Pike and Shot: Campaigns 1494-1698

-

Erm, 1494-1698? Surely the wrong dates for the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, I hear you ask. You'd be correct. 'Pike and Shot: Campaigns 1494-1698' is the title of a computer game that, amongst other things, covers the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.


Produced by Slitherine, one of the co-producers of the Field of Glory stable of miniatures rules, they appear to have shifted completely to their computer game business, leaving the FoG miniatures rules for others to pursue in the process.

Field of Glory lives on with Slitherine, but in a different guise - with a whole raft of computer game titles and variants.

Slitherine offer two games that cover the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, this one is very reminiscent of real time strategy games such as Dune 2, and Age of Empires. However, rather than everything happening all at once there are game phases, very reminiscent of FoG:R. This very definitely feels, and plays like a computerised miniatures game.

The game package covers the Thirty Wars Year, The Turkish Campaign, and the Wars of the Three Kingdoms (albeit centred upon the English Civil War bit), the Italian Wars, Le Roi Soleil, and 'Tercio to Salvo'.

There is a learning campaign, that if you are new to the game, I strongly recommend you play. The games gives you tips and hints, as you learn to move and fire.

My Parliamentarian horse movement options

When you start a campaign, you are given the choice as to which side you play, and which degree of difficulty you would like to choose (there are five degrees of difficulty, I'm hopeless at level 1, so I dread to think what level 5 is like). A map is generated that gives you options to pick as your focus for battle. You can deploy the troops yourself, or have the computer do it for you.

The Royalist Army I have to face

The game plays as IGOUGO, with turns subdivided into movement, residual shooting, followed by shooting and melee. Shooting produces animated powder smoke. Hits show up as red numerals on units as they take fire. Right clicking a unit will show you their stats.

Objectives are not 'wipe out the enemy' they are usually rout a percentage of the enemies forces. When a unit routs they may rally if they pass close to a friendly unit, otherwise they will almost certainly leave the field. A word of warning, your cavalry will probably chase routing troops from the field and follow them in pursuit.

The Introduction to the Stratton scenario

There are also a number of historical battles tucked away in the menus; the ECW battles covered are:

  • Stratton
  • Adwalton Moor
  • Edgehill
  • Storming of Bristol
  • Nantwich
  • Cheriton
  • Marston Moor
  • Lostwithiel
  • Second Newbury
  • Naseby
Should you be brave and competent enough, you can always go online and pit your skills against others, or even set up a multiplayer game with your friends. Or if you are completely hopeless (like me), you can of course just play against your computer.

I really like this game, although I do find it a bit difficult (in that I expect unit control to be more like Age of Empires, but I'm sure I'll get over this). Highly recommended if you fancy a 'wargame' without an opponent, setting everything up, and tidying away afterwards.

Available here, but be warned keep an eye on the price as it fluctuates wildly. Currently listed at full price of £33.99, I bought it when it was on offer at £8.99. Available as a download, or as a boxed game on CDROM direct from Slitherine (it is also available on CDROM from Caliver Books, who list in their Pike and Shot rules section).


If you enjoyed reading this, or any of the other posts, please consider supporting the blog. 
Thanks.

Comments

  1. Dex McHenry20 May 2024 at 09:00

    I've had this for a couple of years now. You are right that it's a quick and easy activity in the absence of an opponent. I quite like the campaign option, even if it invariably is the biggest side winning!
    (If I've seemed away for a while, it's nowt personal. I've had some software issues being able to comment on Blogger which, evidently, I think I have resolved now)!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Radar20 May 2024 at 16:51

      A much more enjoyable way of spending a couple of hours than falling down a social media hole.

      And good to hear that you have resolved your blogger issues.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Warlord Pike and Shotte Epic Battles: the infantry sprue

-
Image
Firstly a big thank you to Warlord Games who sent me a sprue of their new Pike and Shotte Epic Battles infantry. (You can see how I got on with the cavalry sprue here. ) I will try and look at these figures from three different angles: the first impression of someone completely new to the period, the button counter’s standpoint, and then from a seasoned wargamer’s point of view. In all cases I'm looking at these through Wars of the Three Kingdoms spectacles. (Wars of the Three Kingdoms is a more accurate name for the conflicts that were fought in the British Isles in the mid seventeenth century. The English Civil War was just one of these conflicts.) The obligatory next to a ruler picture (the ruler is lined up with the soles of their footwear) The 'new to the period' view This one sprue provides enough figures for one unit (a Regiment of Foot or RoF). Figures look very detailed, moulding is clean and crisp with no flash and only minimal mould lines. The pikes look a bit d
Read more

So You Want To Know About The Army of the Earl of Essex?

