This weekend I visited Stuart for two more Anglo-French clashes. Stuart has recently finished some fantastic new buildings (see https://stuartsworkbench.blogspot.com/2026/09/further-buildings-for-collection.html) as well as having a couple of coastal terrain boards commissioned so we wanted to try two scenarios that would features these. Once again Hall's Chronicle provided us with inspiration and we chose two events that, according to Hall, took place in 1524. An English raid on Boulogne in May 1524 and a failed French coastal raid on Rye that took place a couple of months before in February 1524.
"The Frenchmen cried Bullein, and thenglishmen sainct George Calayce"
King Henry VIII of England returned to war with France in 1522 resulting in English naval raids and a campaign led by the Earl of Surrey (see https://camisado1500s.blogspot.com/2021/06/have-at-wicket-surreys-raid-on-morlaix.html, https://camisado1500s.blogspot.com/2021/07/this-is-like-no-house-of-praier.html and https://camisado1500s.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-siege-of-hesdin-1522.html). The fighting escalated in 1523 as Henry's childhood friend and brother-in-law, Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, led a larger English force of around 9,000 men into French territory allied with a force of Imperial troops (see https://camisado1500s.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-assault-on-bray-1523.html and https://camisado1500s.blogspot.com/2023/05/entendyn-to-bryng-gunnepouder-and-other.html). Little was achieved in these two years of fighting and although there were to be no more large scale English campaigns in the 1520s the war dragged on into 1524.
Being on the frontline of the hostilities the garrisons of the Calais Pale and the English fleet continued to see action, with one such event occurring in May 1524. The Tudor chronicler, Edward Hall recounts how, following the burning of Sangatte, which he refers to as "Sentrycas", by the French garrison of Boulogne, "the Bulleners", the Captain of Newnham Bridge, Robert Jerningham, hatched a plan with one of the captains of the English Fleet, Christopher Coo, to launch a joint attack on the harbour and lower town of Boulogne on 19 May. From Hall:
"In this moneth of May sir Robert Jernyngham capitain of Newnam bridge comuned with Christopher Coo, a capitaine of divers Englishe shippes that kept the sea, whiche then was in Calayce haven for vitaile and sayd, capitain Coo you know how the Bulleners have visited nere to Calayce the Englishe pale and have burned Sentrycas. If you will promise to set many of your menne a lande at the haven of Bullein the. xix. day of Maye, I with as many as I can furnishe will mete with you there in basse Bulleine at the tyme and houre betwene us appointed, to the whiche the sayd Christopher agreed and faithfully promised, and so prepared accordyngly everye thyng necessarye and so sayled towarde Bulleyn"
Boulogne in the 1520s was divided into two parts with the "Haute Ville", or upper town being well fortified. The "Basse Ville" or lower town, hence Hall's name of "basse Bulleine" comprised Boulogne's docks, warehouses, fish markets, and the homes of ordinary sailors which extended along the Liane river estuary.
Jerningham also invited another of the garrison captains from the Calais Pale to join the attack, sending word of the plan to Sir William FitzWilliam, newly appointed Captain of Guines. FitzWilliam was an experienced soldier and naval captain having first seen service in the Marquis of Dorset's 1512 Aquitaine campaign (see https://camisado1500s.blogspot.com/2022/04/the-marquis-of-dorsets-1512-campaign.html). He had been an Esquire of the Body to Henry VIII during the 1513 invasion of France and was knighted by the king the day after Tournai surrendered. From 1513 to 1525 FitzWilliam served as Vice-Admiral of the English Fleet, a role in which he would see much service against the French. Hall continues to explain how FitzWilliam agreed to take part and was thus appointed Captain for the attack. Numbering 300 horsemen the garrison forces of Jerningham and FitzWilliam were joined by a further 300 local men of the Bailiwick of the Marck, "the Bayly Marke", and around 160 "aventurers", the auxilliary troops that accompanied the English armies of the 1520s, sometimes referred to as "krekkers":
"sir Robert Jernyngham sent worde of this enterprise to sir Willyam Fitzwillyam capitaine of Guysnes to know if he would ayde any part toward this jorney, whiche sent worde that he would be at thesame aventure himselfe: then all the gentlemen desired him to be capitaine of that enterprise, whiche he thakefully and with heart received: then all the men of warre and the adventurers and the Bayly Marke assembled- together, so that when all were come together they wer. CCC. horsemen, and of the coutrey and Marke. iii.C. and of the aventurers C.lx. and so one and other they were vii.C. men."
