HYW - Agincourt - Scenario

 

Date: Weds 29th May 2024

Table Size: 8x6

Context: October 1415. After the surrender of Harfleur on 22nd September 1415, Henry V now faces a dilemma. The season is changing for the worse, he is surrounded by larger forces assembling, and the French barons are uniting against him. 

Henry assembles his council and tells them he intends to march for Calais, against the advice of his councillors, who consider this a foolhardy plan and one full of risk.

On 8th October 1415 the English army marched out of Harfleur to begin its 100 mile journey to Calais.

When reaching the Somme, there was no sign of expected support, and in its place is a French force barred the crossing. The French are gathering all around Henry, guarding the bridges and fords along the Somme for a considerable distance.

Henry marches south east up the left bank of the river, a French force keeping pace and opposing any attempt to cross. Finally the English army have been able to outstrip the shadowing Frenchmen by cutting straight across a bow in the river, crossing and resuming the march north east towards Calais. In the face of the gathering French armies Henry orders his archers to cut sharpened staves to form a barrier against mounted attack.

As the army marches, the scouts come riding back at speed with the news that an immense army has blocked the road. The French had managed to march past the English and cut across their route during the delay on the Somme.

Beyond the village of Maisoncelles the French come into sight, a mass of knights and men-at-arms spilling across the valley from the East. Seeing that he cannot not pass without giving battle Henry orders his army to encamp and prepare to fight the next day.

Battlefield Map:

Objectives - English: Deploy in a defensive line, hold the French and give no ground

Order of Battle - English:

Commander - Henry V

York - 3 units of Men at arms. 1 small skirmish unit of archers

Erpingham - 3 units of English Longbowmen

Camoy -  3 units of English Longbowmen

Objectives - French: Having finally caught and cornered the British, engage and destroy the army, taking as much ransom as possible.

Order of Battle - French: 

A lot! Roughly outnumbering the English 3:1, with a mix of light,  medium or infantry and light, medium, or heavy cavalry.

Deployments:  

The game is played lengthways along the table. The French deploy up to 24" from the Western edge, the English up to 18" from the Eastern edge

The weather preceding the battle has been foul and the central point of the table is a quagmire. The English have chosen to deploy in a space flanked by woods, making avoidance of the mud difficult for the French.

This is a 3x4 area which is extremely difficult to keep order in and any unit moving across this space will roll on the below table:

Light infantry need to roll 2+ to not become disordered when moving

Medium or Heavy Infantry need to roll 3+ to not become disordered when moving

All cavalry need to roll a 4+ to not become disordered when moving.

Even if becoming disordered, the unit will still carry out the order given, if the command roll is passed.

English longbows will have a 24" range and can fire in two rows of units and have the marksmen rule.

The English have fortified their position with sharpened stakes. All charge bonuses of all type are cancelled when charging a unit behind stakes. Cavalry automatically become disordered when charging against stakes, in addition to losing their charge bonuses.