-
Image
The start of a new 'series' of posts helping those who want to build a specific army that fought during the Wars of The Three Kingdoms. Consider them recommended reading... The Earl of Essex commanded Parliament's main field army - Parliament also had regional armies (the Associations) who were responsible for protecting their 'area', they could also be called upon to support Essex when on campaign near their area. Thanks to scrupulous records being kept and more importantly, surviving (!); not to mention some diligent researchers, who have spent many hours in archive rooms and libraries, we have the most complete record of any of the armies that took to the fields. A good place to start would be with a commentary of Essex's campaigns. You'll be needing "Hey For Old Robin" by Scott and Turton (Helion Books). Now that your interest is growing, you will want to know all about the Regiments of Foot that made up Essex's army. That'll be the re
Read more

Coat Colours Part 1: Parliamentarian Regiments of Foot

-
Image
When I first started my Civil War gaming project I relied upon the many ECW coat colour tables on wargaming websites. As my project has progressed, my library has got bigger, my research has gone back to primary sources rather than relying upon second and third hand sources; and I have noticed quite a few errors in these lists for wargamers. I have also noticed the same errors appearing in multiple lists.     As a result of continually seeing 'the London Trained Bands and their Auxiliaries wore red coats' (there is no evidence supporting this at all, the evidence, whilst not explicit suggests that the London Trained Bands wore civilian clothes - some of the Auxiliaries might have been issued with blue winter coats) I decided to write my own list.  So here it is. If your allegiance lies elsewhere you might want to look at  Introduction   Part 2  Royalist coat colours Part 3  Scots coat colours Part 3B  Montrose and the Irish Brigade Pa
Read more

So You Want To Know About The New Model Army?

-
Image
The second instalment in what could be a very one sided, short lived series. But first we need to talk about the term 'New Model Army'. 'Tis nought but a Victorian affectation (courtesy Thomas Carlyle in 1845). The New Model Army was not called that in the C17th, you know... when it actually existed. It was technically, just 'the army', but was described as 'the army, newly modelled' or the '' newly modelled' army' so as to distinguish it from Parliament's previous field army (the Earl of Essex's Army), and the fact that they had a new structure.  Now we can move on. Although I will type NMA, as it is much quicker. My 1940 edition ex-Nottingham Reference Library copies. Wondering why it says Firth and Davies as authors? Godfrey Davies assisted and checked Firth's research  When looking at the NMA our first port of call has to be with the venerable Sir Charles H Firth. His 1902 two volume work "Regimental History of Cromwell&#
Read more

Which Figures? Part 2b: True 15mm/Epic Compatibility - Foot

-
Image
My original Which Figures posts have grown exponentially, so much so that I decided to revise the information. For the full picture see:- Which Figures?   - the original post, where I ruminate about what I want from figures, and what led me to choose Peter Pig Which Figures? What is Available   - the state of play with current 'ECW' 15mm figure ranges; a continually updating look at what figures are available, and what is included/missing from ranges. Which Figures? Part 2a: Size Matters: Foot   - I take a look at what is available in 15/18mm and show side by side comparisons  Coming Soon Which Figures? Part 2b: True 15mm/Epic Compatibility: Foot   - a more in depth look at smaller 15mm compatibility Which Figures? Part 3a: Size Matters: Horses   - I take a look at what is available in 15/18mm and show side by side comparisons Which Figures? Part 3b: True 15mm/Epic Compatibility: Horses   - a more in depth look at smaller 15mm compatibility I had a little rummage in my spares b
Read more