After meeting at Saint-Inglevert, "Sandyngfelde", which lies between Calais and Boulogne FitzWilliam's small force arrived outside Boulogne as dawn broke. Meanwhile in the early hours of the morning Christopher Coo's four ships had attempted to land but keeping a good watch the garrison of Boulogne had readied themselves and were on the shore awaiting the attack whilst the guns of both the English ships and the Boulogne garrison were firing. Hearing this as he arrived FitzWilliam knew that Captain Coo must be making his attack, "knew wel that Cristopher Coo was in his busines", and led his men towards the town. The French were ready for this attack as well and horsemen from the Boulogne garrison issued out leading to fighting between the English and French cavalry whilst English archers skirmished with French crossbowmen who fought under the cover of the guns of the towns walls:
"All these persones mette at an houre appointed at Sandyngfelde: the night was short so that it was day or they came nere Bullein all set in good order of battail, but they were askried before they came nere Bullein, and so it chaunsed that Christopher Goo with his shippes whiche had winde at will was come with his iiii shippes before Bullein somwhat before day, the Bulleners that kept the watche him espied, & then he manned his boates and with men and ordinaunce stretched toward the land, by that tyme was all basse Bullein in harnes ready to defend the Englishmen from londyng, but capitaine Coo did what he might, and almost all the people of Basse Bullein wer on the shore, that seyng the garrison made them ready and bent their ordinaunce. Sir Willyam Fitzwillyam hearyng the gunnes toward the havenside knew wel that Cristopher Coo was in his busines, and so encoraged'euery man to do well and marched forwarde with asmuche spede as might be, insomuche that all the Englishemen were on the hylles before Bullein in sondry plumpes, then issued out the horsmen of Bullein betwene the castle and Cardons tower, the light horsmen of the Englishe part theim encountred, there was a good fight, the Frenchemen shote with Crosbowes, and the Englishemen with long bowes, and the great ordinaunce: shot terribly, the Englishemen approched the toune walles, this skyrmishe was fierse & ever the archers ayded the horsemen."
With fighting at the shore and outside the walls it was the adventurers who took the fight into lower town of Boulogne forcing back the French defenders, killing many and taking forty three prisoner. Some of Christopher Coo's men did manage to land and drove the French back before returning to their ships. In the cavalry fight FitzWilliam and Jerningham's cavalry captured three French men at arms. Knowing that the alarm had been sounded all over Picardy and that reinforcements would be on their way to Boulogne FitzWilliam's men quickly formed up in order, "by the sound of a trumpette brought all his menne together in a plumpe", before some were ordered to quickly gather in nearby livestock. The adventurers burnt and pillaged the area and rounded up as many oxen, cattle and horse as possible before rejoining the garrison troops before they all returned to the Calais pale with their captured booty and prisoners:
"Whyle the horsemen were thus skyrmishyng, the viii. score aventurers whiche were hardy & valiaunt men cast themselfes about & came to basse Bullein, and there they were hardely received of the Frenchemen, yet notwithstadyng they lost their barriers and the Englishmen entred, there was shotyng on all sides and a strong fight. The Frenchmen cried Bullein, and thenglishmen sainct George Calayce: but at the last the Frenchmen were driven backe and many slaine, & xliiii. Taken prisoners, and so they returned to their capitaine sir Willyam Fitzwillyam. All this while was Christopher Coo on lond on the sea cost and bet the Frenchmen up to thetoune, and when the tide turned he with all his came againe in safetie to their shippes. The Englishe horsemen after long fightyng tooke thre of the Frenchemen of armes and the other reculed to the toune. By this tyme by reason of the Alarme was all the countrey of Pycardye raysed and muche people resorted to Bullein on all sydes, whiche doyng sir Willyam Fitzwillyam wisely perceivyng, by the sound of a trumpette brought all his menne together in a plumpe, and then sent them hither and thither to fette his driftes of beastes that, were nere in the countrey on every side, whiche was quickely done, for the adventurers brought Oxen, Kyne, Horses, and many other pillages, and brent the granges and villages, and so mette together, and with their botie returned in savetie."
