DBA Special: IV/83a/b Wars of the Roses Yorkist/Tudor at Bosworth (54mm)

 WARS OF THE ROSES 54mm BOSWORTH 1485

These bespoke armies were configured during the development phases of V3 and represent my thinking of how the historical orbats translate for DBA.  I'll point out the deviations where they occur.

The number figures on a base is also not as specified (purely in order to have a comfortable fit for the 54mm figures on a conveniently sized element stand).  The bases are 80mm wide, which allows for a 4 ft wide table.  The mounted are all 'Kn' and are 2 to a base.  The foot are all 3 per base except for hand-gunners/psiloi, but there are several double bases (so 6 figures in 2 ranks).

 

(me using the 54mm DBA game to explain the battle to cricket legend Freddie Flintoff)

 

Each army has  3Kn general

 

 Richard has 2 more Kn although Northumberland can only move on a Pip roll of 5 or 6

 

(Richard's cavalry at Bosworth: 54mm DBA Wars of the Roses)

The earl of Richmond might get some support from the Stanleys

 

(Henry Tudor and the Stanleys)

The infantry

 

(the Yorkists)

 

(the Tudors)

 

For the Tudors, I chose to represent the earl of Oxford's Anglo-Welsh vanward as a traditional mix of bows and blades

 

(Vanward ... 2 x Bw, 1 x Bd: Talbot, Oxford, Savage)

With the Welsh in the mainward a mix of Ax (Ap Thomas) and Bd (Tudor/Pembroke)

 

(Tudor ... 1 x Ax, 2 x Bd)

... and for best effect, the mercenaries (Pike), I chose to represent as 8Sp.  They can be played as Pk, of course (the difference is interesting but probably not a game changer) ...

 

(Henry's mercenaries under Philibert de Chandee and Bernard Stewart d'Aubigny)

Royalist/Yorkist

Contempoaries  describe Norfolk's solid line as a rampart compared with Oxford's slender line.  I therefore took advantage of V3's 8Bw (Lb) troop classification to show this solid mix of archers and combat troops (it certainly looks right to me).  I take the Burgundian 8Lb in list IV/85 to be based on late 15th Cent English practice (so this interpretation isn't straying from DBA orthodoxy by that much, really) ...

(Somerset, livery, Norfolk and Catesby)

The figures in this army are a liberal mix of old plastic soldiers (Britains, Timpo), more modern 1/32 figures (Airfix, Italeri etc.) and metals by Irregular Miniatures.

The splendid fabric flags were researched and created by my lately departed friend, heraldry buff and wargame project collaborator Graham Fordham of Fluttering Flags.  Even though he was mainly a 28mm enthusiast of late, these scaled up versions really make the best of 54mm's visual impact.

Without anything much in the way of field artillery in this scale I adapted the pieces in Irregular's 40mm Renaissance range.  The designs basically work, and so a relatively big 40mm gun becomes a medium piece in 54mm.  The Ribauldequin is simply several such, crafted into one.

 

(some of Richard's seven score serpentines)

 

(54mm Bosorth DBA ... 1 x Art, 1 x (handgunners) Ps: Tudor)

CAMP

Neither side's camp played any part in the battle so they don't really need to be depicted in the game.  Some say the finds associated with Whitemoors relate to Richard's camp, so it makes a fun albeit tactically insignificant addition to the set up.

 

(54mm DBA IV/83b: Ricardian camp scene)

The vignette includes an Irregular Miniatures cart in difficulties in the marshy conditions typical of the battlefield ... for completeness, it incorporates a Camp Follower element which shows the Stanley family's Lord Strange (a hostage in Richard's camp) accompanied by a mercenary headsman.  Needless to say, I wasn't actually there, so can't say how authentic this scene might be.

The camp area is completed by a fairly successful repaint of the old Timpo plastic medieval tent.  Lovers of detail might like that I have topped the tent pole with a crown finial ... it's actually an inexpensive bracelet ornament you can buy in the Heritage Centre Shop (it really is an authentic Bosworth souvenir.  Who would have guessed?)

 

(Bosworth 1485: Yorkist tent with Murrey and Blue details)

 

(Camp Follower element: Lord Strange)

I also made a thorn bush:

21st - 22nd August, Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre, Leicestershire

(commemorating the battle anniversary at the Heritage centre)

BOSWORTH BATTLEFIELD HERITAGE EVENT

Much affected by Covid uncertainties, the annual Medieval Festival at Bosworth went ahead in a reduced format this year ... a Living History and Commemoration, but without the big reenactment and Medieval Fair.

