The Battle of Fresnay 1420 AD - Narrative Battle Report (ToR)
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THE BATTLE OF FRESNAY 1420 AD
The Battle of Fresnay, 16th of March1420 AD, is the focus of my next report, fought between a Franco-Scottish host under the Count of Aumale and the English army led by the Earl of Salisbury. The scenario is drawn from the newly released Test of Resolve HYW battle book, and I’m using the ruleset to bring the clash to life. The English find themselves outside the walls of Fresnay, pressed between the French army advancing from the field and a Scottish garrison under Douglas poised to sally from the town. What unfolds is a tense and unpredictable fight, full of sudden shifts in fortune, morale swings, and unexpected events. Playing this with Test of Resolve proved especially exciting—every die roll and card draw brought new drama. For solo gamers, the unpredictability makes this scenario a real gem, delivering a fun, challenging, and thoroughly engaging battle.
NOTES:
1. Follow the BMP of both armies exactly as presented on the COA of their commanders. I had to redo some calculations after spotting a couple of mistakes, though fortunately these did not affect the outcome of the battle.
2. In the first melee, the French men-at-arms should not have received the +1 support modifier. A supporting unit must be in direct contact with the rear edge of the engaged unit, pressing their front ranks forward, in order to qualify.
3. The English should have committed their archers into melee instead of waiting for the Scots—who, in the end, never attacked.
Rules Mistakes & Strategy Omissions (will be updated) :
1. Wide Bow companies may only provide Isolation support to other Wide Bow companies. They do not provide such support to melee companies in mass formation, as I mistakenly applied. However, Bow companies in mass formation can provide Isolation support.”
2. A victorious unit is granted a free pivot in place. This means that if your army has extended flanks, the unit can turn immediately after combat and, on its next movement card, charge into the exposed enemy. In hindsight, I should have used this rule to exploit the English—and in some cases the French—extended flanks, turning a missed opportunity into a decisive advantage
3. One additional mistake I made in my Test of Resolve battle report was during the elimination of the Duke of Bedford’s company. As soon as the company was destroyed, I immediately recorded him as captured and awarded the French two morale points. In fact, the correct procedure requires the French player to roll a 5+ in order to capture a commander whose company is eliminated while in contact with the enemy. The capture is not automatic, and I overlooked this step.
4. Another mistake I made concerns companies that take an involuntary “turn tail.” For example, when rolling a natural 1 on a Resolve test, the company does not physically turn tail and retreat. Instead, the correct rule is that the company simply loses one additional Resolve point but does not move. I mistakenly treated this as a turn tail movement when it should not have been.
You can find more about the rules in the below links:
Test of Resolve website
https://testofresolve.com/?v=c12e01f2...
Test of Resolve FB page
/ 748158095970079
Video Soundtrack from MANOR LORDS Video game by Slavic Magic
Title : Magne Pater & The Peasants Cinematic
Chapters
0:00 Battle Historical Background - OOB, Deployment & Historical Outcome
4:17 Deployment Special Rules -Event Triggers
8:00 Battle
01:05:00 Conclusions
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