A history of the RGMB Bloodbowl Trophy

Here by popular demand (i.e. one person asked about it). *

A history of the RGMB Bloodbowl Trophy

 2006 - The inaugural campaign finished acrimoniously after the campaign organiser lost the rosters and lost interest.  20+ teams entered in a group stage, from which the top 2-3 teams qualified for a quarter final which was reached but never played.  The Spike Cup put in its first appearance, with the Orc team of Neil Bellis securing victory against the humans of Chris Edwards.  This was a one day event played at GW Chester, with a league system and three games a-piece to decide the winner.

2007 - The most successful year for RGMB Bloodbowl, with three competitions completed and three champions named in the RGMB Trophy, the Spike Cup and the Dungeon Bowl Trophy.  Fewer players entered the main tournament, but all the main competitors were there and it lost none of its appeal.

The RGMB Trophy was run using an averaged out league system, with the top eight teams entering a quarter final knockout stage.  Khaines Killers (Dark Elves, Alan) proved unstoppable on their way to the final, beating the best of the rest before ending the hopes of Average Joes (Rick) at the end.

The Spike Cup was once again hotly contested at GW Chester, with the Talabheim Tornado's (Richard Bellis) coming out on top against the Khornes Cutthroats (Neil Bellis).

2008 - The last RGMB tournament started with yet fewer players, but with plenty of competition, the Ghrond State Warriors (Jase) and The Cravendale Killers (Mike) in particular talking up a storm, but it would be an older name in Average Joes (Rick) which contested the final game, losing to the Hashut Hackers (Alan once again).  This time round only the Semi-finals were reached, with 5th ed. 40k and other interests preventing the ‘Hackers quarter final win being challenged.

2009 - Arguments over the format of a league combined with general apathy and no competition was played. 

2010 - Went the same way as 2009, although perhaps without any argument or suggestion of a tournament at all.

2011 – A Spring tournament saw several familiar faces in the semi-finals, with Average Joes finally getting the better of coach Alan Hardy’s chaos team the Finger Lickers, only to fall in the final once more, this time to orc side the Drakwald Bruisers (Chris Edwards), who had overcome surprise package The Golden Cannon Ballers (Peers) in their own semi-final.

Year  - Competition   - Winner / Coach                    - Runner-up

2006 - RGMB Trophy - Null & Void                           - Null & Void

2006 - Spike Cup     - Skull Smashers / Neil Bellis       - Drakwald Bruisers / Mr Crish

2007 - RGMB Trophy - Khaines Killers / Al                  -          Average Joes / Rick

2007 - Spike Cup      - Talabheim Tornado's /Richard Bellis  -  Khornes Cutthroats / Neil Bellis

2007 - Dungeon Bowl - Orcy Splat Bashers / Chris Fazey    - Average Joes / Rick

2008 - RGMB Trophy  - Hashut Hackers / Al                     - Average Joes / Rick

2011 – RGMB Trophy – Drakwald Bruisers / Chris Edwards            - Average Joes / Rick

Characters:

Marianburg Mashers - A human team coached by Neil McCue, well know for its absurd amount of luck when dodging.  Quarter finalists in 2007 and 2008.

Khaines Killers - Dark Elves coached by Alan Hardy, nigh on unstoppable on their way to the title in 2007, beating the best in the Talabheim Tornado's and Khornes Cutthroats before Average Joes fell at the end.

Hashut Hackers - Chaos Dwarfs, once again coached by Alan Hardy and champions in 2008.  A forward line to fear, and ensuring their coach has an unchallenged reputation at the top.

Skull Smashers - Head coach; Neil Bellis, a n Orc team which thumped its way to victory in the 2006 Spike Cup final, and made a quarter final appearance in the main RGMB tournament in 2007.  The coach also lead the beastman team; Khornes Cutthroats, to an appearance in the 2007 Spike Cup final.

