WARGAME

THE

WARS OF THE ROSES

1455–1487
PETER DENNIS
with easy rules by Andy Callan

Helion & Company Limited

26 Willow Road, Solihull, West Midlands B91 1UE, England
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Published by Helion & Company 2016
Designed and typeset by Farr out Publications, Wokingham, Berkshire
Cover designed by Paul Hewitt, Battlefield Design (www.battlefield-design.co.uk)
Printed in the UK by Henry Ling Limited, Dorchester, Dorset
Text © Peter Dennis and Andy Callan 2016
Pictures © Peter Dennis 2016
The figure artwork pages in this book are copyright free for your personal hobby use. They may not be
reproduced for sale or included in other publications without the consent of the copyright holder.
ISBN 978-1-913336-80-6
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without
the express written consent of Helion & Company Limited, other than for personal hobby use.
For details of other military history titles published by Helion & Company Limited contact
the above address, or visit our website: http://www.helion.co.uk.
We always welcome receiving book proposals from prospective authors.
 NOTE THAT THE FIGURES AND MODELS IN THIS BOOK SHOULD BE MADE FROM YOUR PHOTOCOPIES OF
THE ARTWORK PAGES. PLEASE DO NOT MAKE UP MODELS FROM THE PAGES THEMSELVES!

MAKING PAPER ARMIES

We call this series of books ‘sourcebooks’ and make gluing and folding the paper ruler. It is an essential process in all paper
because we provide all the artwork you ‘ground’ under the card base really easy. modelling.
need to make armies of any size by They are also good for sticking weapons When I began making paper soldiers
making your own prints from the pages. In back that you cut off by mistake! If you lop I used a pair of ‘liberated’ embroidery
the 18th and 19th century, printed paper off a spear, just overlap the off-cut by a few scissors. Small and pointed, they were
soldiers were sold by the sheet, plain or millimetres and glue it at the back. great for the job. However, I have used
coloured, depending on the depth of your Paper other types since and my current favourites
pocket. Today, excellent colour copies can The A4 copier paper in any commercial are a pair with blades which measure 6cm
be made cheaply on commercial copiers machine and the stuff you have at home from the nut and cost me a pound or so in
or on your computer at home. By offering is most likely 80 gram. The thickness of a supermarket.
the artwork copyright free for personal use paper is expressed in weight terms, and 80 The slightly longer blade is particularly
we hope to revive the fortunes of the paper gram is fine for the armies. If you are going handy for cutting the long spears and
warrior and bring the many advantages he to make a lot of these boys, buy good lances integral to some WOTR figures.
can offer to 21st century wargamers. quality 100 gram paper. The print is much Those spears look difficult, I know, but they
When you set about making copies of better on good paper and the little extra are simple to cut out and the result works
the soldiers in this book, take the staples stiffness is welcome. Don’t be tempted to well.
out and cut the pages into single sheets for go thicker though as this makes cutting Always rest your cutting hand and
convenience. Store them in an A4 folder. more difficult and the model has a more move the piece being cut. Go slowly at
Glue pronounced edge which works against first and make sure you can see the edge
When you glue two sheets of thin paper us fooling ourselves that these stands are you are cutting. You will soon be cutting
together with a solvent glue like UHU or a soldiers, not just bits of paper showing off. accurately and your speed will improve
PVA ‘white’ glue, the result is a surprisingly I have experimented with lots of grades of too. Have a tray on your lap to catch the
stiff and stable lamination which is easy to paper and I use 120 gram for trees and snippets when you cut out in front of the
cut out when fully dry but which keeps the 160 gram for buildings. TV. You will be more popular.
ranks upright for good. Most commercial copiers will allow you All the figure stands, including cavalry,
PVA glue dries really stiff, but the to use you own paper and may discount have separate front ranks. This is to make
wetness of it tends to add a wave to the the print cost if you ask them nicely. cutting out between their legs easy. As
dried result. I prefer to use UHU for the You will need to source a stiffer card soon as I started to experiment with this,
main sticking of the model sheets front to for the stand bases. I use scrap illustration the improvement in the appearance of
back. ‘Twist and glue’ is a big bottle of UHU board, but any thin, stiff card should work. the stands was so obvious it became
which you can get online and it offers the If you can’t recycle something, mounting standard. Although there is colour there,
economy of scale. PVA dries invisibly and board from a craft shop is quite cheap, and so the process is optional, I strongly
is very useful for painting on thin elements a sheet will base a large army. recommend cut out legs!
of the finished model that you want to have Scoring and cutting Only one type, the Swiss- German
extra stiffness. Scoring is lightly cutting partway through mercenaries, use separate pikes. The
The ‘general purpose’ or contact the paper with a craft knife to get a clean making of them needs a new blade in your
adhesives you can buy from the fold. I do this by hand for the figures, as it Stanley knife, so treat yourself. A pack of
supermarket are really useful for the basing is quicker and you can see the scoring line blades is surprisingly cheap.
stage of the model. They have lots of grab more clearly. I score the buildings with a

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 Making a stand
Score carefully along the horizontal fold
lines on your print. Accurate scoring should
ensure a good match between front and
back when they are finished. If the figures
have long spears, hold the sheet against
the light and apply a little glue to the back
of one side of the spear on the reverse.
This extra glue will stiffen the weapon. Put
the sheet aside to dry.
Carefully cut out the individual strips. Fold
them so the ranks and the front locator
strip stand up and the ground sits flat.
Ensure the sides are level as you fold. Glue
fully the inside of one side of each rank and
the locator strip and close it. Don’t glue
the base. Let the assembly dry thoroughly.
Where there is a long spear to match with
the back image (on the separate front
ranks only) snip out both points before
folding to make sure they match up.

Fold the stand so the front rank presents

conveniently for cutting. Cut always from
the front. Where there are awkward cuts
to make underneath axe blades etc, do
the tricky cut before cutting the straight
back of the weapon. ‘Tip cuts’ where you
use the very tip of the scissors are a useful
technique to clip out small shapes.

