A Grievance of Scots

A Headless Body Production
Venue: On Military Matters Bookstore. Owner Operator: Dennis Shorthouse

Event: Prep for USTT 2020


Players: Phil Gardocki running Burgundian Ordinance
George Brown running Medieval Scots
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 15mm, 200 points per side.
Theme: None

The Forces:

Burgundian Ordonnance

Commanded by Lawrence, the Competent, his brother Darryl (Which turns out to be French in origin) the Competent and his other brother Darryl , the Ordinary, and somewhat unreliable.
5 1/2 Heavy Spearman 1/2 Longbowmen
2 Foot Knights
3 Men-at-Arms, Heavy Knight, Impact, 1 Elite
2 Light Cavalry, Crossbow
2 Demi-Lancers, Heavy Cavalry Impact
2 Handgunners, Elite
2 Crossbow, Pavise

Breakpoint of 20

Medieval Scots

4 Highlanders, Medium Swordsmen, Bow
7 Pike, Mediocre
4 Foot Knights, French, Elite
1 Levy
4 Longbowmen

Breakpoint of 21

Dennis has a wonderful bookstore in Hopewell New Jersey, that he has been running for many decades. Imagine going through a library that is nothing but military history. If you don't think you knew him, he is a long time supporter of Historical Miniatures Gaming Society, and held the coveted #1 spot in the dealers area for over 20 years. So if you have been to any of HMGS's events at the Lancaster Host, you probably have met Dennis at some time.


The Board:
The Burgundians win the initiative and elect to attack in the plains.

The defense has all the terrain. This is going to suck.

Yep, there they are, all behind the rough.

Darryl's command here is just 2 heavy foot, and two crossbowmen, and a light infantry. His mission is to hold the flank and collapse gracefully under pressure on defense. Attacking is something he doesn't do.

This is what is known as a "Dense Pack" You may get the Ronald Regan reference here.

Lawrence can match the length of the Scots line, but not the depth.

But were is his other brother Darryl?

Turn 1:

Burgundian Hand Gunners head for the field. They don't have to hold it, just deny it as a launching point for a while.

The rest of Darryl's command advances on the double.

Keeping in lock step with Lawrence's line.

An ambush is revealed! The famous Medium Sword Bowmen.

These are not half sword, half bowmen, which melee as mediocre's, but all sword bow, which fight as ordinary. They are kind of rare in LADG, the only other example I can think of are Samurai. 

The rest of the Scots swarm over the hill! Their Longbow forming up just out of the 4UD "Panic" area on the flank.

Turn 2:
The unseen Burgundian command rolls a six, and will arrive next turn.

The Burgundians advance to bow range and loose arrows. This is working out well as the Scots Longbow are getting set to receive the flank march, and are not involved much in the exchange. I have 7 shooters at optimal range, this works for me.

The left flank though is in jeopardy. The Scots have enough force to squash Darryl's command like an snake on highway 10.

Burgundian archery has found their range.

The Scots have 4 points towards their breakpoint of 21
The Burgundians have 1 point towards their breakpoint of 20

Turn 3:

The Burgundian left command's mission is to live as long as possible. So the Handgunners swing left and out of range, and the Crossbowmen retreat to safety. Leaving the Pike to hold the line.

With some clever pivoting, if the Scots race across the field into the pike, they will be flank charged in return.

Darryl's knights charge onto the field. One longbowmen flees, and is subsequently fletched to death. The rest hold their ground and loose arrows.

I decided to not make the camp a priority, and so only lights are on the far right, to go for support and wrap around attacks.

The Scots begin the long turn of the flank. Missile men making themselves felt.

The Scots plan seems to be to crush the Burgundian left, while daring the Burgundians to ascend the hill.

The hill is field covered, and so is -2 to spearmen, but only -1 to the foot knights. And the Burgundian Spearmen fight as Mediocre, and the swordsmen have 2 handed swords and Armor. It would be very bad for the Burgundians.

The Longbow darken the skies. One Burgundian Knight is disordered twice, but the rest hold firm.

Turn 4:

It's the kind of charge we dream about when you run knights. All in a line, their enemy fleeing before contact. Rolling a pair of 6's and a 5 is just icing on the cake.

Darryl turns his crossbow at just the range where if the pike are flanked, then the flankers are flanked.

The Scot's are not going to allow this at all.

Neither are they going to allow a flank charge of their frontal forces.

And while the Scot's forces are forming up to defend their rear, the Burgundian missile fire is thinning their ranks.

Turn 5:

Darryl abandons his crossbowmen to their fate.

And goes for the hill anyway! His Pike are holding, his spearmen are actually fighting in the flat while the Scot's pike are in the field. His other spearmen have support against a disordered foot knight.

Burgundian knights ascend the hill They don't get impact, but there are flanks and rears everywhere from that position.

The swarm of Scots begin to overrun the Burgundian flanks.

It's official, the proper plurality for Scots is "Swarm"

Their units on the hill are heavily disordered.

The Scot's rear continues to firm up despite casualties.

The Scots have 15 points towards their breakpoint of 21
The Burgundians have 7 points towards their breakpoint of 20
Turn 6:

At this point George conceded.

Even when the Burgundian camp falls, there was so many Scot's units that were vulnerable, and fresh units of Burgundians available that victory was inevitable.

So what went wrong? The traffic jam in the right corner was a serious problem. I needed to start turning the infantry a turn earlier.

Bringing up the crossbowmen with the line was a mistake. If I had just left them behind they would have gotten two more shots in, and accepting counter fire with pavise.