WOTR 1464 - Battle of Hexham - Battle Report

 Scenario can be found here: https://themosquitoonthetenthfloor.blogspot.com/2025/09/wotr-1464-battle-of-hexham-scenario.html

Lancaster caught on the hop, York rushing in for an early attack. All to play for, right?

Well..............no. We (York) got an absolute kicking. Consumate. Comprehensive. Embarrassing.

Payback for Northampton, when York gave out the horsewhipping.

With no further ado............

Initial deployments and movement, with Lancaster milling around by the river and York getting a decent move into position from the outset

York arrives

Starts pushing straight down the hill

Lancaster responds by surging forward with EVERYONE

York men at arms appear, then halts to observe.

Lancaster eyeing up the victims.

Next line of York appears

Lancaster keep pushing forward.

Exchange of fire from both sides.

Here comes the Lancastrian cavalry. Don't worry, miles away. They'll never make it over to this side of the table

Charge #1 goes in, on the left there.

Lines drawn up nicely.

Lines start to engage, with Lancaster seeming to hit with nearly all attacks on nearly all rolls. York armour did hold, but that can't last

Cavalry from both sides is fully committed now. Again, Lancaster kicking the shit out of everything in front of them.

York lines find Lancastrian cavalry on the flank.

View from the hill of the York centre. Quite a few less of them now!

York men at arms get stuck in to try and force a break in the line.

Doesn't work and they find themselves getting that cavalry right in the flanks.

Just as the Lancastrian heavy cavalry breaks through on the other side and begins turning to bear on the main lines. That unit of York cavalry to the right of the pic would be deleted v quickly.

Lancs hevy cav steamrollers into the Yorkist lines.

View from the Lancastrian line of the massacre in front of them. Note heavy cavalry in the top right, along with Somerset.

Yorkist rear thought that holding back would help? No.

Discussions were had on whether to turn coats and join the other side..........

And yes, Lancs cavalry then catch two Yorks leaders in their way.

Yorkist men at arms do a valiant show of at least holding up their side of the field, but its nowhere near enough, and they've been isolated.

Looks like a late counter attack from Warwick, but its too little.

Main Lancs line begins advancing to close the door.

Lancastrian heavies then file into the men at arms on the far right side of the table - considering the cavalry started 7 ft away, on the far left, thats not bad going.

Late game and theres nothing left of York

Over. 

A resounding victory. Henry VI gave up trying to escape the table after turn two and just sat watching the demolition going on in front of him (lurking in the pic directly above, to the top left behind the lines)

I don't think I can hear the words "nine hits" again for a good while after this one.

WOTR 1464 - Battle of Hexham - Scenario

Date: Weds 24th September 2025

Table size: 8x6

Context: After the disaster of Hedgley Moor, the Lancastrians have regrouped at Alnwick when word arrives of Edward IVs sizeable army converging on Leicester. Knowing that only a swift victory in the North can save them from this army, they march South with Henry VI at their head and hoping that his presence will lend support and people joining the cause.

Yorkist Lord Montagu, upon returning to Newcastle, receives news of the Lancastrian army arriving in Hexham, which acts as sufficient encouragement for him to march out without awaiting for reinforcements from the South.

The Lancastrians have camped 2 miles south of Hexham town, by a stretch of river known as 'Devils Water', with Henry VI being made comfortable in Bywell close by. 

On the morning of the 15th May, the Yorkist army marches past Bywell, Lancastrian scouts give warning as the campsite rises to find battle at their door.

Battlefield Map:

Objectives - Yorkist: Engage and Destroy Yorkist forces, attempt to capture Henry VI

Objectives - Lancastrian: Defend against the rush Yorkist attacks while escorting Henry IV to safety

Order of Battle - Yorkist: 6 Households, 1 Medium Cavalry, 2 Mounted Men at Arms,  2 Crossbows, 3 Men at Arms, 1 Handgunners

Order of Battle - Lancastrian: 6 Households, 1 Medium Cavalry, 2 Mounted Men at Arms, 1 Crossbows, 2 Handgunners, 3 Men at Arms, 2 cannon.

Scenario Rules:  

All commands on both sides are rated at 8. Montague will be at command 9 for the first turn, then revert to 8

Lancastrians deploy first

Montagues brigade deploys on the table ahead of the rest of the Yorkist troops who will come onto the table from reserve in Turn 1. This brigade must be deployed on the hill (as much as possible) at start of game.

Henry VI must be escorted off the North Eastern corner of the table by the Lancastrians to achieve a full victory.

If the Yorkists move a unit across the model base for Henry VI in a single move, they count as having captured him and he is placed with that unit - note that it takes a command action to capture.

Lancastrians can reclaim Henry VI, if captured, by forcing a retreat in HTH or breaking the unit currently holding the model base.