Summing Up Seacroft Moor

ANOTHER exciting battle, with the result not completely clear until near the end.

My big mistake, I believe, lay in pushing my horse too far ahead of its supporting foot.

I needed to be more patient, although I think it is fair to say the AI did a remarkable job of lining up its forces so there was no obvious weak point for me to attack.

My running score against the AI is now 2-2 - all victories for the side leading the Parliamentarian troops.

Seacroft Moor Play-Through: Turn Nine

Situation at the end of turn eight

I roll a 6, a 5, a 4, a 3 and a 2. This means I can rally one unit of horse, but another unit and the muskets will exit the battlefield.

My muskets shoot at the pikes, needing 6+ thanks to support from two cavalry units.. I roll 10, forcing the pikes off the battlefield.

I advance my undemoralised horse two hexes, but the enemy are far away.

I have the advantage in number of units, but not in time

The left-flank Parliamentarian muskets advance, meaning they can give support when the other muskets fire at my leading horse, so needing 8+, which is exactly what is rolled.

I cannot possibly clear the field of enemy forces next turn, so I concede the battle

Seacroft Moor Play-Through: Turn Eight

Situation at the end of turn seven

My five dice give me a 6, two 3s, a 2 and a 1. I reroll the 3s, but get another 3 and a 1.

The attack order goes to the pinned horse, and the other units get move orders.

First I use the forward muskets to make a surprise charge on the nearer Parliamentarian pikes, needing 5+ thanks to support from two units of horse and one of muskets. I roll 8, demoralising the pikes and forcing them to flee to the edge of the battlefield (the Parliamentarian units seem to almost always flee to the edge, but not quite off it, giving Sir Thomas Fairfax a chance to rally them).

My remaining rearmost horse advance two hexes, but leave room for my remaining muskets to move into range of the undemoralised Parliamentarian pikes, which, in a desperate gamble, are charged by my right-flank horse. I need to roll 6+ thanks to support from two units of muskets and one of horse, but get 2.

My other horse charge the right-flank muskets, needing 4+ thanks to support from units of horse and muskets. I roll 5, demoralising the Parliamentarians and forcing them back a hex.

The Parliamentarians are, gradually, being forced back

The AI's left-flank muskets fire at the nearest horse, needing 7+ thanks to support from units of pikes and muskets. They roll 8, which demoralises my unit and forces it to flee three hexes to the first available hex.

The fleeing muskets fail to rally, for a change, and flee the battlefield, and the remaining muskets shoot at my leading horse, needing 8+ thanks to support from pikes. They roll 11, demoralising my men and forcing them further back than the other fleeing horse.

The undemoralised pikes charge my leading muskets, needing 6+ thanks to support from a unit of muskets, and roll 9, demoralising my men and forcing them to flee to the edge of the battlefield.

The fleeing Parliamentarian pikes fail to rally and so flee the battlefield.

After advancing up the map, the Royalists have suddenly fallen back en masse

Seacroft Moor Play-Through: Turn Seven

Situation at the end of turn six

My five dice give me a 6, a 5, two 3s and a 1. The 6 will rally the fleeing horse, and I reroll the 3s in the hope of getting attack orders, but receive two more 3s.

I give the 5 to the pinned horse, which attack the Parliamentarian pikes, needing 7+ thanks to support from two units of muskets, and that is exactly what I roll, demoralising the pikes.

My fleeing horse duly rally, and the other units advance, being careful to stay out of musket range.

I am very conscious of running out of time

The right-flank Parliamentarian muskets fire at my nearest horse, needing 8+ thanks to support from another unit of muskets, but roll 6.

The left-flank muskets stay still, but the remaining muskets also fire at the nearest horse, also needing 8+, but roll 7.

The demoralised pikes rally - Sir Thomas Fairfax seems remarkably good at rallying his men - and the other pikes advance to directly behind them.

Three turns to go - it looks a tough ask

Seacroft Moor Play-Through: Turn Six

Situation at the end of turn five

My six dice give me a 6, a 4, a 2 and three 1s. I reroll the 1s, hoping for a second 6, but get two 5s and a 3.

Naturally I use the 6 to rally the horse, letting the pikes exit the battlefield.

The further-forward muskets fire at the furthest-forward Parliamentarian muskets, needing 6+ thanks to support from two units of horse. I roll 7, demoralising the enemy unit and forcing it back one hex.

My furthest-left horse charge the next unit of muskets, needing 4+ thanks to support from muskets and horse, but I roll 2.

My other horse also charge the same musketeers, also needing 4+, rolling 8, forcing them off the battlefield.

A half-turn of mixed fortunes, but my leading horse look very vulnerable

The demoralised Parliamentarian muskets rally, and the left-flank muskets shoot at my leading horse, needing 6+ thanks to support from two units of muskets and one of pikes. The roll is 10, sending my cavalry fleeing to the edge of the battlefield.

The remaining muskets fire at the nearest horse, needing 7+ thanks to support from muskets and pikes, but roll 5.

The leading pikes charge this same horse, needing 5+ thanks to support from two units of muskets, but roll 2, and the remaining pikes advance.

I am in serious danger of losing two units of horse next turn as one is about to flee the battlefield and another is pinned by enemy pikes

Seacroft Moor Play-Through: Turn Five

Situation at the end of turn four

My six dice - I lost a unit last turn - give me a 6, a 4, two 3s, a 2 and a 1. I reroll the 3s, hoping for another 6, but get a 4 and a 2.

The 6 will rally the horse more in danger of fleeing the battlefield. The right-flank muskets get a 4, and the other, useless, 4 goes to the unrallyable horse, giving the remaining units move orders.