Though prone to exaggeration and with an obvious bias towards the English, Hall's accounts of actions in France can usually be matched up with other contemporary sources, especially the correspondence that survives between various government officials and captains in the field. This particular raid is not covered in any of the surviving letters Fitzwilliam wrote to Cardinal Wolsey following his arrival at Guines earlier that month. The letters sent from FitzWilliam to Wolsey dated 11, 13, 14 and 15 May discussed raids by the Guines garrison, the movement and numbers of the French forces and the back and forth between FitzWilliam and the local French commanders Charles, Duke of Vendôme and the Lord of Pontdormy, Jean VIII de Créquy, which were facilitated via English heralds and trumpeters.
A letter sent by FitzWilliam to Wolsey on 13 May 1524 confirmed that Boulogne Garrison's Governor, Oudart du Biez had returned to Boulgne and that 2,000 French foot and 300 cavalry were stationed close by at Samer, "All my spies agree that 2,000 foot and 300 horse have come to Samer de Boys, and that De Beys is returned to Boulogne. I spoke today with a prisoner who has a passport signed by De Beys, and says the same". This would support FitzWilliam's decision to make a hasty retreat after the raid on Boulogne as the English garrisons would have found themselves heavily outnumbered if the men from the French camp had caught them. At the end of May FitzWilliam wrote again "Since writing last, a trumpet has come from the captain of Boulogne about prisoners, and brought word that Pont de Remye was at home, and wished for an answer about his prisoners" so something had clearly happened over which a prisoner exchange was being negotiated, although whether or not it was the raid described by Hall remains unclear.
Scenario
As always both of the games were played using our modified "Renaissance Rampant" version of Lion Rampant. In this game each player commanded two retinues. The English force comprised of a retinue under Sir William FitzWilliam, Captain of Guines and another retinue under Captain Christopher Coo. Some of Christopher Coo's force would land by ship but his retinue also included the "aventurers" who would attack by land. The French garrison comprised the cavalry under Oudart de Biez, Governor of Boulogne, and an infantry force.
At the start of the game Fitzwilliam's retinue and the "aventurers" from Christpher Coo's retinue were deployed outside "basse Bullein" (see the photo below). The French garrison was deployed outside the walls of the "Haute Ville" apart from some of the infantry units as up to five could be deployed in buildings as per the rules below.
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| A view of the table from above. Boulogne is shown in the centre with the "Haute Ville" and "Basse Ville" labelled. In the top right is the harbour where the troops from Captain Christopher Coo's four vessels will land. In the lower half of the photo the garrison of Boulogne have sallied out to meet the troops from the garrisons of Guines and Newnham bridge. Some of the French infantry are hidden in the buildings of the Basse Ville. |
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| Outside Boulogne the garrisons of Guines and Newnham Bridge under Sir William FitzWilliam and Robert Jerningham, accompanied by men of the Bailiwick of the Marck, being the English governed border territory within the Calais Pale, prepare to attack. The are faced by the troops from Boulogne, "the Bulleners", who have sallied out to oppose them. |
"by that tyme was all basse Bullein in harnes ready to defend the Englishmen from londyng"
The French player could hide up to five units within the buildings of "basse Bullein". The English player did not know where the hidden units were. During the French infantry turn a hidden unit could exit the building with a shooting, attack or move activation. In the attack or move activation the unit would leave the building to carry out the action. If the unit shot it was also placed outside of the building facing in the direction of whoever the unit was shooting at to represent them emerging from cover to shoot. If a unit failed an activation whilst hidden in a building it was still placed outside of the building facing in the direction it would have acted in. This represented the troops giving away their position but failing to act. Once out of a building a unit was committed to the fight and could not re-enter. A challenge could not be called from the secret location.
"All this while was Christopher Coo on lond on the sea cost and bet the Frenchmen up to thetoune"
The naval forces under Christopher Coo could land via their boats during Coo's turn. To land a rowing boat was placed on the shore (see the photo above) and the troops could then exit via a shooting, attack or move activation. If the troops arrived via a shooting activation they were placed on the shore. In an attack or move activation they would leave the shore to carry out the action. If a unit failed an activation whilst landing it was placed outside on the shore in front of the direction it would have acted in. This represented the troops landing but failing to act.