Trim the locator strip. I use some kids’

crazy edged shears to get a grassy effect,
but a low arc will do fine. The cavalry strips
should be shaped like a cloud of dust. Glue
the base and centre it under the stand,
Trim the edges and fold the spare ‘grass’
under the base front and rear.

All front ranks are designed to have the

space between the legs cut out. This
makes the stand look much more realistic
and only takes a moment, although it is
optional. Use the impact adhesive method
to glue the feet and ankles of the front rank
to the locator strip. Edge glue any banners
to their spears and the stand is finished.
You might want to paint the back of long
weapons with PVA glue. This will dry clear
and will make them stiffer.

The German pikemen have a right hand

which folds slightly outwards. Glue the
back of the pike so it sticks to the legs of
the man and slip it behind the hand. You
may prefer to do this before the stand is
glued to the base. You don’t need to glue
the hand, it’s messy and unnecessary.

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 PIKES AND GUNS
Pikes. Score, cut out and fold in half
the brown square on the Swiss-German
mercenary sheet. Apply glue thoroughly
to the whole surface of the back – both
halves- being careful to leave no gaps.
Then sandwich the edge of a sheet of
copier paper inside and fold the two halves
closed. Leave it to dry very thoroughly,
preferably overnight.
Trim the dried assembly, leaving at
least 10cm of copier paper at the long end.
Tape the copier paper firmly to your cutting
board. I cut on the same card I make bases
from. The tiny cut lines don’t stop it being
used as base materiel. A good new cutting
surface is very important.
Using a metal straight edge estimate
a fat millimetre and with a new blade in
your knife cut the first pike. Keep the
knife angled low to stop the pike curling.
Continue until all the paper has been cut.
Discard any really odd ones, there should
be plenty of spares. Make all the pikes you
will need in a single session while you have
your eye in.

Guns. The guns are supplied as a simple

cut out of a gun, which you just glue to the
base, or as an assembly with the front view
supported by a trail. Both need a base,
which is made by gluing your card base
to the back of the grass square, trimming,
then folding and gluing the spare onto the
base bottom.
Shape the trail as shown here and
glue it to the back of the wheels part. This
is glued to the base. Cut the crew out
leaving a section of base at their feet and
glue them in place around it. Remember
to keep them parallel to the front edge of
the base.

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 THE ARMIES
‘The cousins’ war’ as they called it at foot and trust to their superb armour to end of the war, super-spearmen wielding
the time, was a long, complex and protect them from opposing archery. the long pike were a tempting addition to
bitter struggle between powerful and The largest part of the army would be add to the mix of the army.
inter-related families for the Kingdom of ordinary Englishmen who either formed Native soldiers from the British
England. When we think about the armies a private army for their leader or were Isles might also be employed in some
that fought the war we must start with the summoned from his lands to serve in his circumstances. In the last great battle of
great leaders themselves. They not only cause. They would mostly wear his livery, the wars, at stoke Field on the Trent in
commanded their retinues of thousands of a distinctively coloured sleeveless surcoat Nottinghamshire, a Yorkist rebel army of
followers, but fought and died in desperate bearing his badge. Most would carry the mercenary Kern, wild warriors from Ireland
combat amongst them. longbow, a fearsome weapon which had alongside disciplined Swiss-German
Tradition dictated that every army be served well in the recent Hundred Years pikemen tried conclusions with a traditional
split into three’ battles’ or’ wards’. If a king War against France. Archery practice English force and suffered the disastrous
was present, he would command the whole was compulsory for men in England, and consequences.
army and one of the wards, while other most men were expected to be proficient Artillery was constantly improving.
supporting great leaders would command bowmen. Foreign gunnery experts might be hired,
the other two. They grouped their personal The other traditional English weapon or the Lord might raise his own collection
armies around themselves and sought out was the bill. Originally a hedging tool, the of heavy weaponry. Mighty bombards
their opposing ward in the hope of killing curved blade mounted on a pole was a and slow- loading cannon had long been
or capturing their noble opponent, or at viciously effective weapon for protecting used for sieges, but lighter wheeled guns
least of driving his army from the field and the archers in combat and for assaulting were coming into the field alongside the
slaughtering it in the chase afterwards. enemy infantry or cavalry. retinues, to sting the enemy at long range,
The leaders are represented on If the Lord and his knights were the or gall him if he came close.
horseback and on foot. They are in the heart of the army, the bills and bows were Such are the forces at your command
front rank of a stand of their knightly the body, formed closely around their when wargaming this fascinating conflict.
retinue and will have a number of stands leader, with the archers reaching out to You will find all these soldiers in the
of fully armoured men around them. These strike the enemy and bills ready to cut him following pages, and an absorbing game
men would be wealthy in their own right, apart if they could get to grips. from Andy Callan to bring them to battle.
but owe a duty of oath, land or family to The leaders were immensely wealthy Go to!
their Lordly leader to fight alongside him. men though and the constant wars in
Their armour, at this period mostly ‘white’, Europe meant that companies of soldiers
bare polished steel without much heraldry, were always available for hire if the money
would be of the highest quality and the was good. These were the mercenaries.
latest design. They were the most powerful New weapons like the handgun were
men on the battlefield. When ordered to, being seen in the field. Powerful crossbows
they would charge on horseback, but the were deadly in the hands of professionals,
arrowstorm of the enemy could cut down perhaps deployed behind large shields
the horses before they could reach their called pavises to protect them from
target. Most knights preferred to fight on archers. Well-trained spearmen, and at the

