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Mac Colla's Charge
by Fusilier Eric Veitl
Our French Fusilier, Eric Veitl, describes a WAB English Civil War game that took place in Nimes recently.
We are in the year 1646. Alastair MacDonald, accompanied by his famous Irish brigade and some allied clans, spreads terror in the north of England and Scotland. The Scottish government sends Sir Leslie, Earl of Leven, to stop the Royalist troops .
The Covenanter army, well furnished, should make short work of their Royalist opponents, short in ammunition and far away from their bases.
The two armies are facing each other ....
The
Royalist Army (2000 points) managed by Laurent and Fusilier Eric:
- Alastair MacDonald, named Mac Colla (“The Devastator”)
- Three clans of gentlemen with some rabbles
- The Irish brigade of two pike-and-shot regiments
- One unit of archers
- One regiment of trotters
- One falconet.
The
Covenanter Army (2000 points) managed by Raphael and Gilles:
- Sir Leslie, Earl of Leven
- The Campbell clan
- Argyle regiment (pike-and-shot)
- Lothian regiment
- One regiment of trotters
- One squadron of lancers
- One commanded shot group (“forlorn hope”)
- A local militia
- One culverin
- Two frame guns.
The Battle
The
Covenanters start first with quite devastating gunnery on one of the regiments
of the Irish brigade and one clan.
The
forlorn hope takes position in a forest to harass the opposing line, and
the Irish in particular.
The
Covenanter cavalry begins a turning movement on the right wing. Squeezed
between the forest and a drystone wall, they cannot deploy properly and
obstruct the passage for the Campbell clan, which will not be able to
participate at the battle. Pity - the Campbell clan is the elite unit
of government army!
The
Royalist clans rush quickly onto the government line to limit gunnery
losses and to be in position for hand-to-hand fighting.
Under
a strong volley of musketry, the right wing Irish regiment is charged
by the militia. They maintain their position first before going back.
The
Argyle regiment rushes into the newly created space and charges one of
clans in the front and flank. But the leather-made coats worn by the gentlemen
are very thick. Pikes rebound and bucklers ward off slashes. This charge
does not succeed to break the centre.
On
their left, the second Irish regiment forms in line to oppose an attempt
at a enveloping movement by the Covenanter cavalry. This is enough to
stop all offensives on the right wing. The forlorn hope’s gunnery
does not succeed. The Campbell clan has to stay there, with no other possibility
other than watching cavalry suffering casualties from the Irish.
As
a crowning misfortune, all the Covenanter artillery misfires just when
they have the clans at close range.
The
yelling approach of the clans obliges the Lothian regiment to fall back.
Then the frame guns are in great trouble and without protection.
Now,
the Argyle regiment falls back, and in a last jump Mac Colla faces Sir
Leslie and by a fatal straw, cuts his head off.
Sir
Leslie’s troops run away - the battle is over.
Comments
The initial disposal of Covenanters was too approximate. This explains for a large part their disappointing defeat. Half of them could not be engaged in the battle and spent their time receiving volleys from a very well positioned Irish regiment.
Also, the Royalist troops were very well managed by Laurent and Eric, who made very good use of their physical strength in concentrating all their attacks (4 in strength for gentlemen is very important).
With more luck with gunnery, the clans would have suffered. The pike-and-shot could have resisted more to give more time to the Campbell clan to join the fight. But that is an another battle ... tonight Mac Colla’s troops enjoy their whisky.
The superb terrain (Ziterdes kit constructed by Larent ), the houses,
trees, walls etc (hand made by Raphael), the tremendous figurines (painted
in oil by Gilles - sorry, Master Gilles!), the fair play of each player,
and the joy of Fusilier Eric who ends his 2007 wargaming season with a
victory (the only one in 2007 ) - all these made for a very enjoyable
evening. And there are the photos too, taken by Raphael.