"and the great ordinaunce: shot terribly"
During the game both forces were supported by artillery. The English by the guns of the "iiii shippes" of Christopher Coo and the French by the guns on the town walls. At the start of the game each player took five playing cards. At the start of every turn both players would play a card and the player with the highest card would get a culverin shot from either any point on the ship if they were English or any point along the walls of the "Haute Ville" if they were French. So if enemy troops got very near to the "Haute Ville" walls or the ship this could be risky. The players would then take another card ready for the next turn.
"the viii. score aventurers whiche were hardy & valiaunt men cast themselfes about & came to basse Bullein"
To represent the brave attack by the English "aventurers" once during the game the English player could declare this attack and both units, if both were still on the table, would get two automatic activations for that turn.
Victory
To represent the fact this was a quick raid on "basse Bullein" the victor would be the first player to reduce one of the opposing sides retinues to over half strength. If both players did this on the same turn then the game would be considered a draw.
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| "Christopher Goo with his shippes whiche had winde at will was come with his iiii shippes before Bullein somwhat before day... |
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| ...the Bulleners that kept the watche him espied". |
The rival garrisons
For this game Stuart took command of the raiding English under Sir William FitzWilliam and Christopher Coo and I took command of the garrison of Boulogne under Oudart de Biez.
For this game Stuart took command of the raiding English under Sir William FitzWilliam and Christopher Coo and I took command of the garrison of Boulogne under Oudart de Biez.
The Garrison of Boulogne
The French Cavalry under Oudart de Biez, Lord of Escœuilles and Governor of Boulogne
2 Units of Gendarmes (One unit contains the retinue leader Oudart de Biez, Lord of Escœuilles and Governor of Boulogne)
2 Units of Men at Arms
1 Unit of Ordonnance Archers with bows
2 Units of Ordonnance Archers with lances
The Infantry of the Boulogne Garrison
1 Unit of Foot Knights (Unit contains the retinue leader)
4 Units of French Crossbowmen
1 Unit of Franc Archer Foot
3 Units of Picard Pike
The English from the garrisons and fleet
The English garrisons of Guines and Newnham Bridge and the men of the Bailiwick of the Marck
1 Unit of Kings Spears (Unit Contains Sir William FitzWilliam, Captain of Guines)
2 Units of Demi Lancers (One unit contains Sir Robert Jerningham, Captain of Newnham Bridge)
1 Unit of Border Horse
2 Units of Mounted Archers
2 Unit of Shire Archers (The men of the Bailiwick of the Marck)
Captain Christopher Coo the naval raiding party and the "aventurers"
1 Unit of Foot Knights (Unit contains retinue leader Captain Christopher Coo)
2 Units of Ships Archers
1 Unit of Garrison Bill
1 Unit of Ships Bill
2 Units of Aventurers
This was quite a brief but very hard fought game where the heavy fighting starting on turn one. The photos and captions are a great way to follow what happened but a short write up also follows.
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| The garrison of Guines under Sir William FitzWilliam, and the garrison of Newnham Bridge under Robert Jerningham, accompanied by local men of the Bailiwick of the Marck. |
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| The "aventurers" take the right wing of the English attacking force. |
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| A force of French heavy and light cavalry supported by... |
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| ...crossbowmen have left the safety of the high town of Boulogne, the "Haute Ville", to defend the unfortified lower town or "Basse Ville". |
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| A view on board one of the four English ships. |
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| Archers from Captain Coo's fleet land in Boulogne's harbour... |
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| ...the archers are immediately attacked by troops from Boulogne's garrison but they drive the French back with the support of the guns on board Captain Coo's ships. |
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| More English land in the harbour and fierce fighting ensues. |
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| Whilst the English are landing in the harbour the Governor of Boulogne, Oudart de Biez, Lord of Escœuilles, leads his cavalry in an all out charge against the garrisons of Guines and Newnham Bridge. |
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| The English ready themselves as the French cavalry charge towards them. |
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| The two sides clash and a cavalry melee develops as the men at arms on each side break lances on one another. |
Being fully aware of the imminent English raid the garrison of Boulogne was "in harnes ready to defend the Englishmen from londyng". Despite this the French were still wrong footed by the speed of the naval assault on "the havenside" of Boulogne. Supported by the guns of their ships English archers disembarked and stormed into the harbour. From the surrounding buildings the garrison's pikemen and halberdiers charged out and attempted to drive the archers back into the sea but the hail of shot and arrows from the English fleet was too much for them to withstand and the defenders were sent fleeing back into the streets of "basse Bullein".