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 MODELLING THE BATTLEFIELD
The light weight of paper soldiers makes I print them onto 120 gram paper, but
them ideal for the traditional wargame if that isn’t available the standard paper you
terrain, which is a coloured cloth use for the soldiers will be OK. 160 gram
representing the ground, laid over book paper makes them hard work to cut out
hills with their contours maybe softened and isn’t necessary. PVA glue will make
with newspapers. You can dye a sheet the large trees quite wavy so let them dry
with commercial dyes, but I’ve started under a heavy book, or use solvent type
to use the printed fleece sheets made glue if you can. Andy Callan assures me
by Cigar Box Battles in the USA. North that wavy PVA models can be ironed flat
Star Miniatures import them to Britain. but you must place a spare sheet of paper
Cory Ring, of Cigar Box was kind enough between the model and the iron.
to allow me to reproduce their ‘Open Make and cut out some flat tree
Grassland’ pattern for the bases and the shapes. I find my crazy shears very good
squared battlefield sheet on the inside for getting a leafy edge finish after the
back cover. The olive drab overall effect will initial cutting out. Small pinking shears
fit well with most terrains though. might have a similar effect, just nibbling the
Commanders of our period sought perimeter of the tree in places.
open ground to offer battle when they Score the faint centre line of one tree
could find it, but I have made a few period and fold it back to about 120 degrees. Take
building models to leaven the landscape. another of the same shape of tree and cut
They are pretty simple to make. Print them it along the centre line with scissors. In fact
onto the thickest paper available and use the trees are made the same height so
impact adhesive for gluing them. Should mixing shapes works too. Glue the edge
you be using standard copier paper to of the cut tree and stick it along the open
print them you will want to add strength score line of the bent one so you have a
by gluing them to thicker paper or cereal dart flight effect.
box card where necessary. A cocktail Stick one of the cut out circular bases
stick provides the spindle for our windmill, to a coin using impact glue, UHU doesn’t
running through the front wall and into work for this, but PVA might. Fold down
the back wall of the mill. Like old-school the edges. They will crinkle and cover the
wargames buildings, they are made slightly sides of the coin, so you don’t need to glue
under scale, which I prefer, to prevent them. When dry, glue the ‘Y’ base of the
them dominating the scene. The beauty tree into the middle with impact glue and
of paper modelling is that you can enlarge your tree is made. The small bushes can
them at the copier stage if you would like be lined up into a medieval hedge or dotted
them a bit bigger. throughout your wood as undergrowth.
TREES
The ‘threetree’ system described in the
first book in the series has stood the test
of time. Three leaves in a ‘flat’ model tree
fits well with the soldiers and manages to
say ‘tree’ from any angle. The weight of the
coin base makes them very stable. Coins
are so convenient for this task they might
have been invented for it. Collect some
now, before wireless payment does away
with them!

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 WARGAMING THE WARS OF THE ROSES
by Andy Callan

Give me some ink and paper in my hand. I’ll draw the form and model of our battle. (Shakespeare, Richard III)
The Wars of the Roses were … unfortunate in their historians. (Sir Charles Oman, 1885)

Setting the Scene If you have never played a wargame before you should
We really don’t know much about how the battles of this period turn to our Starter Game on p48 This will introduce you to the
were actually fought, because there are no contemporary basic command and combat mechanisms. Play this a few times
descriptions of how the troops were deployed in battle or what before moving on to the full version of the game.
unit tactics they used. We don’t even know such basic things as More experienced wargamers may feel they want to go
how the Men-at-Arms, Archers and Billmen lined up together or straight to the full version, but we would strongly advise you to
how come battles could last for hours when individuals fighting still have a go at the starter game first – it introduces the concept
hand to hand can become exhausted after only a few minutes. of game play on a “gridded” battlefield and explains some game
Nobody at the time troubled to write it down – perhaps the mechanisms that you might find to be novel and unfamiliar. This is
chroniclers were not interested in such matters of detail or maybe not a conventional wargame! After a couple of goes at the Starter
it seemed too obvious to mention … Game, by all means move on to the Battle Rules (pages 41–43),
All that we have in the written record are frustratingly vague but before you do, a few words of advice:
accounts of battles which seem to follow a common pattern. The 1. Start small, with actions involving no more than 20 stands
opposing armies form up in three divisions – or “Wards” – and the a side and just using the essential English troops – Men-at-
action begins with an exchange of archery (rarely decisive) which Arms, Billmen and Archers. This will help you get used to the
is then followed by a huge scrum-like struggle at hand-to-hand. rules mechanisms. Then you can move on to full-size battles
When one or more of the enemy divisions is defeated, the local and those involving foreign mercenaries and cavalry.
victors then might be able to turn on a neighbouring fight in order 2. If a situation comes up that isn’t covered in the rules and you
to decide the business. Occasionally, crafty stratagems might be and your opponent can’t agree on what to do, simply come to
used, giving one side the edge, or treachery of some kind might a decision by dicing for it, move on with the battle, and leave
come into play. In such circumstances it is not surprising that few any further discussion about it until after the game. People
commanders were consistently successful – Edward IV’s record have been struggling to write complete and fool-proof rules
of victory in every action he fought was unique for the times. since the earliest days of wargaming:
There is not a piece of constructive legislation in the world …
Introduction to Wargaming with Paper Soldiers that we do not regard the more charitably for our efforts to get
These paper soldiers are suitable for use with any of the modern, a right result from this apparently easy and puerile business of
published wargames rules which use multi-figure stands. In the fighting with tin soldiers …
older style rules individual figures were removed as casualties –  — H.G.Wells (1913)
this was still progress from the very earliest days, when figures 3. If you find a rule that you don’t like, feel free to change it - we
were knocked over by matchsticks fired from toy cannons! really won’t mind if you do. Most wargames rules “evolve” in
But in order to give our readers a full set-up in this one book, this way.
we are providing some relatively simple rules which we hope will
get you up and fighting battles with our paper soldiers. What you need
These rules are designed to re-create the distinctive character Enough paper soldiers to make up two armies.
of battles in England in the fifteenth century, so wargamers with At least two players, one on each side – but the more players
experience of more tactically complex periods might find rather you have, the livelier the game.
less scope for battlefield manoeuvres and “generalship” than they A handful of dice (the six-sided type or “D6”) for each player.
are used to. You will find this game plays a bit like chess with dice. A table to play on – a card table is perfect for the Starter
Luck plays a big part, but a player who deploys his resources with Game but the bigger the better for playing the full version.
skill will always turn the odds in his favour.