I first advance the left-flank muskets so they are within range of the forward Parliamentarian pikes, and I similarly advance my pikes.

Then I shoot at the enemy pikes with my other muskets, needing 4+ thanks to support from muskets, pikes and two units of horse. I roll 5, demoralising the Parliamentarians and forcing them back a hex.

I leave my unmoved horse where they are, so they do not move within range of enemy muskets.

There is a sizable no-man's land between the two armies

The two furthest-right Parliamentarian musket units advance, and then the left-flank muskets fire at my pikes, needing 7+ thanks to support from one unit of muskets. They roll 9, demoralising my pikes and forcing them, thanks to friendly cavalry in the way, to the edge of the battlefield.

The muskets in the trees remain stationary, but both pike units rally.

I am in danger of seeing a third of my remaining army flee the battlefield in the next half-turn

Seacroft Moor Play-Through: Turn Four

Situation at the end of turn three

My seven dice give a 5, a 4, four 3s and a 2. I allocate the 5 to the right-flank muskets, and give move orders to all the other units, apart from the pikes.

I start by sending the horse in front of the muskets to charge the Parliamentarian horse, requiring 4+ thanks to support from the muskets and the rest of the horse, all of whom could charge the same enemy unit. I roll 7, demoralising the Parliamentarians and forcing them to flee to the edge of the battlefield.

The muskets unfortunately no longer have a target - I should have shot with them first - but I send the horse in the trees to charge the nearest Parliamentarian muskets, requiring 4+ thanks to support from two cavalry units. I roll 5, demoralising the musketeers and forcing them to flee to the edge of the battlefield.

I then charge the left-flank Parliamentarian pikes, needing 7+ thanks to two units of support, and that is exactly what I roll, demoralising the pikes.

My remaining units advance, obliquely to the right.

The Parliamentarian left flank is in danger of collapsing

The AI fails to rally its horse, which promptly flee the battlefield.

The forward musketeers fire at the nearest cavalry, requiring 8+ thanks to support from pikes, but roll 5.

The furthest-right muskets fire at my furthest-forward horse, needing 8+ thanks to support from another unit of muskets. They roll 9, demoralising my horse and forcing them to flee a hex.

The undemoralised muskets in trees fire at my furthest-left horse, needing 7+ thanks to support from pikes and from muskets, which have moved from the right. They roll 8, again demoralising my horse and forcing them to flee a hex.

The demoralised muskets fail to rally and so exit the battlefield.

The undemoralised pikes charge my furthest-forward horse, needing 4+ thanks to support from three units of muskets. They roll 11, and my horse flee the battlefield.

The demoralised pikes fail to rally, fleeing to the edge of the battlefield.

The Royalist cause has suffered a significant setback, perhaps the result of me advancing precipitately

Seacroft Moor Play-Through: Turn Three

Situation at the end of turn two

Looking at the map above, I suddenly realise I forgot to move my fourth cavalry unit last turn - an annoying omission in the heat of battle!

My seven dice give me a 4, a 3, two 2s and three 1s. I allocate movement orders to every unit, except the furthest-forward horse.

Rather than charging forward, I consolidate my forces, keeping out of range of the enemy units

The Parliamentarians generally edge forward.

The main clash of forces appears imminent

Seacroft Moor Play-Through: Turn Two

Situation at the end of turn one

My seven dice give me two 6s, a 5, a 4, a 3 and two 1s. I reroll the 6s, but get a 6 and a 5.

I allocate the 6 to the horse in the trees, and give move orders to the rest of my cavalry.

The rear of the two right-flank horse units charges the left-flank Parliamentarian horse, requiring 7+ thanks to support from the horse in the trees, and roll exactly 7, demoralising the enemy, but leaving them in position to be charged again, which they are with deadly effect.

My left-flank cavalry units attack the Parliamentarian right-flank horse, similarly requiring 7+, but this time the first charge sees a roll of 9, demoralising the enemy and forcing them to flee two hexes, so out of range of another charge.

A promising start for the Royalists

The AI successfully rallies its fleeing cavalry, and generally gets its troops - apart from one unit of muskets - into a coherent line.

The Parliamentarians look well-prepared, despite their early setback

Seacroft Moor Play-Through: Introduction & Turn One

THE Battle of Seacroft Moor was fought in the West Riding of Yorkshire in March 1643.

A Royalist force, mainly composed of cavalry under Lord George Goring, defeated a Parliamentary force, largely composed of musketeers and inexperienced pikemen, under Sir Thomas Fairfax.

In Mike Lambo's English Civil War book the human player commands the Royalists, having four units of horse, two of muskets and one of pikes.

I have positioned my cavalry to the fore

Dice throws decide where the AI's forces start.

The Parliamentarian foot are screened - to an extent - by their heavily outnumbered horse

To win I have to remove or demoralise all enemy units before the end of turn 10, and as usual I will write up the battle turn by turn.

TURN ONE

My seven dice give me two 5s, two 4s, a 2 and two 1s. I re-roll the 4s, getting another 4 and a 2.

I use the four move orders to advance on my right flank, keeping out of range of the enemy horse, except for one unit I put in trees.

I could have simply charged forward with all my cavalry, but I suspect I will need the Royalist foot to play its part

The left-flank Parliamentarian horse charge my advanced horse, requiring 8+, increased by one thanks to the trees, but roll a 5. The right-flank horse advance around the trees in front of them.

Two of the Parliamentarian musket units advance, as do the right-flank pikes.

A cagey turn one, not least thanks to the absence of cannons