Talabheim Tornado's - Another human team under coach Richard Bellis, which won the 2007 Spike Cup through skill and no little luck, and were also semi-finalists in 2007.

Orcy Splat Bashers - An Orc team, heavily reliant on its black orc front line and lead by coach Chris Fazey.  It lost virtually every game in 2007, with the exception of the semi-final and final of the Dungeon Bowl Trophy, and a stunning victory over finalists Average Joes in the main tournamnet.

Average Joes - The oldest team in the competition, this Skaven side is coached by Rick Andrews (aka ‘Lord Flashheart’), and competed in every competition from 2006-8 with the exception of the 2006 Spike Cup.  Favouring a passing and running game, this is the perenial underachievers of the RGMB scene, finalists twice and defeated both times, quarter-finalists in 2006, defeated in the 2007 Dungeon Bowl final, and seconds away from a 2007 Spike Cup Final appearance.

Snotling Horde - A team made up of snotlings, a couple of trolls and not a lot else!  Coached by Chris Fry in 2006 they made it to the quarters through sheer guts and snotling throwing techniques, and with the highest casualty rate taken by any side.

Morks Marauders - An Orc side, famous for its 2007 appearance in the semi-final where it was defeated by Average Joes, and its Blitzer; Kronk, who finished top touchdown scorer in 2007 ahead of witch elves, gutter runners and human blitzers, an incredible achieevment for any Orc, and one which almost got them through to the final.  Coached by Chris Youngs.

The 2007 Tournament

I’ve included below the Teams & Players Awards for 2007.

The 2007 RGMB Blood Bowl Teams and Top Players Awards

The Final Touchdown Scoring Chart

Position - Touchdowns Scored - Player - Team

1st - 17 - Kronk  (Morks Marauders)

2nd - 16 - Dorlion (Khaines Killers)

-    - 16 - Pepper Brooks (Average Joes)

  

Special mention to Areilith of Khaines Killers who managed 21 completions during the season, the nearest challenger finishing on 8 completed passes.  When interviewed she attributed her success to her dump-off skill and overall team tactics.

Player Of The Season

Without a shadow of a doubt this has to go to the (former) Morks Marauder Orc Blitzer Kronk.  In a competition which included wardancers, human runners, witch-elves, and the intensely quick gutter runners nobody would have given an Orc a prayer (to any god) of finishing as tournament top scorer.  But his immortality was assured with his 17th touchdown in the semi-final defeat against Average Joes. 

However it was not simply his scoring exploits that brought this award, but his all round play as well, leading the Marauders to second in the touchdown stakes, and top of the casualty ratings by more than double their nearest opponent, and driving them to their semi-final appearance.

Following his teams concession of the fateful semi-final game to the skaven, Kronk has chosen to go free-lance, and has headed off to other parts of the old world.  We may yet see him back next season.

Overachiever Of The Season

The Redeemed Blood Drinkers (head coach: Annmarie) managed to sneak into the top eight at the eleventh hour ahead of several bigger names that had started the season with much promise.

Match of the season

Khaines Killers 3 - 2 Talabheim Tornado’s (aet)

This match stands alone as an awesome spectacle.  The humans tenacity and Halfling throwing tactics took them to within seconds of the Semi-finals, before the dark elves experience and blind luck snatched the victory, clocking up one more success on the road to their first ever Blood Bowl Title.

Special mention goes to the match between Death By Maw Maw and Skavenblight in the 2007 Spike Cup tournament.  Firstly it was the highest scoring game of the tournament, and secondly it saw the Ogres outscore the skaven by 4 touchdowns to 2!  Sensational stuff.

Top 3 Shock Results of the season

1]. Marianburg Mashers 3 - 2 Morks Marauders

The humans shock the orc giants with unbelievable luck to gain their first tournament points.

2]. Khaines Killers 0 - 1 Orcy Splat Bashers

On a level playing field the dark elves should have won, in Dungeon Bowl there was nobody to witness their humiliation at the hands of the under-dog orc side.

