Cheriton, 1644: 1st Game Using In Deo Veritas

The following is a solo wargame I played yesterday, using the scenario and the paper soldier armies which I presented in my last two posts. The rules set I used was In Deo Veritas, and the battle was based on a scenario in that book, both with my own personal modifications. The main departure from the original rules is the removal of saving throws, and the halving of move distances.

Game Map Setup

Army Deployments

First Turn

Lord Hopton advances his army into the heathland along Bramdean Lane and exchanges ineffective artillery fire with Waller's army, arrayed along a slight rise. The Royalist cavalry broadens their front. Appleyard moves into Cheriton Wood against the Trained Bands.

Second Turn

Lord Hopton continues his advance, while Sir William Waller holds his position. As the armies come nearer, artillery fire becomes more accurate. Sir Arthur Haselrig unleashes a volley against Lord John Stuart's brigade, disordering their front line. Appleyard makes progress in Cheriton Wood against the Trained Bands.

Third Turn

The Royalists, ascending the rise, attack all along the line, but the rising slope stifles the momentum of their advance. Stuart's and Stawell's cavalry brigades charge their counterparts and are repulsed. Lord Hopton's infantry engages Waller's center in a volley, of which the Royalist troops receive the worst. The Trained Bands' position in Cheriton Wood continues to deteriorate.

Fourth Turn

Lord Hopton orders a general withdrawal, but before they can move off, Waller launches a counter-attack. Balfour's cavalry drives back Stawell's brigade. Sir George Lisle is routed, but is able to reform to some degree, while Talbot and Apsley's veterans repulse their opponent's on the right. Only Lord Stuart's brigade of cavalry is able to withdraw in good order. The Trained Bands in Cheriton Wood begin to disintegrate under Appleyard's attack.

Fifth Turn

 

Sir William Waller continues his advance. Balfour's attack on Stawell's brigade causes a rout in chain reaction. On the other wing, Haselrig's Lobsters routs Lisle's foot and impetuously charges into Hopton's Foot, which recoils. Lord Hopton narrowly misses being wounded and captured. Only the counter charge of Stuart's horse restores the situation somewhat. Cunningham's dragoons go to the assistance of the Trained Bands in Cheriton Wood, but is disordered by Appleyard's veteran volley fire.

Sixth Turn

Haselrig joins the Parliamentarian foot in cutting off and destroying Sir Henry Bard's regiment. Separated from their commander, Haselrig's brigade halts its advance. Lord Stuart takes advantage of this moment and counterattacks, but is largely repulsed. For the second time, Waller's dragoons have withstood a charge by regular horse. Balfour is in the process of dissolving Stawell's horse. Appleyard is inflicting great damage in Cheriton Wood, but is unable to break through. 

Seventh Turn

Lord Hopton's army withdraws in confusion. Stawell's brigade has been entirely routed. Lord Stuart's cavalry still holds together in some order, but the day is entirely lost.

Aftermath

Captured Royalist Regiments

In the pursuit that followed the battle, Sir William "the Conqueror" Waller was able to capture the majority of Hopton's army. The Royalist offensive in the south has ended, Oxford and the West Country lie open to Waller and Essex's overwhelming armies. With the Scots intervention in the north, the English Civil War is bound to end very soon.

Reflections

I really enjoyed this game, and it has provided much opportunity for reflection. Hopton made the fatal decision to withdraw as soon as his attack stalled, then failed to withdraw as quickly as he should have done to preserve his army. The best decision Waller made was to hold the line of the rise in the face of Hopton's advance, and then to counterattack when his opponent withdrew. This slight rise proved to be the undoing of the Royalist attack, as I have a -1 on dice rolls when attacking an uphill target in my personal rules modification. However, I am not sure that elevation played much role in the actual battle of Cheriton, the rise does not seem to be that steep on maps I have seen. And upon closer inspection of the original scenario in In Deo Veritas, the author does not give any penalty for fighting on the first layer of hills. So the next time I play this scenario, I will remove that slope from the map and treat the entire battlefield as flat. This should make the game more even, and provide a much different outcome. 

Soli Deo Gloria!