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BATTLE RULES Movement rates for each of the different troop types are
Once you are familiar with the starter game (p48) you are ready try listed in the Troop Types and Statistics Chart (see Playsheet on
fighting battles with the complete Battle Rules and using bigger page 47).
armies. For these more advanced games you can now dispense Friendly stands who are touching can also swap positions
with the gridded battlefield and fight on any flat surface – but (within the usual limitations of their movement, above) and this
you have to imagine that the playing surface is marked with a counts as a complete move for both of the stands involved.
“virtual” grid of 4cm squares and you need to use a ruler (or a English troops and foreign mercenaries can’t swap places with
piece of card etc marked at 4cm intervals) to measure movement each other. All troops can move through friendly Artillery.
and ranges. Lining up the armies directly opposite each other, After finishing all the moves in a turn the infantry stands of
and then moving them as solid blocks will help to keep the initial the Ward should all be touching in a solid block (eg see the
alignment. Placing groups of stands on suitably-sized pieces of diagram on page 48). Any that have become separated, or are
card or clear plastic sheet also makes them easier to move. Once only touching another friendly stand at a corner point, are now
they come into contact you might have to shuffle the forces along ‘out of command’ and cannot be moved on their Player’s next go
a bit – it is important to get them to line up exactly. (although they still can shoot or fight).
The game now represents a full scale encounter between a Mounted troops can move freely without any need to stay
Yorkist and a Lancastrian army, each made up of the traditional “under command”. Artillery is also exempt from the rule because
three Wards – the Vaward, Main Ward and Rereward. So this is a it can’t move anyway.
wargame with only three units a side! NOTE: stands from one Ward may not engage in any way
These three ‘Wards’may contain many different troop types with the fighting of neighbouring Wards until their own fight is won,
but the men stand or fall shoulder to shoulder under their noble as described later.
commanders as one body and it is the fate of each Ward that this 1.2 Shooting during the Advance to Combat
game sets out to decide. The Yorkist Wards face their opposing Ranges (up to 45 degrees forward): Archers & Crossbowmen 6
Lancastrian Wards and three separate fights take place side by spaces, Handgunners 4, Artillery 12
side and turn by turn until the first of them flees the field and the Target priorities: missile troops must shoot first at any enemy
game takes on another character. cavalry who are in charge range – otherwise they will shoot at any
Order of Play: The game is played as a series of turns - first one missile troops who are in range, and then at the nearest enemy.
Player has his go, then the other. You can only shoot at an enemy Commander’s stand if it is directly
At the start of the game each Player rolls a dice – the high ahead or the only target at the shortest range.
roller gets first go. Roll again on a tie. Missile troops can’t shoot through friendly troops but Archers
This game uses only ordinary, 6-sided dice (“D6” for short). (only) may shoot over the heads of a friendly Archer stand that
Use a different colour for each side. they are behind and touching - measure range from this front rank
The battle is fought in two stages: stand.
1. The Advance to Combat and For each stand shooting roll one D6. Roll a 6 to hit. Archers
2. ‘Handstrokes’ (Hand-to-Hand Combat). (only) hit mounted troops for 5/6.
The Handstrokes stage for any Ward begins as soon as one Each time a stand is hit by shooting or in combat it must roll
of its stands is moved to touch an enemy stand face-to-face. a dice to make a “saving throw” - the better the armour the easier
Note: other Wards may still be Advancing to Combat at this point to save (see the Troop Chart on page 47)
in the game. If a hit is NOT SAVED the stand is destroyed. Take it off the
battlefield and put it in a “dead pool” to keep a record of the
Stage 1: The Advance to Combat stands lost. The points tally of destroyed stands is used to work
Turn order is Movement then Shooting out Victory and Defeat.
1.1 Movement during the Advance to Combat Arrow Supply: Each Ward has enough arrows for only 6
The cardinal rule of the game is that all stands must end their massed volleys. Keep track by placing 6 of the “arrow carrier”
movement parallel to their own table edge and facing the figures behind the rear rank at the start of the game and taking
enemy table edge. one away after any go on which you shot with two or more Archer
You can move as many or as few of your troops as you want. stands. When all six carriers have been removed the Ward is low
Moves are expressed in ‘spaces’ which are 4 cm squares like the on arrows and can now shoot with only one stand per go.
squares on the ‘battlefield’ page at the end of the book. Crossbows and Handguns, after their first time of shooting,

