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+

Quickstart ...............................................................................2

+

Solitaire and Team Play

+

.........................................................2

+

On Strategy

+

.............................................................................3

+

Examples of Play ....................................................................5

+

Levy

+

.......................................................................................5

+

Levying a Lord ......................................................................8

+

Campaign

+

...............................................................................9

+

Battle

+

....................................................................................11

+

Sailing

+

..................................................................................14

+

Feed and Pillage ..................................................................14

+

Exile

+

.....................................................................................15

+

End Campaign .....................................................................15

+

Campaign History

+

................................................................16

+

Lord and Vassal Histories ...................................................23

+

The Lancastrians

+

..................................................................23

+

The Yorkists

+

.........................................................................27

+

The Kingmaker

+

....................................................................29

+

Prominent Houses

+

................................................................30

+

Arts of War – Notes

+

..............................................................31

+

Yorkist Events

+

......................................................................31

+

Yorkist Capabilities .............................................................36

+

Lancastrian Events

+

...............................................................42

+

Lancastrian Capabilities ......................................................46

+

Design Notes .........................................................................51

+

Selected Sources ...................................................................52

+

Credits ...................................................................................53

+

House of Lancaster.

+

..............................................................54

+

House of York .......................................................................55

+

Arts of War – List

+

.................................................................56

+

TABLE OF CONTENTS

+

Levy & Campaign Series - Volume IV

+

Background Book

+

© 2023 GMT Games LLC

+

P.O. Box 1308, Hanford, CA 93232

+

www.GMTGames.com

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

2

+

Quickstart

+

START HERE if you are new to this game series! The Levy &

+

Campaign system can be daunting to learn because it is hard to

+

decide on selections during Levy before seeing at least once how

+

a subsequent Campaign might unfold. Below you can set up a

+

one-and-a-half turn scenario that makes initial Levy and Plan de-

+

cisions for you, then offers thoughts on Campaign strategy, so you

+

can jump right into Commanding your armies.

+

King Henry, 1459

+

Scenario Ia – Campaign/Levy/Campaign

+

Prepare

+

Follow sections 2.1 and 6.0 of the Rules of Play booklet to set

+

up Scenario Ia, Henry VI, 1459-1461, as shown on pages 20-21.

+

Then adjust the setup as follows, representing the first Levy (3.0)

+

and Plan (4.1). NOTE: If two players, DO NOT READ the other

+

side’s shaded sections below, as players would not know each oth-

+

er’s cards and strategies.

+

LORD MATS:

+

• At York’s mat, add card Y5 Thomas Bourchier.

+

• At March’s mat, add Y20 York’s Favoured Son.

+

• At Henry VI’s mat, add L15 King’s Parley.

+

• At Somerset’s mat, add L18 Council Member.

+

GAME BOARD:

+

• Place a Yorkist (white rose) Favour marker at Cambridge and

+

another at Hereford.

+

• Place a Lancastrian (red rose) Favour marker at St Albans and

+

another at Oxford.

+

• Slide the “IP” Influence marker on the Influence Track to box

+

“3” on its Lancastrian (red) side.

+

Next, each side creates Plan stacks of Command cards as follows

+

(4.1).

+

YORKIST PLAN: Stack facedown, top to bottom, York-York-

+

March-York.

+

LANCASTRIAN PLAN: Stack facedown, top to bottom,

+

Somerset-Somerset-Henry VI-Somerset.

+

Strategize

+

YORKIST STRATEGY: Yorkist Lords should try end their

+

turn far apart from one another. York can go north to end up in

+

the area around York City where, in the next turn, Salisbury can

+

join him. They then can March further north together, to attack

+

Northumberland if present and to add Favour there. March can

+

head north within Wales and add Favour—looking next Turn to

+

Levy the Welsh Lords Capability to Dominate Wales. Harlech

+

is then a good end spot for him.

+

LANCASTRIAN STRATEGY: Lancastrian Lords should

+

begin by stabilizing a power base in the south and to link

+

Somerset’s Seat, Wells, by Friendly Strongholds to London.

+

Henry VI can go east to Rochester while Somerset goes south-

+

west to Guildford. Both should then Parley. Next turn, they

+

should Levy Vassals and try a push to relieve Northumberland

+

from Yorkist pressure or to pincer the Yorkist Lords to force

+

them to Battle or Exile.

+

Start Play

+

Begin the Command part of the first Campaign (4.2). Refer to

+

“Campaign” on the foldout’s Sequence of Play page and Rule-

+

book sections 4.0 CAMPAIGN STEPS and 4.2 Command, pages

+

12-13. Flip the Yorkist’s top Command card first (because they

+

are the Rebel side here, 2.2.4, 4.2, 6.0). Select actions for the Lord

+

shown on the card. Play through that Command card. Then flip a

+

Lancastrian card to take actions with that Lord. Keep alternating

+

sides.

+

KEY RULES:

+

• To select actions, refer to the foldout’s Commands page for a

+

list of the possible actions and how they work. For details, see

+

rules 4.3-4.6, pages 13-17. Frequent Commands include March

+

(4.3), Supply (4.5), Parley (4.6.4), and Tax (4.6.3).

+

• If Enemies March near each other, consider Intercept (4.3.4). If

+

Lords Approach an Enemy (4.3.5) who stands for Battle (does

+

not go into Exile), refer to the Battle foldout page and rules

+

section 4.4, pages 14-16.

+

• Consult the End Campaign rules (4.8) and particularly Tides of

+

War (4.8.1). In that step, the sides earn Influence points, so these

+

sections provide insight into how to win the game.

+

Continue play through the end of Turn 2 to complete a Campaign,

+

then a Levy, then a final Campaign. Congratulations and welcome

+

to Levy & Campaign!

+

Solitaire and Team Play

+

Solitaire. Plantagenet does not include a solo system but can ac-

+

commodate a single player running both sides with normal rules,

+

ignoring aspects of hidden information such as Held Events and

+

Plan stacks. In addition, here is a list of alternatives to increase the

+

fun for a solo player:

+

• Play with Hidden Mats (1.5.2). Keep each side’s Lords behind

+

a screen to aid your focus on one side at a time and help you

+

forget what the other side’s Lords have Mustered.

+

• Select one side as your side and the other side as the opponent.

+

Play both sides. However, give the opposing side one extra

+

Command card each Campaign as compensation for your focus

+

on one side. After each Planning step (4.1), shuffle the opposing

+

side’s Plan stack of Command Cards.

+

• Select one side as your own side. After forming your side’s Plan

+

stack (4.1.2), shuffle those cards face down. For the opposing

+

side, do not create a Plan stack. Instead of flipping Command

+

cards for that side (4.2), choose any card from its deck and play

+

as best you can.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

3

+

• Skip the Planning step (4.1). Instead of flipping Command cards

+

(4.2), choose any card from each side’s deck and play that side

+

as best you can.

+

Teams. You also can play Plantagenet in teams. Players can

+

simply run each side as a committee. Or try out one of these op-

+

tions for greater interest:

+

• Distribute Lords among players, giving each player full con-

+

trol over that player’s Lords’ actions. Any player may play Held

+

Events when that player’s Lord is active in Levy or Campaign

+

(as appropriate to the Event). Decide Levy order and Plans (4.1)

+

by committee.

+

• Distribute Lords as above but designate one player on each side

+

as Leader (perhaps by whoever controls the highest Heir, 6.2.1).

+

The Leader Holds and plays Event cards, decides the order of

+

Lords during Levy, and creates that side’s Plan stack (showing

+

it to teammates, 4.1.2). Teams may discuss strategy only at the

+

outset of each Levy Phase and again at the outset of each the

+

Campaign Phase—not as Lords take actions.

+

On Strategy

+

by Christophe Correia, Series Developer

+

If you have played other Levy & Campaign games, you will find

+

Plantagenet has a lot of similarities. You still have Lords that

+

move around a map, taking different actions that the player es-

+

timates will bring that side closer to victory. That said, designer

+

Francisco “Pako” Gradaille here had to account for some specifics

+

of the Wars of the Roses.

+

Influence. The first and most notable set of changes concerns the

+

historically lesser importance and span of sieges during this con-

+

flict and their replacement by a focus on gaining influence across

+

the land in favor of your side’s claim to the throne. If you are

+

familiar with the Levy & Campaign Series, you will immediately

+

spot Plantagenet’s removal of both Siege and Storm actions and

+

the addition of the concept of Influence as the main victory con-

+

dition of the game.

+

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of Influence. It is the

+

backbone of your strategy. Most of your choices will depend on

+

the current Influence situation and expected Influence situation in

+

future turns. Play your Lords to maximize that amount. The game

+

is designed to offer both players many choices at any moment on

+

how to maximize their side’s Influence in the short or longer term.

+

Will you—

+

• Levy Vassals to be able to Tax more Locales and field a higher

+

number of Troops?

+

• Levy Troops without Levying Vassals, to try to force Enemy

+

Lords into Exile?

+

• Avoid spending and instead maximize your “income” in Influ-

+

ence by spreading your Lords over the different Areas (North,

+

South, Wales) and Parleying only with high Influence ratings?

+

Contrary to most wargames, you do not always need to have the

+

military upper hand to win as a player. Sometimes your Vassals,

+

through their cost in Influence, will show you that you need to

+

reduce your military power. That will also happen if you gather an

+

army too large to be Paid over the year.

+

For example, if your opponent has Mustered a lot of Troops, and

+

you feel you will never be able to match those Forces, you can

+

try just to keep the field long enough for your enemies to end

+

their Service. Your opponent also might run out of money, and

+

then those Troops will start Pillaging around England, making the

+

populace angry at them and yielding Influence for you.

+

Or, if you feel your Enemies will win through Influence, you can

+

try to make a climactic push to break them before their victory

+

is achieved. During playtest, not a lot of games went to the final

+

turn. The game is designed so that the sides, after at one point get-

+

ting a lot of Strongholds to Favour their cause, will start Muster

+

larger armies of Troops and Transport, Tax more efficiently for

+

Coin, and look for decision by Battle at the best possible odds.

+

All options are on the table! Adaptability is key in Plantagenet.

+

The only thing you cannot get back are Lords who Die in battle or

+

at sea. A given strategy will never win by itself, and at every turn

+

you may need to rethink your approach, depending on who is in

+

England and who in Exile, as well as what is the current supply

+

and money situation.

+

Levy. As standard for Levy & Campaign, during the first turn

+

of each game, you will draw random Capabilities. These initial

+

draws are very important because, in Plantagenet, all Capabilities

+

attach to individual Lords, and you cannot discard Capabilities as

+

long as the Lord who has them remains on the map. Your random

+

Capabilities will probably help shape your starting Levy. Tough

+

choices lie ahead, and you are not likely to receive your best com-

+

bination available. But those Capabilities can enhance your cur-

+

rent Levy or add opportunities starting with your first Campaign.

+

Then, at the outset of each later turn, you will draw Events. As

+

with Capabilities, Events also tend to add opportunities (Parlia-

+

ment’s Truce and Blocked Ford come to mind) or allow you

+

to take more risks with your Lords, such as exposing them to a

+

superior enemy when you have Escape Ship or Suspicion in hand

+

to create some nasty surprises for the opponent.

+

During Muster, you will be faced with many choices. You should

+

already have in view a strategy for the upcoming Campaign. Per-

+

haps your Capability or Event card draws hint at one approach or

+

another. There are many things to consider as you look ahead to

+

the Campaign:

+

• Which Enemy Lords I can reach?

+

• Which of my Lords can the enemy reach?

+

• Can I group my Lords?

+

• Where are my Lord and Vassal Seats to be able to Tax them?

+

• Are there any Vassals that I can Levy to be able to Tax there and

+

strengthen my Lords? And do I even want them, given their cost

+

in Influence?

+

• Where am I currently on the Influence track?

+

• Who has more Cities, Towns, Fortresses? Can I get enough of

+

them by the end of the Campaign to add Influence in the Tides

+

of War step?

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

4

+

Here is a summary of the actions available during the Levy phase.