Coat Colours Part 2: Royalist Regiments of Foot

-
Image
Continuing my therapeutic blogging (write rather than rant) antidote to incorrect English Civil War coat colour tables for wargamers, I give you the Royalist Regiments of Foot. For all of my coat colour articles see: Introduction   Part 1  Parliamentarian coat colours Part 3  Scots coat colours Part 3B  Montrose and the Irish Brigade Part 4  Dragoons, Horse and the New Model Army coat colours The Trained Bands London Trained Bands Auxiliary regiments Scarves   Same rules apply here, as they did with the Parliamentarian coat colours: Regiments often got renamed when command passed to a new colonel - these regiments are listed under their first name e.g. Jacob Astley's Regiment was originally Richard Fielding's Regiment. Coat colour notes refer to contemporaneous references and some of the deductions made by Reid, Spring,  Peachey and Prince. You will also notice that some regiments have several coat colours listed. Where there is some question around a coat colour I have t
Read more

Soldiers' Clothing of the Early 17th Century

-
Image
The latest tome from Helion focuses on an issue that is right up there in the list of favourite topics at Château KeepYourPowderDry. Occasionally Helion send me books to review, for clarity I bought my copy. I might not be the intended audience for this book, as I know a little bit about the subject, and my bookshelves groan with the weight of Civil War books. But I bought it none the less. Laurence Spring is one of those Civil War historians/researchers whose books will always make me sit up and take notice.  This volume, unsurprisingly, takes a long hard look at clothing issues to soldiers both in Britain and also on the continent. I'm going to be honest, I've not read the 30YW chapters (plus I feel unqualified to comment upon their accuracy), but I have read the 'British' chapters four times. Yes, four. I'm that sad. On the subject of my copy being well thumbed, the cover is, somewhat disappointingly, already delaminating. Not good. This book is chock-full of acc
Read more

Prison Wagon

-
Image
I've watched enough nonsense on the telly box to know that every historical/supernatural setting requires a prison wagon (effectively a cage on wheels) in which the good people round up witches/monsters, or alternatively the evil henchmen (who are all, almost certainly, called Igor) round up innocent civilians to aid their master's fiendish plans. (delete as appropriate). In fact, spurred on by a regular reader (hello), and their questions about Witchfinder General they asked me where my prison wagon was. Well, as I didn't have on, nor any excuse to not have one, I was spurred into action. I decided to utilise the chassis of Donnington Miniatures' CB14 Open 4 Wheel Wagon. The wagon comes as a kit, flat bed, separate sides and baggage. I ditched the sides, and will utilise the baggage elsewhere. Four Museum Miniatures' draught horses from my spares box will pull the cart. But how to fabricate the 'cage'? A few test pieces proved that I could utilise matches a
Read more

Flags and Colours Part 3: Media

-
Image
Part three of the KeepYourPowderDry guide to Civil War flags and colours looks at where we can see illustrated examples of Civil War flags, and also where we can get some for our armies. But first a plea to editors, authors and publishers of future volumes concerning flags of the Civil Wars: please push the boat out with your production values - books of flags need colour illustrations! First off we have to consider the three volume series English Civil War Flags and Colours from Partizan: Volume 1 covers the English Foot, Volume 2 Scots Colours, and Volume 3 the Bill Carmen collection. These volumes state the primary source material for the flag designs illustrated. Volume 1 was written by Peachey and Prince who intended to write a second volume (they make several references to it in the text of Volume 1) but it never made its way into print.  The latest reprint of Volume 1, earlier versions have a different cover Volume 1 has an absolute wealth of information inside inclu
Read more

Novelty and Change

-
Image
The weather is rubbish: it doesn't feel right painting in the summer, but it is much too cold and wet to go on a big ECWtravelogue day out... so expect rather a lot of book related posts of the coming weeks. Helion curate a number of regular conferences linked to their extensive book series. I was lucky to attend the most recent Century of the Soldier conference as a guest of series editor Charles Singleton. The lectures given by the speakers are collated and published  by Helion with the subtitle of "Proceedings of the... Helion and Company 'Century of the Soldier' Conference". I must be clear and point out that Helion sent me this copy for review. So, what is this? A nice souvenir for everyone who attended? Or the 'handouts' for everyone who couldn't be bothered taking notes? If you didn't attend, is it worth splashing the cash? Clearly, at a very facetious level it is both a nice souvenir, and the 'handouts' from the lectures, for those
Read more