Fast Play pike & shot mock up

Just to prove it fits on a kitchen table, here it is on a kitchen table!

I took some shots of what I have created so far as a sort of proof of concept.  The battle mat is marked out into 10cm squares by the simple use of a dot at the corners of the squares.  I built some hill markers, a few enclosed fields and an area of boggy ground ready for trialling the rules with an Edgehill run out.

Here is a test base portraying a Parliamentarian Brigade deployed Dutch style

The only base of troops I have made up is intended to represent Charles Essex’s Brigade.  It gives a slight idea of how the units will look on the table.  Even from a distance the coat colours are visible (one orange tawny, two blue coats and a grey coat battalia) as are some faces.  My existing 2mm figures will be pressed into service for the refight although they are not organised in the same way so will look slightly ‘off’.  A request will shortly be winging it’s way to Irregular Miniatures to supply reinforcements.

Terrain fits inside the squares marked on the cloth

Terrain was created in the good old cheap(ish) and cheerful style.  The hills are 5mm insulation sheets as used for the Altar of Freedom 1st Manassas.  These cut up easily and take spray paint well.  I bought a pack of five large sheets at B&Q a couple of years ago and still have plenty left to work with.  The fields are cut from a brown plush foam sheet bought at Hobbycraft and edged in Woodlands Scenics light green bush foam.  The boggy ground is a backing of Hobbycraft sheet foam with fine sand glued to it using UHU clear glue (Bostick works just as well).  All fairly quick and easy.  All in all I’m happy with the look of things on the table top.

Rules wise I have one speculative extra rule to introduce.  At the moment there is nothing built in to show the effect of cavalry going off in pursuit, which was an issue even with well disciplined troops.  No matter if the pursuit was intended or the result of impetuosity, the victorious cavalry formation took a hit to its manpower which really should be there in the rules

My test solution is that when a cavalry formation destroys it’s opponent it takes hits based on it’s own attack dice and defends against them as normal.  Any unit ‘destroyed’ by this does not count towards the army break test.  Afterall they are still in existence, just otherwise engaged.  Will it work as I want?   I’m not sure yet, so watch this space for the after action report.