+

Parley (unique to Plantagenet) allows you to tighten your grip

+

over England and gain Favour over Locales. With more Locales

+

loyal to your cause, you will Levy more efficiently, garner more

+

supplies, slowly gain Influence through Tides of War, and be able

+

to Levy Vassals where you have Favour. Certain cards like In the

+

Name of the King, Privy Council, and Jack Cade allow for

+

more efficient Parley. (Note that you also can Parley as a Com-

+

mand action during Campaign, a sure shot at the Lord’s Locale.)

+

Levy Lords into the game for new Forces, more Capabilities in

+

play, a greater variety of Command cards, a bigger Battle Array,

+

and more strategies open to you. As long as you have one Lord on

+

the map, you can still win! However, having a lot of Lords also

+

has downsides. Each Lord will need to pay that Lord’s Troops

+

and will cost you Influence each turn to keep in the field. Added

+

Lords may become juicy targets for your enemy—the limit on

+

Command cards per turn means that reactions to an enemy going

+

straight at one of your many Lords will be more difficult.

+

You will Levy Troops when you feel combat is coming up soon.

+

But beware, as the ability to obtain Coin needed to Pay them dif-

+

fers among Lords. For example, for the Lancastrians in Scenar-

+

io II, Warwick can gather three Coin per Tax Action in Calais,

+

while Jasper Tudor can get only one from Harlech. So, having

+

a lot of Troops with Warwick is usually more viable than with

+

Jasper Tudor. Some cards like Percy’s Power, Quartermasters,

+

Beloved Warwick, or The Commons allow you to Levy or Pay

+

your Troops more efficiently.

+

Levying Vassals works differently here than in other Levy &

+

Campaign games. In Plantagenet, either side can Levy regular

+

Vassals, as long as their Seat is Friendly to that side. You will

+

probably feel the need to Levy some if you are going to over-

+

power your enemy. Vassals allow you to Tax their Seat, gather-

+

ing more Coin for potentially bigger armies. Vassals are potent

+

in Battle, with as much Armour as your Retinue—perhaps more

+

worthy of your limited Valour Rolls than fragile Longbowmen.

+

And Vassals do not count as Troops, so they add combat power

+

for no cost in Coin or Provender (though keeping them in the field

+

eventually does cost Influence).

+

You can Levy Capabilities to help your Lords shape the map to

+

your advantage. If you want to augment Command, an Influence

+

rating, or the ability to Supply your Troops, there are Capabilities

+

for that. But be careful—you cannot discard Capabilities in Plan-

+

tagenet. Getting Capabilities to improve your Influence rating or

+

Command will improve your situation on the Influence front, but

+

it might be at the cost of defeat in Battle, especially if Enemy

+

Lords have taken Capabilities that give them bonuses in combat

+

and manage to catch your Lords off guard.

+

Levy Transport to get Ships when you are in Exile, a must if

+

you want to get back to the mainland, or additional Carts to allow

+

you to March with more Provender, Supply for more Provender

+

each action and from further away. Ships also allow to draw Sup-

+

ply from Ports, so even on land, they can still be useful. Overall,

+

Transport is important for your actions to be more efficient, to

+

save some precious Command.

+

Campaign. Once you’re done with the Levy, now it is time

+

to Campaign!

+

Check the enemy armies, can they beat you, or should you try

+

to beat them? Do you start first, but can’t fight King Henry VI?

+

You might want to get York somewhere safer, so Henry doesn’t

+

jump him.

+

As there is no Ravage in the game, there is no such strategy as

+

in Nevsky or Almoravid where you run through the enemy lands,

+

Ravage everything, and potentially win the game. Here, you have

+

to think carefully each move and where you will end up. A single

+

Locale may be the difference between your Lord being in range of

+

the enemy or in a safe haven.

+

During the Campaign, you will be faced with many strategic

+

questions:

+

• Should I group my Lords to try to force Enemy Lords into

+

Exile?

+

• Should I spread my Lords out to gain the Favour of more

+

Strongholds, perhaps to Dominate Wales or the North?

+

• Should my Lords go into Exile when an enemy Approaches me?

+

• Should I go for a scorched-earth strategy, drawing Supply to

+

Exhaust Enemy Seats and Locales?

+

• Should I Tax my Seat and leave for some safer place, to be able

+

to Levy Troops in the next Muster and come back stronger?

+

• How can I keep a Route open to a Port, if I have Escape Ship

+

Event in my hand?

+

Lots of questions, with many possible answers for each of them.

+

Here are some tips.

+

Always have enough Provender and Coin to Feed and Pay your

+

armies. If you end up Pillaging parts of England, the populace will

+

be very angry at you!

+

You can play cat and mouse to force the side who has way more

+

Troops to waste their actions chasing you. (Great Ships or Par-

+

liament’s Truce comes in handy for that.) Often, their situation

+

will deteriorate little by little if they don’t manage to win quickly,

+

as their Vassal Influence or Troops Coin upkeep costs mount.

+

During the scenarios, you will voluntarily Disband some Lords,

+

the goal being, for example, to get some Coin back onto their mats

+

if they are running out too quickly, or to select new Capabilities

+

that will be better suited to the current situation.

+

Battles can do huge damage. The game has been designed to rep-

+

licate what happened historically: sometimes Lords on both sides

+

of a Battle will Die. Fleeing the battlefield is no shame. (Well, it

+

is; but, if you end up surviving and winning, history will remem-

+

ber your side of the story).

+

Do not hesitate to go into Exile. A Lord in Exile is always better

+

than a Dead one. Early Death of your Marshal is difficult to come

+

back from. That said, if that happens to you, it is still less dam-

+

aging than losing Aleksandr or Hermann in Nevsky or Alfonso or

+

Yusuf in Almoravid.

+

Arc of Play. Plantagenet is overall a quick game to play per

+

turn, relative to earlier volumes. (On average, Nevsky may play

+

slightly quicker per turn than Plantagenet, Almoravid and Inferno

+

slightly longer.) While the first turn of your first game of Planta-

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

5

+

genet may take some time, as players check out what actions their

+

Lords might take, later turns should go much quicker due to low

+

overall Command ratings, the absence of Call to Arms, Ravage,

+

and—especially—Siege, Storm, Sally, Bypass, and all that. (Note

+

that the summaries on the foldout aid sheet and a table at the back

+

of the rulebook show at a glance the requirements of each action.)

+

From the data we have gathered during playtesting, the longer

+

scenarios that last a maximum of 15 turns (three years) usually

+

end during the second year.

+

For example, in Scenario Ia “Henry VI”, the first year tends not

+

to be decisive—losing a Lord is survivable, and the sides are

+

spending most Commands Parleying Locales to earn Influence

+

Points in Tides of War. You might Levy Troops right away to be

+

able to quickly surprise your opponent and force him to Exile,

+

but that will put a strain on your finances, possibly bringing on

+

lasting problems.

+

During the game, there will be periodic Growth, when Locales re-

+

cover, and Waste, when your Lords will reset their Troops and Coin

+

back to starting amounts (Mercenaries and Handgunners aside).

+

But by the second year, Locale Exhaustion will become import-

+

ant. Lords will start to struggle to pay their Troops. The sides will

+

play games around Vassal control and Stronghold Exhaustion.

+

Players will try to deny each other Tax Sources, Exhausting such

+

Locales or putting them at risk to force a difficult choice on the

+

enemy—to either fight or reduce its armies. Eventually a side can

+

strike even when it felt weaker earlier in the game.

+

If the game is not decided at that stage, the third year usually

+

sees Levy of all the Troops a side is able to get, in order to

+

reach a sudden victory. Often, it is the player behind in Influence

+

Points who is forced to go that way. Or one side’s Troops will

+

start Pillaging the country and losing the population’s Favour.

+

Usually, players will see that coming, with their mats empty of

+

Coin, and look desperately for last-minute sources of money to

+

avoid complete collapse.

+

The Wars. Plantagenet features a “Wars of the Roses” grand

+

scenario knitting together all three periods of intense fighting

+

1459-1485 into a single contest. A lot of the players (me includ-

+

ed!) prefer to go for the longest scenario right off the bat. If you

+

want to do so, go ahead and start with this scenario, but I advise

+

allowing yourself a restart upon an inevitable mistake that you

+

could not have anticipated (most commonly involving Pillage).

+

Alternatively, first play the short Scenario Ic “Somerset’s Return”

+

as an introduction.

+

Playtime for the full-length scenario of all three Wars is about 13-

+

16 hours, depending on how close the Wars play out. You can eas-

+

ily split the game into the three sessions, for example, packing up

+

the game after each War and continuing some days or weeks later.

+

The only information you will need to record are which Heirs

+

Died or Shipwrecked and whether a certain Event triggered in an

+

earlier War.

+

Plantagenet’s Wars of the Roses skips some heirs, due to their

+

lower influence and that they would not in our judgment have

+

found enough support from the other nobles of the Realm. For

+

example, George, Duke of Clarence would have likely never

+

gotten the throne over the manipulations of his brothers, War-

+

wick, or the Beauforts.

+

In the Wars of the Roses scenario, the Deaths of Heirs will de-

+

fine the future. So, you and your opponent’s play will create your

+

own history of the conflict! Will Henry VI keep his throne, will

+

the Yorkists prevail, will Warwick seize the throne through mili-

+

tary might, or will the Tudors in the end gather enough support to

+

found a new dynasty?

+

Examples of Play

+

Here we walk through a complete turn of the game. If you would

+

like to follow along on your own table, set up Scenario Ia “Henry

+

VI” from page 20 of the Rules of Play. Insets address Levy of a

+

Lord and the Sail Command. These rules explanations, while not

+

comprehensive, should help you get going.

+

Levy

+

Arts of War. Players start the Levy phase (3.0) drawing two

+

cards at random from the Arts of War deck (3.1). As it is the first

+

turn of the Scenario, they will assign the Capabilities (lower part

+

of the cards) to eligible Lords (3.1.2). Each Phase of the game,

+

the side considered Rebel will begin and then the side considered

+

King will follow.

+

As specified in Scenario Ia “Henry VI” (6.0), the Lancastrians

+

are the King’s side, so the Yorkists begin. At the beginning of this

+

Scenario, the Yorkists have two Lords on the map. Each has their

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

6

+

Lord card set on a Lord mat with a Retinue marker, Troops pieces,

+

and Assets.

+

Yorkist Lord Cards

+

The Yorkist player shuffles the Yorkist Arts of War deck and

+

draws two cards. The first Capability is Thomas Bourchier (card

+

Y5). The player may assign Thomas Bourchier to any Lord, as

+

shown by the “ANY” shield to the left of the Capability text. The

+

Yorkist gives this Capability to the Lord York—it will increase

+

his Command rating whenever starting at a City from 2 to 3. To

+

assign the Capability to York, the player tucks the card under the

+

bottom edge of York’s Lord mat, so that only the bottom half of

+

the card shows.

+

Yorkist Arts of War Cards

+

The second card is York’s Favoured Son (Y20). This Capability

+

may go only to either Rutland or March, as their Livery Badges on

+

the bottom part of the card show. Rutland is not on the map, so the

+

player must place this Capability with March, giving that Lord an

+

extra +1 to his Influence Rating and +1 to Command.

+

The Lancastrians also have two Lords on the map.

+

Lancastrian Lord Cards

+

Now the Lancastrian player draws two cards from the shuffled

+

Lancastrian deck. The first Capability is the Capability Andrew

+

Trollope (L19), which immediately and automatically Musters a

+

Special Vassal (1.5.4). The player assigns the Capability to Som-

+

erset, adding the Andrew Trollope Special Vassal marker to that

+

mat (1.5.3).

+

\

+

Lancastrian Lord mat with Capability card.

+

The second Lancastrian card drawn shows

+

Northmen (L16). This Capability can

+

only go to the Lord Northumberland, who

+

is not yet on the map. (His cylinder is on

+

the Calendar, but he cannot receive a Ca-

+

pability there.) So, the player returns this

+

card back to the Lancastrian Arts of War

+

deck.The next steps of the Levy Phase are

+

Pay (3.2) and Exiles and Vassals (3.3). As

+

they do not apply to the first turn, we will

+

skip them for now.