3]. Orcy Splat Bashers 1 - 0 Average Joes

The orcs do it again, employing the same tactics to block out and wear down the pre-game favourites to win the trophy.

2007 Tournament Winners

RGMB Blood Bowl Tournament - Champions: Khaines Killers (head coach: Alan)

Dungeon Bowl Tournament - Champions: Orcy Splat Bashers (head coach: Chris Fazey)

Spike Cup Tournament - Champions: Talabheim Tornado’s (head coach: Richard Bellis)

Brutality Award

Given to the Rotting Reamers (head coach: Gaz); a team that truly has the opposition scared of not making full time.  The head coach has built a reputation upon his achievements in the causality columns, and it is rare a ‘Reamers game passes without a death on the pitch. 

Sneakiest Tricks Award

Given to the Skull Smashers (head coach: Neil Bellis) for persistent and downright annoying use of the Goblin-over-the-top gambit during games.

*All facts may actually be fiction.  Average Joes is the best team ever not to win a trophy.

The Marvellous Adventures of the Dashing Lord Flasheart and his dog FuFu - A Warhammer Quest Tale - Part 2

Part 2 – Sausage Adventures

For my second marvellous adventure I led Jeff (the Tin Man) and the priest; who turned out to be called Karl to the mountains at the Worlds Edge.  There we joined with a Barbarian called Boris, who insisted on carrying the lantern, a wizard called Tim The Enchanter and a mysterious woman with an exceptionally pale complexion called Estella.

We travelled into the mountain seeking some sort of tomb (I don’t worry about details, I let others do that for me).  Along the way we met a few orcs (genuine ones this time and I had to get my rapier dirty), and Estella seemed to get her teeth into the Tin Man in more ways than one, although how you sink your teeth into a man wearing full plate armour I have no idea.

We had time to finish off a goblin or two before finding a room full of spiders and goblins.  Once we had finished off the majority – and those sausages came in mighty handy – Jeff the Tin Man hammered at the grave stone in the room and broke it in two, apparently this was what we had come for, although I had to hit Boris the Barbarian over the head a couple of times with my pistol butt to make him coherent enough, sadly breaking the butt at the time

Having tasted village fare the last time out we headed for the big city, a journey that took 6 weeks and was exceedingly boring, with just the rather fortunate opportunity to watch an old adversary; Sir Percy, finally get his comeuppance, oh how that made me smile.  We reached the city and I headed straight for the armourers and was able to secure a pricy repair and powder supplies for my pistol, a great improvement on the last village!

FOW - Mid-War - Panzergrenadierkompanie Vs British Armoured Company

I finally made the trip over to Deeside Defenders HQ at the WINGS social club in Broughton, mainly to have a look around, and as a side benefit I got in a game of Flames of War against one Ian Shaw.  1750pts was the points limit, and I plumbed for panzergrenadiers because I felt they would both do best against an unknown opponent (I knew it would be British and from Tunisia/Sicily/Italy but not which company).  They were also the best painted option and I didn’t want to show up the side to the next nearest club.

I went for a mix of platoons and capabilities, with panzergrenadier platoons and pioneers forming the core, backed up by mortars and the AT capabilities of some PaK40’s, some 88’s and a platoon of StuG F/8’s.  The opposition had one tank, 15 times – 15 Shermans!  It didn’t look good.  We rolled up Breakthrough as a mission, with both of us quite rust regarding the rules – Ian hadn’t played 3^rd Edition but luckily it made no difference. 

I was obviously defending, and sent the pioneers scurrying for the nearest objective, with a panzergrenadier platoon and the mortars (both virtually defenceless against the Shermans) going towards the trees by the other.  My PaK40’s and 88’s covered the main approaches, with the StuG’s backing up the PaK40’s.  Ian adopted a refused flank tactic, sending most of his armour towards the PaK40’s and StuG’s rather than face the 88’s, the rest covered the advance. 