41
 Outflanking wood, or building) is in the way. Roll 2D6 per gun, hitting for 6. A
In this diagram, the stands are separated, for clarity, but in the pair of 6s means two hits but any other pair rolled means the gun
game they should be touching. An outflanked stand rolls has burst or broken its carriage and can’t fire again.
one less combat dice for each unengaged enemy stand Priority target is always the nearest enemy. Any troops hit by
touching its side(s) or overlapping its front. A stand can artillery save for 5/6 or 4/5/6 if the guns are firing downhill.
never count as outflanking against more than one
opponent. Stage 2: Handstrokes (Hand-Hand Combat)
Turn order is Movement, then Shooting, then Combat
This stage begins as soon as one stand is moved into face to
A B C D E F face contact with an enemy stand.
2.1 Tactical Movement in Hand to Hand Combat
G 3 6 8 The rules are the same as in the Advance to Combat stage
except:-
All stands “under command” can move and then fight.
1 2 4 5 7 When touching an enemy to its front a stand can only fight or
retreat - it cannot move sideways.
Crossbows and Handgunners now move only one space –
Example: “3” is outflanked by “C” so it gets one less Archers still move one or two spaces. All Missile troops can
Combat dice in its fight with “B”. “3” has also got “G” touching move one space and shoot but they can’t retreat and then
its side but since “G” is engaged in combat with “1” this does shoot on the same go.
not affect “3” at all. 2.2 Shooting during Hand to Hand Combat
“C” can’t count as outflanking “6” if it has already counted If shooting at a range of 3 spaces or less, missile troops hit for 5/6
as outflanking “3”. (Archers cannot shoot overhead).
“E” is outflanking both “6” and “8”, but can only count They must always shoot at the nearest enemy stand – the
against one of them. “E”’s player gets to choose which one. one directly ahead, if there is a choice - but they cannot shoot if
“Unengaged” means either not touching an enemy face they are in a space next to an enemy stand.
to face or not shot at by an enemy on this go. So, in this Shooting takes place after movement (remember the arrow
example, if “4” was an Archer stand which had shot at “C” on supply rule for Archers).
this go, then ”C” would no longer be unengaged, leaving “3” 2.3 Handstrokes
with no loss of Combat dice and “6” outflanked just by “E”. Fighting is worked out as a series of duels between opposing
Note that “8” is “Out of Command” as it is only touching stands who are touching face-to-face.
“7” at the corner. The Player whose turn it is decides in which order to fight
these combats.
Roll the number of Combat dice shown on the Playsheet
may shoot with only half of the stands who have enemy targets (page 47) for each pair of stands, 5/6 is a hit. Crossbowmen &
each go (halves round down). (This reflects their slow rate of fire.) Handgunners hit only for 6.
They do not have an ammunition limit. Troops hit by Handguns 2.4 Outflanking
minus one from their normal saving throw. The combat dice are modified if you are Outflanked in Combat
Pavises (big,heavy shields) were sometimes carried and used (see diagram on the next page):
by crossbowmen. Troops who have them move only one space. 2.5 Results of Combat
Troops with pavises add one to their saving throw against hits If neither combatant scores a hit, or if both sides score the same
from archers and crossbows but not handguns or artillery. number of hits, then the combat is a draw and there are no
Artillery After their first shot only half of the guns may fire consequences – both hold their present position.
each turn. Range is up to 12 spaces unless an obstacle (hill,

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 If one of the combatants scores fewer hits than his opponent as their extra movement ability makes them easier to move into
then he has lost the combat. He must make a saving throw for outflanking positions or to bring isolated troops back “under
each hit he received more than he scored on the enemy. So if he command”.
lost 3-1 he must make two saving throws.
If any hit is UNSAVED the stand is destroyed and is put in the THE FULL GAME: Muster, Deployment, Battle and
Ward’s dead pool. Endgame
If ALL the hits are saved then a losing stand of foot troops If you want to fight with two evenly matched armies, simply use
must retreat one space, pushing back any friends already the points values listed on the Playsheet (page 47) and construct
occupying that space. Mounted troops must retreat three spaces two armies to an agreed points total.
but always break through any friends on foot. We think, however, you might find it more entertaining to
A stand that won a combat never makes a saving throw. muster your armies our way. You will need two packs of ordinary
Mounted troops who win or draw a combat in their own go playing cards, each including two Jokers.
can always choose to retreat three spaces, ready to charge again 1. Muster the Armies
on their next go. First, decide how big you want your battle to be and take out
2.6 Commanders in Combat as many of the core English troops (Men-at Arms, Billmen and
The Commander’s personal banner is an inspiring sight – just Archers) as you think you will need. We suggest at least 60 points
once, during a player’s own go, one stand can re-roll one dice worth a side and preferably rather more.
(combat or saving) if it is under command and in a space next to We recommend troops should be in the following proportions
the Commander’s stand. – 1 x MAA (@ 3pts): 2 xBLL (@2 pts): 3 x ARC (@1pt) for every
When a Commander’s stand takes any hits it must make 10 points.
saving throws like any other stand. It always gets a chance to re- Each player should then take a pack of cards, give them a
roll its first failed throw on any Player’s go. If it also fails this re-roll, really good shuffle, and pass them over to the other Player.
the stand is destroyed and the Commander is killed. Lords and Retinues
2.7 Reserves and Fresh Troops The players should now deal cards to themselves until they have
Any troops from a Reserve, or a Flanking Force or a retinue arriving each got TEN of the Ace-10 cards, in any combination of suits.
late (see “Knavish tricks” page??) get an advantage when they (For the moment they should set aside and keep any Court cards
intervene in an ongoing fight –that is, with any troops belonging to and Jokers that were also dealt). The Ace-10 cards represent the
a Ward that has already fought a round of Handstrokes. On their division of the army into retinues.
first turn of combat all such troops can re-roll one of their Combat Say you get 4 diamonds, 3 hearts, 2 spades and 1 clubs
dice and their first saving throw. – this would mean an army made up 40% from the retinue of
one lord, 30% from a second, 20% from a third and a small 10%
3. TACTICS retinue from a fourth.
The mechanisms of this game are very simple and while luck plays Now, divide up the “core” troops you took out earlier to
a big part a skilful player will soon learn how to move his troops give appropriately-sized retinues. So, for example, if your army
and time his attacks so as to make the most of his chances. is 90 points strong, a 30% retinue would be worth 27 points.
As the fighting progresses, you will find gaps opening up Remember that for every 10 points you get 1xMAA, 2xBLL and
in your own ranks and those of the enemy. Moving your troops 3xARC. In this case it would mean that the retinue will consist of
to plug or exploit these gaps calls for careful thought as the 2.7 x MAA (rounds up to 3) 5.4 x BLL (rounds down to 5) and 8.1
movement and command rules must always be applied strictly. x ARC (rounds down to 8). This gives you a final total of 3 stands
When it is your go, you have the great advantage of deciding of Men-at-Arms (9 pts), 5 stands of Billmen(10 pts) and 8 stands
the order in which you fight the combats. Always try and fight of Archers (8pts) for your 27 points.
those where the odds are most in your favour first, so as to open Specials and Extras
up gaps in the enemy ranks that you can exploit later in the turn. These are represented by any of the Picture or Joker cards that
Archers can still be useful, even when they are out of arrows, you dealt to yourself in the course of getting to a total of ten Ace-

43
 COPY TWO SETS OF CARDS, STICK THEM ONTO COLOURED CARD (WHITE FOR
YORKISTS, RED FOR LANCASTRIANS) AND CUT THEM OUT SEPARATELY.

