Pre Battle

Lieutenant Wesley Winthorpe leads an untried company of the 1st Foote through the small village of Cley, situated on the flat salt marsh coastland of East Anglia. His men are badly strung out; a sure sign of the Lieutenant`s inexperience.

Winthorpe stands casually loading his pipe and watches him men file past. A drummer keeps staccato beat on his drum, and in perfect time with the steady stomp of many unison marching feet.

A peaceful, sleepy little village.

Ominously awakened by the intrusion of so many armed and armoured soldiers

The rattle of wheels as the cannon rolls past... wakes a baby where she lies sleeping in her cot, and the dimpsy early evening calm is broken by a flock of startled birds taking sudden flight.

An ambush now would catch Lieutenant Winthorpe`s fresh Company totally unprepared to put up any semblance of a prepared fight.

(I make a few pre-game dice checks to see whether these raw troops will be caught strung out by their enemy; waiting in the woodlands ahead)

Neither sides... for now... seems aware of the imminent presence of the other.

Romance blooms between the smartly uniformed drummer and Ma Boyle, as they chance upon one another on the road. Ma fiddles with her her bucket carrying rod...blushing slightly at this hansome man`s confident advances.

Yet now, the marauding Hobgoblins and fierce Dwimlin gathering among the trees, are made aware an armed and dangerous enemy is very close by. They are startled, barely awake from their daylight slumber... and they prepare to fight.

Suddenly! The Soldiers marching through the village are made aware of their immediate danger when a veteran sergeant at arms sounds the alarm. All at once, the villlage is a hive of activity as men prepare a hurried defence at the far side of the village.

The pack mules are gathered into a field and calmed. The cannon is quickly set up in an adjacent field.

Ma Boyle, her son and daughter (Thomas and Flo) take up positions along the hedge line of their cottage - prepared to defend their home if needs be.

A reserve of muskets is placed to the rear of the infantry line, close to the hedge where the Boyle family take up their own defensive line.

The Lieutenant barks orders to his men.

The Hobgoblins form up at the edge of the woods.