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Historical Battles
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Entries
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 M2TW_Falkirk.zip
The Battle of Falkirk (1298 AD) English vs. Scots
In the historical battle, Edward Longshanks stole a night march on Wallace's Scots and forced them to give battle. Wallace drew up his army on higher ground overlooking a small creek (Westquarter Burn) with the Callender Wood to his rear. The ground opposite his center was a wet mire. He deployed his men in four schiltrons, with archers and light troops between and his Noble cavalry held in reserve.
Longshank's army entered the field in column lead by three bodies of knights who impetuously charged. The lead unit became mired in the marshy ground, extricated itself, and then circled left while the second unit circled right to hit the Scottish left and right flanks respectively. The schiltrons held, but the Scot archers and light troops who could not evade the English knights were cut down. At this point, Wallace's Noble cavalry left the field; whether this was by treacherous arrangement with Longshanks, as an act of self preservation, or as a result of combat is not known.
Unable to make headway against the leveled pikes of the Scots schiltrons with his Knights, Longshanks moved forward his archers as well as his Irish mercenaries, who were apparently skilled at the throwing of stones. Several historical sources record that Longshank's subject Welsh longbow units refused to participate. The English and Irish missile troops were able, however, to inflict casualties and create confusion in the schiltrons, which the English Knights were eventually able to exploit. Finally, the schiltrons broke and the remnants of Wallace's army fled in a panicked rout, leaving the field to the English. Wallace somehow escaped and was not heard from for several years thereafter.
Edward I had fallen from his horse during the night march preceding the battle and broken/bruised several ribs. Thus, when Wallace's army fled, he was content to let them go and spent the next several days resting while his men raided the local villages and tracked down stragglers.
Win Conditions:
Scots - destroy or rout the English
English - destroy or rout the Scots
Either side is playable - you may re-deploy your forces prior to starting the battle. Same for all below. |
Category
Historical Battles
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