Devizes - trial layout - part 2 - market place

I had forgot when setting out the buildings for Devizes that I had a range of buildings I made for Pokesay castle; adding this in just about pads things out.
I was left with one big gap which was the market place - the idea I had was to use some simple low relief buildings; I had a search for some images online I could doctor and found two of buildings in Lavenham (Suffolk), I also found a couple of book illustrations that were suitable. After some scanning and scaling of images I stuck them on thick card and touched in and altered them as needed.

I arranged the buildings I had and then fixed the low-relief flat houses to my gaming table backscene - the marketplace:

A lower down view, more front on ...

I am well pleased with the result.

Devizes - trial layout

I did a trial layout of all my buildings to see how many I needed to add to complete the southern part of Devizes.

I think a few low relief buildings at the back - and moving the full ones will do it. Will draw up a plan next ...

The thinking cap is on and overheating ...

I've been trying to find the best way to game the parliamentarian siege and attack/assault on Devizes. I've opted to do the attack on the southern part of the town.

One decision made - hoorah; now the next problem is how to represent the town in the best way. I want have the outer houses and also to have some space for the attackers if possible to get into the town and the defenders to move around. Also need some barricades etc

Currently thinking of making up some low relief buildings, but I'll have to get these to be generic enough to re-use for other periods - no point in making something for one game.

The cogitation continues ...

A little bit of preparation ...

I've been afflicted with a nasty cold this week, so my paitning and modelling were greatly curtailed. However thorugh the haze of cold remedies I managed to redo all my unit existing cards and add new ones for the horse regiments - they now show the flag of the unit clearly; I have one set for units to be on the Royalist side and one for them to be Parliamentarians.

 

Rearguard at Rowde [Sun 9th July 1643]

The Royalists are on the march to Devizes are and passing through the village of Rowde.

As the tail end of the column reaches Rowde they receive word of nearby Parliamentarian horse

Royalist horse take up position at Rowdeford (by the Summerbrook)...

Parliamentarian horse attack ...

They fall back, to regroup

In they come again ...

They are pushed back and while they regroup the Royalist horse withdraw

The Royalist horse pass through Rowde with the Parliamentarians following ...

A Royalist foot regiment blocks the road to Devizes. The Parliamentarian horse makes a bold charge

But the musket fire from the foot regiment is too much for them ...

---oXo---

The rearguard join the rest of the Royalist army drawn up on Roundway hill just to the north of Devizes, but with the Parliamentarian horse re-inforced and the rest of their army visible on the march the Royalists hurry into Devizes and start erecting barricades.

Roundway Campaign Map

A very rough map of the area round Devizes in Wiltshire, where most of the action takes place
(clikc to enlarge)

Outline of contours in grey, roads in red. The brook in blue is a bit wide for the scale but limited by my felt tip pen's thickness.

The Royalist army left Chippenham and headed for Devizes followed by the Parliamentarians ...

Roundway Down Project (9) - Plan of Action

The action preceding Roundway and the main battle itself is about to intrude into my imaginary campaign set in Wiltshire. I'm planning to game the following:
a) Rearguard at Rowde.
b) 'Siege' and attack on Devizes.
c) The Battle of Roundway

Mounted Horse - 'skirmishing'

Had great fun painting these, my last four conversions - cornet and three chaps firing pistols ...

and joined by the rest of their regiment ...

Horse Firing pistols (conversions)

I had a dig around in my ECW boxes and found that I had three figures holding pistols/muskets on horse (from previous conversions), plus a spare officer and trumpeter - all painted up. With the cornet I made up recently I needed 3 more figs to complete the regiment (9 figs).
Firstly two Irregular Miniatures riders with S&S arms firing pistols on converted 18C horses cast from moulds.

and one firing pistol made up from 18c limber horse rider on a converted 18C Irregular Miniatures horse, with lots of spare bits and green stuff to complete.

Horse - Cornet Conversion

For my Roundway down refight I want to represent the weakened royalist cavalry brigade, to do this I'll split up 1 reg horse (9 figs) but need three extra figures inlcuding a cornet to make 2 x 6 fig regiments.  I also want to have a horse regiment skrimishing, firing pistols etc. - so a I need a cornet for those as well.