+

Muster. Next comes the Muster step (3.4). Lords, one by one,

+

will use their Lordship actions (from the Lordship rating printed

+

on their Lord card, possibly modified by Arts of War Events and/

+

or Capabilities). One Lord must use all that Lord’s actions before

+

continuing with the next Lord.

+

The Yorkist player is first and decides to begin with the Duke of

+

York. York has Lordship “3” printed on his Lord card, with no

+

modifications at this point. On the map, his Lord cylinder is at Ely,

+

a Stronghold marked with Yorkist Favour and therefore Friendly

+

(1.3.1). From there, he may take any Levy action listed on the

+

foldout’s Sequence of Play page and detailed under rules section

+

3.4. Were York at a Neutral or Enemy Stronghold, he could now

+

only Parley (3.4.1).

+

York’s first action will be to Levy Transport (3.4.5). As he is

+

not at a Port, he may only Levy Carts, adding two Carts for the

+

one action. Were York at a Port, he might have Levied one Ship

+

instead (provided he did not already have the maximum of two

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

7

+

Ships per Lord, 1.7.3). The player adds a “Cart x2” marker to the

+

“Assets” area of York’s mat.

+

York’s second action will be to Levy Troops (3.4.4) from Ely. The

+

player checks the “Strongholds” table on the foldout play aid to

+

see how many Troops York will receive. Ely is a City, so York

+

will add 1 Longbowmen unit and 1 Militia unit from the pool of

+

unit pieces (1.6, 2.1) to the “Retinue - Vassals - Troops” area of

+

York’s Lord mat.

+

Then, the player puts a “Depleted” marker at

+

Ely (1.3.1), which could later flip to Exhaust-

+

ed, at which point Ely will no longer respond

+

to a Levy of Troops.

+

His third and final action will be to Levy

+

a Capability (3.4.6). The player checks

+

the back cover of the Background Book

+

for a list of card options or simply thumbs

+

though the Arts of War deck for the Capa-

+

bility the player is looking for. The player

+

chooses Burgundians (Y14) and puts it

+

under York’s mat so that only the Capabil-

+

ity shows. As this Lord is not at a Port, the

+

card’s text means that York does not yet

+

add the Handgunner units to his mat. At

+

the first moment that York enters any Port Stronghold while he

+

has this card, he must take the Handgunner units.

+

Next comes the Earl of March. March has a Lordship rating of

+

“2”, for two Levy actions. As he is at Ludlow, a Friendly Strong-

+

hold, he may choose any Levy actions from the list.

+

March’s first action will be to Parley (3.4.1) to obtain Favour at

+

nearby Shrewsbury.

+

March must have a Route to the target—an uninterrupted chain

+

of adjacent Locales, including the Lord’s own Locale and the

+

Parley target Stronghold, that is free of any Enemy Lords and,

+

except for the target Stronghold, Friendly. Here, March has such

+

a Route, as Ludlow is adjacent to Shrewsbury and no Lancastri-

+

an Lords are there.

+

March now must check Influence (1.4.2). The player refers

+

to the “Influence Points” table on the foldout for the Influence

+

point (IP) cost. This Influence check bears a base cost of 1 IP,

+

plus 1 IP for the one Way (connection segment) between Ludlow

+

and Shrewsbury.

+

To succeed, an Influence check must roll equal to or less than a

+

Lord’s Influence rating on one die. March’s rating printed on his

+

Lord card is “2”. His Capability York’s Favoured Son increases

+

that rating to 3. The player chooses to spend 1 extra Influence

+

point to add +1 to the Influence rating for this check. That brings

+

the total cost to 3 IP, and the player must roll a 4 or less to succeed.

+

The player rolls a “4”. The check is just barely successful, so the

+

Parley places a Favour marker on its Yorkist side (white

+

rose) at the City of Shrewsbury. The player also updates

+

the Influence Track at the edge of the gameboard. As

+

the Yorkists started with 0 Influence points and just

+

spent 3 IP, they add Lancastrian IP by shifting the “IP” marker

+

from 0 to 3 on the Lancastrian (red) side. Then, the player shifts

+

the Cities marker from 0 to 1 on the Yorkist (white) side, to show

+

the net number of Cities Favouring either side.

+

March’s second and last action this Levy will be to Levy the

+

Vassal Shrewsbury (3.4.3), now that Shrewsbury’s Vassal Seat is

+

Friendly. Just as for his Parley, March needs a Route to the target

+

Seat (there is one), the Stronghold must be Friendly (it is, because

+

of the previous action), and the Vassal must be Ready (Shrews-

+

bury’s markers are on the map, rather than Mustered to some oth-

+

er Lord’s mat or waiting on the Calendar, so he is Ready).

+

The Earl of March again must check Influence. The cost starts at

+

a 1 IP basic cost, (there is no cost for the Route to

+

Shrewsbury). This Vassal has a Loyalty rating of 1

+

toward Lancaster (the red numeral at the marker’s

+

left, 1.5.4). That modifies a Yorkist Lord’s Influ-

+

ence rating by –1 to Levy this Vassal. So, the player this time

+

chooses to spend 3 extra IP to add +2 to March’s Influence rat-

+

ing for this action.

+

That brings the total cost in Influence points to 4 IP and the die

+

roll needed to a 4 or less (March’s printed Influence of “2”, +1

+

for the card York’s Favoured Son, +2 for the extra IP spent, –1

+

for Vassal Loyalty). The Yorkists must spend the IP regardless of

+

success or failure. The player updates the track, shifting the red

+

IP marker up by 4 boxes. The roll is a “4”: Shrewsbury Musters;

+

his markers go on March’s mat and into Calendar box 3, 2 boxes

+

ahead of the current turn for Shrewsbury’s Service rating of “2”.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

8

+

Lancastrian Muster is next. The Lancastrian player decides to be-

+

gin with Henry VI, who has a Lordship Rating of “2” and is at a

+

Friendly Stronghold (London), so can take any Levy action.

+

King Henry’s first action will be a Parley (3.4.1) for St Albans.

+

There is a Route, and the cost for the Influence check at a dis-

+

tance of one Way is 2 IP. The King’s printed Influence rating

+

is a hefty “5”. As a roll of “6” is always a failure regardless of

+

ratings and modifications, it makes no sense to spend added In-

+

fluence points here.

+

The player shifts the red IP

+

marker on the edge track

+

down by 2 boxes for the 2

+

Lancastrian IP spent. A die

+

roll of “3” yields a success, so Lancaster gets a Favour marker (on

+

its red-rose side) at St Albans and shifts the “Towns” marker from

+

0 to 1 on its red side.

+

Henry’s second action now will be to attempt to Levy the Vassal

+

(3.4.3) at St Albans, Essex. The IP cost is 1; Essex

+

has no Loyalty rating so does not modify Henry’s In-

+

fluence. The Lancastrian player updates the IP mark-

+

er on the track.

+

The roll is another “3”, and that success places one of Essex’s

+

Vassal markers on Henry VI’s mat and the other on the Calendar,

+

one turn ahead (box 2), as Essex’s Service rating is “1” (shown at

+

the right of the Vassal marker).

+

The other Lancastrian Lord, Somerset, next uses his Lordship

+

rating of “2” at the Friendly Stronghold of London.

+

He will first Levy Transport (3.4.5) and then Levy a

+

Capability (3.4.6). Somerset adds 2x Carts.

+

The player then selects Capability card

+

L18 Council Member from that side’s

+

Arts of War deck and tucks it under Som-

+

erset’s mat. The new Capability will

+

award the Lancastrian side +1 extra Influ-

+

ence point upon each turn’s Tides of War

+

step (4.8.1).

+

Levying a Lord

+

Levy Lord (3.4.2) is an action that a Lord who is already on the map may take during the Muster phase

+

to bring another Lord onto the map. The Levying Lord must be at a Friendly Locale (it may be an Exile

+

box), and the target Lord’s cylinder must be in the current turn’s Calendar box or to its left.

+

Here, the Yorkist Lord Salisbury is at Peterborough and wants to Levy

+

the Duke of York, whose cylinder is on the Calendar in the current

+

turn’s box. As the Locale that Salisbury is in is not yet Friendly to his

+

side, Salisbury must first use 1 of his 3 Lordship (shown on his Lord

+

card) to successfully Parley there (3.4.1).

+

His next action is to attempt to Levy York. First the player checks if

+

York’s Seat is free of Enemy Lords. That condition is not met, as York’s

+

Seat is Ely, and the Lancastrian Lord Somerset is there. The next possi-

+

bility is that a Seat of some other Yorkist Lord is Friendly. The City of

+

York, which happens to be Salisbury’s Seat, is Friendly. Therefore, the

+

Duke of York will be able to Muster there (3.4.2).

+

Salisbury must check Influence (1.3.2). The base cost is 1 Influence

+

point. (Unlike Parley, Levy Lord checks incur no cost for Ways.) Salis-

+

bury’s Influence rating is “3”. He may spend 1 extra Influence point

+

(IP) to get a +1 to that rating, or 3 extra IP to get +2. The player spends

+

the 3 IP to add +2 for a total expenditure of 4 IP and a modified Influ-

+

ence rating of 5. The roll is a “5”—a success.

+

The Yorkist player takes York’s cylinder from the Calendar and places

+

it at York City, finds York’s Lord card and puts

+

that on a spare Lord mat, then sets up York’s mat with a Retinue,

+

Troops, and Assets as shown on the card (1.5.3). York, just Mustered,

+

will not take part in the rest of this Levy Phase (3.4).

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

9

+

Campaign

+

Plan. Now that the Levy phase is done, the game enters the Cam-

+

paign phase (4.0), which begins with flipping the Turn marker to

+

the Campaign side and then follows with each side creating its

+

Campaign Plan (4.1).

+

Each Calendar box shows how many Command cards each side

+

will use that Campaign. As we are in turn 1, each player must

+

stack exactly 4 cards from that side’s Command deck into its face-

+

down Plan.

+

The Yorkist player chooses these cards: York, March, March,

+

York. To stack them face down in the order in which they will

+

be played, the player arranges them in hand with Lord coats of

+

arms at upper left in order, left to right, then flips the stack over

+

(so that opponent will not know which Lords are activating until

+

each card is revealed).

+

Play order

+

The Lancastrian player chooses and arranges the cards Henry VI,

+

Somerset, Somerset, Somerset.

+

Play order

+

Command. Command actions, the heart of the Campaign phase,

+

comes next. The Yorkists are the Rebels in this scenario, so they

+

play first. The Yorkist player flips the first card of the Yorkist Plan

+

stack to reveal that it is the Duke of York.

+

As shown on York’s Command card (and

+

on his cylinder and Lord card), York’s

+

Command Rating is “2”. His Capability

+

card Thomas Bourchier adds +1 Com-

+

mand to that when he begins a Command

+

card in a Friendly City, and his current

+

location of Ely is that. York will take a

+

total of 3 actions on this card.

+

York’s first action will be to March (4.3)

+

from Ely to Cambridge. Since the Way

+

there is Highway, he can continue his

+

March along another Highway for no added action cost (4.3.3).

+

He chooses to do so to March on to St Albans.

+

As York reaches St Albans, the Lancastrian player decides to try to

+

Intercept (4.3.4) with Somerset, who is at London, adjacent to St

+

Albans. Somerset needs a roll equal or less than his modified Valour

+

of 3 (rating “2” plus 1 for Andrew Trollop). The Lancastrian

+

player rolls a 5 and fails, so there is no Interception. If Somerset

+

had succeeded, he would have entered St Albans as if before York

+

got there: York’s move to St Albans would have been an Approach

+

(4.3.5) toward Somerset, triggering either Battle or Exile.

+

The Yorkist player places a Moved-Fought marker on

+

or near York’s cylinder (or on his mat), as a reminder

+

that he will have to Feed at the end of this Command

+

card.

