After the encounter at Whyteladyes Lane, the Royalists retreated to the small hamlet of Cookham. The Parliamentarians, however, rather than withdrawing to regroup, have followed them.

Cookham, a pleasant place mostly home to farm labourers, is split by the Moor: an open piece of land crossed one way by a small stream, Strand Water, and the other way by Dean Lane, now more of a road.

Unwilling to surrender the Moor, “Little John” Boulters leads his men forwards to the eastern edge of the open ground only to see Sir Christopher and his men just arriving on the other side. The stage is set for another epic For King & Parliament clash!

The Battlefield from the Royalist side

I would command the Roundheads, John would lead the Cavaliers.

A Close Up of the Royalist Force

Two brigades of foot in the centre, a brigade of horse on each wing, guns and a bodyguard unit of cuirassiers also in the centre.

The Roundheads

A brigade of foot, a brigade of Scots mercenaries, a brigade of Dutch horse.

The View from the Royalist side

The View from Behind the Scots

Both Sides Advance Forward Rapidly

First Clash!

Is on the Parliamentarian right.

One squadron of Dutch horse finds itself isolated on the wrong side of a hedge.

The Royalist Braywicke Horse Sneak Up The Left Flank

Overview of my Left Flank

The Highlanders just emerging from the splash-through stream will move forward and will be charged by the enemy cuirassiers.

Cuirassiers Destroyed...

And I have established a decent line of battle against a more fragmented Royalist advance.

Some of MacLeod's Pikemen turn to Protect my Flank

Meanwhile, on the Other Flank, the Cavalry Clash is going my way

My Commanded Shot battalia blow a unit of Royalist cavalry away!

I Push Forward and the Royalists pull back

I Need Those Two Battalia Top Back to Move Forward!

But they just won’t budge for many turns (I suspect their commander, Sir Kavan Nelson, defected to the Royalist cause) leaving me fatally weak in the centre.

With the Enemy Horse defeated, my Cavalerie is free to Move Forward and Threaten the Parliamentarian Rear

But, again, having lost their Colonel, I just can’t get them to move forward. My army appears paralysed, and the Royalists are about to take full advantage!

Royalists and Scots Mercenaries Face Off

But because Sir Kavan won’t move his men forward, I am outnumbered!

And From the Other Viewpoint

It’s six units to four, and two of my battalia are Highlanders that have spent their first, ferocious charge!

Battle Has Been Joined, but one of my Scots Battalia Gives Way, Allowing an Enemy Advance

The Enemy Turn to Flank Another Scots Battalia

More Action in the Centre

Sir Christopher has Finally got the Third Scots Battalia down Behind the Royalist line

Some of My Cavalry Have Finally Moves Forward to Outflank on the Right

Whilst More Attempt to Mop Up the Surviving Royalists

But the Scots have Given Way in the Centre!

Losing a pike-n-shot battalia and a General in one turn is a good way to shed coins fast!

A Royalist Battalia has Broken Through, and can now Turn and hit the Rear of the my Line

And that’s where I ran out of coins!

Snatching Defeat…

Well that was a game that was really going my way when a sudden paralysis amongst my troops caused by the loss of my Colonel of Cavalerie and Sir Kavan’s defection (I can see no other explanation as to why Aces suddenly appeared all over his brigade!) meant that the Roylaists were given a chance to rally, catch their breath, and then move forward and concenrate their numbers with devastating effect.

It didn’t help that my CinC, Sir Christopher, led a sorely-needed Scots mercenary battalia on a complete Jeb Stuart-like perambulation up the wrong side of the left hand wood, effectively taking them out of the battle at the moment of decision. That was deffo my fault though!

A great game that saw John keeping his nerve as I scored early successes, pulling back and then seeing an opportunity and taking full advantage. Just to emphasise the point: at one stage of the game (after the early clashes) I was something like eight coins in front!

Time for the Parliamentarians to retreat and regroup!

Robert Avery