Kyle C. Burley writes:
Ever since I began wargaming I have been totally enamored by the English Wars of the Roses armies (probably due to all those Blades). I have finally finished some DBA/HotT WOR scenarios and a campaign that I began in 1994 when I picked up Bruce McFarlan's FLOWER OF CHIVALRY and decided to improve on his dedicated WOR scenarios. I have based these lists from the most authortative historical sources (difficult to find sometimes) through just a FEW years of study. I originally began this project with a desire to keep the numerical fighting ratios of approx. 1:750 because most WOR battles had from 6,000-10,000 participants per side. This would have given each army 12-14 elements apiece (with the noticeable exception of Towton). I have included the best numerical figures I can come up with. At the last minute here I decided to stick with the intent behind having 12 elements per side - it's easier too. These lists are focused on bringing to the fore all the numerous troop types invloved during this period the specific battles they made a significant contribution in. They are based on the relative percentages/combat power of the troop types involved. Therefore their impact on the fighting for each scenario is stressed over numerical accuracy. Numerical accuracy is difficult to apply in WOR battles anyway.
Please reference those battle maps out there in Osprey's MAA series and Smurthwaite's, Ross's, etc. to place your Battles. A battle was the key subordiante element during this struggle and using them instead of one solid line on the game board is highly recommended!
If using DBA with these scenarios I recommend that:
If using HotT not so semi historically:
I. Here's the WOR Semi historical HOTT lists, remember 24 pt. per side!
| Hero General | Edward IV (1461,71), Richard III (to some, maybe...1485) @ 4 AP | 0-1 |
| Hero | Warwick (1461 only) @ 4 AP | 0-1 |
| Paladin | Norfolk (1461,1485), Gloucester (1471) @ 4 AP | 0-1 |
| Cleric | Archbishop @ 3 AP | 0-1 |
| Spears | Burgundian supplied Flemish mercenary pikemen or Martin Schwarz and his mercenaries @ 2 AP | 0-2 |
| Lurkers | Burgundian supplied German mercenary handgunners @ 1 AP | 0-2 |
| Hero General | Henry Tudor, Somerset @ 4 AP | 0-1 |
| Hero | Holland (Exeter), Clifford @ 4 AP | 0-1 |
| Paladin | Oxford @ 4 AP | 0-1 |
| Lurkers | French Crossbows @ 1 AP (I wonder why I classed them that way....?) | 0-1 |
| Blades | French mercenary voulgiers (Margaret and Oxford apparently quite fond of these fellows) @ 2 AP | 0-1 |
| Knights or Blades | Men-at-Arms (Hopefully Bd with all those Lb around!) @ 2AP | 0-2 |
| Shooters | Longbowmen @ 2AP | 0-8 |
| Blades | Retinue billmen @ 2 AP | 0-4 |
| Artillery | Bombards @ 2 AP | 0-2 |
| Hordes | Welsh spearmen, Irish foot, Northern Borderers (could also be Spear @ 2AP, Lanc, 1461; RIII 1485), Levy billmen @ 1 AP | 0-2 |
| Riders | Currors, hobilars @ 2AP | 0-2 |
II. Wars of the Roses Scenario Based Army lists and Campaign credits:
note: units beside names of battle leader (l is left, c is center) are maximum of special troop types for these battles, otherwise, use standard forces - billmen and longbow.
I didn't do a list for either this battle or the second because I felt they both were hacks in built-up areas. Little playabilty with DBA.
| Yorkist | Lancastrian |
| Salisbury w/5,000 | Audley w/8,000 |
Use standard lists from DBA 1.1, use Sp instead of Ax, Lancastrians get 1 Cb and 1 Cv. A good starter battle, rather insignificant as far as WOR goes, 1 point for the winner.
| Yorkist - 7,000 | Lancastrian - 5,000 |
| l - Fauconberg | r - Grey |
| c - Warwick (gen) | c/l - Buckingham - 1 Art |
| r/r - Edward |
Sorry, nothing new here use typical troop types - Bd, Lb
This battle is a Lancastrian defense, roll D6 (5+ for treachery) to see if Grey defects like he did last time.