+

York’s second action on his card is to March again, from St Al-

+

bans to Bedford to Northampton (again using Highway to move

+

an extra Locale).

+

Finally, York takes a Forage action (4.6.2) in

+

Northampton. As Northampton is Neutral (and there

+

is no Enemy Lord adjacent), the player has to make a

+

roll. The roll is a “2”: York is successful in the at-

+

tempt, so he receives a Provender on his mat, and

+

Northampton gets a Depleted marker.

+

The Duke of York’s Command actions. NOTE: For clarity of the exam-

+

ple, some items such as Henry VI’s cylinder at London are omitted here.

+

1st action:

+

March

+

Failed

+

Intercept

+

2nd action:

+

March

+

3rd action:

+

Forage

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

10

+

After taking all the actions, as York Moved, he has to Feed (4.7).

+

He expends 2 Provender to feed his 8 Troops (Retinue and Vas-

+

sals do not count toward Feed requirements) and removes the

+

Moved marker.

+

Next comes the Lancastrian player, who

+

reveals the first card of the Lancastrian

+

Plan deck, which shows the Lord Henry

+

VI. Henry VI has a Command Rating of

+

“2”, so he will have two actions.

+

Henry VI’s first action is Supply (4.5)

+

from London. First, he has to check if

+

there is a Route to London—a chain of

+

Locales connected by Ways from the

+

Lord’s Locale to the Source, with all of

+

them Friendly. There is, because Henry

+

VI is in London, and London is marked with Lancastrian Favour.

+

Then, the player checks the Strongholds table to see

+

the amount of Provender that Henry will receive—3

+

Provender. Finally, the player checks that Henry has

+

(or can Share from other Lords at his Locale) enough

+

Carts to bring that Provender to him (1 per Provender

+

per Way travelled). As there are 0 Ways between the

+

Lord and London, Henry needs 0 Carts. The player

+

adds Provender x3 to Henry VI’s mat and places a

+

Depleted marker at London.

+

The second action will be a Tax action (4.6.3) on St Albans. Hen-

+

ry VI is allowed to take a Tax action on St Albans because he has

+

Essex, the Vassal with St Albans as his Vassal Seat, on his mat.

+

First, he has to check if St Albans is Friendly and there is a Route

+

from London to it. He then checks Influence (1.4.2). The total In-

+

fluence Point cost will be 1 (no cost for the Route), so the player

+

shifts the red IP marker down by 1.

+

The player rolls a “1” for a successful check and, per

+

the Strongholds table, adds a Coin marker to Henry

+

VI’s mat. That Depletes St Albans.

+

Back to the Yorkists, who reveal the next

+

Command card to be one for the Lord

+

March. March has a Command Rating of

+

“2” and a Capability, York’s Favoured

+

Son, that gives adds +1 Command, for a

+

total of 3 actions available.

+

March’s first action will be to March

+

(4.3) to Hereford and then Gloucester us-

+

ing a Highway. March receives a Moved-

+

Fought marker, as a reminder to Feed at

+

the end of his card.

+

March’s second action will be to Parley (4.6.4) in Gloucester.

+

This Parley immediately succeeds because Parley actions during

+

Campaign that target the Stronghold that the Lord occupies suc-

+

ceed automatically without an Influence check. The player places

+

Yorkist Favour at Gloucester and moves the Cities marker (al-

+

ready on the white Yorkist side) on the edge track up by 1 box.

+

March’s third action will be to Parley in Hereford. As Hereford is

+

adjacent to March at Gloucester, the Parley calls for an Influence

+

check even during Campaign (4.6.4). March’s Influence rating is a

+

modified 3 (“2” printed plus 1 for his Capability card). The IP cost

+

is 2 at a distance of 1 Way. The Yorkist player decides to spend 1

+

IP more to bring the Influence rating to 4, shifting the IP marker

+

(on the Lancastrian side) up by 3 boxes. The roll is a “2”—suc-

+

cessful, so the player places Yorkist Favour at Hereford City and

+

moves the white Cities marker up one box.

+

As March has moved, he now must Feed (4.7). He expends 1

+

Provender from his mat and removes the Moved-Fought marker.

+

The Lancastrians reveal their next Com-

+

mand Card, Somerset, who gets 2 actions.

+

Somerset Marches to Guildford with his

+

first action, then Parleys at Guildford to

+

place Lancastrian Favour at that City.

+

That shifts the Cities marker (which cur-

+

rently shows a Yorkist net advantage in

+

Friendly Cities) down by 1 box. Having

+

moved, Somerset Feeds at the cost of 1

+

Provender.

+

The Yorkist player reveals March’s Com-

+

mand card next. The Earl of March with

+

his Arts of War card has 3 Commands to-

+

tal.

+

His first action is to March to Oxford.

+

The Lancastrian Lords nearby could try

+

to Intercept but decline to do so (4.3.4).

+

He then Marches to Northampton with his

+

second action. He was not able to March

+

directly from Gloucester to Northampton

+

with one action because there is only a

+

Road, not a Highway, between Oxford and Northampton.

+

March’s third action Parleys for the Town of Northampton, ad-

+

justing the Towns marker on edge track by 1 box to 0.

+

March must Feed for 1 Provender, but he has no Provender on

+

his mat! Luckily, he is in the same Locale as the Duke of York,

+

so they Share (4.7, 3.2). The player must remove the Provender

+

needed, in this case from York’s mat.

+

The next Lancastrian card is another for

+

Somerset.

+

Somerset Parleys for Favour at Win-

+

chester, which is adjacent to him at Guild-

+

ford. The Lancastrians spend 2 IP and roll

+

a 2, a success, especially with Somerset’s

+

Influence rating of “5”. Lancastrian Fa-

+

vour (red rose) at Winchester shifts the

+

Cities marker by 1.

+

Somerset’s second action is to Supply

+

(4.5) from Winchester. There is a Friendly Route between Som-

+

erset at Guildford to Winchester. The Strongholds chart shows

+

that Winchester as a City yields 2 Provender. There is only one

+

Way segment from Winchester to Guildford, and Somerset has

+

4x Carts—more than enough to Transport 2 Provender along 1

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

11

+

Way. So, Somerset gets the Provender x2 from Winchester, and

+

the player places a Depleted marker there. Had Somerset had

+

only a single Cart, this Supply action would have delivered only

+

1 Provender.

+

The Yorkist’s final card of the Campaign is for the Duke of York.

+

This time, York gets only his printed Command rating for 2 ac-

+

tions, because his Thomas Bourchier Capability only applies if

+

York starts in a Friendly City, but he is at Northampton—a Town.

+

His first action will be to March. York is a Marshal, as stated on

+

his Lord card and shown by the gold ring on his cylinder (1.5.1).

+

As a Marshal, he may choose to lead a Group March (4.3.1).

+

York brings the Earl of March with him to Oxford. Moved-Fought

+

applies to both Lords.

+

York’s second action will be to March again, again taking March

+

with him, on to London. There, the Lancastrian Lord Henry VI

+

stands alone, triggering an Approach (4.3.5).

+

First, Somerset—adjacent London at Guildford—again tries to

+

Intercept (4.3.4), hoping to reinforce the imminent Battle. Somer-

+

set rolls a “5”, greater than his Valour rating, so he fails to move.

+

Next, Henry VI must choose between Battle and Ex-

+

ile (4.3.5). The Lancastrian player decides that Henry

+

will not go into Exile—he will hold his ground to

+

fight in a Battle. Although not really needed, as the

+

players will choose to Array Lord mats rather than cylinders, they

+

put the Battle marker at London to memorialize the clash.

+

Battle

+

The Battle of London ensues (4.4). On one side, the Yorkists as

+

Attackers include York and March. On the other side, the Lancas-

+

trian Defenders have only the Forces of Henry VI.

+

The first step of a battle is the Battle Array (4.4.1). Defender and

+

then Attacker arrange the Lords for Battle, either positioning Lord

+

Battle Array at the outset of Round 1.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

12

+

mats directly or Lord cylinders on the Battle mat included in the

+

game. For this example, we show the mats.

+

Henry VI must fight at Front Center. Then the Yorkists place York

+

in front of Henry and March on York’s Right.

+

Per each Lord’s Valour rating (1.5.2, 4.4.1), the

+

Yorkists put 2 Valour markers on York’s Lord card

+

and 3 on March’s. The Lancastrian gets no Valour

+

markers because Henry VI’s Valour Rating is “0”.

+

At this point, players would be able to play Held Events that affect

+

the Battle, but they have none.

+

The sides begin the first Round of Battle (4.4.2). No Lords on

+

either side choose to Flee.

+

Lords group into Engagements, within which to fight each other.

+

Henry VI and York Engage, because they face each other. March

+

joins in that to make a single Engagement—he has no Enemy to

+

his Front, so he Flanks the closest Front Enemy, Henry VI. All

+

Hits from York and March will add together against Henry, and

+

York and March will resolve Protection together.

+

The players refer to the Forces chart to find under “Strikes” how

+

many Melee and Missile Hits from Enemy units their Lords

+

must assign to their units, and under “Protection” what Armour

+

or Unarmoured die-roll ranges will enable the units absorb Hits

+

without Routing.

+

The players place Hits markers on the edge

+

track as remainders of the number of Hits

+

each side has left to resolve.

+

As shown on the Battle sheet, the Engagement’s Strike step be-

+

gins with an exchange of Missiles. The Lancastrians must absorb

+

12 Hits (2 Hits each from 5 units of Yorkist Longbowmen, plus ½

+

Hit each from 4 Militia). The Yorkists simultaneously must take

+

6 Missile Hits.

+

The Lancastrian decides to take the 12 Hits first with Henry’s Mi-

+

litia. He has to roll “1” for any Unarmoured Militia taking a Hit to

+

avoid its Rout. The player rolls 4 dice for the first 4 Hits against

+

the Militia—“3”, “1”, “1”, and “2”. With great luck, 2 Militia still

+

stand. So the player continues rolling, Hit per Hit—“3”, “1”, and

+

“4”. The 4 militia are Routed (slid back on their mat behind the

+

“Routed” line) but have succeeded in absorbing 7 of 12 Missile

+

Hits. With still 5 Hits left to assign, the Lancastrian decides to

+

take them with the Longbowmen. They also have Unarmoured

+

Protection of 1. The rolls are three rolls of “1” and two rolls of

+

“6”. The 2 units of Longbowmen Rout as well, but they have done

+

very well to draw all the Yorkist Missiles away from Henry’s Ar-

+

moured units!

+

The Yorkist decide to have their 4 Militia take the Missile Hits.

+

None of the rolls are a “1”, so York’s and March’s Militia all Rout.

+

Of the 6 Missile Hits from Henry’s archers, 2 Hits remain. York’s

+

Longbowmen roll for those, and a “2” and a “3” Rout them.

+

The next Strike step is Melee. The Lancastrians receive 11 Hits:

+

3 from each Yorkist Retinue, 2 from Shrewsbury, and 1 from each

+

Men-at-Arms piece). (Militia also generate Melee Hits, but they

+

have all Routed.) The Yorkists take 7 Hits (3 from Henry’s Reti-

+

nue, 2 from Essex, and 2 from Men-at-Arms).

+

The Lancastrian begins to resolve the 11 Hits with Men-at-Arms,

+

who have a Protection range of 1-3. Rolling Hit by Hit, the first 4

+

rolls are 3 or less, but the fifth roll of “4” Routs a Men-at-Arms

+

unit. Henry could take the next Hit with the other Men-at-Arms,

+

but, if they Rout, Henry will have no more Troops pieces (only

+

his Retinue and Vassal counters), causing

+

the Lord himself automatically to Rout at

+

the end of Round 1—dramatically increas-

+

ing King Henry’s chance of Death.

+

So, Henry begins to receive Hits with his

+

Vassal Essex, who has Armour 1-4. The

+

next roll is a “6”—Essex Routs! Henry’s

+

Retinue will take the remaining Hits.

+

Each roll is a 4 or less, well enough that the Retinue does not Rout

+

this Round.

