The Battle of Edgehill, October 1642

Neil Smith wrote a fantastic article about the Battle of Edgehill for the English Civil War theme in Wargames Illustrated #269. As far as I'm concerned, it's the most iconic encounter of the conflict because it's the first major engagement that comes to my mind when I think of the Civil War. For all the pike- and musket-armed infantry mustered for the showdown, the cavalry of both sides really stole the show. Of course, this is even more so with the Royalist hero Prince Rupert, whose cavalry delivered the first stunning blow to the Parliamentarians. Ultimately,the battle did not result in a decisive victory for either army.

The wargame scenario challenges players to achieve a conclusive victory, but cautions them to keep their forces alive and in good order if they cannot. The command decision for each player forces them to play aggressively or play it safe; either way is a gamble.

The article used several photographs of Baccus 6mm English Civil War figures in action on the tabletop. I must say, these miniatures have tempted me for a long time. They have character and really make a formation look big. The article also mentioned a new edition of their Polemos ECW rules will be released in the near future.

Pictured at top right are models of Prince Rupert, King Charles, and the Early of Lindsay in the figure set Eve of Edgehill. It is a Wargames Illustrated exclusive, from their Moments in History range.