Initially, the French had a much larger and more professional force, and were fighting a smaller force of largely irregular troops – quite different to the usual HYW scenario. Wargaming this campaign creates some challenging strategic decisions, and highlights the importance of a well-placed castle. The location at Carisbrooke is really critical as the key to the whole island. We played this out as an online Kriegspiel during the Covid-19 lockdown period, but you could use it as the basis for a matrix game, or a map-based setting for a series of interlinked campaign tabletop figure games.
THE FRANCO-CASTILIAN SITUATION
While sailing close to the Solent, a large storm has forced you to take shelter north of the Isle of Wight. The island should be raided and captured if possible and then used as a base to launch attacks against the English ports nearby. You will need to set sail back to France to rendezvous with the Earl of Burgundy within two weeks.
Don Fernando Sanchez de Tovar – You are a Castilian admiral with 24 galleys plus a few smaller support craft. On these galleys you have 1200 men and 250 horse, a mixture of nobles and men-at-arms and their retainers, along with a large number of brigands, mercenaries, sailors, and soldiers. You are supported by a French fleet of twelve ships led by Jean de Vienne.
You are Jean de Vienne, a French nobleman. You have been ordered to raid and plunder the South Coast of England and
