After the bloody victory at Towton (1461), England entered a relative period of peace and stability, although Lancastrian uprisings occurred in various parts of the country. Edward IV ordered Montagu to go north, contact the Scottish envoys, and eliminate dissident elements. As Montagu escorted the Scottish envoys back, he found his path blocked by a Lancastrian army at Hedgeley Moor, led by the old war horse, the Duke of Somerset.
The Historical Battle
Little is known of this small battle beyond the list of the participants, and one of the Lancastrian commanders, Roos, withdrew from the field. Different authors' reconstructions show different armies' compositions with varied interpretations of the terrain. However, the battle was fought on low undulating ground, with the flanks protected by boggy ground and lightly wooded or rough ground. This flanking terrain played no part in the following battle, so Hedgeley Moor was essentially a battle on a flat, open area.
Typically, the armies were organised into three wards or battles for this period. Each commander attacked their opposing ward before supporting their comrades. In the historical battle, the Lancastrian commander, Roos, retired before Scrope’s advancing battle. This allowed the Yorkists to turn on Somerset's Centre, which broke under pressure. On the Lancastrian right, Percy, the local man, fought on and was finally surrounded and killed.
The Rules
The War of the Roses period is rich with dedicated rules. Several generic ancient and medieval rules can be added to these. For this battle, I chose Test of Resolve, which I had previously play-tested in the skirmish at Clyst Heath, where only one ward aside was involved. The rules attempt to stimulate the tactics of the period and the battle itself. This means that the overall commander had little control of the events once the battle had commenced, so do expect to be able to practice complex flanking manoeuvres. It is a hack-and-slay conflict, which was reflective of the period.
The Simulation
The deployment was based on Test of Resolve Scenarios 1464-1487. Wo-Fun flats represented the two armies.
The Problem of Roos
Both sides were influenced by Roos's questionable loyalty. The Yorkist decided to hold back Scrope's ward so the potential event card would come into play that would test Roos' commitment. Conversely, Somerset decided to test the opposing Roo's resolve and ordered an advance across the battlefront. Despite the orders from the Lancasterian commander, Roos moved cautiously into battle, with Somerset and Percy rushing to engage the enemy.
An exchange of missile fire occurred as the two armies narrowed the gap, but this was largely ineffectual. The cards gave the Lancasterians the initiative, and Somerset, in the centre, first drew blood as he attacked Montagu's command.
First Blood. Montagu and Somerset Battles clash in the centre of the battle line.
Whilst the cards fell for the Red Rose, the Yorkist had the better of the melee dice. After the first wave of combat, Somerset's command nearly collapsed as two companies were forced to retire. Similarly, on Percy's flank, he and Exeter traded blows, with the latter gaining the advantage.
Treachery?
Seeing Somerset collapse, Roos decided it was not worth fighting a loss cause. The event card had finally come into play, and the resulting 'Show Your Colour Test' led to the dispersal of the Roos' command. This allowed Scrope to turn into the centre and threaten Somerset, but Scope's manoeuvre was painfully slow. In the meantime, Somerset and Percy had managed to rally his men and inflict damage on the Yorkist. Everyone was now close to breaking.
Late but Effective
Finally, Scrope engaged Somerset's flank, held by some archer units that immediately fled. Somerset failed the Battle Morale Test and was dispersed. Percy, as in the actual battle, was left to fight alone. However, the Yorkist failed to surround him, and the brave local lad managed to escape with the remains of his command.
Scrope finally approaches Someset's Flank. In the distance, Percy's forces can be seen slowly getting the better of Exeter's battle.
Thoughts
The battle played out very closely to the known events of the historical battle. Although the fight in the centre and on the Lancasterian right wing was close, the outcome could have been different if Scrope had delayed one more turn.
The rules provide a simulation of the warfare of the period. The critical incident was the event card that led to Roos' removal from the battlefield, mainly due to luck. First on, when it was drawn from the deck, and then the subsequent dice throw to see how the baron acted. Yet, this is how warfare was in the Middle Ages, with the commanders having little control of events once the lines attacked. For people who want to show their chess-like abilities on the wargames table, these rules are probably not for you. If you wish to experience all the frustrations of medieval command or lack it, these are enjoyable, simple rules that allow a good simulation of fifteenth-century warfare.
