The Scots at Northallerton – Lion Rampant

 

I cannot recall ever seeing the Scots array at Northallerton on the table top. It has always interested me because of its diverse components.  George Shipway featured the battle in his lively novel Knight in Anarchy. In it he repeats an old Tudor lie but you cannot have everything.

When Steve Shaw of Feudal Castings released a suitable range of 15mm figures I was in like a flash.  These are they, arranged according to Lion Rampant v2.

Here are my Fearsome Warrior Galwegians.  One Chronicler credits the men of Galway as using long spears. I could have done that. However, a Mr Walsh devoted some serious time to researching Galwegian armament.  He concluded that it was Axes, Swords and Javelins for those warriors. Having read the evidence I’ve gone with that.  The Galwegians led the attack and broke the Anglo-Norman first line.  Others did less well. Northallerton was not a Scots victory.

As you can see the Galwegians are wearing a lot of black.  Black wool was common in Galway and it makes them stand out.  Here are the LRv2 Stat’s.  You can see they are an expensive unit.

The troop type is “Warriors”.

Models per unit	12	points	6
Attack	5+	Attack Value	3+
Move	6+	Defence Value	6+
Shoot	-	Shoot Value	-
Courage	4+	Maximum Move	8”
Armour	2	Special Rules	Flexible, Wild Charge, Counter Charge Against  Infantry, Fearsome.

In our period Normans had accrued to the Scots Throne. We need a unit of them too.  King David (Dauíd mac Maíl Choluim)  or his son Henry will be there. The Leader unit then. These Knights are from Gladiator, Josef Ochmann sculpts.  As 15mm ranges go the Gladiator Feudal range is rather special.  Get them while you can. Fighting 15s who retail them intends to retire in October '25.

Interestingly, some of those Normans were actually Bretons. They could converse easily enough with the Cumbrians. The root of both the Breton and Cumbric language being Brythonic.

The troop type is “Elite Cavalry”.

Models per unit	6	points	6
Attack	5+	Attack Value	3+
Move	7+	Defence Value	5+
Shoot	-	Shoot Value	-
Courage	3+	Maximum Move	10”
Armour	4	Special Rules	Wild Charge, Counter Charge

The bulk of the "Warband" is comprised of spearmen, long spears is the consensus. I think the Light Infantry LRv2 category suits them better than Heavy Infantry.

I'm using two variants, first a Veteran unit representing the Cumbrians. King David had fought and politicked his way to the throne. He was a Cumbrian. 

The troop type is “Light Infantry”.

Models per unit	12	points	5
Attack	6+	Attack Value	5+
Move	5+	Defence Value	4+
Shoot	6+	Shoot Value
Courage	4+	Maximum Move	8”
Armour	2	Special Rules	Wall of Spears

A similar unit but less enamoured with King David.

Models per unit	12	points	3
Attack	6+	Attack Value	5+
Move	5+	Defence Value	4+
Shoot	-	Shoot Value	-
Courage	4+	Maximum Move	8”
Armour	2	Special Rules	Wall of Spears

Our final two units are of Skirmishers.  They both look like this.

Models per unit	6	points	2
Attack	7+	Attack Value	6
Move	5+	Defence Value	4+
Shoot	7+	Shoot Value	5+/12 range
Courage	5+	Maximum Move	8”
Armour	1	Special Rules	Skirmish, Hard to Target, Evade, Fast

I have a variant of this "Warband" with Bloodthirsty Galwegians, one unit of Skirmishers and the Aggressive Skill for King David.

I already have the figures for other in period LRv2 Warbands.  We will see them as they come. I'll start with Bishop Thurstan's Anglo-Normans for Northallerton. There are some interesting choices to be made there.

For the future we will see North and South Welsh "Warbands" and the same for Moray and The Isles. Almost all comprised of Steve Shaw castings. I can also put together an Irish "Warband" with variants and a few more too.  

A little Later and I can do both sides at Otterburn also with Steve Shaw figures .

For me LRv2 is proving to be the catalyst for getting old collections back on the table top.