Extra Arrow Supply Terrain Advantage Fauconberg’s Gambit

(requires one Jack) one Jack) (one Jack)
For one Ward. When you have shot The front of one of your Wards is Trick one enemy Ward into shooting
off your initial allocation of six rounds, covered by a marsh, stream or before you are in range. They waste
you get an extra supply of 3 rounds improvised defence. The Enemy cannot 3 rounds of their arrows and you
worth for use by any surviving Archers. charge you or make a surprise attack then get the first shot back at them
and any stand must roll 3+ to cross it.

Flank Attack Surprise Attack Late Arrivals

(two Jacks) (two Jacks) (two Jacks played on any enemy
A small detachment (a 10% retinue One Ward attacks the enemy at retinue except one in the C-inC’s Ward).
or one Light Cavalry company) dawn/through mist/via a concealed One of the enemy retinues arrives
is concealed off to one flank to approach. Go straight to Handstrokes late to the battlefield. He must roll a
make a surprise attack. Roll 5/6 with no preliminary shooting. 5/6 for it to arrive on any turn after
to join the fighting at the end the first round of handstrokes.
of any turn on your signal.

Reserves
(two Jacks)
You keep back a reserve force (of
up to 20% of your total army points
strength) under your personal
command. It will act on your orders
at any time you are with it.

10s. Turn to page 44. KINGS: “King’s Commission of Array”.

JACKS: “Knavish tricks” and Stratagems Troops levied in the King’s name (and both sides will always claim
Choose cards from the list above (which are based on things that to be acting in the name of the “true” king or in his best interests…).
actually happened at the time – feel free to make up some more Extra (unliveried) Billmen (@2 pts per stand) and Archers (@ 1pt
using the Blank cards supplied) and place them face down behind per stand), costing a total of no more than 10% of your core Army
the Wards concerned when you deploy the armies. Each side can strength for each King card.
use a Blank card as a “Dummy”, just to keep the enemy guessing! Alternatively, you can choose a company (3 stands) of
QUEENS: Foreign troops Light Horse (@3 pts per stand), but no more than one of these
A Company of Mercenaries (6 stands @ 2 pts per stand) or a companies however many King cards you drew.
Train of Artillery (3 guns @ 4 pts per gun) recruited abroad by JOKERS: Treachery and foul play.
your Queen (she has probably drawn on a favour from one of Play one Joker on an enemy retinue to stop it joining in the
her relatives or otherwise charmed some foreign ruler…). Choose fighting. A second Joker can be played (at the same time or later)
from any Mercenaries available but no more than one train of to have that retinue swap sides! Joker cards cannot be played
Artillery, however many Queen cards you drew. on an enemy retinue that has already moved or shot or one that
is in a Ward containing the enemy Commander-in-Chief. You can
counter the effect of a Joker by playing one of your own against it.

44
2. Deploy the Armies when a Ward is defeated by losing more than half of its original
The troops must now be assigned to the traditional three Wards. strength in points.
A warrior King such as Edward IV will lead his army in If a subordinate Commander in a multi-commander Ward is
person. Otherwise, the Lord with the most “core” troops will be killed, then half of his troops flee the field immediately and count
the Commander-in-Chief and must lead the Main Ward, unless as lost (note that this might take the Ward as a whole over half
he gets the option of commanding a Reserve (see “Stratagems”, losses).
above). It is up to him (ie you) how to split the command of the An Army Commander whose Ward is defeated Rolls a D6:
remaining retinues, mercenaries and other troops - for example 5/6: he moves his stand to join a neighbouring Ward to
you might decide to concentrate a strong force in the Vaward continue the fight.
aiming for a decisive result on that wing while leaving only a small 3/4: he flees the field and lives to fight another day.
covering force in the Rereward. The only restrictions are:- 1/2: he is surrounded and must fight to the death or surrender.
1. That each of the other Wards must be commanded by a Lord 4.1 Pursuit
(with his retinue). When a Ward is defeated then all of its remaining stands
2. That each Ward must consist of at least one third missile immediately flee the field. Take them off the table. On the
troops (in terms of the number of stands) and no more than winner’s side, any Billmen or Archers touching an enemy stand
two thirds. in any way at the moment of victory will pursue the enemy off
The battlefield will be open farmland, unless you are seeking to the battlefield. They won’t come back but they don’t count as
recreate the topography of a specific historical battle or if one of losses. Any mounted troops or Irish Mercenaries will always join
the stratagem cards is played which allows for the deployment of the pursuit, whether or not they were touching an enemy stand.
a significant terrain feature. Other Mercenaries hold their positions.
Each player now rolls a dice. If one wins the throw with a roll 4.2 Rallying
of 5 or 6 he deploys his entire army uphill of his opponent. If either On the winning player’s next go the victorious Ward commander’s
of them rolled a one then one flank/table edge may be marked by stand is turned through 90 degrees to face a neighbouring enemy
the line of a river or stream.
A village or wood may be placed on one of the table edges –
just for the look of the thing, because troops cannot fight in them.
But they may be used to conceal a Flank Attack, if a Player gets
the appropriate Stratagem card.
Both players now write out an army list of the troops in each
Ward and calculate their total points value (see the troops chart on
page 47) before putting any of them on the table.
Next, lay out the troops on the battlefield – it was traditional
for the Vaward to be on the right, the Rereward on the left and the
Main Ward in the middle. Each army must always deploy 3 Wards
even if one retinue is a “late arrival” and is not yet on the battlefield.
You will need 6 of the special “arrow carrier” figures for each
Ward, so 36 in total. Or you could just use 6 distinctive coloured
dice instead – reducing the score shown uppermost after each
round of shooting.
Deploy each Ward parallel to its own table edge, facing the
enemy and at least 4 spaces from its neighbour. It must be formed
in a single block of troops, at least two stands deep, with every
stand touching another to its front or back or on either of its sides.
Touching just at the corners doesn’t count.
A Player must be prepared to show his cards and the written
evidence of his army list should his opponent suspect he might be
reacting to his own deployment.
Or you can line up the opposing armies behind a screen of
some kind.
The armies must be deployed at least a bowshot (6 spaces)
apart and no more than two bowshots.

