Another Fine Mess!
The Battle of Bosworth, 22nd August 1485
CONTENTS
Introduction
DOWNLOADS
Roster: Richard III
This article reproduced from Wargames Illustrated (issue dated October 2003)
Joint written by John Hills and Robert Avery
Museum Miniatures, Photograph courtesy of Wargames
Journal
Introduction
The Battle of Bosworth is one of the pivotal events of British history. There, with the defeat and death of Richard III, the crown passed into Tudor hands: hands that would eventually be responsible for the minting of the first pound coin, the dissolution of the monasteries, and the setting up of the Church of England.
Bosworth
also marks the official end of the Wars of the Roses and, some would
say, the start of the Renaissance in England.
In 1485, the troubled and much-interrupted reign of Edward the IV came to an end, and his son, also Edward, was declared king.
Edward V, however, was only twelve years old at the time of his ascension , so his uncle Richard (of York) was declared regent, or Protector. Unfortunately the lure of the throne proved too much for Richard to resist, and the young Edward was deposed. He and his even younger brother were sent to the Tower of London, never to be seen again.
Richard, now crowned Richard III, was not, however, a popular king, and had many enemies. On 7th August 1485, one of them, Henry Tudor, landed near Milford Haven with about 2,000 French mercenaries and a handful of English (Lancastrian) knights, determined to take the crown for himself.
Both sides marched
towards each other, gathering reinforcements on the way and, by 21st
August, faced each other across a patch of open ground near the small
market town of Bosworth.
Although Richard’s
army was considerably larger than that of Henry, some of the lords under
his banner were at best reluctant allies. In particular the two
Stanley’s, Lord Stanley and Sir William Stanley, were more pro-Tudor
than pro-York; and the Earl of Northumberland vacillating between the
two.
Both sides were
deployed in “battles”: brigade-like structures designed to
manoeuvre individually.
Like everything else
about the battle, the exact number of participants is difficult to
determine.
Richard III’s army
is variously reckoned to be about 12,000-16,000 strong, but that number
includes around 4,000-6,000 troops commanded by the Stanley’s.
Henry’s army was
apparently outnumbered about 2:1, so should be assumed to be 6,000-8,000
strong.
Below you will find
one possible order of battle.
Richard
III’s Royalist Army
Forward Battle (commanded by Norfolk)
3500 Billmen
Centre Battle (commanded by Richard III)
1000 Knights
Left Battle (commanded by the reluctant Northumberland)
1300 Border Foot
The Stanleys (watching from the wings)
500
Knights
Henry Tudor’s Rebel Army
Main Battle (commanded by Oxford)
1,300 Archers
Reserve (commanded by Henry)
500 Knights
There are three major
theories as to how the forces at Bosworth deployed for battle.
The “classic”
version is that, imagining the points of a compass, Henry arrived from
the West, Richard from the East, and the Stanley’s were split:
one (probably Sir William) being to the north, and one (probably Lord
Stanley) to the south.
The first of the
revisionist theories states that although Henry and Richard arrived as
above, the Stanley’s were together and to the north. The second
agrees that the Stanley’s were together, but places them to the South.
Players are at
liberty to use whichever they prefer.
Just as there is some
doubt as to the initial deployments, so there is some doubt as to the
actual site of the battle and therefore the terrain fought over.
Most commentators
agree, however, that Norfolk charged downhill at Oxford, and that
Richard’s battle was forced back by the intervention of the
Stanley’s into marshy ground caused by a stream.
Players should
therefore set up the terrain as largely good, but with Richard’s army
uphill of Henry Tudor. Assuming Richard and Henry are placed east
and west respectively, a stream should border the battlefield either to
the north or the south, with the end nearest Richard descending into
marsh (difficult terrain). If the Stanley’s are deployed
together, the stream should be on the opposite side of the battlefield.
Players have the option to border both the north and south sides of the
battlefield with a stream flowing through marshy ground.
It seems that the fighting began with Richard’s main battle, commanded by Norfolk, charging downhill into the single Tudor battle commanded by Oxford. After fierce fighting, Norfolk was killed, and the advantage began to swing towards the Tudor force.
At about this point, Henry’s small contingent was spotted by the Yorkists, and Richard, seeking a quick end to the battle, led his heavily-armoured knights straight at the rebel, would-be king.
Another fierce melee broke out and, according to legend, Richard penetrated deep into the enemy ranks, killing the Tudor standard bearer and almost reaching Henry himself.
At that moment, the Stanley’s finally intervened: charging into the combat not in support of Richard, their king, but treacherously in support of Henry.
Flank-charged and now outnumbered (the also-perfidious Northumberland took no part in the battle) Richard’s men were pushed back and, with the eventual death of the king, cornered by enemy footmen in marshy ground, broke and ran.
Henry was crowned Henry VII on the battlefield.
The compact nature of
Bosworth makes it a very manageable battle to re-fight.
Players will,
however, need a number of special rules to take into account the
behaviour of Richard’s erstwhile allies, the Stanley’s and
Northumberland.
Northumberland
Northumberland is not
fully committed to Richard’s cause: although he will not fight
against Richard, he may be unwilling to fight for him. He starts
the game on the left of Richard’s line with Hold orders.
His orders can only change as a result of changing circumstances on the
battlefield not as a result of Richard spending command points to do so.
Roll a dice each time one of the following circumstances occurs:
-
If Richard moves forward off of the hill, roll 1d6.
-
On a score of 6, Northumberland takes on Attack orders and joins Richard in the battle.
-
-
If Richard becomes involved in a melee, roll 1d6.
-
On a score of 4-6, Northumberland takes Attack orders and goes to Richard’s aid.
-
-
If Stanley advances roll 1d6.
-
On a score of 1-2, Northumberland takes Retreat orders. On a 5-6 he takes Attack orders.
-
-
If Richard is wounded, roll 1d6
-
On a 1-3 Northumberland takes Retreat orders. On a 4-6 he takes Attack orders and tries to rescue him.
-
Once
Northumberland’s orders have changed from Hold to either Attack or
Retreat, they may not be changed again.
The Stanley’s
The Stanley’s are
not at all committed to Richard’s cause, and may change sides and
fight for Henry. They begin the game in neutral, with Hold orders.
Until activated, their orders (whether fielded together or apart) can
only change as a result of changing circumstances on the battlefield not
as a result of Richard spending command points to do so. Roll a
dice each time one of the following circumstances occurs:
-
If Henry moves into charge range of the enemy, roll 1d6.
-
On a score of 6, the Stanley’s take on Attack orders and join Henry in the battle.
-
-
If Henry becomes involved in a melee roll 1d6.
-
On a score of 1-2, the Stanley’s take on Retreat orders and leave the battlefield.
-
On a score of 5-6, the Stanley’s take Attack orders and go to Henry’s aid.
-
-
If Northumberland advances roll 1d6.
-
On a score of 1-3, the Stanley’s take on Retreat orders.
-
On 4-6, they Attack, fighting for Richard.
-
Both sides have the
defeat condition “Big Man Down” on their armies.Defeat Conditions