However despite his weight in numbers he appeared hesitant (I don’t think he had used the army before), and although I lost a StuG to an early shot the others and the PaK40’s had a field day against British armour in the open.  One of the 88’s was smoked by the Shermans most of the time, but the other got an angle to join in and the burning British tanks mounted up.  The StuG’s got into trouble once, but Ian’s re-game expectation of winning by destroying my army rather than claiming an objective ended when they both remounted and continued to cause damage.  By the time turn 6 arrived the Shermans had managed to destroy the PaK40’s, but were still over 24” from either objective and Ian conceded.

Analysis: I was fortunate that I had picked the 88’s rather than artillery or more anti-personnel weaponry, probably out of a sense of paranoia, and they helped pick off the Shermans at long range.  The enemy tanks thankfully stopped to deal with a mortar spotter, then tried to cope with the well dug in and concealed PaK40’s and their StuG backup, which were able to pick off the British platoons piece-meal.  The vast majority of the army did absolutely nothing but dig into defensive positions around the objectives due to their inability to damage the enemy armour.  A good kill ratio; 5 teams (the PaK40 platoon, a StuG and a spotter) for a return of seven Shermans, two platoons and a 2ic I think.

The scene at the end of the battle, the StuG's to the left have just watched the PaK40's wiped out from the wood in front of them, the burning Shermans stopping short of the objectives around the far wooded areas.

The Marvellous Adventures of the Dashing Lord Flasheart and his dog FuFu - A Warhammer Quest Tale - Part 1

My First Adventure

"Dear diary,

I hope one day that I will have the chance to write a book of my mighty adventures in this great old world of ours, and that this will be the first dynamic and exciting chapter.  That said, it doesn’t start very excitingly.  I met a wizard (a student wizard called Sidney with the sweatiest palms you’ve ever seen) and some chap in total body armour in a pub – I’ve no idea how he drinks anything without taking the helmet off.  We were in an unremarkable village called something silly that I can’t spell, and I had been engaged by the mayor to go on a merry jaunt into the mountains to close some (obviously fictional) hole to another world full of daemons.  The usual superstitious nonsense.  I decided to take Sidney and the Tin Man (my own nickname, and an apt one I feel) with me.

We found mountain, despite Sidney’s rubbish map reading, and I, having grown tired of holding it, handed lantern to the Tin Man.  This was a mistake as it turned out because he then started to behave oddly, shouting he was the leader etc etc, I let him because it suited my purpose.

As we made our way through the dungeon we kept getting pestered by these (obviously fake) ‘monsters’ (honestly, that mayor who sent us up here must think I’m a simpleton!).  Sidney looked terrified, but I just made the right noises and actions and pretended to slay a few, the Tin Man really got in on the act, a few times I even thought I saw him trying to bite some of them!  Very OTT, will have to have a word next time.

Part the way round we met an odd chap, who claimed to be a Priest, can’t remember his name, wasn’t really listening at the time, but I let him tag along with my little party thinking he might be handy with a hammer, or at least good for bait.  Very realistic snakes, cave-in and skeletons in the room we found him in, my estimates of the mayor improved.

By the time we had made it to the right room, and Sidney had waved his hands and proclaimed the ‘hole’, which turned out to be a trapdoor, I had had to pretend to have been nearly killed 5 times to avoid embarrassing the ‘monsters’.  The minotaur was dashed convincing though, and obviously forgot his part, hitting harder than he should have!  I lost consciousness a few times, and kept waking up to find Sidney looking down anxiously with his hands in places they shouldn’t have been.  Will have to have a word, not very gentlemanly conduct.

Having done the deed and left the mountain we came across a horse and cart on the road, and I paid the driver to take me to the next village, leaving Sidney, the Tin Man and the bible-basher to walk – score one to the nobility!  Arriving in the village, I spent my time waiting for the rest to catch up by getting involved in a couple of duels, both with the same chap called Ludicrus Sextus, which I allowed him to retain his honour by calling it a draw.

