After the battle for Cookham Moor, the Parliamentarians have retreated in some disarray: falling back to a position where their rear and one flank is protected by the river Thames.

This protection, however, forms two sides of a potential cage, so the Royalists have hurried forward to do battle again, knowing that if the Roundheads break, there is nowhere, at least on two sides, for them to run.

Could this finally be the decisive battle that both sides have been seeking?

The Field of Battle

The action takes place on Cock Marsh: a bleak, wind-swept area of open ground between Winter Hill and the Thames. The lower slope of Winter Hill borders the south side of the battlefield. The north and part of the east side of the battlefield are bordered by the Thames i.e. impassable terrain. Any unit that is forced off-table into the Thames is lost.

The main part of the tabletop consists of moorland separated by hedgerows and the odd patch of trees. All hedgerows count as linear rough terrain. All wooded squares count as rough terrain. There are two Iron Age burial mounds on the Parliamentarian side of the field.

The Game

The Battlefield from the Royalist side

Cock Marsh is a bleak and featureless place.

And From the Parliamentarian side

I would play the Roundheads, John would play the Cavaliers.

The Highlanders were on my left flank

Scottish mercenaries good for an initial, ferocious charge, but largely useless after that!

The yellow Meeple indicates an Untried unit i.e. one that must test morale the first time that it sees action of any kind.

The Glorious Grey's Cavalerie

My plan was to sweep forward with my four units of Dutch Horse and smash the Royalist Swedish Horse from the field. The Cavalerie would then be free to turn and roll up the Royalist line.

I had, however, forgotten that Swedish Horse (like the units opposite me) are not inferior to Dutch Horse, just different. As John said afterwards: “You threw away your cavalry by attacking my best units head on”. Thank you, John, for your words of wisdom!

The red Meeples represent Veteran units, and that’s more Scottish mercenaries on screen as well.

Sir Christopher Grey in the centre of the Parliamentarian line

He obviously didn’t think standing on a burial mound presaged the outcome of the battle!

The Royalist right flank

A cavalry brigade (Swedish Horse and Dragoons); plus a unit of pike-only foot from the neighbouring foot brigade.

The pikemen appear to be impersonating Scots mercenaries: a cunning ploy!

The Royalist centre

Quite a few of them…and is that the Oxford Musketeers Commanded Shot I see at the back (with the blue and white stripey flag). Evil buggers who have stuffed me several times before!

The Royalist left flank

Look how weak it looks compared to my glorious Cavalerie.

Appearances can be deceptive!

John watches as my Cavalerie move forward

An overview of the first stages of the action

The Cavalerie go into action

Everything looks good so far…

A Closer Version

A Gap Appears on the far right

One squadron of my Dutch Horse disappears, as does one squadron of Royalist Swedish Horse.

The same moment from another angle

And another

Meanwhile on the right flank

I was rather hoping the Highlanders would make short work of the Dragoons, but they end the turn honours even (the two units with the red disordered markers on them).

The rest of the Highlanders wait for the enemy Swedish Horse to charge. Come on: if you think you’re hard enough!

Back to the right flank...

…and it’s all gone horribly wrong.

Only one squadron of Dutch Horse left, and they are double-disordered, and there are still two enemy cavalry squadrons existent.

A Second Overview

The two sides have moved towards each other. The only difference between this point and the start of the battle is that I’ve lost (read: thrown away) three squadrons of Dutch Horse worth nine victory coins (about half my supply).

This is where my men started to divide themselves into those who could swim and those who could not!

The last of the Dutch Horse depart this mortal coil

And I’ve let a gap appear in my infantry line, leaving one Scottish pike unit isolated.

Mutual Destruction on the left flanl

My Highlanders and John’s cavalry just about wipe each other out…but I can’t afford to lose many more coins!

A general melee develops in the centre

And here’s where the cards deserted me as well: you’ll notice that my battalia seem to be double-disordered versus the Royalists’ single disorder.

The End

I forget which one of my units broke, but this photo was taken just before they did, costing me my last victory medal.

Postscript

I’d like to say that my (extremely heavy) defeat was all my fault, but that would be to underplay John’s skill at exploiting my errors.

I am now writing out one hundred times "Do not throw away your cavalry on a frontal charge against even or worse odds” whilst Sit Christopher and his surviving men drag themselves out of the water on the far side of the river!

A great game of For King & Parliament despite my defeat: 150 points a side played out in just over 90 minutes.

Robert Avery