Yorkist win - Capture the King, 2 points
Lancs win - Shoot, you are in the defense - 1 point
| Yorkist | Lancastrian |
| 8,000 | 10,000 |
| One battle (Richard himself) - Bd (he's a cruel SOB) | Roos on left flank of York w/ 1 Kn and 2 Cv |
| Clifford on right - 1 Kn, 1 Cv | |
| Somerset in the center - Bd, Lb |
Ol' Dick sallies out to his immient demise from Sandal castle against Somerset who pulls a Cannae on him.
Use standard list, no arty for this.
Lancastrian can hide flank guys in the woodline.
Yorkist win - Dick still dies (catches the plague after fighting in the cold after Christmas - 1 pt
Lancs win - Stick Dick's head on a pole in York for me - 2 points
| Yorkist | Lancastrian |
| 8,000 | 6,000 |
| Edward | Ormond |
| Norfolk | Pembroke - 1 French X-bow, French mercenaries |
| Shrewsbury - Welshmen | Owen Tudor - Welsh |
| Totals - 3 Kn, 1 Cb, 1 Bd, 2 Lb, 5 Ax |
Not much known about battle - three suns that day, too many sun spots
2 pts for Yorkist win
1 pt for Lancastrian win
| Yorkist | Lancastrian |
| 27,000 | 30,000 |
| l - Warwick | l - Northumberalnd with 2 Sp |
| c - Edward | c - Somerset |
| r - Fauconberg | r - Exeter |
| van - Norfolk - 1 Kn, 1 LB |
Norfolk only deploys on die roll of 6 during PIPs, otherwise keeps forces back
No Arty or Ax, recommend Bd, LB slugmatch for historical - definitely recommend Hordes and seperate battles for semi-historical.
3 points for the winner - End of Phase One
Minus one for York if Lancastrians win
| Yorkist | Lancastrian |
| 10,000 | 15,000 |
| l - Hastings | l - Oxford |
| c - Edward 2 Pk, 1 Hg | c - Warwick w/1 Arty |
| r - Gloucester | l - Exeter |
2 points to winner, hopefully Warwick pays for his treachery!?
| Yorkist | Lancastrian |
| 6,000 | 6,000 |
| l - Gloucester 1 Cv, 1 Arty | l - Devon - 1 Cb |
| c - Edward 1 Pk, 1 Hg | c - Edward, Prince of Wales/Margaret ? |
| r - Hastings | r - Somerset (a fiesty one he is!) - Mounted |
3 points for winner, End of WOR Phase 2
| Richard III | Tudor |
| 15,000 | 7,000 |
| fwd - Norfolk 1 Kn, 1 Bd, 2 Lb | fwd - Oxford 1 Kn, 1 Bd, 1 Lb |
| c - Richard III 4 Kn, 1Lb, 1 Arty | c - Henry 1 Kn, 1 Ps (Cb.) 3 Ax |
| r - Northumberland 2 Sp | res - Stanley 1 Kn, 2 Cv, 1 Lb |
Requires 2 PIPS to move Northumberalnd's Spears ("I'm waiting to see what Stanley does." In a whiney voice)
Requires a D6 roll of 5 to activate Stanley, because ol' Stanley was in fact Richard III's fwd battle TREACHERY - bastards!
2 points for winner
| Yorkist Pretender | Henry VII |
| 8,000 | 15,000 |
| Lincoln/Schwarz 1Bd, 1Lb, 3Pk, 1Hg | Oxford 1 Kn, 4 Bd, 5 Lb |
| Irish 4 Ax, 2 Ps | Henry 1 Arty, 1Kn |
In this battle, the Yorkist Pretender makes contact w/ Oxford, Henry's battle and Stanley's are in reserve. If Oxford can be broken they win the day, otherwise, all is lost and the Tudor dynasty is secure.
2 points for the winner.
Count the points up, if you have the most you win the Wars of the Roses. I'm glad somebody will
Hope everyone gets something out of this, Thanks again to WRG,Phil and Sue Barker, and Richard Bodley Scott for making many hours of great fun possible.