The rest of the week has been spent in a variety of hotels, none up to my own personal standard, while waiting for my companions to arrive and slake their thirst in the local drinking establishment.  This dump of a village hasn’t even got a decent clothes shop which sells fashionable robes, if we don’t find somewhere bigger soon I’ll be the laughing stock of the next adventure.  I’ve managed to secure shot, but no powder for my pistol, and plenty of provisions, mostly sausages.  The seller was most odd, kept looking like he was about to burst out laughing, I’ve no idea what was so funny about a man buying sausages!  They were a trifle expensive though, and I need to get them cooked, perhaps Sidney would oblige with his ‘fireball’ spell, it was almost convincing last time.  I also learnt an interesting fighting trick from a local ruffian, but it involves pig fat so I might give it a miss, too messy and smelly.

My companions, since they finally arrived, have spent the week in the pub and lying around, with the Tin Man getting conned by firstly a circus (honestly, how can a village have a circus but no clothes shop!), then by a beggar, while that odd Priest chap also fell foul of the circus, and went for a steam bath.  Personally I don’t hold with religion, but theres no reason to chance it so I donated some gold to the local church.

Oh, and I’ve adopted a dog and decided to call it FuFu.

Signed: Lord Tiberius Derek Ramses Flasheart, Mr. "

The Romans – A Hail Caesar Project – Part 12

A Roman painting update post! In the overall scheme of things a mere month and a third doesn't seem too long to wait, but its been that long since any interesting Roman-related news appeared. With the matt varnish being applied to the latest batch of finished models that interesting news has arrived.

I decided to paint the remaining 16 slingers, half of my auxiliary cavalry (6 models on a total of 3 50mm by 50mm bases), my second tribune character model and a scorpion. After starting I decided to add the other two scorpions in, and gradually worked my way through all 32 models (the war-machines counting as 3 apiece – 2 crew and a catapult). I actually finished painting a couple of weeks ago, but various bits of life got in the way and I only 'dipped' and flocked and sprayed in the: last couple of days.

I now have two units left to paint; the 1^st Cohort (a total of 24 legionaries to represent its extra size), and a squadron of auxiliary cavalry (6 more horsemen), plus my overall CO, plus his dog and handy helper. The army even got into a punchup last week against a bunch of greeks (see part 11!), which enthused me enough to start on the 1^st Cohort.

Painted: 137

Un-finished: 33

Finally, and in a rare twist, here is a picture of the latest troops to be finished. 

The Romans - A Hail Caesar Project - Part 11 - Fighting!

After what feels like months of painting (well, a few months on and off, and interspersed with the odd Royalist regiment) the Romans finally took to the field of battle in a Hail Caesar game – and damn good they looked too!  Their opponents were Reds Greeks – Hoplites a-plenty, not a very historically accurate matchup, but good visually – who were slightly fewer in number so I opted to just use what was fully painted.  Given our inexperience with both the rules and our forces we chose to fight out a pitched battle encounter, setting up in an authentic looking way and rolling off for first turn, the winner would be the first army to break its opponent.

Red’s Greeks seemed more numerous than last time I saw them, but on that occasion I don’t think he used the full might.  This time he had four units (regiments?) of Hoplites to call upon, heavy infantry standard in size and each in a phalanx formation and numbering around 16-20 models.  They had light troops in their droves to support them, with five units in total, some ranked up light infantry, other smaller skirmishing units.  They were all lead by a single nameless Greek who fought in the front rank of the leading phalanx, and meant the Greek army was a single division, 9 units strong.

My Romans were able to field two divisions; the first was lead by the newly named Tribune Julius Farqaard (the army general), and consisted of my heavies; 4 cohorts of legionaries, plus an artillery battery of scorpion bolt throwers and a small slinger section.  The other division was commanded by an unnamed tribune, leading the bulk of the auxiliaries – two cohorts of medium infantry, one squadron of cavalry, two sections of slingers and a small artillery battery.

