Clyst Heath - 1455

The battle of Clyst Heath occurred on 15 December 1455 near Exeter. Although the battle was part of the wider conflict known as the War of Roses, a personal feud between the Courtneys and their regional rivals, the Bornvilles, was the leading cause. This scenario comes from the third volume of the Test of Resolve scenario books. It is an ideal learning scenario because it only involves a single battle; most battles in this period involved three. Also, the scenarios did not have special rules. 

Test of Resolve 

These rules were first published in 2021, and like many of my rule purchases, they have sat on my bookshelf. I have always fancied playing the rules dedicated to the War of the Roses. While this is not the place for a full review, please check out this YouTube video for more information. 

However, it is worth stating what drew me to them. They are part of a new genre in Wargaming where the rules are written for a narrow historical period, in this instance, 1455-97, allowing them to reflect more acutely late fifteenth-century warfare.
Second, the rules use a card activation system and a single d12 for most tests. This might seem to make the game too random, but this potential randomness is attractive for a solo player. 

WoFun Perspex Flats

The painting requirement became a barrier to playing during this period. Experiments with various scales ended up nowhere. I did not have the time to invest in something I remained uncertain about. I needed a cheap and quick method to put a good-looking game on the table. Enter WoFun Perspex Flats. These are designed and painted by Peter Denis. These miniatures can be simply slotted in a base, and they are ready to play. However, I took the option of edging the Perspex halo to provide a 3D look and flocked the bases. 

The Battle

Courtney opened with the initiative, but mistakes in his deployments led to chaos amongst his men (the first card drawn was flummoxed). Bornville used the confusion to move his army forward. However, Courtney’s red archers took first blood, leading to some of Bornville's archers fleeing the field.

Despite losing some archers, Bornville still had the initiative and launched an attack against Courtney’s longbow with mixed results. The archers soon dispersed, and the main retinues finally clashed. The Earl’s men held the initial assault, and one case pushed Bornville's retinues back. Now, the battle swung in Courtney’s favour as his superior number, despite the poor quality of some of his men, counted. Bornville found that his right flank had been turned, and his army started to bleed Battle Moral points.

The fighting continued for a few more cards, but it was now evident that Courtney would hold the field at the end of the day.

Comments 

I need to play this game again with three total battles aside because this will increase the commanders' choices. The cards tended to rule in this game, although I learned the importance of focusing resources and isolating the enemy. This is true for the period, but I am not an expert in fifteenth-century warfare.

Labels would be required to identify the units in larger battles, and I think they would add to the overall experience. 

Overall, it was an enjoyable game, and I cannot wait to try out a typical battle. Next on the table is Hedgeley Moor.