3. Battle
Fight the battle through the two stages of the Advance to Combat
and Hand-to-Hand combat, using the Battle Rules (pages 41–43).
Fighting continues between opposing pairs of Wards until
one of them is defeated by losing its Commander or more than
half of its original strength in points.
You then move on to the final and most decisive stage of the
fighting – the Endgame.

4. Endgame
The Endgame begins when a Ward’s Commander is killed or

45
Ward. His remaining troops now get a free move, of any distance, rules but, instead of Wards just being defeated when their losses
to bring them under his command and facing the same way as exceed half of their original points, test at earlier levels of losses
him. On following turns they can move up to four spaces until they as well.
come into contact with a new enemy. Roll 4+ to continue fighting after 30% losses, 5+ at 40% and
4.3 Flank Attacks 6 at 50% or more. A Ward that fails this roll is defeated and the
This is the only time when stands can depart from the cardinal “Endgame” rules (see 4, above) come into effect. Both sides in a
rule of having to face the enemy’s table edge. Instead they turn 90 Ward vs Ward fight must roll as they cross these thresholds but
degrees to it and move to make a Flank Attack. These attacks are the side with the lowest current losses always adds one to its roll.
allowed in only two circumstances
a) By troops who have defeated their opposing Ward and
turned on a new enemy (as above) OR
b) By troops making a flank attack using the appropriate
“knavish trick” card
If a stand is attacked in its flank it can turn to face if it is
unengaged and not otherwise touching an enemy stand. If it
is then forced to retreat by losing a combat, it is destroyed if it
retreats into the flank of a friendly unit. If it is attacked in its flank
and it does not turn to face it gets one less dice in combat - if it
is also in combat to its front both enemy stands combine their
combat dice and if it loses the combat it is always destroyed.

5. Victory and Defeat

An army is defeated whenever its Commander-in-Chief is killed
or flees the field, or whenever two of its three Wards have been
defeated.

6. Optional Rules for Faster Games

Playing either of these variants will speed up the game.
6.1 Play out the battle between the two Main Wards using the full
rules but just roll dice at the end of each turn for the other two
Ward fights. At the end of every full turn after the first one (ie after
both sides have had their go) roll a pair of dice (say, a white dice
for the Yorkists vs a red one for the Lancastrians) for each Ward
fight. On a difference of 1,2,3 the loser is pushed back that many
spaces, and both sides lose that many stands of troops worth at
least two points each. On a difference of 4 or more the loser is
defeated and that ward fight is over.
Half of the winner’s Billmen and Archers (and all of his
mounted or Irish troops) pursue the beaten enemy. The remaining
troops come back under full Player control and the Rallying and
Flank attack rules (4.2 and 4.3, above) now apply to them.
6.2 Apply Variable “Break Points”
Play out the fights between all three pairs of Wards using the full

46
 WARS OF THE ROSES: PLAYSHEET
TROOP TYPES AND STATISTICS

TROOPS POINTS MOVE SHOOT RANGE COMBAT SAVE NOTES

Commander 3 1 any 4D6 3+ Re-roll 1st failed save in a go
Men-at-Arms 3 1 3D6 3+
Billmen 2 1 2D6 4+
Archers 1 2 any 1D6 6 1D6 5+ Arrows for only 6 volleys
Crossbows 2 2 any 1D6 6 1D6 5+ Roll ½ dice after 1st shot
Handguns 2 2 any 1D6 4 1D6 5+ ½ dice after 1st shot. Target saves -1
Pikemen 2 1 2D6 4+ 3D6 in 1st round OR vs Mounted
Spearmen 2 1 2D6 4+ 3D6 in 1st round vs mounted
Irish 2 2 any 2D6 6 3D6 in 1st round
Mount’d MAA 4 4 any 3D6 4+ 4D6 charge (3 spaces, straight line)
Light Horse 3 4 any 2D6 5+ 3D6 charge (3 spaces, straight line)
Artillery 4 n/a 2D6 12 0D6(!) 6 All targets save for 5/6 (4/5/6 downhill)

TURN ORDER HANDSTROKES (HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT)

