Historicon Preliminary Events List Entry
The first of three 1745 Jacobite War engagements at Historicon. Prestonpans was the first major conflict of the war. The Jacobites had taken Edinburgh city. General John Cope, with 2,300 men, determined to engage the poorly-armed Jacobite army, composed of 2,500 highlanders and lowlanders, in what was the 1st significant battle of the Rebellion. The armies maneuvered in an open area some way east of city and battle commenced. So, will Johnny Cope? or will the Highlanders all get kilt? This game will provide a good opportunity for those unfamiliar with these well established rules to join in a straightforward, and tense, battle.
Rules: Piquet Field of Battle 2
Figures: Front Rank Miniatures
The Layout
The Hanoverians are arrayed across the wagon road; the Jacobites have Highlanders right and left, with the Lowlanders, lead by the Bonnie Prince himself, in the centre rear.
The Participants
The Jacobite gamers: James, John, and Brian(?).
The Hanoverian gamers: William and Jim
The Game
The Hanoverians interestingly decide to stiffen their firing line to challenge the oncoming Highlanders, by moving most of their second line up. The plan seems quite effective on the Hanoverian right, where artillery adds its weight to rout a couple of the Highland units. Not so promising on their centre, with a Highlander breakthrough, and not looking great on the left ..
.. where the cavalry are pushed back, and the infantry routed. However, a great roll on a Move card enables adjacent Hanoverian units to advance and then wheel to fire into flanks of Highland units ..
.. with predictable results on the wings, but the Highlanders just holding their own in the centre ..
Finally the Lowland units move up and attack the now exposed Hanoverian flanks..
causing the Hanoverians to lose their last Army Morale Points, which shortly leads to a Jacobites victory.
I didn't see as much of this game, but there was still plenty of drama, and a Jacobite victory!
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