+

The Yorkists defend against 7 Melee Hits, also choosing first their

+

Men-at-Arms, first the unit that belongs to March. The first roll

+

is a “6”.

+

The Yorkist player expends one of March’s Valour

+

markers to re-roll. (York’s Valour markers can only re-

+

roll Hits on York’s Forces.) Unfortunately, the re-roll is

+

a “5”. Because Valour can only re-roll a given Hit once,

+

March cannot use another Valour marker now and the Men-at-

+

Arms Rout.

+

More rolls against the Melee Hits and, at the player’s option,

+

use of some more Valour ends up Routing all 3 Yorkist Men-at-

+

Arms units.

+

Round 1 ends with Henry VI standing with his Retinue and 1

+

Men-at-Arms unit left. The Yorkists, along with their Retinues,

+

have 1 Longbow unit left with York and 2 Longbowmen units and

+

Shrewsbury with March.

+

A new Round begins, following the same procedure

+

as the first. At outset, the Lancastrian player decides

+

to Flee with Henry VI. The Lancastrian Lord flips

+

his Retinue marker to its “Fled” side and instantly

+

Routs. Since all Lords of a side have Routed, the Battle ends

+

(4.4.3) with the Lord mats in the situation as shown in our Battle

+

Array illustration.

+

The Yorkists win the Battle. Now it is time for check for Death

+

of any Routed Lords—that means Henry VI only, as no Yorkist

+

Lords Routed. The Lancastrians could now play any Held Event

+

that refers to Death checks, but they have none. Lords Die on a

+

modified 3 or above. Henry has Fled, so he receives a beneficial

+

–2 to his Death Check. For him, only a roll of “5” or “6” will

+

mean he is Dead.

+

Henry rolls a “3”, modified by –2 because he Fled to a 1—he does

+

not Die but rather Disbands (3.2.4). Troops and Assets from his

+

mat return to their pools. His Lord card and Retinue are set aside

+

until he Musters again. His cylinder goes onto the Calendar, a

+

number of boxes ahead of the current turn equal to 6 minus his

+

printed Influence rating (in Henry’s case, 6 minus 5 for 1 box

+

ahead, so into box 2).

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

13

+

Henry’s Vassal Essex also Disbands. (Vassals

+

Disband if they have Routed or if their Lord Dis-

+

bands or Dies.) Essex’s marker from Henry’s mat

+

joins that on the Calendar, both flipped to their

+

back side (naming Essex’s Seat of St Albans) and

+

into a box ahead of the current turn equal to 6 minus Essex’s Ser-

+

vice rating of “1”, therefore into box 6. Essex will not be available

+

to Muster again until Turn 6, at which point both of his markers

+

will go back to the map at his St Albans Seat.

+

Since the Yorkists have won a battle, they gain Influence points

+

equal to the sum of all the defeated Enemy Lords’ printed Influ-

+

ence ratings, plus 1 IP per defeated Vassal. For this Battle, Henry

+

VI’s Influence of “5” plus Essex there yields a total of 6 IP to the

+

Yorkists for their victory. The IP marker, currently on the red Lan-

+

castrian side, shifts down toward 0, then flips to its white Yorkist

+

side and shifts up again, until it has moved a total of 6 boxes,

+

down plus up.

+

The Yorkist victors check for Spoils—Assets that they might take

+

from the losers’ mats. Because the Battle Locale, London, is Ene-

+

my to the victors, they receive nothing.

+

Next, Lords still in the field roll for Losses—determining whether

+

to recover or remove their Routed Troops. Yorkists roll Protection

+

once for each Routed Troops piece—success slides that unit back

+

into the mat’s Forces area. Here, they all fail and are removed to

+

the Troops pool, except for one of York’s Militia units, which rolls

+

a “1” and so stays on York’s mat to fight other Battles.

+

Battle Array in Round 2 as Henry decides to Flee.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

14

+

Sailing

+

York is at the Port of Newcastle, with his mat at the outset of the Campaign as illustrated below. He will use Sail actions

+

(4.6.1) over multiple Command cards to land at Harlech (for purposes of illustration, instead of Marching overland).

+

York uses his first Command Card fully for a Sail action. York has only a single Ship marker, which can carry his 6 Forces

+

(Retinue plus 5 Troops), plus his 2x Carts, plus Provender x2. Therefore, to Sail, York must first discard 3 of his 5 Provender.

+

York’s cylinder then Sails into the North Sea. (York could have landed immediately at Lynn or Scarborough, as they are all

+

Ports in that same Sea, but he wants to Sail on around the coast on his next card.) York has moved and the card has ended, so

+

York’s Troops must be Fed (4.7). York expends 1x Provender from his Lord mat.

+

When his next Command Card appears, York takes another Sail action, moving cylinder from the North Sea to the adjacent

+

English Channel (a “Sea” in game terms) and chooses to remain there. (Instead of remaining in the Sea, he could have

+

moved immediately to any Port on the English Channel free of Enemy Lords.) York again must Feed, leaving no Provender

+

on his mat.

+

Finally, York uses last of his 3 pos-

+

sible Command cards to Sail into the

+

Irish Sea and then land at the Port

+

there of Harlech. York once more

+

must Feed. He has no Provender left,

+

so he Pillages (3.2.1, 4.7) Harlech.

+

(Had York instead ended the Cam-

+

paign at sea, he would have had to

+

Disembark (4.8.2), on a die roll either

+

Disbanding permanently or landing at

+

a Port and having to Feed (and, unless

+

meeting up with a Yorkist Lord there

+

who could Share Provender, Pillage).

+

Feed and Pillage

+

York and March during this Command card both moved and

+

fought, so they must now Feed (4.7). They would need 2 Proven-

+

der total, 1 for each Lord. As they have none, the Yorkists must

+

Pillage (4.7, 3.2.1).

+

The Yorkist player must choose one of the Lords to Pillage Lon-

+

don and picks York. Per the Strongholds chart, York gets 3 Prov-

+

ender and 3 Coin for Pillaging London. As a penalty, the Yorkists

+

lose a number of Influence points equal to twice the total of Assets

+

gained, that is, twice 6, for 12 IP total to the Lancastrians.

+

London gets an Exhausted marker. Were it Neutral or

+

Yorkist, it would become Lancastrian in Favour. It is

+

already Lancastrian, so it simply remains so. Then each

+

adjacent Stronghold shifts one step towards Lancastrian

+

Favour: Oxford and Rochester go to Lancastrian Favour (adjust

+

the Cities marker). Guildford and St Albans are already Lancastri-

+

an and remain so.

+

Now York’s army must again attempt to Feed, drawing on its

+

Pillaged Provender. That consumes 1 Provender, leaving Prov-

+

ender x2.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

15

+

Then March must Feed. He cannot Pillage (London is Exhaust-

+

ed), but Shares (4.7, 3.2) with York, who is at the same Locale,

+

consuming 1 Provender from York’s mat and thus avoiding Dis-

+

band. (Had March not been able to Share Provender from York,

+

he would now have Disbanded Unfed, imposing an IP penalty on

+

his side, 3.2.1.)

+

Exile

+

The final card of the Campaign is Somer-

+

set of the Lancastrians.

+

Somerset March to London to Approach

+

the Yorkists there. The Yorkist player

+

judges Battle now too risky so has both

+

Yorkist Lords choose Exile (4.3.5).

+

The Yorkists first lose Influence points

+

equal to the printed Influence ratings of

+

the Lords going into Exile, plus one for

+

each of their Vassals. The total IP cost is

+

5 for York, plus 2 for March, plus 1 for

+

Shrewsbury, for a total of 8 IP awarded to the Lancastrians.

+

Somerset receives York’s and March’s Assets as if Spoils in Battle

+

(4.4.3)—since London Favours the Lancastrians, all the Yorkists’

+

Carts and Provender.

+

York, March, and Shrewsbury Disband (3.2.4). Their

+

Capability cards return to the Yorkist Arts of War deck.

+

York’s cylinder goes to Calendar box 2 (6 boxes minus

+

his Influence rating of 5, so 1 box ahead, 3.2.4), and

+

March’s goes to box 5, each with an Exile marker, showing that

+

they will later return to the map into a Yorkist Exile box (3.3.1).

+

Shrewsbury’s markers go facedown into Calendar box 5.

+

The Approach automatically ends Somerset’s Command card

+

(due to 4.3.5 RECOVERY). He Feeds, removing 1 Provender.

+

End Campaign

+

With

+

all

+

Command

+

cards expended, Tides

+

of War is next (4.8.1).

+

Both players calculate

+

how many Influence

+

points they might win

+

for the situation on the

+

map. The players con-

+

sult the Tides of War

+

list in the pink Influ-

+

ence Points section of

+

the foldout.

+

• There are no Lords in any of the North, South, or Wales map

+

Areas (1.3.1).

+

• There is no Domination of any of the Areas (North/South/

+

Wales).

+

• Lancastrians enjoy Favour at London for 2 IP and Favour at the

+

most Cities for another 2 IP.

+

• The Yorkists have the most Fortresses for 1 IP.

+

• The Towns marker is at 0, so nobody receives IP for that.

+

• Lancastrians get a bonus 1 IP for Somerset’s Council Member

+

Capability.

+

• Lastly, this is a “Gain Lords Influence” Turn, so the Lancastri-

+

ans get 5 IP for the net printed Influence ratings of all Lords on

+

the map.

+

That’s 10 IP total for the Lancastrians and 1 IP for the Yorkists,

+

which results in the red IP marker shifting 9 boxes (10 minus 1) in

+

the Lancastrian direction.

+

Players next check if any Lords are at Sea and must Disembark

+

(4.8.2); there are none. Victory (4.8.3) is not yet achieved: the

+

Yorkists have avoided defeat only because they have a Lord

+

marked Exile in the next turn’s box (5.1). Neither Grow (4.8.4)

+

nor Waste (4.8.5) shows on the Calendar for this turn.

+

Reset (4.8.6) first checks whether there are any Held Arts of War

+

cards that players want to discard or “This Campaign” Events that

+

they must discard; there are none. The players then prepare for the

+

next turn by advancing the marker to the next Calendar box and

+

flipping it to the “Levy” side. The turn is over.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

16

+

Campaign History

+

Here we relate the political context of the military campaigns de-

+

picted in Plantagenet.

+

The Wars of the Roses is the name given to a series of internecine

+

dynastic squabbles in England during the latter half of the 15th

+

Century. The name is not contemporary with the period and did

+

not come into common usage until the early 19th Century. The pe-

+

riod is mired in controversy. Sources are alternately very detailed

+

or irritatingly vague. Propaganda and spin were used at the time

+

and persist to this day. But why did the Wars take place, and what

+

happened?

+

History builds on history. In order to understand a period, we have

+

to look back, sometimes centuries, to identify the causes. For the

+

Wars of the Roses, we need to go back only two or three genera-

+

tions to see the tinder that ignited into conflict.

+

In 1377, 40 years into the Hundred Years War, Edward III, one of

+

England’s greatest kings, died. His heir had been his first-born,

+

Edward, known as the Black Prince, who had died a year before

+

his father did. The throne therefore passed to the Black Prince’s

+

son, who would be crowned as Richard II.

+

The succession was undisputed, although Richard was only 10

+

years old at the time. His accession to the throne was supported by

+

Edward III’s other four sons, the new King’s uncles. Among these

+

powerful men, brothers of the Black Prince, would be those who

+

would see the young King to adulthood, and who would also lay

+

the seeds of the Wars of the Roses.

+

The eldest brother, Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence, pre-

+

deceased his father. His importance is that his descendent Ann

+

Mortimer had married Richard, Earl of Cambridge, and they were

+

the parents of the future Richard of York. This gave Richard of

+

York a claim to the throne through his mother.

