Medieval campaign : the Woelingen war : the battle of Zeveringen, July 1400

Medieval campaign : the Woelingen war 1400-

 

Alfter playing a few times a medieval campaign with the neighbouring wargame group, The  Stipsicz Hussars. I decided to start one within our group.  I created the fictional county of Woelingen.

 In this parallel world, in the County of Woelingen, Count Godevaart III Montpeigne has passed away, leaving behind only a four-year-old daughter as his heir; her mother, Adelheid of Urtz, died as a result of childbirth. Someone must now become her guardian and protector—a role that also carries the authority to decide whom the heiress shall eventually marry.

Various players have put forward their claims: Godevaart III has no surviving brothers, though he does have several cousins. Furthermore, his father, Godevaart II, was quite prolific in his romantic pursuits, fathering a number of illegitimate children who were granted fiefs of their own. Godevaart III also had sisters—Adela, Isolde, and Catharina—whose respective husbands now feel called upon to "sacrifice" themselves for the well-being of their niece and heiress. All of this unfolds against a backdrop where the kingdom itself has endured years of civil war, contested by three princes, each laying claim to the throne. A five-year "Truce of God" has brought a temporary peace. Godevaart II had managed to keep his powerful county out of the conflict; now, the princes—Odo de Osbern, Thurstan le Goz, and Godwin Leofric—see an opportunity to bring the county into their own camp, and are actively seeking to back suitable barons for the role.

Each claimant presented their case at a gathering hosted by Renaud de Girlande, the Bishop of the capital, Blux. The Bishop remarked that while every claim holds some merit, the matter concerns the secular affairs of the Montpeigne family; he has therefore chosen to distance himself from the proceedings. He awaits the family’s final decision with devout humility, pledging to recognize the chosen candidate as the sole and rightful guardian.

Notwithstanding the complex rulebook and playing mechanisms, 7 players joint the campaign.  A die role decided the order players could choose one of the 20 heraldic shields I created, with the Griffin as central theme.  Also, the players received a list of medieval names  and could pick one.  There was also the choice to be made of 3 fiefs as their starting territory as baron. The fiefs with a symbol could not be selected(containing a town) . Now each player had to muster an army and occupy as much fiefs as possible, except for the counts personal fief. Each baron had could also join the camp of one of the princes and receive an amount of money. If they stayed neutral, they could occupy a free fief, but not pass through occupied ones., but also their own territory could not be entered. 

The strange situation resulted, 6 players choose prince Godwin, while 2 players stayed neutral.  Chances of conflict in the first campaign year very limited that way.

Yet in the “summer” turns in the month of July of 1400 the neutral army of Thrustan Van Parbloes (Geoffrey) collided with the one of Wulfstan van Sluishierde (Alberik) in Zeveringen.

 The die decided who was defender and who attacker. The defender (Alberik) had to dice for the scenery. He only had a wooden fence and 2 pieces of broken ground. The attacker, (Geoffrey now had the possibility to move one of the terrain features 50cm. He moved the fence to his left.

 The armies are small as the budget of each player was limited.

 

Geoffrey had one unit of veteran mercenary knights, one of crossbowmen, and one of pikes. Besides his unit of companion knights.  He had to split his troops in 3 battles. The middle guard were his 2 units of knights. To his left the crossbowmen, and right the pies. As he did not hire generals, he received the free one command die generals for each of his flanks.

  

As member of a party, Alberik had a larger budget and did hire 2 units of men at arms, one of longbows and one of pikes. He had also hired an extra  first class mercenary  general of 3 command dice. The barons also received 3 command dice. Also, as the Godwin party had given the bishop of Blux a contribution, he himself was present for moral and divine support (Alberik his force could ignore 6  flags, or reroll command dice in the game)

Eliminating one battle of the opponent mend victory. Having battles of one unt, I expected a very short battle… I did not happen.

Both players have little experience. Certainly, Geoffrey made a number of errors.

As he was the attacker, he had the possibility to deploy as he liked, but his knights had to face the fence. Which mend redeploying. He also choose his crossbowmen had to take their pavise shield with them, reducing their firepower and movement for several turn.

 

And the “clock” was ticking. Each turn, a D6 value was reduced from the starting value of 30. At zero or less, the battle is finished.

Reluctance to move in contact on both sides resulted in only the longbows making casualties, first on the pikes, later the mercenary knights. Finally, these knights charged the supported (2 units) longbowmen.  With only 3 knights left,  and no support, Geoffrey knights had still 8 battle dice, Alberik 5.  

3 bowmen were lost, but 2 of the knights perished. The knights unit was removed from play. 

With the “clock” almost at 30 Geoffrey didn’t want to risk his character dying or losing his companions.

The defender had won.  The army of the attacker disintegrating. Alberik had won the fief.