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.

WOTR 1464 - Hedgeley Moor Battle Report

Return to the Wars of the Roses after quite some time away.

Scenario can be found here: https://themosquitoonthetenthfloor.blogspot.com/2025/08/wotr-1461-hedgeley-moor-scenario.html

All change for gaming, as new venue needed to be found and such, but here we are with the first report from the new rooms

Initial deployment, with Lancaster on the left and Yorkists to the right.

York left flank

Facing Somerset on the Lancastrian right.

Looks like Oxford over on the far left of the Lancastrian line

Lancaster centre

Strong surge forward from the Yorkist lines, clearly eager to get stuck in

Accordingly, Somersets hired guns blunder, turn and run for the hills. Poor Somerset would see no less than three blunders throughout the evening.

Lancaster centre lines up

Both lines begin to get closer. Lancaster cavalry pushing forward on the left.

A rather bold charge sees Yorkist cavalry roll into Somersets household flank, who manage to hold (just)..................

.........who then counter charge with their own Men at Arms, accompanied by Sir Roger Twatshire who gives a follow me and leads a charge from the centre brigade.

Yorkist heavies start gathering pace.........

Cannons - purely there for show, for all the effect they had on either side.

Centre start pouring in as cavalry charges and counter charges

Both sides steaming into one another.

Nice and chaotic, just what we want.

Main lines being engaging in the centre of the field now

Lots of commanders being thrown into the fight. Thats what we want to see!

Warwicks lot claim the hill and put pressure from one flank

Big ruckus across the lines.

Eventually, both sides begin to tire, the light fails and a withdrawal is sounded - a solid, hard fought draw.

Great game to get back into the swing of things, with some severe rules refreshers needed and people remembering suddenly that these units are not as fragile as Napoleonic ones, so will duke it out for much longer.