+

The second brother, John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster (sec-

+

ond creation), was probably the most influential individual of his

+

time. From his first marriage to Blanche of Lancaster among his

+

descendants were Philippa, who became Queen of Portugal, and

+

Henry Bolingbroke, who became Henry IV of England, father to

+

Henry V and grandfather to Henry VI. From his second marriage

+

to Constance of Castille came Catherine, who became Queen of

+

Castille. His third marriage, to Katherine Swynford, gave rise

+

to the Beaufort line: John, 1st Earl of Somerset; Henry, bishop

+

of Winchester and later Cardinal; Thomas, Duke of Exeter; and

+

Joan, who married Ralph Neville, grandfather of Richard Neville,

+

the Earl of Warwick, the “Kingmaker”. John Beaufort was the

+

grandfather of Margaret Beaufort, who would give birth to Henry

+

Tudor, the future Henry VII.

+

Next in age was Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York. His grand-

+

son was Richard, 3rd Duke of York. This meant that York had a

+

claim to the throne through both of his parents, and arguably a

+

stronger one than that of those who claimed descent from Gaunt,

+

as on his mother’s side it came from a senior line, being descend-

+

ed from the Black Prince’s oldest brother.

+

Finally, there was Thomas of Woodstock, who fell into dispute

+

with his nephew Richard II and died in prison, before Henry

+

Bolingbroke seized the throne.

+

As you can see from the list above, most of the major protagonists

+

in the conflict, such as York, Warwick, Henry VI, and Somerset

+

were closely related by both blood and marriage, hence the period

+

has also been called the “Cousins War”.

+

As Richard II grew to adulthood, his sense of entitlement grew.

+

He had, for most of his life, been deferred to as King. He may

+

have come to resent the influence and advice of his uncles. In

+

asserting himself and becoming “his own man”, he alienated

+

his natural support base and fell to relying upon sycophants and

+

hangers on. His attempts to achieve peace with France cost him

+

territory and the backing of his more martial nobles. His inability

+

to produce a male heir, meaning that the throne would pass to one

+

of his cousins—Roger Mortimer or even John of Gaunt himself—

+

further added to instability.

+

In 1398, a dispute broke out between Henry Bolingbroke and

+

Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk. Richard ordered the two no-

+

bles to sort the matter out in a trial by combat, but then intervened

+

at the last moment and exiled the pair instead. When Gaunt died

+

the following year, and Richard confiscated his lands, Boling-

+

broke’s inheritance, the latter felt he had no option but to return

+

and claim his birth right in person.

+

Bolingbroke landed at Ravenspur in June 1399 and marched

+

south. Richard’s erratic behavior meant Bolingbroke’s return be-

+

came a rebellion, and Richard abdicated in Bolingbroke’s favor,

+

making him Henry IV. Richard II died in captivity the following

+

year. The problem with the accession of Henry, however, was that

+

he was not the most senior claimant, as his father’s older brother,

+

Lionel, had offspring which created the Mortimer claim to the

+

throne. Henry IV dealt with this issue by emphasizing the pure

+

male line of his descent, contrasting with the Mortimer claim,

+

which came through the distaff side.

+

Henry’s reign was not entirely smooth, and he did face rebellions.

+

However, he survived to die as King through natural causes, pass-

+

ing the throne on to his son, the famous warrior king, Henry V.

+

Henry V is one of the best-known English kings, not least because

+

of Shakespeare’s play about him. He united the country behind

+

his campaign to capture the French Crown and restored national

+

pride (as well as emptying the national treasury). There is much to

+

be said about Henry V, from his military exploits to his marriage

+

to the King of France’s daughter Catherine, and for anyone who

+

wants to learn more about him there are some suggestions in the

+

Selected Sources.

+

Henry VI

+

Henry V’s untimely death at the age of 36 left a young widow and

+

an infant son, Henry. The accession of Henry VI went smoothly

+

and was undisputed. The King’s uncles, Thomas, Duke of Clar-

+

ence; John, Duke of Bedford; and Humphrey of Gloucester took

+

control of the government. They ensured the infant Henry was

+

crowned King not only of England, but also of France.

+

Gloucester acted as Lord Protector, and continued an active

+

French policy, attempting to retain Henry V’s gains and maintain

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

17

+

the claim to the French throne. Finances for the war in France

+

came to a large extent from one of Gaunt’s sons by Kathryn

+

Swynford, Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester and eventually

+

a Cardinal. The Cardinal often predicated his support upon the

+

advancement of his other Beaufort kin, moving them closer to the

+

Crown to become the King’s inner circle of advisors. The other

+

significant adviser to Henry was William de la Pole, Earl (later

+

Duke) of Suffolk. Suffolk, along with Cardinal Beaufort, favored

+

making peace with France.

+

Gloucester, together with Richard of York, were more inclined

+

toward continuing the conflict. This division at court came into

+

more prominence when Henry at last took over the Crown in his

+

own right in 1437, favoring Beaufort and Suffolk over Gloucester

+

and York.

+

In 1444, Suffolk brokered a marriage for King Henry with the

+

French Princess, Margaret d’Anjou, a niece of Charles VII. The

+

marriage settlement was not universally welcomed in England.

+

The main benefit to England was that it included a 23-month ces-

+

sation of hostilities. In exchange for this, Margaret’s dowry was

+

small, and England also made territorial concessions. Margaret

+

herself had a strong personality and an understanding of how

+

things were done in France. This did not necessarily sit well with

+

some members of the English court.

+

These tensions eventually led to the final downfall of Humphrey,

+

Duke of Gloucester. Prior to the French marriage, opponents at-

+

tacked him through his wife by accusing her of witchcraft. In 1447,

+

they accused him of treason, but he died before any trial. Suffolk

+

effectively replaced Gloucester as chief councilor to the King.

+

With Gloucester gone, leadership of the anti-French faction

+

passed to Richard of York. York had served two terms as Lieu-

+

tenant of France, 1436-1437 and then 1440-1445. Although not

+

important as a battlefield commander—a role he usually delegat-

+

ed to others—he was a skilled administrator and did a good job of

+

stabilizing the English position on the Continent.

+

He achieved this despite being starved of funds, rarely being giv-

+

en the required resources, and only infrequently being paid his

+

salary. To make up for shortfalls, he used his own funds and credit

+

to pay the forces under his command. To add insult to injury, the

+

Kingdom sent John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset (son of the 1st

+

Earl), on a fully funded campaign into Gascony in 1443, while

+

York was struggling to pay his many troops and garrisons. Som-

+

erset’s uncle, Cardinal Beaufort, had arranged the funding for the

+

Gascony campaign and insisted on his nephew commanding the

+

expedition. The campaign was a disaster. Somerset returned home

+

and died shortly afterwards, probably by his own hand.

+

John Beaufort’s brother Edmund, the new Duke of Somerset, re-

+

placed York in France. His tenure saw wholesale losses in France.

+

York, meanwhile, became Lieutenant of Ireland. This appoint-

+

ment was commensurate with his standing as a senior nobleman

+

with royal blood, but it also served to keep him away from court.

+

Henry VI’s unsuitability to rule was creating discontent within the

+

Kingdom. Blame at the time fell upon his councilors: Parliament

+

imprisoned Suffolk before the King sent him into exile, only to

+

suffer lynching on the way. But there is no doubt that Henry’s

+

own vacillating personality and the backing of his strong-willed

+

Queen, who despised York and his followers, together contributed

+

most to the problems.

+

In 1450, rebels from Kent led by Jack Cade (who referred to him-

+

self as a Mortimer, implying a connection to York, see Yorkist

+

Arts of War Event Y4) briefly took London by force. Later that

+

year, York returned from Ireland and raised forces to confront the

+

King. This led to the temporary imprisonment of Somerset, the

+

Queen’s favorite and York’s principal rival at court. In 1452, York

+

raised another army to force his way into government and remove

+

the Beauforts. At Dartford, Henry convinced York to disband his

+

men, but then had him seized and made him swear he would never

+

raise forces against the King again.

+

In 1453, the King fell into catatonia after English defeat to the

+

French at the Battle of Castillion. A Great Council was called,

+

inviting Richard of York and making him Lord Protector. York

+

again imprisoned Somerset and brought the Neville family into

+

the government, appointing Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury

+

(father of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick) Lord Chancellor.

+

This polarized the court further, entrenching the Percy-Neville

+

feud as a fault line between red rose and white.

+

York and Salisbury soon proved to be more capable administra-

+

tors than the previous council. They restored order and started to

+

repair the country’s finances.

+

But then disaster struck. After 17 months in a catatonic state, which

+

saw the birth of Henry VI’s son Edward at Westminster, the King

+

recovered his senses. He quickly reversed all York’s measures,

+

threatened to prosecute him and the Nevilles, and called them to a

+

Great Council at Leicester, where they faced likely arrest.

+

The Lancastrian King Henry with Somerset set out from London

+

with what was mostly an enlarged court retinue, perhaps 2,000

+

men. A slightly larger force under York, Salisbury, and Warwick

+

caught up with them at the town of St Albans.

+

Richard of York shows Somerset the white rose.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

18

+

The First War

+

The Lancastrian forces arrayed in streets and buildings of St Al-

+

bans itself, with the Yorkists slightly to the east. Negotiations be-

+

tween the two sides ensued and lasted several hours. King Henry

+

refused to accede to York’s request to surrender Somerset, and

+

fighting finally broke out, most likely initiated by Warwick. So

+

started the 1st Battle of St Albans on 22nd May 1455, normally

+

regarded as the start of the Wars of the Roses.

+

The battle was more of a skirmish, and the losses were low on

+

both sides. Warwick led the attack, gaining some fame for his

+

bravery, and the Yorkists prevailed. The outcome was catastroph-

+

ic for the Lancastrians: Northumberland, Somerset, and Clif-

+

ford were killed, and Henry VI and the Duke of Buckingham

+

were injured and captured.

+

With Henry now in York’s custody, the Yorkist nobles professed

+

their loyalty to the King. Within six months, York was once more

+

Lord Protector, and Warwick was made Lieutenant of Calais.

+

There now followed an uneasy period, in which Queen Margaret

+

rebuilt her party and tried through King Henry to replace York’s

+

supporters and reduce his influence. As tensions grew, Henry VI

+

in 1458 forced feuding enemies such as the Percys on the one

+

hand and York and the Nevilles on the other to put on a public

+

display of reconciliation at a so-called “Love Day” in London.

+

By the following year, Margaret felt sufficiently strong to move

+

against York and his associates. York reacted in the normal way.

+

He called his supporters to meet him at his castle at Ludlow,

+

intent on once more pressing his demands of the King with a

+

show of force.

+

The Queen likewise rallied supporters, and on 23rd September

+

1459, Lancastrian forces under Lord Audley intercepted Richard

+

Neville of Salisbury and his contingent at Blore Heath. This first

+

field battle of the Wars of the Roses saw a heavy defeat of the

+

Lancastrians after Yorkist archers brought a rare series of cavalry

+

charges to grief. Audley was killed, and Salisbury joined York at

+

Ludlow, along with Warwick and a Calais garrison contingent.

+

But the Lancastrians now had a full army in the field under Hen-

+

ry VI’s command. They met York and his followers at Ludford

+

Bridge on 12th October 1459. When Andrew Trollope, com-

+

mander of the Calais contingent, switched sides to the King, York,

+

Salisbury, and Warwick secretly fled their army at night. York

+

took his second son Edmund, Earl of Rutland, with him to exile

+

in Ireland. Salisbury and Warwick took York’s first son, Edward,

+

Earl of March, with them to Calais.

+

Queen Margaret moved quickly to consolidate her victory

+

through what became known as “The Parliament of Devils”, held

+

the next month at Coventry. York and his followers were “attaint-

+

ed”—declared traitors by Act of Parliament—which removed all

+

their titles and offices and disinherited their entire families.

+

Backed into a corner, the Yorkist lords planned their return for

+

the following year. In June 1460, Warwick and his forces landed

+

in Kent and moved swiftly via London up the country, gaining

+

favor as they went. The Queen’s army moved from Coventry to

+

confront them at Northampton, erecting an artillery fortification

+

in the fields surrounding Delapré Abbey. The ensuing Battle of

+

Northampton, fought on 10th July 1460, is notable for several

+

things beyond the conflict’s only recorded use of purpose-built

+

field artillery fortifications. It was the last battle at which negotia-

+

tions preceded the fighting, the only one for which one army (the

+

Lancastrian) was excommunicated, and the site where the oldest

+

cannonball on an English battlefield has been found. Treachery

+

against the King, on the part of Lord Grey of Ruthin, decided the

+

outcome.

