Cheriton - opposing forces take up their positions .....

On the right Lord Forth's royalist cavalry can see the opposing parliamentarian cavalry commanded by Haselrig who are deployed in front of Cheriton village.

In the centre Lord Hoption looks across the valley to see Waller in command of the main body of parliamentarian foot...

 On the left Sir William de Willoughby is tasked to protect the flank and clear the wood with help from Appleyards regiment of foot.

 The parliamentarian foot in the wood - ready for action.

 In command of the parliamentarian right behind the wood is Sir Warwick Hunt ....

both sides prepare for battle  - who will make the first move ?

to be continued

Preparation for Cheriton

While the two armies are doing their 'historical' manouvers I've been getting the gaming table ready for the re-fight of Cheriton. I've managed to get the key features in place - the wood on the left and the hedged common in front of Cheriton (represented by two low relief buildings).

 

 Next thing to do is to fit in both of the delpoyed armies ... time to get the soldiers out to play ...

A scout from Waller's army checks the lie of the land ...

 

Royalists Muster at Tictchbourne

Lord Hopton has called a muster of his forces at Titchbourne (to the west of Winchester, south of Alresford).

Some troops are already there and set up camp, others are arriving - officers are marshalling the troops, counting numbers and assigning places to camp ........

The weather closes in ....

The weather has turned and its has been snowing.  At Twyford William de Willoughby has finished checking there is enough fodder for the horses and has stopped by a sentry post to warm up by their fire...

The bad weather has stopped any action, both sides hunker down to keep warm ...

Royalists retake Romsey....

In early February Romsey had been retaken by a small Royalist force and then lost again a couple of days later to the parliamentarians.

Sir William de Willoughby was ordered to re-take and hold Romsey. He left Twyford at dawn taking his regiment of horse and dragoons.

After a brisk skirmish on the edge of Romsey, the dragoons entered the town ....

A bit later Sir William with his regiment of horse entered the town taking control of the market square, the dragoons flushing out the remnants of the parliamentarian garrison

Midhurst - foot at drill

In the grounds of Cowdray castle near Midhurst a body of foot, from the parliamentarian garrison, carry out their drill..

[Notes: I've rebuilt my yellow coat regiment of foot, mix of figs from Irregular, Romanoff and Jacdaw; I've also managed to pick up some unpainted Sash&Sabre ~40figs and a cannon off Ebay for a really good price, so they'll get painted in due course]

Raid on Twyford ...

Sir William de Willoughby has been given command of the small garrison at Twyford to the south of Winchester. To the west of the town is a small farmstead with a herd of cattle.

Some dragoons are stationed in the farmstead, it is early in the morning - the guard check down the road for activity.

Meanwhile in Tywford Sir William is checking in with the officer of the nightwatch - all seems ok.

A dragoon on patrol spots movement by the bridge (a Parliamentarian force from Southampton, led by Sir Warwick Hunt, is crossing the river Itchin).

As the dragoon looks to check on the movement he see a body of horse already over the bridge, he sets off at the gallop ...

He stops at the farmstead to warn them and sets off for Twyford ...

Parliamentarian horse aproach the farmstead, while more have crossed the river at the old ford...

The dragoon reaches Twyford and tells Sir William what he's seen....

Parliamentarian horse jump the barrier over the road and engage the small party off dragoons stationed at the farmstead ..

At Twyford men spill out of the houses and get ready to defend ....

The Parliamentarian horse have the defending dragoons penned up in the farmhouse and are getting into the fields to try and round up the cattle....

Sir William manages to get his regiment of horse mounted up at last and musters them at the edge of the town ....

At the farmstead the cattle are now being got under some control and are starting to be moved, some commanded shot come up to support the horse ...

Sir William leads his regiment forward - they receive a charge by the parliamentarian horse and hold their ground ....

They push back the opposition,

But not for long, the parliamentarian horse defeat them and they fall back to the town ....

Meanwhile the parliamentarians are withdrawing from the farmstead and get away with the cattle....

 

---oXo---

 

A success for Parliamente