On the other side of the town the garrison's cavalry had been led out by the Governor of Boulogne, Oudart de Biez, in an attempt to drive back the English force "on the hylles before Bullein in sondry plumpes". Hearing the sounds of gunfire in the harbour de Biez ordered his cavalry to charge so as to catch the English off guard and defeat them before they could begin the landward part of their raid.
On the other side of the town the garrison's cavalry had been led out by the Governor of Boulogne, Oudart de Biez, in an attempt to drive back the English force "on the hylles before Bullein in sondry plumpes". Hearing the sounds of gunfire in the harbour de Biez ordered his cavalry to charge so as to catch the English off guard and defeat them before they could begin the landward part of their raid.
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| Back at the harbour the fighting continues. |
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| The cavalry from the English garrisons strike back against the French horse... |
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| ...and both sides take casualties as the fighting intensifies. |
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| The French cavalry are supported by the guns on the walls of the "Haute Ville"... |
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| ...which fire into the English causing casualties. |
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| With some of the English cavalry pushed back English archers from the Bailiwick of the Marck are ridden down in the fighting. |
The French cavalry charge was met by a counter charge as FitzWilliam and Jerningham urged their men into the attack with cries of "sainct George Calayce"! A fierce cavalry melee developed with both the English and French taking losses. Supported by the guns on the walls of the "Haute Ville" it was clear that the French held the advantage as their horsemen drove back those from the garrisons of Guines and Newnham bridge whilst riding down some of the English archers from the Bailiwick of the Marck.
At the same time the bitter fighting in the Harbour continued with Captain Coo landing and leading his men into "Basse Bullein". The crossbowmen defending the lower town found themselves in the unenviable position of being caught between a fierce charge by the English "aventurers" who "were hardy & valiaunt men" and the landing in the harbour. It was clear Boulogne's infantry contingent was very close to breaking and fleeing.
At the same time the bitter fighting in the Harbour continued with Captain Coo landing and leading his men into "Basse Bullein". The crossbowmen defending the lower town found themselves in the unenviable position of being caught between a fierce charge by the English "aventurers" who "were hardy & valiaunt men" and the landing in the harbour. It was clear Boulogne's infantry contingent was very close to breaking and fleeing.
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| A full on cavalry battle has developed and... |
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| ...Robert Jerningham and Sir William FitzWilliam urge their men on with cries of "sainct George Calayce" whilst Oudart de Biez's men shout back with cries of "Bullein"! |
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| "the viii. score aventurers whiche were hardy & valiaunt men cast themselfes about & came to basse Bullein, and there they were hardely received of the Frenchemen" |
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| The French pike are driven back as they try to defend the harbour. |
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| "Christopher Coo on lond on the sea cost and bet the Frenchmen up to thetoune" |
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| Some of the garrison of Boulogne find themselves attacked on two sides as the men of the fleet land and charge them. |
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| "on the hylles before Bullein" , the English are being driven back. |
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| Robert Jerningham is unhorsed... |
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| ...to be quickly followed by Sir William FitzWilliam. The Boulogne Garrison have suffered many casualties, especially around the harbour, but the cavalry charge by Oudart de Biez has been so effective that the English are forced to withdraw. |
Despite the ferocity of the fighting in the harbour where "the Frenchmen were driven backe and many slaine" it was on the hills outside the town that the day was decided. Being unable to match the French gendarmes both Robert Jerningham and Sir William FitzWilliam were unhorsed in the swirling cavalry melee that took place and the garrisons of Guines and Newnham were forced to withdraw. It had been a close run thing as only moments later the English "aventurers" and Coo's naval party were able to completely defeat Boulogne's infantry but the speed of de Biez's initial charge had won the day for the French.
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| "foure Frenche shippes chased the Fysher botes of Rye to the verye shore" |
"In the ende of Februarye foure Frenche shippes chased the Fysher botes of Rye to the verye shore"
Whilst most of the fighting between the French and English in the early 1520s took place in northern France there were occasions when the shores of England were threatened. One such event occured in February 1524, a few months before FitzWilliam, Jerningham and Captain Coo's attack on Boulogne.