+

Henry VI was captured at the battle and many of his high-pro-

+

file supporters killed, but Margaret escaped. After the battle,

+

Henry was taken to London. Later in the year, Richard of York

+

returned from Ireland and laid claim to the throne. In October

+

1460, Parliament passed the “Act of Settlement”, naming York

+

as Henry’s heir and disinheriting Henry and Margaret’s son, Ed-

+

ward, Prince of Wales—making Margaret an even more impla-

+

cable foe of the Yorkists.

+

Yorkists controlled the government, but Lancastrians still held

+

great favor in the provinces. Leaving Warwick in London, York

+

and Salisbury went North and March to Wales to pacify the

+

countryside.

+

Disaster struck York on 30th December 1460, when he was am-

+

bushed near Sandal Castle at the Battle of Wakefield. York and

+

Salisbury were killed, as was one of York’s sons, Edmund. York

+

and Salisbury’s heads were placed on spikes on the gates of the

+

City of York, and York’s head given a paper crown. The death of

+

York made Edward of March the Yorkist claimant to the throne.

+

Margaret had now consolidated her northern power. She set off

+

+

south, accompanied by Scottish allies. (See Arts of War Event

+

L14 Scots.)

+

The Lancastrians fought two battles in February 1461, to starkly

+

different outcomes. In the Welsh Marches, Edward of March in

+

February was able to confront and destroy Lancastrian forces led

+

by Jasper Tudor in a notable victory at Mortimer’s Cross. Details

+

of the battle are scarce but record appearance of a parhelion, an

+

atmospheric phenomenon in which ice crystals create an illusion

+

of multiple suns. Edward cited the suns as an omen of victory, and

+

the “sun in splendour” became his livery badge (see Event Y24).

+

Meanwhile, Warwick had left London to intercept Margaret’s

+

army. Warwick arrayed facing north with St Albans behind him

+

and fortified his ground with all sorts of contrivances: caltrops,

+

pavises, and fencing. (See Event Y19 Caltrops.) But Marga-

+

ret’s Lancastrians turned the position through a night march 16th

+

to 17th February to approach Warwick’s defenses from the south.

+

(See Event Y2 & L2 Flank Attack.) This forced the Yorkists

+

to leave some of their prepared positions. The Lancastrians

+

brought superior forces to bear on a part of the Yorkist army

+

and overwhelmed it. Warwick fled and escaped back to Lon-

+

don. Henry VI was freed, found sitting under a tree. Second St

+

Albans was a major victory for the Lancastrians, but one they

+

were unable to exploit.

+

Although Margaret was hot on Warwick’s heels, her army was

+

unable to enter London, as the citizens barred the gates. Yorkist

+

propaganda had stressed the barbaric nature of the Queen’s Scot-

+

tish allies and what they would do if let loose in the city. The

+

Lancastrians fell back north, retiring upon Dunstable.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

19

+

By now, Edward of March had made his way to the capital and

+

was hastily crowned King Edward IV at Westminster on 4th

+

March. England now had two kings.

+

Reunited, Edward and Warwick turned north to find and destroy

+

their opponents. As Henry VI and Margaret awaited news at the

+

City of York, the Yorkist and Lancastrian armies in late March

+

1461 met in what would be one of the most decisive clashes on

+

English soil: the Battle of Towton.

+

Towton. The sources disagree on the exact development of the

+

battle. It is often seen as two connected battles, Ferrybridge and

+

Towton, making a rolling conflict over a prolonged period, start-

+

ing on the 28th March and finishing on the next day, Palm Sunday.

+

The general consensus is that the Lancastrians outnumbered the

+

Yorkists in the initial stages. There were eight Peers alongside the

+

Yorkist King, and 19 with the Lancastrians. Edward IV, War-

+

wick, and Norfolk (who arrived late) faced the slain Somerset’s

+

son Henry (now 3rd Duke of Somerset), Henry Holland of Exeter,

+

and Henry Percy of Northumberland.

+

Somerset had a blocking force under Clifford to the south at Fer-

+

rybridge. These were destroyed, and Edward’s men could then

+

approach the main position. The Lancastrians were deployed on

+

the top of a plateau, waiting for the Yorkists to attack. The Yorkist

+

vanguard commander, Fauconberg, noticed the strength and di-

+

rection of the wind, deployed his archers at the front, and started a

+

barrage of arrows that fell in the middle of the Lancastrian ranks.

+

When the Lancastrians replied, their arrows fell short of the target

+

(see Event Y1 & L1, Leeward Battle Line). Fauconberg’s ar-

+

chers even gathered enemy arrows from the ground to shoot back

+

when they finished their own.

+

The volleys of arrows forced the Lancastrians to attack. They

+

pushed back the Yorkist forces, who were at risk of losing their

+

left wing. Edward IV joined the thick of the fighting, taking

+

charge of the situation and rallying the troops to withstand the

+

enemy assault.

+

Once stabilized, the fight went on for two or three hours. The Lan-

+

castrians were little by little forcing the Yorkists to fall back. But

+

the decisive moment came when Norfolk finally arrived and took

+

the Lancastrian left wing by surprise, starting a rout that spread

+

through the ranks and ended with a massacre.

+

Northumberland and Andrew Trollope fell in the battle. Henry,

+

Margaret, Somerset, and Exeter fled to Scotland. The Yorkist

+

victory left Edward IV as uncontested ruler of England.

+

Somerset’s Return. Edward IV, strong and handsome and

+

still an 18-year-old at the time of the 1461 battle, started his reign

+

with pardons to many of his enemies from Towton. Somerset ac-

+

cepted but in 1464 would spurn this peace offering.

+

Lancastrian opposition still carried on in the North, especially as

+

the Crown’s diplomacy with Scotland in 1463 threatened the Lan-

+

castrian sanctuary there. Edward delegated suppression of these

+

risings to Warwick and the Neville family, principally John Nev-

+

ille, Marquess of Montagu.

+

When Somerset in 1464 rebelled against Edward IV again, Mon-

+

tagu defeated him at the Battle of Hexham, ending the revolts.

+

Somerset fell captive after the battle and was beheaded. Shortly

+

afterwards, Henry VI was captured and transferred to the Tow-

+

er of London, putting an apparent end to the Lancastrian cause,

+

though his wife and heir remain free.

+

The First Respite. The year 1464 also saw Edward IV marry

+

Elizabeth Woodville, an attractive widow of Lancastrian sympa-

+

thies. Her father had achieved a level of notoriety by marrying

+

Jacquetta of Luxembourg, widow of the Duke of Bedford, a wom-

+

an of considerably higher social status. The Woodvilles were a

+

large family and gave Edward an opportunity to broaden his favor

+

through his wife’s relatives (see Event Y31 Earl Rivers and Ca-

+

pability Y31 Woodvilles).

+

Over the following five years Edward IV started to assert his au-

+

thority, much to the chagrin of Warwick, who expected not only

+

to be rewarded materially for his role in putting Edward on the

+

throne, but also to be granted political power and effectively act

+

as a medieval first minister.

+

The relationship between Edward and Warwick slowly broke

+

down. Traditionally this has been put down to Warwick’s opposi-

+

tion to the King’s marriage and his dislike of Queen Elizabeth’s

+

family and their increasing influence. For example, Lord Rivers,

+

the Queen’s father, became Lord Treasurer in 1466 (Event Y31

+

Earl Rivers).

+

Issues, however, ran deeper than that. Warwick favored a pro-

+

French foreign policy. Edward was naturally drawn to Burgundy

+

as an ally against England’s traditional enemy. Edward also pro-

+

moted men who owed their advancement entirely to him, men

+

such as William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, and Humphrey Staf-

+

ford, Earl of Devon (see also Event Y29 Dorset and Capability

+

Y29 Stafford Branch). These men received lands and offices

+

coveted by Warwick himself. Edward’s fiscal policies also meant

+

that he benefitted from trade at the expense of some of Warwick’s

+

traditional allies in the merchant community (see Lancastrian Ca-

+

pability L30 Merchants).

+

Warwick’s Rebellion

+

Things came to a head in 1469. Warwick had managed to suborn

+

Edward’s brother, George Duke of Clarence who at that time was

+

regarded as heir to the throne as Edward was yet to have a son.

+

Warwick, who had only daughters, was keen to marry his eldest,

+

Isabel, to Clarence, and Clarence was happy to agree. Alas Ed-

+

ward did not. Having married an English woman, he now needed

+

his siblings to make foreign marriages to build alliances. He had

+

already married his sister Margaret to Charles of Burgundy in

+

1468, and further diplomatic opportunities beckoned.

+

Open rebellion broke out in 1469. A series of risings in the north,

+

under the mysterious “Robin of Redesdale” (Event L31 Rob-

+

in’s Rebellion), finally provoked Edward IV to respond rath-

+

er than rely upon local leaders. While he was gathering forces,

+

Warwick left for Calais with Clarence and Isabel, who were

+

then married by George Neville, Archbishop of York. Warwick

+

then returned with an army, aiming to catch Edward between

+

his forces and those of Redesdale, which were actually led by a

+

loyal Warwick retainer.

+

Fearing the worst, Edward summoned Pembroke and Devon to

+

come to his aid. These two ran into Redesdale’s forces at Edgcote

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

20

+

on the 24th July 1469. With neither Warwick nor Edward pres-

+

ent this was like a play with the lead actors absent. Redesdale’s

+

men prevailed, Devon fleeing before the battle. Pembroke was

+

captured during the fighting and executed several days later, on

+

Warwick’s orders. Edward IV was captured shortly afterwards as

+

support deserted him.

+

Warwick’s attempts to rule with Edward as a puppet failed. With

+

Edward incarcerated, Warwick went on a killing spree, dispos-

+

ing of his “enemies”, notably Lord Rivers, but come September,

+

Warwick needed King Edward to enable him to raise forces to

+

suppress rebellions, and Edward took the opportunity to return to

+

London and announce he was back in control. Publicly he claimed

+

that he was reconciled with Warwick and Clarence, but privately

+

among his household it was said that this was not the case.

+

The following year a revolt in Lincolnshire prompted Edward to

+

leave London with his army to crush the rebels. Traditional ac-

+

counts, including the official version written by one of Edward’s

+

scribes, claim that the rebels were organized by Warwick and

+

Clarence. More recent research suggests that this might not have

+

been the case, and Edward was taking the opportunity to deal with

+

his troublesome over-mighty noble and brother.

+

With the rebels defeated at the Battle of Losecote, 12th March

+

1470, and Edward hot on their trail, Warwick and Clarence fled

+

to France. Here, with the help of Louis XI, Warwick arranged an

+

alliance with Margaret d’Anjou, sealed by an agreement to mar-

+

ry his second daughter, Anne Neville, to Henry VI and Margaret’s

+

son Edward, Prince of Wales.

+

This unfortunately side-lined Clarence, who was now realizing

+

the error of his ways. Getting the deal was not an easy matter for

+

Warwick, however. Margaret made him stay on his knees in her

+

presence for half an hour before deigning to speak to him. Even

+

with the agreement in place, Margaret did not fully trust Warwick.

+

Warwick and Clarence next staged a full-scale invasion with the

+

help of the French and the Lancastrian allies they had in England.

+

Creating a diversion in the north, they landed in Dartmouth and

+

Plymouth at the head of two armies.

+

Edward IV was in the north, dealing with the bush wars insti-

+

gated by Warwick’s associates in that region, but found himself

+

trapped by an army led by Montagu. He realized he had insuffi-

+

cient time to raise a full-sized army to deal with the problem and,

+

desperate, fled to Burgundy with his brother Richard, the Duke of

+

Gloucester (and future King Richard III), and what he could save

+

of his retinue.

