15mm Hundred Years War with Hail Caesar.

 It was just Ian and I battling it out today so we opted to play Hail Caesar with our 15mm Hundred Years War armies; borrowing a scenario from a recent magazine but converting it to our medieval era. Using dice to help us, it was decided that my English Army led by Henry Vth himself would enter the table one division at a time whilst Ian's French army would all deploy facing my one division. 

The numerous French Army look across at the one English division and decide to do a rapid advance before help arrives. 

A view along the French line, we both love the colour of all the livery and flags. 

Henry Vth wondering where the rest of his army is? 

Ian's French army is certainly very colourful as shown on these pavise and spear units. 

The view from behind the small English army.

The French Knights advance, quite a worrying sight for the English. 

At last, the rest of the English army arrives but is beset by blunders preventing them from getting into position alongside Henry's division. 

Boom! English guns fire at the French line but were not very effective apart from squashing some Bidet's. At 50pts for the guns I may opt for a different unit choice next game.  

Finally the English get into position and their longbows start to wreak havoc in the centre and on my left flank. We also deployed stakes where we could which helped deter the French mounted troops.

Here come the French Knights, my medium guns only managed to dent one of them. 

Henry Vth orders his hobliars forward and for his Knights to charge the right most unit of French Knights, only for them to Blunder and withdraw instead. The Hobliars rode into a storm of crossbow bolts and were destroyed. 

The longbowmen behind the stakes do so well they force a unit of French Knights to withdraw. The central unit of knights smash into the billmen only to end up in a prolonged melee. 

The English Knights recover their pride and charge a unit of French Knights and both units caused equal casualties and were both Shaken in one mighty clash. 

Ian withdrew the French Knights whilst Henry quickly rallied his Knights and went charging into some French crossbowmen who were swept aside with ease but then Henry charged his knights into some French spear who not only won the melee but managed to kill Henry. 

With Henry dead and his division now forced to withdraw due to units lost the French were dominating my right flank and as we were running out of time the rest of the English withdrew and conceded the field of battle to the victorious French but until Henry's untimely demise it was a close one. 

A French commander surveying some of the English dead.

Yet again we had great fun playing Hail Caesar and it was another very close battle. But did Henry Vth really die today or will he ride again next week?