The East Sussex town of Rye was one of a confederation of south-eastern coastal towns known as the "cinque ports". The area is now largely silted up but in the 16th century the town lay within a bay just two miles from the English Channel. The town had been sacked by the French in 1377 which had led the town's folk to make a retaliatory raid on the Normady towns of Saint-Pierre-en-Port and Veulettes-sur-Mer in 1378 in which they managed to successfully recapture the stolen bells from Rye Church.
It seems that the men of Rye were still just a confrontational in the 1500s. Hall's chronicle explains how in late February four French ships chased the fishing boats of Rye to the shore. Had it not been for the tide and the resistance of the fishermen the French would have landed and attacked with their pikes but the fishermen saw them off by hurling stones. One of the Frenchmen taunted the fishermen by holding up a basket and daring them to shoot. A Rye fisherman with a bow did just this and killed the Frenchman with a shot through the basket. When the tide changed the four French ships set sail and left only to be intercepted by English ships of war, "the Englishemen of warre". In the ensuing clash two of the French ships were captured.
Hall describes the events:
"In the ende of Februarye foure Frenche shippes chased the Fysher botes of Rye to the verye shore, and when the fludde was gone, would have taken the botes and came a land with pikes, but the fishers threw stones, and one archer shotte and slewe a Frencheman whiche helde up a basket and bad shote Englisheman shote, and the Englisheman shot through the basket and slewe him, and so they saved their botes, and when the fludde came, the Frenchemen sette up their sailes, and as they were passyng, the Englishemen of warre mette with theim and tooke two of the sayd shippes, and the other two fled."
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| A view of the table from above. The coast can be seen at the top of the photo with one of the French ships in the right hand corner. At the bottom of the photo are the walls of Rye whilst the out buildings of the town can be seen in the fields which lie beyond the sand dunes. |
Scenario
For this game the French would attempt to land and raid the outskirts of Rye before returning to sea. A force of Rye fishermen and militia would attempt to defend the shore. At the start of the game four units of the Rye fishermen were placed near the shoreline within the sand dunes, that lay outside the town walls (see the photo above). The other four units were placed within the outskirts but at least 20 inches away from the shoreline. The English player could decide which units were positioned where. None of the French started on the table.
The French landing
The French troops could land on shore via a shooting, attack or move activation. If they shot they would simply be placed on the shore facing in the direction they had shot in. In an attack or move activation they would leave the shore to carry out the action. If a unit failed an activation whilst landing it was still placed on the shore in front of the direction it would have acted in. This was to represent the troops landing but failing to act.
"one archer shotte and slewe a Frencheman whiche helde up a basket and bad shote Englisheman shote, and the Englisheman shot through the basket and slewe him"
To represent this feet of archery once during the game an English archer unit could shoot with a -1 to the target's armour.
Burning the outskirts of Rye
To burn a building the French player had to get a unit into base to base contact with it. As an ordered activation, he could use that unit to attempt to burn the building. If there were 7 or more models in the unit the building was burnt on a roll of 7+ on 2D6; if there were 6 or fewer models in the unit then the building was burnt on a roll of 8+ on 2D6.
Victory
The French would win if they could set alight three buildings on the outskirts of Rye. The fishermen would win if the could reduce the French retinue to over half points. If both players achieved this on the same turn then the game would be considered a draw.
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| The fishermen have pulled their boats ashore... |
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| ...and sounded the alarm in the town for men to rush to the shore and help defend against the raiders. |
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| One of the French ships comes into view. |
The French raiders and English fishermen
In this game Stuart took command of the English fishermen whilst I took command of the French raiding party.
In this game Stuart took command of the English fishermen whilst I took command of the French raiding party.
The French Raiding Party
1 Unit of Foot Knights (Unit contains the retinue leader, the French Captain)
3 Units of French Pike
4 Units of French Crossbowmen
1 Unit of Franc Archer Foot
The English Fishermen
1 Unit of Garrison Bill - (Unit contains the retinue leader, the Captain of the Fishing Fleet)
3 Units of Shire Bill
2 Units of Garrison Archers
2 Units of Shire Archers
A brief write up of the game is set out below.