1. Movement 2. Shooting 3. Combat Roll 5/6 to hit (Crossbowmen and Handgunners need 6).
Stage 1: The Advance to Contact: Roll for 1st go at the start of Roll one less D6 if outflanked (unengaged enemy stand touching
the battle (re-roll a tie) your side or overlapping your front).
Stage 2: Handstrokes: starts the first time two opposing stands Mounted troops can’t charge uphill or against Pikes/Spears.
make contact face to face. Result: No hits or both score the same = draw, fight continues,
All movement and ranges are measured in “spaces” (= frontage of both sides hold their current positions.
a stand, ie c40mm or 1 ½ ins). Loser rolls difference in hits x saving throws. If any hits are not
saved the stand is destroyed.
MOVEMENT If all are saved the stand must retreat 1 space, pushing back any
MAA (on foot), Bills, Pikes & Spears can move ahead, back or friends behind it.
sideways. Others can also move diagonally. Any defeated mounted troops must retreat 3 spaces but always
Only Mounted Troops can move as detachments. All other stands break through any infantry behind them.
in the Ward (except Artillery) must be touching at sides/ Mounted troops can opt to disengage 3 spaces after combat on
front/rear (not just corners) after completing all movement – their own go, to get ready to charge again.
otherwise they are “out of command” Commander: re-rolls one failed save. One stand touching him
Swapping positions uses up the full movement for both stands. can re-roll a combat or saving dice.
English can’t swap with foreign troops. Reserves & Fresh troops: can re-roll 1 combat dice and 1 saving
In the Handstrokes stage all foot troops except Archers move only throw on their 1st round of combat.
1 space and can’t move if “out of command”.
A stand touching an enemy face to face must fight OR disengage WINNING AND LOSING
(= retreat, facing enemy). The first Ward to lose its Commander or more than half of its
original strength (in points) is defeated in the local fight and flees
SHOOTING the field. The Winner can turn to make a flank attack on his next
Roll 1D6 per stand, 6s to hit (5/6 for Archers shooting at mounted go.
troops) An army is defeated at the moment its Commander-in-Chief
Missile troops: All can move 1 & shoot. Archers have enough is killed or flees the field, or whenever two of its three Wards have
arrows for only 6 multi-stand volleys. been defeated.
Crossbows/Handguns: no ammo limit, but shoot only ½ stands
(with targets) after 1st shot.
All shooting in the Handstrokes stage hits for 5/6. Troops can’t
disengage and then shoot.
Artillery: Roll 2D6 per gun. Double 1/2/3/4/5 = Gun bursts. Shoot
only ½ guns after 1st shot.

47
 THE STARTER GAME
This is played using two sheets of the gridded ‘battlefield’ copied can’t shoot at an enemy stand in a space next to you. Every time
from the last page in the book. This is an entertaining game in you shoot with more than one stand of Archers in a turn, remove
itself but its real purpose is to familiarise you with the basic game one “arrow carrier”. When all 6 have gone you are out of arrows
mechanisms and combat systems for when you move onto and can’t shoot any more.
the wargames table for bigger battles. Think of this game as a
simplified example of one of the Ward fights in the full game. Combat
When two stands are in face to face contact they must fight each
Make two Armies and a Battlefield other. The Commander’s stand rolls 4 dice, the other Men-at-
Each player needs an Army, a copy of the ‘battlefield’ page and Arms stand rolls 3, Billmen roll 2 and Archers roll 1. If a stand is
a handful of six-sided dice (D6). The battlefield sheets are divided outflanked in combat (see the diagram and definition on page 42)
into squares which will hold one stand. These squares are called it rolls one less dice).
“spaces” in the rules. Every 5 or 6 rolled is a hit.
Each army is made up of two stands of Men-at-Arms (MAA) If neither side rolls any hits, or they both roll the same number
@ 3 points each, four stands of Billmen (BLL) @ 2 points each of hits, then the combat is a draw.
and six stands of Archers (ARC) @ 1 point each. So, each army If one side rolls fewer hits than the other then he has lost the
is worth 20 points. One of the Men-at-Arms stands is the Army combat and must make a saving throw (so if he lost 3-1 he would
Commander (that’s you!) and flies his personal banner. You will make two saving throws). The winner of a combat never has to
also need 6 of the special “arrow carrier’ figures. make saving throws, even if he took hits.
Each player should line up his army on his own half of the
battlefield, along the back two rows of squares, on the long edge Saving Throws
nearest to himself and facing inwards towards the enemy, for Every time a stand takes a hit from Archery or in Combat roll a
example: dice for a “saving throw”. The Army Commander and Men-at-
Arms save on a roll of 3/4/5/6, Billmen save for 4/5/6 and Archers
save for 5/6. If you fail to save a hit then the stand is destroyed
£ Enemy £ and put in your army’s “dead pool”. The Army Commander can
re-roll his first failed save in any turn. If you save all the hits you
took in a combat, your stand must drop back one space, pushing
ARC ARC BLL MAA BLL ARC ARC back any friends behind it.

Victory and Defeat

ARC BLL MAA BLL ARC You win the battle if you kill the enemy Army Commander or
destroy more than half of his original strength in points – that
The army must be in a solid block, with no stand separated is, when he gets to eleven or more points in his dead pool. Any
from another – if any stands are only touching at a corner this stands that move or retreat off the battlefield also count as lost.
doesn’t count and you need to re-position them. Try playing this game a few times using a different starting
Put the 6 arrow carriers just off the battlefield behind the line-up and working out new tactics. All the armies of the Wars of
army’s rear rank. the Roses were formed around a hard core of these three basic
When each player has set out his troops, push the two troop types so this is a good way of learning their capabilities.
battlefield sheets together so the two armies are separated by a
6-square wide “No Man’s Land”.

Let Battle commence!

Each player rolls a dice. The one with the highest score takes the
first turn.
The first player moves his troops (he can move as many of
them as he wants), then shoots with his Archers, and then fights
any combats. Then the other Player takes his turn.

Movement
The Army Commander stand can move 1 space in any direction,
Billmen & Men-at-Arms can move one space, but not diagonally,
and Archers can move one or two spaces in any direction (or one
space and then shoot).

Archery
Archers roll a dice for each stand shooting. They can shoot over
the heads of another stand of Archers, and measure range from
this front stand. They must always shoot at the nearest enemy.
They hit for a roll of 6 at a range of 4-6 spaces, or 5/6 at a
range of 2-3 spaces (no overhead shooting at this range) You

48
In the Battle for Britain series, well-known historical ISBN 978-1-913336-80-6
illustrator Peter Dennis breathes life back into the 19th
century paper soldier, supplying all the artwork needed to
create the armies which struggled for supremacy through
9 781913 336806
our island history. Here, the Knights, men-at-arms and
bowmen of England’s King and rival noble families can
clash again using simple rules from veteran Wargamer
Andy Callan.

This source book allows you to copy and make any

number of colourful and durable stands of troops using
traditional skills with glue and scissors. For the game you
will need a tabletop playing surface, a tape measure and a
handful of dice.