Rules for a ‘what-if’ Spanish Invasion of 1588?

[v_lazy_dragon]

Hello All,
I’ve been toying with a ‘what-if’ game - What if the Spanish armada had made landfall and a full scale battle for England had begun in 1588.
I was wondering on rules suggestions for large skrimish/small army size games. I’m probably looking at 50-100 figures a side... But I haven’t honestly thought about it in much detail yet!

Current options are Donnybrook, with a few teaks (love it, may be a bit small for some of the actions) and Pikemans Lament (/Pikemans’ Rampent, a modification on the facebook group for 1500s warfare). I have toyed wit the idea of simply putting multiple figures on a base  Dalauppor ‘fort mosquito’ style. So whilst the rules specify 12 ‘bases’ to a unit, therem ight be say 25 figures in total... But my Inner skirmish game is a little hesitant at the idea...

Are there any other rules for the Wars of Religion Period that might be suitable?

[Lowtardog]

Check out Sharp practice, they have a list for just such a case. Whiskey Priest has a great blog on the subject and in similar vein yo your thoughts

[TheBlackCrane]

This is exactly what I've been working towards with my Khurasan 15mm C16th, planning to use the excellent Irregular Wars rules for small scale raid and skirmish, and adapt Sword and Spear for bigger battles.

Granted a different scale, but might be worth investigating Irregular Wars and seeing if you could adapt them, really good ruleset (Vexillia sell them).

Almost finished my English, need to finish the Spanish and a variety of European 'volunteers', plus if I can develop soem sort of campaign then the a foray into Ireland too (for which I also have painting on the go)

Really fascinating period.

Thought I didn't know Sharp Practice has a list, be interesting to look at.

[whiskey priest]

My ears were burning. LowTarDog is right, I've used a Sharp Practice variant called Sharply Buffed that TooFatLardies put out on one of their specials (i think it was summer 17).
Heres a link to my blog with various posts about my doings.
https://theleadpile.blogspot.com/search/label/Sharply%20Buffed
I'm more than happy to chat about how I've got on.

[v_lazy_dragon]

Thanks Chaps - I'll take a look at Sharp Practice and Irregular Wars then
(And will explore WhiskeyPriests blog!)

[levied troop]

I had a go at this last year, using a Lion Rampant/Pikemen’s Lament mash-up (see bottom page 2):
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=7t90jblv26re40vk8t9gtg8so1&topic=93251.15

It worked well (and I’d quite like to test a Sharply Buffed variant) and I must get back into it - and fix the PhotoFukkit blackmail issue

[v_lazy_dragon]

I had a go at this last year, using a Lion Rampant/Pikemen’s Lament mash-up

Is that on the Pikemans Lament Facebook group as Pikeman Rampant? If so, I have a copy to try

[levied troop]

No, it’s a mash-up from some amendments Stuart on the Army Royal blog sent me and a couple of minor changes I made myself. If you are interested PM me an email address and I’ll forward them.

[Baron von Wreckedoften]

In terms of troop types, it is maybe worth noting that the Spanish army embarked aboard the Armada was very "infantry heavy" (c.30,000, plus another 18,000 aboard the ships to prosecute the Spanish naval tactics of the day, which was essentially close and board) and the only cavalry was the light variety (just under 2,000).  As such, the Armada army - if it had landed - would have had enormous difficulty moving anywhere, as its meagre cavalry screen would have been overwhelmed by the masses of demi-lancers and Border Horse deployed against them. 

[levied troop]

Maybe.
But  . the main Elizabethan Army with Demi-lancers was based at Tilbury. Given an initial Armada landing anywhere along the south coast from Cornwall to Kent then the mounted troops available to either side are only light cavalry and in small numbers. 

The Tilbury command has to be notified of the landing and then decide whether to march to oppose or await the Duke of Parma’s full force which the Armada was due to pick up after an initial landing. Indeed one of the plans discussed on the Armada ships was precisely the small disruptive landing with the aim of creating sufficient confusion and destruction to tempt the Tilbury army into a premature march.

There’s plenty of scope for smaller engagements along the lines of VLD’s 100 figures per side plans.

[TheBlackCrane]

Some suggestions also that the Armada could landed on the Isle of Wight and used that as a staging post. Not forgetting also at other times Spanish landings in Cornwall (as raids, not full blown invasions) so as LT says above plenty of scope for small actions and other areas of the south coast. It's one of the things which makes a 1588 campaign so interesting.

[huevans]

In terms of troop types, it is maybe worth noting that the Spanish army embarked aboard the Armada was very "infantry heavy" (c.30,000, plus another 18,000 aboard the ships to prosecute the Spanish naval tactics of the day, which was essentially close and board) and the only cavalry was the light variety (just under 2,000).  As such, the Armada army - if it had landed - would have had enormous difficulty moving anywhere, as its meagre cavalry screen would have been overwhelmed by the masses of demi-lancers and Border Horse deployed against them.

OTOH, Parma's veterans against various motley trained bands would have been a massacre. The Spanish would have won every pitched battle and casualties would have been ridiculously unbalanced.