Deployment:

Red opted for his Hoplites to lead in the centre, with light infantry on their wings.  I had my legionary cohorts facing them, with the auxiliary division out to the legionaries left.

The Battle: 

Early doors:  Tribune Farquaad won the roll off and marched his legionary cohorts off towards the Hoplites.  The auxiliaries decided the Romans could win the battle without foreign help and refused to move, while Farquaads own slingers turned and blundered off to the right somewhere leaving him a little red in the face.  No such worries for the Greeks, who advanced their Hoplite phalanxes towards the legionaries, and, without stopping to consider if it was a wise idea charged, headlong.

The legionary cohorts took the impact and refused to run , although their artillery was swept away.  However, they were gradually battered backwards towards their own table edge in a series of breaktests and retreats.  Some of the Greeks light infantry assisting on the Hoplites left flank, the rest copied the auxiliaries by just watching from afar.  The auxiliaries seemed quite happy to let the legionaries do all the work, something which it quickly looked like being beyond them!

The Middle Ground: The legionary cohorts fell one by one, despite their skills with their pilum evening the odds often, but at least they provided an education in the mysteries of the proximity rules in Hail Caesar.  The auxiliaries waited for an age, failing every command role while the legionaries suffered, and then, as soon as the first couple of cohorts had been wiped out they sprang into action, both medium infantry cohorts charging into the Hoplites.

At this point the battle had truly become messy.  The Greek light infantry was too far away from their leader to hear his desperate pleas for them to get stuck in and had no effect upon most of the battle.  The Hoplites bore the brunt of most of the fighting, eventually wiping out all four legionary cohorts without loss, but sustained plenty of damage in doing so.  This meant that when the medium auxiliary infantry cohorts finally arrived they were the ones being forced backwards while they tried to recover from shaken results.  The damage was done by two unlikely sources however.  Firstly the auxiliary cavalry squadron, which destroyed the first and second Hoplite units (yes, ‘Follow Me’ was used by Tribune Farquaad – a man now minus a command after the legionaries had gone), then the slingers were finally galvanised into action, and their stones saw off a third, before the auxiliary cohorts got rid of the last of the Hoplites for the loss of a single cohort. 

The End:  The battle was nicely balanced, and with the heavy infantry of the legionaries and Hoplites gone it was down to the light Greeks, and the remaining auxiliaries to slug it out, and it was the auxiliary cavalry squadron which was the clincher.  Another ‘Follow Me’ saw it charge up a hill into the exposed rear of a formed up light infantry unit, destroying it and another skirmishing unit at the same time, taking the Greeks below their half way point and winning the battle (just) for the Romans.

Analysis:

First things first – that fully painted army looked good on that battlefield!  The last time I fielded an army that close to completion was at Vapnartek (FOW, Feb 2010) or my Bretonnians previous to that (circa 2006??).  Onto matters of tactics and battles and the Hoplites and Legionaries were evenly matched, with the Romans having the better of the initial clash, then the Hoplites starting to wear them down.  The Greek heavies proved the stronger in the end, but it weakened them before my auxiliary wing finally decided to join in, while the Greeks own lighter troops were too far away to intervene or help.  An addition of at least one more officer/commander for Reds troops is a must!

As a first outing for the troops we didn’t do too badly in getting the rules right – and nothing came across as too odd.  The proximity rule took a bit of reading, and getting the Hoplites to run away took some more surrounding the concept of breaktests and phalanx formations.  Finally a legionary cohort trapped with its back to a wood took far too long to be worn down so I’ll have to look that up and check we got it right.

The initial deployment, Romans on the left (auxiliaries far left), Greeks on the right with the Hoplites in the centre.

The Hoplite phalanxes.

