1639 – First Bishops’ War
Part 1 Background and Rules
The signing of the National Covenant (An Cùmhnant Nàiseanta) was an agreement signed by the people of Scotland in 1638 in opposition to the proposed reforms of the Church of Scotland (also known as The Kirk) by King Charles I. The king's efforts to impose changes on the church in the 1630s caused widespread protests across an already disaffected Scotland, leading to the organisation of committees to coordinate opposition to the king. Facing royal opposition to the movement, its leaders arranged the creation of the National Covenant, which was designed to bolster the movement by tapping into patriotic fervour and became widely adopted throughout most of Scotland.
The Covenant opposed changes to the Church of Scotland, and committed its signatories to stand together in the defence of the nation's religion. Charles saw this as an act of rebellion against his rule, leading to what became known as the Bishops’ Wars.
Aberdeenshire Monday 21st March 1639
Mr M___H____ is James Graham, 1st Earl of Montrose and he is leading a Covenanter force at Findon just south of Aberdeen. His force consists of 3 squadrons of cavalry, 7 regiments of infantry and a battery of artillery.
Prelude
Feb 14th: Local Covenanters formed a 800 strong meeting in Turriff under the Earls of Montrose and Kinghorn. The Royalist Marquis of Huntly attempted to occupy the town with supporters (mostly Gordons) but found the Covenanters in occupation of all inns and ale houses. There was an awkward silence as the two forces faced each other and then, not wishing to be churlish, the Covenanter Earl of Erroll offered the Marquis the use of his house 'to refresh himself' after which the Marquis took himself and the thoroughly peevish Gordons off back towards Huntly without a shot being fired or a sword being drawn. On having established a presence in the area you set off back down to Angus to raise more troops on orders from Edinburgh.
March 9th : Sir Alexander Gordon of Cluny arrived in Aberdeen on one of the King's yachts escorting a collier with 1000 pikes, 2000 muskets and other 'waurlike materials' aboard which would have undoubtedly have swung the local balance in the Royalist's favour if the promised troops had been with them, the local levies being 'through a long continued peace, ignorant of all militarye discipline' . However, such as they were the weapons were transported towards Huntly while some of the more ardent Royalist spirits took ship on the yacht going back south including sixty Aberdonians.
Since then Montrose had no further news from Aberdeen which was by then reckoned to be in Royalist hands.
ules
Movement -
Armies can travel 1 hex along roads every day. Cavalry units can travel 3 hexes on roads per day. Off road travel distance is halved (cavalry rounded down to 1 hex) Travels through woods are halved again.
Mountains are impassable as are rivers which can only be crossed where roads are shown passing over them or where the rivers go through towns.
Troops don’t march on Sundays.
Night marches are possible but at half speed. If a unit does a day march followed by a night march they have to have a day off 36 hours of the night march. eg Monday – day march- short break-night march-short break – day march (Tuesday) – rest day Wednesday.
Weather: dice each day D6 6-sunny 5-cloudy 4 foggy 3 light rain 2 heavy rain 1* very heavy rain plus mud
* movement halved as troops grumble mutinously and seek nearby shelter.
Occurrences -
Throw a D20 every fifth day for special events.
20 – Your local guide sends you astray and you take the wrong turn at the next junction on the next foggy/rainy day.
19 – Food runs out wait D4 days for supply train to catch up.
18 – Spring storm wait D4 days for roads to dry up
17 – Bridge down at next crossing D4 days to repair or you can choose to go another route.
16 – Cannon loses wheel throw 4 or over to repair immediately (options travel without cannon. It will catch up when you halt. Very probably) 1 on a D6 for cannoneers to get lost after repairs.
15 – Huge fight breaks out between two of your infantry units D6 – 4 and above to resolve before wasting an entire day in recriminations and disciplinary measures. (General to resolve dispute ingeniously)
14 – Waste a day in arguments between nobles and professional soldiers in HQ tent over military precedence.
(cue another judgement of Solomon from General)
13 – The Griping of the Gutts (dysentery) breaks out in D4 infantry regiments. (General decides to wait for D6 days or march on with what he has got - 1 on a D6 for infantry regts to get lost after recuperation)..
12 – Cavalry horses down with colic for D4 days. (General decides to wait or march on with what he has got - 1 on a D6 for cavalry to get lost after recuperation)
11 - D1 on a D10 for a green infantry regiment to desert (General to resolve)
10 – A force of Highlanders (Grants and MacPhersons) appear and join up motivated by local antipathy towards the oppressive Gordons
9 - Bungled assassination attempt on Montrose.
1 – 8 nothing happens.
Movement -
Armies can travel 1 hex along roads every day. Cavalry units can travel 3 hexes on roads per day. Off road travel distance is halved (cavalry rounded down to 1 hex) Travels through woods are halved again.
Mountains are impassable as are rivers which can only be crossed where roads are shown passing over them or where the rivers go through towns.
Troops don’t march on Sundays.
Night marches are possible but at half speed. If a unit does a day march followed by a night march they have to have a day off 36 hours of the night march. eg Monday – day march- short break-night march-short break – day march (Tuesday) – rest day Wednesday.
Weather: dice each day D6 6-sunny 5-cloudy 4 foggy 3 light rain 2 heavy rain 1* very heavy rain plus mud
* movement halved as troops grumble mutinously and seek nearby shelter.
Occurrences -
Throw a D20 every fifth day for special events.
20 – Your local guide sends you astray and you take the wrong turn at the next junction on the next foggy/rainy day.
19 – Food runs out wait D4 days for supply train to catch up.
18 – Spring storm wait D4 days for roads to dry up
17 – Bridge down at next crossing D4 days to repair or you can choose to go another route.
16 – Cannon loses wheel throw 4 or over to repair immediately (options travel without cannon. It will catch up when you halt. Very probably) 1 on a D6 for cannoneers to get lost after repairs.
15 – Huge fight breaks out between two of your infantry units D6 – 4 and above to resolve before wasting an entire day in recriminations and disciplinary measures. (General to resolve dispute ingeniously)
14 – Waste a day in arguments between nobles and professional soldiers in HQ tent over military precedence.
(cue another judgement of Solomon from General)
13 – The Griping of the Gutts (dysentery) breaks out in D4 infantry regiments. (General decides to wait for D6 days or march on with what he has got - 1 on a D6 for infantry regts to get lost after recuperation)..
12 – Cavalry horses down with colic for D4 days. (General decides to wait or march on with what he has got - 1 on a D6 for cavalry to get lost after recuperation)
11 - D1 on a D10 for a green infantry regiment to desert (General to resolve)
10 – A force of Highlanders (Grants and MacPhersons) appear and join up motivated by local antipathy towards the oppressive Gordons
9 - Bungled assassination attempt on Montrose.
1 – 8 nothing happens.
Battle of the Bridge of Dee June 4th 1639
The two armies face off across the river Dee. The Royalists are under Sir George Ogilvy of Banff and the Covenanters are led by James Graham, Earl of Montrose.
Overview of the battlefield just as the Royalists begin their retreat.
Battle of Kintore June 18th 1639
The Strathbogie regiment storms Kintore.
