneuvering through the swamp, and bayonet charges along the roadways! 

The initial French attacks were very successful, and the Russians were hemorrhaging Morale points! 

The second French Division attacks the other woods. 

“The bayonet is a good fellow, but the musket is a fickle freind!”, said Suravov. The Russian Jager skirmishers are outshot by the French Legere despite their advantaged position. 

Murat arrives with a pack of French cavalry. The problem is that the terrain just isn’t very suitable for its maneuvering and deployment, with the Russians well supplied with artillery as well! 

Czar Barry is hoping to bring on the Russian reserves; say, that doesn’t look much like Vodka in that bottle! You expect us to hustle for some dubious brown liquid?  Nyet!

The Russians commit their Grenadiers and Heavy guns to the defense of the village position!

A cavalcade of Cavalry for the French…. but without artillery and infantry support, the options for the French horsemen are limited. 

Overview of the battle in mid game. 

Davout has arrived with his infantry, but the masses of cavalry have cramped his deployment! 

French attacks keep up the pressure to the North. 

The French light cavalry make a gamble trying to slip around the edge of yet another woods position. It ends… badly! 

Overview of the Southern end of the Field. 

Russian Cuirassier launch a fierce charge, trying to buy time and constrict the maneuver of the crowed French. Nightfall comes early in Poland in late December! 

Situation to the North. 

Russian cavalry threatens to attack!

Un croque chasseur!  And croak they certainly did! 

Russian light cavalry charge; severe congestion hampers the advance of Davout’s much needed infantry

Situation at the end of the game. There was probably another hour to play before nightfall, but Czar Barry had to drive all the way back to Maine. Morale points were about even at this point, and there was little chance the French could achieve anything decisive in the short time remaining. This means the result was very similar to the historical one; despite the early French successes, the Russians fought well, using the advantages of their position, and the ability to use all three arms, to hold off the French long enough to make good their escape after nightfall. 

Set up for the battle of Poitiers, September 19, 1356 -with ToR – HYW

 

My freind and Test of Resolves rules co-author, Tim Couper asked me if I’d like to playtest their scenario for Poitier, which will be in their second scenario book for the Hundred Years War, and I agreed. 

Close up of the English defensive position 

Potential English flanking force under the Gascon, Captal de Burch 

The French 1st wave. 

All the forces on the field… except

The French 2nd wave!

I was feeling a little Horse…

When I had COVID last month, it started by my feeling hoarse. Once I started to feel better, I set to work on  project HORSE. 

I had already done the priming and organization for roughly 80 horses before Historicon.
I realized I needed horses for 2 regiments of Chasseurs a Cheval (Piano), 2 of Dragoons (Piano), 3 regiments of Gardes d’Honneur (Perry), 1 Austrian Hussar (Piano), 1 Austrian Dragoon (Piano), and a number of Austrian command figures (Piano). 

Black, Dark Chestnut, Light Chestnut, Dark Bay, Light Bay, Dun, Roan, Palomino, Dapple Grey, Steel Grey, and White horses are all represented!  I used the method set out by “Mr. Tin” well over 20 years ago. Now I need to tackle the riders and the rest of the horse furniture in smaller groups!