Based on Mortimers Cross

There was a try out of 'Maurice' last night which left three of us at a loose end, so I volunteered to put on a Wars of the Roses game using Poleaxed 2, I would umpire as best I could as I do not play the game often enough to be completely au fait with all the mechanics. Granted there are not a lot, but there are subtleties which should not be forgotten, no doubt I did. Anyway I went for a scenario based on Mortimers Cross and as with all those movies, it was very loosely based on the real story. As Rob and Paul had not played before I evened up the sides as the Lancastrians would otherwise have had too hard a struggle to win, the Yorkists still had a small edge but nothing as drastic as in the real action.

There was a river on one flank and hills on the other as far as we can tell, so the table edges represented both, it would be quicker to pack away. The Lancastrians simply marched forward loosing arrows as they went, the Yorkists wanted to threaten two of the enemy battles while throwing their main battle forward, possibly for a quick victory then a flank roll up. Thomas Howard spoiled this as he went pell mell for the enemy line without waiting for his peers.

 The Yorkist line minus Thomas Howard who has advanced ahead of his friends.

 Thomas Howard way out in front about to make a fearless charge.

 The rest of the army catches up and a general melee ensues.

 An incredibly vicious fight for such a small battle, Blount is the first casualty, but as he gasps his last breath his men surge forward and capture a badly wounded Percy then rout his retinue.

As the general melee continues more commanders die, De la Pole, John Howard and army commander the Earl of March on the Yorkist side, Blount, Grey and Owen Tudor on the Lancastrian. Roos is the luckiest man of the day as twice his armour saves him from death.

The only Yorkist success of the day, De la Pole wins the centre, but the army loses both flanks.

The opening phase of the battle as both sides face off and the end as the Yorkist flanks disintegrate.

The scenario was taken from The Poleaxed Source Book and the coats of arms used on the map from Heraldic Banners of the Wars of the Roses, both Lance and Longbow Society books, and both excellent material for wargamers.If you do know the battle and the names of the commanders do not add up, then I substitute my own guys for the real ones as it is easier then to recognise who is who on the battlefield, I also put the coats of arms on the casualty sheets.