1455 - The Castle Inn

The first Scenario in 'A Crown of Paper' (ACOP) is the 1455 scenario of 'The Castle Inn' which features York up in Yorkshire (naturally) while Henry VI plus his councillors (including Somerset) are in London, preparing to march in a royal procession to Leicester in the East Midlands. The scenario is unchanged from the historical one as nothing has happened yet in my re-fight. York and his supporters have gathered, and must block the royal progress before it reaches it’s destination!

It all progresses fairly swiftly as York heads south on a directly blocking path, rather than dally around with gathering reinforcements. He reaches Leicester himself within a few days, precluding any hope that the king will get there before he can intercept. The slow-paced march by the Council & retainers reaches Northampton on the northwards march, until the heralds bring in news - York is in the vicinity with an army of retainers and supporters! Before they have a chance to gather their own support across the Midlands however, York moves first.

York makes a slight sideways detour westwards to Coventry, allowing the Earl of Warwick to gather some supporters there - sadly not as many as he hoped, with some even having the temerity to send nothing but excuses! (Does nobody have the nerve to attack the god-ordained king?) Still, when York’s army turned east and intercepted the Royal force on the road to Leicester, he had a comfortable numerical edge.

A quick scan of Google Maps and Wikipedia led me to pick Lutterworth as a decent-sounding town between Northampton and Leicester, which would have been as likely as anywhere for the confrontation. The forces present for the first tip over the abyss into armed rebellion are:

YORKISTS

Duke of York 960 Retinue & Well-wishers

Earl of March 780 Retinue & Well-wishers

(Note - York’s son Edward, the Earl of March is 13 years old at present, and his retinue will be led by a suitable captain of his father.)

Earl of Warwick 1320 Retinue & Well-wishers

Baron Clinton 240 Retinue

Earl of Salisbury 900 Retinue & Well-wishers

Total of 4200 men

LANCASTRIANS

(King Henry VI Present)

Duke of Somerset 420 Retinue

Duke of Buckingham 360 Retinue

Earl of Northumberland 480 Retinue

Earl of Pembroke 360 Retinue

Earl of Wiltshire 360 Retinue

Earl of Devon 360 Retinue

Lord Clifford 420 Retinue

Baron Egremont 180 Retinue

Total of 2940 men