The Greeks wasted no time in getting stuck in to the Legionary cohorts.

The legionaries are pushed back and fragmented by the Hoplites brutal assault.

Fortunately the auxiliaries finally work out which muscles work their legs and begin their attack.

Counter-attack in full flow, and the Hoplites are now on the back foot, glory beckons for the cavalry, if not for the cohort in front of them.

Overall opinions – an enjoyable game, without any clear winner for most of it.  The Greeks looked like they had it in the bag early on, then the auxiliaries struck and had an extremely good run of luck with saving throws.  The cavalry seemed to be the deciding factor, but perhaps only because each opponent was very worn down and hit in the back/side.  Looking forward to another game soon.

English Civil War - The Battle of Musley

Last night an in-depth discussion surrounding pasta, house prices, and other things that Aidan will soon learn about, took place.  And somewhere in the middle a battle started, had a middle and abruptly finished.  The battle, although less important than the pasta sauce under discussion, is what I will deal with here.

The usual protagonists took their places on their usual sides; Luke & Aidan playing a mixed role covering various Parliamentarian characters including the Earl of Essex, Oliver Cromwell, Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Montrose (who was clearing confused again).  Chris Fazey deigned to join the Royalists at my side as the fictitious Brigadier Wolfe, while I took the part of Sir Hugh of Beeston and Lord Flasheart, the army general.

With some new style rules (based on Blackpowder as always, and created by Aidan) being tried, a simple fairly open battlefield was used, Parliamentarians to the right, Royalists to the left in a 6ft by 5ft space.  Chris’ horse division took the left, while my foot division had the centre and right.  The parliamentarians considered this to be unsporting because they had split their horse on both flanks, and the foot in the centre.  We ignored them and belittled their hats and feathers.

The Battle:

Chris uttered the opening word, setting the tone for the battle, and said simply “Charge!”  His horse ignored him mostly.  When they did get going they had a proper bit of horse on horse action on the Royalist left as the Parliamentarian counter-charged, and after a lot of the ‘C’ word being used the Parliamentarian horse and Lord Fairfax himself were sent packing by the Royalists superior numbers, although not without the loss of 50% of the Royalist horse regiments.

Initial Deployment

Chris' Royalist horse charge up a hill into the enemy.

In the centre not a lot happened.

On the right Oliver Cromwell decided to be canny and lead his brand new cuirassiers in a hell-for-leather charge into a unit of musketeers, who bizarrely stood their ground.  This enabled two units of Royalist pike to get stuck in and see Cromwell and his chums off the battlefield.  This left the Royalist foot very disjointed, but the Parliamentarians seemed hesitant to get stuck in, instead watching the horse clash on the far side and trading musketry.  The Royalist CO (me) became frustrated at the lack of action and movement and ordered a general charge, leading to a generally complicated melee involving most of each armies foot at some point.

Key amongst the clashes was the remaining Parliamentarian horse regiment (complete with a third commander - Essex) being driven from the field by a unit of pike, then the Parliamentarian Scots pike decided they had had enough as well and fled, along with some train guards.  Some Royalist troops were pushed back, but in good enough condition to return, but with time ticking, and their right flank now open to Chris’ horse, the Parliamentarians decided victory was beyond them and surrendered the field.  Victory for the Royalists - Hurrah!

The main foot on foot contest.

Analysis:  

Not much analysis to be honest.  I spent most of the start and a substantial part of the middle of the battle talking pasta with Chris Fry, and only recovered my focus towards the end to shout ‘Charge’ very loudly in the direction of my foot regiments.  Chris Fazey’s horse did most of the fighting, and were probably key in causing the enemy to quit the field, although I was fairly close to throwing in the towel because I felt we were finished and had little chance of winning!  The viewpoint from the other side of the table must have been a tad different.  Few pictures as well due to the pasta conversation.  Royalists models were mine, Parliamentarians were painted and Aidans.