 

(my DBA version of the battle on the Battlefields Trust stand)

 

The Battlefields Trust were happy to support the event, and went along with my 54mm DBA version of the battle as part of the BT stand.

 

Indeed, Julian H had his 'Wars of the Roses in 10 minutes' in the lecture pavilion, using swoppets, and a team of locl wargamers were doing a big version of the battle using Never Mind the Billhooks opposte us - so, after my subtle introduction of the figures back in 2014, model soldiers and wargame approaches now seem to be bedded in at Bosworth! 

 

 

(this year, the Battlefields Trust stand was strategically placd on the commemorative procession route)

 

(Henry's mercenaries 'ready for battle at Bosworth Battlefield')

 

(scenes from Bosworth 2021 ... including the lecture pavilion, Richard in battle and Living History displays)

(miniature action at Bosworth: DBA )

 

(miniature action at Bosworth: Never Mind the Billhooks) 

 

So a lower key event than usual at Bosworth, this year, but more time to meet people, forge links and reflect on the tumultuous events of 1485.  A place-holder for the return of the big battle next year - and a rare opportunity for me to do both days ... usually the Sunday of Bosworth is Partizan in Newark (which, this year, again fell victim to the pestillence) ...

The good news, however, is that the Autumn version of the show The Other Partizan is confirmed for October - and things are looking good.  Ancients is back on the move, you might say.  Our odyssey continues.

 

(roses are laid at the Bosworth sundial)

The Battlefields Trust

Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre

17th August, Bosworth, Leicestershire

 

Another Big Weekend: Part One

The weather forecast wasn't too bad for the first day of Bosworth's annual Medieval Festival and battle anniversary weekend.  When I arrived ahead of public admission, the site was still being fed by tractor with fresh straw but the sun was shining.

 

(with the Battlefields Trust at Bosworth 2019)

I was with the Battlefields Trust again, and David had asked me to bring the DBA Bosworth game as an interpretation aid and general eye-catcher. Saturday only, of course, due to how crowded 'heritage' August has now become, but it gives the stand a nice mix.

The battle was fought 22nd August 1485 and the main attraction of the festival weekend is a grand battle in the show arena each afternoon restaging a narrative of the engagement.  It is very big by the general standard for medieval pageants, and this year the artillery was particularly loud and set off car alarms in the adjacent car park.

 

(battle reenactment at Bosworth 2019)

 

 

(Bosworth 2019: the jester attracted a big crowd and by midday the ground was dry enough to sit on) 

 

(Bosworth 2019: 10 minute battles with Swoppets) 

 

Some pictures of the Bosworth game 

I am pleased to have inspired the Development Officer to build up a small collection of Swoppets to do his 10 minute battles with ... it is an example of the toy soldier thing going mainstream and directly follows up on the battle dioramas and demos I have done ay various shows over recent years.

I will take the DBA game along to the Conference this year as Richard has chosen Bosworth for the BattleDay in 2020 (which will be the 535th anniversary year) but it has not been out for a while and I was pleased with the look and utility of the big figures.

 

(Bosworth 1485: Richard's artillery)

 

 

(Bosworth 1485: Norfolk's solid line)

(Bosworth 1485: Oxford's slender line taking casualties and rallying to the standards)

The figures are 54mm/1:32 and a mix of modern plastics, old toys and metal figures by Irregular Miniatures.  The guns are actually adaptations from Irregular's 40mm range.  The flags and banners are a large size run specially printed for me by Fluttering Flags.

*******

The weather held out for us pretty well on Saturday, the icecream vans did good business and the tent didn't blow away.

 

I was surprised, given the status of King Richard, these days, at the 'given' shield in the kids armour boxes in the shop ...

 

... instantly recognisable to historians, of course, as Rhys Ap Thomas, the man who, legend had it, smashed the king's head in with a poleaxe.  My afternoon finished however with a random shot of the king bathed in a mystical light which only my camera picked up.

 

(Bosworth 2019: the Sunne in Splendour shining  on the son of York)

And that was not actually the Sun-day ... on Sunday I would be in Newark.

The Battlefields Trust

Society of Ancients Conference 2019

Society of Ancients BattleDay