PROJECT LEWES

  I really can't imagine where I got this creative burst from but after a year of procratinating and avoiding these cards and illustrations I've just been seized with enthusiasm. This is my imagining of the King's brother, Richard Earl of Cornwall and King of the Romans. He has command of the central ward. Apart from his division breaking on the day and his having been ignominiously bailed up in the windmill, we have not a lot to go on for what attributes he might have had on the field. I've decided to make him cautious in command. He was known to have rebelled against his brother previously but clearly stood by him during the Montfortian rebellion - possibly due more to anmimosity toward Lord Simon than devotion to his brother. Perhaps he was present more for form's sake and appearances than heartfelt enthusiasm? I've taken the Cautious Special Rule from Black Powder commander attribute options.

  Thus far, I have done very little about the Royal army at Lewes so this is an important step in the right direction. Unlike the Rebels, the Royalist army only has three wards or divisions and therefore only three commanders. The right ward (almost all of the cavalry) is under the command of Lord Edward 'Longshanks', Prince of Wales. I wanted him to look angry so I hope the drawing conveys a menacing young Prince. I've given him a Special Rule of 'Hoptspur' which more or less drives him and units in his command to advance to contact. I've also tried to make returning from off-table more difficult given the historical pursuit of the Londoners on the day. I haven't explained the Household Special Rule on the card. This allows him to ignore his first casualty result by swapping to a foot figure - assuming his horse is incapacitated instead and he continues to fight dismounted. I'm giving that rule to Commanders and mounted bodyguard units.

  Hopefully you find this rendition of Lord Simon de Montfort convincing as a champion and rebel leader. I decided to give him an external padded arming cap and you can imagine he has a cervellier beneath his maille coif. As the commanding general I gave him a command rating of 9 and a bonus attack rating of 3. If I ever adopt the Conquest of Champions supplement to fighting the baronial wars, I would give Lord Simon less personal attacks at Lewes due to his leg injury on the day. These bonus attacks in my view can combine both personal, physical contributions to melee but also the inspiration within the ranks felt by soldiers finding their leader and hero fighting by their side. I also decided to borrow the special rule Decisive from the  Black Powder  wargame rules without alteration. I think he deserves it. I'm now ready to move onto the three royalist command cards and drawings - the King, Richard and Prince Edward. I may also develop cards for my two Bishops and bo...

  I am perhaps best pleased with my representation of Robert de Vere from my first four command drawings and cards. I must be becasue I've started signing them - such vanity. I don't have much of an imagination and I have to copy from other images which I merge. The happy coincidence is that I'm not very accurate so when I copy a face from another sketch it takes on a whole new look without even having to try. Essentially they are original creations. I'd suggest that Robert de Vere was near his prime at Lewes and actively fought throughout the Montfortian campaign. This is a serious man. I have nevertheless kept his bonus attacks at two as a ward commander. I invented the special rule Hold Your Lines as I am mindful he holds the left wing of the army and presides over the London militia who famously faced off the host of royalist horse. As I've posted previously, we do not know how long the lines held before they were carried off. I've decided to insert some ch...

  I've been active on generating more command cards for this project which has required revisiting my drawing skills, such as they are. I admit to being the least satisfied with this image personally but those whom I have shown it disagree - so who am I to judge? I am giving my ward commanders a command rating of 8 as a default. Whilst Gilbert was very young and thuis relatively inexperienced, his social status as an Earl leads me to surmise he would have been listened to by the common man and thus obeyed by the common soldiery. I'm only giving my ward commanders 2 bonus attacks to units they are attached to, but three for the army commanders. I invented the special rule, 'Brother Thomas' and I'm going to remodel my command vignetes and will include the younger Thomas de Clare on his brothers base. Each sketch I draw I'm trying to something a little different. So far one holds a mace, this one a helm and the other two a sword in different attitudes. 

It has been my practice in recent times to generate unit and command cards for my wargames. I find that the statistics and special rules together with helpful reminders for the various attributes are invaluable in aiding how I play. Anything which lessens the number of times I reach for the rulebook is helpful in speeding up play. When it comes to the mid-thirteenth century we really have precious little in the way of images for the actors of history. Aristocratic seals are the last word in how our protagonists were arrayed for battle but their faces are unknown to us. Very few monumental (funerary) effigies survive to give us basic facial impressions beyond a handful of senior nobles and the royal family. Those of the barons often have damaged faces. Of course, we can't be certain if the monumental effigies even of kings bear any real likeness to the deceased but we can at least glean their style of appearance. King Henry III, for instance seems to have worn his wavy hair flowing ...