Kilrush ~ 15 April 1642

[paulr]

Our local club, Hutt Miniature Wargames Club, held their annual convention ValleyCon a couple of weekends ago. As usual we put on a couple of demonstration games. On Saturday we played the Aludearn scenario from our book, Montrose – To win or lose it all, that was published by To the Strongest earlier this year. We used the For King & Parliament rules by To the Strongest with our Celtic Fringe extra rules. Almost all the figures are 10mm Pendraken. On Sunday we tested the Kilrush scenario for our upcoming Irish book.

Kilrush
This scenario sees the Irish from the Leinster and Munster armies attempting to block the return of the Earl of Ormonde's Anglo-Irish army to Dublin. Ormonde's army is encumbered by a train carrying sick, wounded, and liberated civilians back to Dublin referred to as impedimenta by the scenario.

Ormonde decided to attempt to move his impedimenta along the road while holding the Irish at bay with his army. While risky this appeared a better choice than attacking uphill into the larger Irish army and it was the option we had decided to test. Below both armies are arrayed for battle, the Irish closer to the camera.


Ormonde brought the first unit of impedimenta on the road in the center of the western table edge heading for the northern end of the road. Coote was ordered to take command of the Van foot and artillery and hold the hedge. Ormonde took personal command of the rear foot and awaited developments. Both Grenville's horse & Lucas' cuirassiers and dragoons began redeploying to the Anglo-Irish left to cover the road.

On the Irish right O'Byrne advanced his rabble towards the wood, aiming to block the road and capture the Anglo-Irish impedimenta. O'More took personal command of the pike and advanced to cover O'Byrne's flank. Harpole's horse moved to the right. Montgarret took personal command of the horse of the Irish left and prepared to move them to the Irish right. Cavanaugh also moved his rabble and pike to the right.


Lucas's cuirassiers struggled to find a crossing over the Feneure Headwaters (drew a one) while Grenville's horse closed up behind them. Ormonde's foot joined Coote's on the hedge line.

Montgarret began the slow process of deploying the horse through the marsh to the Irish right. Ikerrin joined Cavanaugh's line of foot on Kilrush Hill. O'Byrne and O'More pressed forward. Harpole's horse crossed the Feneure Headwaters to cover O'More's flank.


Lucas's cuirassiers crossed the Feneure Headwaters and engaged one squadron of Irish horse. Ormonde began moving his foot to the left to their support. Grenville's horse were the only troops available so had to enter the woods to shield the impedimenta from the Irish who had already reached the road. The impedimenta were halted until the road could be cleared. Coote advanced his foot to the base of Kilrush Hill aiming to pin the Irish foot while he continued his artillery bombardment.

O'Byrne's rabble had reached the woods and prepared to block the road. O'More's pike turned to their left to contain the Anglo-Irish cuirassiers. With no muskets they were unable to support the brave charge of one squadron of Harpole's horse. Ikerrin and Cavanaugh were unwilling to move their foot further to their right in the face of Coote's advance. Montgarret's horse were at last out of the marsh.


Grenville's horse consolidated their position in the wood but were unable to make much impression on the Irish rabble to their front. Lucas was constrained by the Feneure Headwaters and the Irish horse and pike. Ormonde pushed a batallia across the Feneure Headwaters and moved his foot towards the Anglo-Irish left. With the road firmly blocked Coote attacked the Irish on Kilrush Hill with little success.

Both Ikerrin and Cavanaugh's foot counterattacked the Anglo-Irish on Kilrush hill destroying their central battalia and the enemy artillery fire slackened as they ran out of ammunition. Montgarret's leading troop of horse reached the Feneure Headwaters but the second was delayed. O'More's pike linked up with O'Byrne's leading rabble in the wood forming a firm flank. One squadron of Harpole's horse was fighting hard against the Anglo-Irish cuirassiers and under fire from dragoons on their flank. The other squadron decided to withdraw in front of the advancing Anglo-Irish foot rather than risk being shot up.


Grenville's horse advanced in the wood and managed to destroy one of the Irish rabble to their front. Lucas was still constrained by the Feneure Headwaters and the Irish horse and pike. Ormonde's batallia that had crossed the Feneure Headwaters was destroyed.

With one unit destroyed the small Irish force from Bull Hill was now close to breaking. O'More and O'Byrne began consolidating their position while still threatening the road. Fighting continued on Kilrush Hill.


