Preparation for Triples 2016

Steve and I will be at Triples with a revised version of the Deepdale game which we played at the Phalanx show in 2013.  This time we will be using the Lion Rampant rules and reverting the to 'correct' unit sizes of 12 or 6 figures.  During the playtesting we found that the crucial element was the timing of the arrival of the various forces.  Historically, the Yorkshire contingent under Vavasour were driven from the field before the main body of the Earl of Lancaster's forces arrived.  To have any chance the rebels need to achieve this and also avoid heavy casualties, especially amongst their better units.

The Earl's forces.  Some of the figures have been drafted from the Teutonic army, so new flags are being made.

Archery plays far less of a role than it did in the Hundred Years War and the Wars of the Roses, so the Earl's better trained forces definitely have the edge.  In our trials the rebels were defeated each time, but after the first game, Banister (the rebel leader) was more circumspect.  His initial effort (under my command), resulted in his early demise at the hands of Vavasour's forces; so when the Earl's main force under Neville appeared the remaining rebels were simply overwhelmed.  In the second game he remained in reserve, only committed when Neville's own unit approached.

Strickland, a wing commander for the Earl's forces is cut down by Banister's men

We will try out the game again before Triples and hopefully we can manage to create a 'one hour' participation game as we did for the Phalanx show last year.