I decided to make  a cornet  up using spare bits left over from S&S, Romanoff figs - but using some of my home cast 18c moulds to make a limber horser rider and horse to be converted. Horse was modified to accept two pistol holsters and the rider was converted with new head, sword and arm.  Buff coat, sash and additional detail was added with green stuff. Some piccies below ....

Supplies to Pewsey...

Since the defeat of the royalists at Hungerford the parliamentarians have been putting Pewsey under some pressure. An initial raid was beaten off by royalist horse some time back, but now the parliamentarian forces of Sir Warwick Hunt are slowly gaining control of the area. A royalist supply train makes an attempt to reach Pewsey ....

---oXo---

The hastily thrown up defences at Pewsey, across the road into the town ...

The relief column approaches ...

parliamentarian dragoons are spotted in the edge of the wood and nearby hedges

As the royalists organise themselves to deal with the dragoons, parliamentarian horse arrives ...

The fight with dragoons intensifies while the parliamentarian horse move towards the supply wagons ...

The dragoons are being pushed out of the woods by royalist horse and commanded shot ...

The lead parliamentarian horse regiment captures a wagon of supplies ...

The commander of the royalist relief force escapes capture and seeks refuge in Pewsey ..

While the lead parliamentarian horse regiment enjoys rooting thorugh the supplies, their other two regiments pause due to the presence of the royalist foot and the commander tries to cajol them into action ...

Royalist foot give fire as the parliamentarian horse advance ...

Infantry exchage fire while the horse fight it out ...

After much affray the royalists horse lose, their infantry retire to safety with some of the supplies. The parliamentarian horse enjoy plundering a second supply wagon,

  ---oXo---

A victory for Parliament !

Roundway Down Project (8) - More Useful Info

I've found more info for my Roundway Down refight in The Battles of Lansdown and Roundway 1643 by Robert Morris (ISBN1858040132), thanks to Mercurius Atticus for posting the book info on his blog. I used Bookfinder.com to search for the lowest priced one.

I've had a quick dip into it since it arrived today,  a nice informative little book. Will settle down to good in depth read later on.

Horse Finished - ready for Roundway

The last of my ECW lead pile is now painted, the third of three regiments of horse for my refight of Roundway down.

They seemed to take ages to finish, I think I took my time as they are the last of my planned ECW units for a while. I have some future thoughts on what to add, which are:

1. Clubmen (along the lines of this link)

2. Firelocks

3. Mounted horse firing their muskets and pistols

4. Folorn hope - musketeers

A Messenger arrives at Pokesay ...

Captain Philip Stanhope has a message from Lord Hopton for Sir William de Willoughy commander of royalist forces in Wiltshire; he has been re-directed to Pokesay after looking for him at Wallingborough.

---oXo---

Capatin Stanhope arrives on the outskirts of Pokesay by the parish church ...

Startled by the sound of musket fire, he looks into an adjoining field and sees some dragoons at practice ..

Arriving in the town square he asks for directions from one of the locals ...

The sentry at the castle gatehouse notices the arrival of a rider and calls the officer on duty ..

Stanhope moves towards the castle, he can see a galloper gun being repaired by the blacksmith ...

He approaches the gatehouse ...

Stanhope: Captain Stanhope with letters for Sir Willaim de Willoughy from Lord Hopton

Officer: please wait here, I'll find Sir William

After a short time Sir William arrives

Sir William: Good Day Captain Stanhope

Stanhope: An honour to meet you Sir William

Sir William: come with me, we'll find some refreshment for you

A regiment of foot undergoes drill outside the castle ...

They have a quick discussion in the hall ..

Sir William: Stanhope, what's the gist of these letters ?

Stanhope: Lord Hopton seeks troops and supplies for the army of the West

Sir William: I think I will be able to provide dragoons and some supplies, come we'll get some lunch and then I'll read the letters and we'll sort out the details ..

The next day Captain Stanhope departs with Colonel Wemys's dragoons and some supplies ..

New regiment of horse completed

My bumper ECW bank holiday weekend continues - another of my new regiments of horse completed for the Roundway down project (one left to go); figures are Sash & Sabre with command from Jacdaw.