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| The French crossbowmen and pikemen land. |
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| The French captain attacks some of the fishermen who are hiding in the dunes. |
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| A fisherman's hut on the beach is the first building to be set ablaze. |
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| Some of the local men attack the first French to have landed... |
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| ...and drive them back off the beach. |
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| More and more French raiders are landing. |
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| A second building is set alight as the French raiders advance through the sand dunes. |
With the bells of Rye Church ringing to sound the alarm in the distance the peace of the English coastline was shattered. A party of French raiders disembarked expecting that the locals would flee rather than oppose them. A group of fishermen whose fishing boats had been driven ashore had hidden in the dunes ready to ambush the pursuing Frenchmen but the French Captain saw them and they were defeated in a brief fight in the dunes. A second group of fishermen had more luck forcing back the first unit of Frenchmen to come ashore with their bills and spears.
As more and more raiders landed their numbers began to tell. A small fishing hut on the shore was the first building to be set alight. As the French advanced through the dunes and into the fields outside Rye a farmhouse was the next building to be pillaged and put to the torch. With the locals unable to organise an effective defence it looked as if the French raiding party would sweep all before them and advance right up to the town gates.
As more and more raiders landed their numbers began to tell. A small fishing hut on the shore was the first building to be set alight. As the French advanced through the dunes and into the fields outside Rye a farmhouse was the next building to be pillaged and put to the torch. With the locals unable to organise an effective defence it looked as if the French raiding party would sweep all before them and advance right up to the town gates.
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| The raiding party advances on the gates of Rye. |
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| A unit of fishermen and local militia prepare to defend their homes. |
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| A bitter melee takes place in the fields outside the town. |
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| Supported by the town's archers the local billmen manage to drive a unit of French pike back... |
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| ...and they flee back to the boats under a rain of arrows. |
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| On the shore there are still many French raiders. |
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| As the French captain leads the charge towards the town gates two of his personal bodyguard are shot by a particularly talented archer! |
As the raiders penetrated deeper inland they were shot at by the local archers whose skill with the warbow began to tell. Many of the French crossbowmen were slain by arrows whilst the French pike were slowed by the archers before being driven back by units of local billmen. The French Captain was undaunted and led from the front. It looked like the Captain would march straight up to the town walls until two of his personal guards were killed by the skilled shooting of one particular fishermen!
Under a relentless hail of arrows and coming under attack from the local shire billmen in the dunes the French sounded the retreat and returned to their boats. Rye had looked like it would be easy pickings for them but the French had not counted on the skill of defenders who had put up a stiff fight and sent them fleeing back to their ships.
Under a relentless hail of arrows and coming under attack from the local shire billmen in the dunes the French sounded the retreat and returned to their boats. Rye had looked like it would be easy pickings for them but the French had not counted on the skill of defenders who had put up a stiff fight and sent them fleeing back to their ships.
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| On the shore more of the French are slain by the English militia and fishermen... |
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| ...the French captain realises the raid has failed and calls a retreat back to the ships. |
These were two closely fought and exciting games that really showed Stuart's new terrain to its fullest. They also gave me another excuse to get my ship back in action on the table. The special rules in the first game were a lot of fun and havoc was caused by the guns on the town walls and on the ship. Added to this were attacks launched by French units charging out of the buildings and English units storming the harbour. It was so close that although I halved the strength of Stuart's cavalry retinue before either of mine were halved we decided to continue the game to see what would happen next and in the following turn Stuart pushed both of my retinues over half strength. We have had a few games now where the French cavalry have swept all before them and this was another clear example of that. If they can get into an opponent's force without taking much damage they are very dangerous indeed. The second game was the opposite with my French raiding party being slowly picked apart by archers in the dunes.
Stuart's new building's allowed us to game around a fantastic representation of Boulogne and we are keen to try some different terrain set ups using them in the future. Of course after two hard fought and bloody raids we had to bring our fleets back to shore and refresh ourselves with a few ales as shown in the photo below!
Stuart's new building's allowed us to game around a fantastic representation of Boulogne and we are keen to try some different terrain set ups using them in the future. Of course after two hard fought and bloody raids we had to bring our fleets back to shore and refresh ourselves with a few ales as shown in the photo below!
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| The coastal raiders back on dry land and enjoying a few ales. |