Grenville's horse advanced further in the wood. Ormonde's advanced two battalias and in combination with Lucas' dragoons destroyed one squadron of Harpole's horse. Coote withdrew his left battalia while his right battalia finally managed to overcome the Irish forlorn hope.

One of O'More's units of pike formed hedgehog to secure the corner of the position while his other pike and O'Byrne's remaining rabble formed up threatening the road. Harpole and Montgarret's horse moved to extend the line facing the Feneure Headwaters. Cavanaugh's foot pressed the withdrawing Anglo-Irish battalia. Ikerrin's pike again failed to advance.


Lucas's cuirassiers advanced to threaten the flank of the Irish pike allowing room for his second squadron to finally cross the Feneure Headwaters. Ormonde started to redeploy his foot to meet the Irish advance off Kilrush Hill. Coote turned his right battalia to advance along Kilrush Hill into the Irish flank. The Irish made little progress (a number of ones were drawn).


The Anglo-Irish made little progress (a number of ones were drawn). Ikerrin's pike finally managed to advance but the Anglo-Irish artillery they attacked managed to hold their own. Cavanaugh's pike were more successful destroying an Anglo-Irish batallia. Montgarret joined his lagging troop of horse and maneuvered them to threaten the rear of another Anglo-Irish battalia. Harpole's horse grabbed the opportunity to attack Lucas' dismounted dragoons. O'More and O'Byrne's units withdrew slightly from the road to protect their flanks from the Anglo-Irish cuirassiers.


Coote's remaining battalia advanced onto the flank of the Irish rabble on Kilrush Hill. Ormonde moved his remaining battalias up to line the hedge and counter the Irish pike. Lucas turned his cuirassiers to counter the Irish horse that were attacking his dragoons. Grenville managed to redeploy one of his squadrons of horse ready to advance out of the wood. The Anglo-Irish also felt confident enough to resume the advance of their impedimenta.

Ikerrin's pike failed against the tougher Anglo-Irish battalia and Cavanaugh's rabble on Kilrush Hill failed to respond to the challenge looming on their flank. Montgarret' horse destroyed the battalia from the rear. Harpole's horse counterattacked the cuirassiers with little impact.


Coote's remaining battalia attacked the flank of the Irish rabble on Kilrush Hill causing some disorder and casualties. Ormonde's battalias fought across the hedge with the Irish pike. Lucas' cuirassiers destroyed the Irish horse. Grenville advanced both his squadrons of horse out of the wood, delaying the advance of the impedimenta, but driving back the Irish rabble.

Ikerrin's pike battled the Anglo-Irish battalia and Cavanaugh's rabble on Kilrush Hill again failed to respond to the challenge on their flank. Montgarret' horse unsuccessfully attacked the dragoons across the hedge. O'Byrne's rabble withdrew rather than face horse in the open. O'More's second unit of pike failed to form hedgehog.


Grenville's horse charged the Irish rabble and pike to their front inflicting some disorder and casualties. One of Lucas' cuirassier squadrons charge the disordered hedgehog of Irish pikes, the other set off in pursuit of Harpole's fleeing horse. Ormonde's battalias continued to inflict casualties on the Irish pike. Coote's battalia destroyed the Irish rabble on Kilrush hill breaking their left wing and the Irish army.


Another really challenging and thought-provoking scenario that was enjoyed by both players.

The Irish were originally planning to win by capturing the impedimenta or at least blocking them and forcing the Anglo-Irish to attack them to win. Once the Anglo-Irish horse and cuirassiers had begun to open the road the Irish had no choice but to break the Anglo-Irish army before the impedimenta could exit to the north. They nearly managed it but the lack of maneuverability of Ikerrin and Cavanaugh's foot meant opportunities were missed.

Definitely a successful test of this scenario for our Irish book.

[d_Guy]

Thanks for the report, PaulR. Looks great played in 10mm on a large table.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Looks fab

[Techno 3]

Certainly does !

[Deedles]

Great report

[Keraunos]

An interesting battle.  Yet another I knew nothing of before now.  Thanks for the report.

[pierre the shy]

An interesting battle.  Yet another I knew nothing of before now.  Thanks for the report.

We've still got several other Irish scenarios to playtest. When I have time I will post a batrep about our latest game that we played recently.