+

Once in Burgundy, Edward and Gloucester started gathering re-

+

sources and allies to come back to England. Warwick’s alliance

+

with France to put Henry VI back on the throne served in this

+

case to aid Edward. If both England and France were hostile to

+

Burgundy, then the Duke of Burgundy had a problem (see Event

+

Y23 Charles The Bold).

+

Meanwhile, Warwick freed Henry VI from the Tower and on

+

3rd October 1470 reinstated him as King of England in what was

+

known as the “Readeption”. Margaret was still wary of Warwick,

+

however, and had remained in France. Henry VI was very weak

+

mentally and incapable of governing, the perfect King for a man

+

like Warwick.

+

Edward IV, with the backing of the Burgundians, landed in Ra-

+

venspur at the head of a small army. This was a symbolic moment,

+

as it had reminiscences of Henry Bolingbroke’s return, over 70

+

years before. As with that return, Edward also initially claimed

+

to be coming back to recover his legitimate inheritance. But, as

+

allies gathered around him, it became clear that he was there to

+

recover the throne.

+

Edward’s forces increased as he journeyed south. Clarence, to-

+

tally disaffected with Warwick, came back to the fold, and his

+

brothers received him with open arms. Edward and Gloucester

+

were careful enough, though, not to give Clarence any command

+

in the forthcoming battles. Edward entered London on 12th April

+

and paused only long enough to lock Henry VI back in the Tow-

+

er of London before heading off to fight Warwick. Edward had

+

a narrow window of opportunity while Margaret and her forces

+

remained in France, most likely trapped by contrary winds. Here

+

was an opportunity for King Edward to defeat his enemies one

+

at a time.

+

Edward found Warwick near Barnet, deploying close to him

+

in the evening dark. The following day, 14th April, with the

+

battlefield shrouded in heavy mist and despite being outnum-

+

bered, Edward attacked. The two armies were offset, with both

+

left flanks being overlapped. Oxford held the Lancastrian right

+

flank for Warwick and broke Hastings on the Yorkist left. Ox-

+

ford’s men pursued the defeated Yorkists into Barnet, before a

+

few returned to the battle. Richard of Gloucester on the Yorkist

+

right was pushing back the Lancastrian left, causing the battle

+

lines to turn counterclockwise.

+

Edward then was the beneficiary of an amazing piece of luck. As

+

Oxford’s men began to return to the field from their pursuit, Mon-

+

tagu’s fellow Lancastrians mistook the star of Oxford’s banner for

+

Edward IV’s “sun in splendour” badge. They started to shoot ar-

+

rows at the returning men. Oxford’s forces, shouting “treachery”,

+

counterattacked. One of Warwick’s retainers murdered Montagu

+

for fear he was about to change sides. Exeter, who had command-

+

ed the Lancastrian left, also lay dead. As Warwick’s army col-

+

lapsed, one of Edward’s men slew the Kingmaker himself.

+

Edward IV had disposed of his one-time mentor, and now had

+

to turn his attention to the remaining Lancastrian threat. Mar-

+

garet and Edward, Prince of Wales, had landed at Weymouth

+

(near Dorchester) on the same day as the Yorkist King’s victory

+

at Barnet. Refreshing his forces, Edward IV headed off to the

+

West Country.

+

He tracked down Margaret’s army at Tewkesbury on 4th May

+

1471. Although the armies were smaller than at Barnet, King Ed-

+

ward was again outnumbered. In addition to Margaret and the

+

Prince of Wales, Edmund Beaufort of Somerset was present

+

and commanded the army. Edward IV was again supported by

+

Gloucester and Hastings.

+

The battle opened with a Yorkist advance, and Somerset respond-

+

ed by trying to turn the Yorkist left flank, passing his men along

+

a concealed path. As the Lancastrians emerged, the two broth-

+

ers Edward IV and Gloucester forced them back and a concealed

+

force of cavalry, placed by Edward before the battle started, at-

+

tacked them in the flank and then pursued them. The rest of the

+

Lancastrian army broke and fled.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

21

+

Edward IV defeats Warwick at Barnet, 1471.

+

Prince Edward was captured and killed, as was Somerset. Mar-

+

garet herself was captured and sent to join her husband in the

+

Tower. The remaining Lancastrian resistance crumbled. Jasper

+

Tudor fled to the Continent. Forces under Thomas Neville, the

+

Bastard of Fauconberg, failed in their attempt to seize London.

+

He was captured shortly afterwards and executed.

+

Edward had won.

+

The Second Respite. The remaining years of Edward IV’s

+

reign were more or less peaceful. He now had a male heir, also

+

named Edward, to be followed soon by another, named Richard.

+

These were placed mainly in the care of his wife’s family, the

+

Woodvilles, as they prepared for their roles as royal adults. Ed-

+

ward put the country’s finances on a more solid footing and be-

+

haved as an English king was supposed to, for example, by invad-

+

ing France in 1475, although this campaign ended with the French

+

King, Louis XI, paying off the English to withdraw.

+

Alas, Edward IV’s relationship with his brother George, Duke of

+

Clarence, never really settled down, and the King executed him

+

in 1478 after another act of rebellion.

+

One of Edward IV’s last acts of foreign policy was to order an

+

invasion of Scotland in 1482, under the command of Richard of

+

Gloucester. The campaign was in support of a rival claimant to the

+

Scottish throne. Although this aspect failed, the English did regain

+

control of Berwick upon Tweed, which Margaret d’Anjou had

+

gifted to Scotland in exchange for support against Edward in 1461.

+

Much to everyone’s surprise, Edward died in 1483, at barely the

+

age of 40, probably due to overindulgence. He had become in-

+

dolent as he became older and enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh.

+

Another theory is that he caught pneumonia while fishing, some-

+

what ironic given all the risks he had run in combat when younger.

+

The succession should have been straightforward. Although a mi-

+

nor, his son Edward was a healthy 13-year-old, who would reach

+

his majority in five years (see Event Y33 Edward V). Edward IV

+

had put in place clear guidance for what was to happen should he

+

die before his son was old enough, with Richard of Gloucester

+

as Protector of the Kingdom and his wife’s family the Woodvilles

+

accorded a role in raising the Princes and in government.

+

What happened next is controversial and divisive even today.

+

Gloucester seized the young Prince Edward while on his way to

+

London, taking him out of the control of his mother’s family. His

+

motives are open to interpretation. His brother had entrusted him

+

with the Protectorate, and he may have had reason to think that

+

the Woodvilles were about to stage a coup. Alternatively, he may

+

already have had in mind what would be his first step on the road

+

to seizure of the throne for himself.

+

Gloucester had the young Prince brought to London and placed in

+

the Tower, soon to be joined there by the Prince’s younger brother.

+

The Tower at this time served two distinct roles. It was a prison

+

for high-ranking prisoners, but it was also a luxurious royal palace

+

where kings traditionally had stayed before their coronations.

+

Plans for the coronation of Edward V were delayed, then put on

+

hold. Then a clergyman suggested to Gloucester that his broth-

+

er’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was bigamous, rendering his

+

children illegitimate and therefore making Richard of Gloucester

+

himself the heir to the throne.

+

On 3rd July 1483, Richard was crowned King. Neither young

+

Prince was seen outside the Tower again, and their disappearance

+

is one of history’s abiding mysteries.

+

My Kingdom for a Horse

+

Richard III’s coronation seemed to show a nation united be-

+

hind a strong, adult ruler, but all was not well. Even before his

+

coronation, Richard had taken steps to remove likely opposition,

+

executing his deceased brother Edward’s close friend Hastings

+

and temporarily imprisoning the wealthy Thomas Stanley. As

+

well, he had the senior male members of the extended Woodville

+

family executed.

+

One of Richard’s chief supporters in his seizure of the crown

+

was Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham (grandson of the

+

Lancastrian-loyalist 1st Duke of Buckingham; see L34 Buck-

+

ingham’s Plot). But, married to a Woodville, Buckingham by

+

the end of July was in discussions with Henry Tudor’s mother,

+

Margaret Beaufort (see Event L35), and by October Buckingham

+

was in open rebellion. Troops under Henry Tudor were unable to

+

leave France to join him, due to contrary winds. Yorkists crushed

+

the rebels and executed Buckingham.

+

The following year saw Richard III attempt to consolidate his

+

hold on the realm, but behind the scenes Edward IV’s Queen,

+

Elizabeth Woodville, and Henry Tudor’s mother, Margaret Beau-

+

fort, were arranging the deal that would unseat Richard. A mar-

+

riage of Edward’s oldest daughter to Henry Tudor, would unite the

+

Houses of York and Lancaster on the throne (see Capabilitity L32

+

Two Roses). In England, the remnants of Lancastrian supporters

+

joined with Yorkists who now regretted backing Richard intent on

+

his overthrow. Henry Tudor would return to England, backed by

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

22

+

French troops and money (see Capabilities L34 Piquiers and L36

+

Chevaliers).

+

Henry Tudor’s invasion started in early August 1485, when he

+

set sail from Harfleur. He was accompanied by Jasper Tudor and

+

had the services of an experienced French commander, Philibert

+

de Chandeé (see Capability L33). Landing in Pembrokeshire, he

+

moved northeast before cutting across eastward through Shrews-

+

bury, toward the English Midlands, gathering support as he went.

+

Richard III positioned his army centrally, in Nottingham, and

+

his supporters marched to join him from London and the North.

+

Troops under Thomas (2nd Baron) Stanley and his brother Wil-

+

liam Stanley also made their way to the battlefield.

+

Thomas Stanley was husband to Margaret Beaufort and thus

+

Henry Tudor’s stepfather. Richard held Thomas Stanley’s son,

+

Lord Strange, as a hostage, to guarantee the father’s good conduct

+

and support. While historians have widely derided the Stanleys

+

as turncoats and fence-sitters, it seems unlikely that they were

+

intending to do anything other than turn on Richard III once the

+

time was right.

+

Bosworth. The two armies met at Bosworth on 22nd August

+

1485, for one of the most important battles in English history. The

+

site has been subject to the most intensive archaeological work on

+

any English battlefield in recent years, which has added greatly to

+

our understanding of the battle, although the evidence is still open

+

to interpretation.

+

What seems most likely is that Henry Tudor attacked Richard

+

III first. The two sides clashed, the Yorkist vanguard led by Nor-

+

folk and the Tudor’s center led by Oxford, while Thomas Stan-

+

ley and William Stanley held off.

+

During a small break in the fight, the French, who were concealed

+

behind or near Oxford’s lines, attacked Norfolk from the flank

+

with their 22 foot-long pikes (L34 Piquiers). Richard’s rear sup-

+

ports were unable to react due to the terrain. Northumberland,

+

seeing that the Stanleys had joined the Lancastrian side, started

+

to flee.

+

Norfolk was destroyed, and Richard III could either flee and

+

save his life or try a last desperate maneuver. No one can call him

+

a coward, as he chose the latter. Mounting his horse, and accom-

+

panied by his bodyguards, he charged through the battlefield in

+

search of Henry Tudor, hoping to kill him and win the battle with

+

one stroke of a sword.

+

Seeing Henry and his bodyguards behind Oxford’s battle, Rich-

+

ard attempted to end the fight with a decisive cavalry charge,

+

something that had not been tried in the Wars of the Roses for

+

over two decades (see Capability Y32 Final Charge). Skirting

+

the marsh that protected Henry’s right flank, Richard headed for

+

his enemy. The King, first with his lance and then with his battle

+

axe, fought his way through the men around Henry until he was no

+

more than a sword point away from the pretender. But then Wil-

+

liam Stanley’s troops came crashing from the back of the battle-

+

field. The melee that followed cut down Richard and his followers.

+

Richard III fell as he fought on foot beside his dead horse, sur-

+

rounded by enemies. Forced to his knees, his helmet ripped off,

+

repeated blows to the head killed him, bringing the Plantagenet

+

dynasty to a bloody end.

+

After Bosworth, Henry Tudor was crowned King of England.

+

He followed through on marrying Edward IV’s daughter Eliz-

+

abeth, thus merging the York bloodline with his and uniting the

+

two Roses.

+

The Tudor dynasty had begun.

+

The death of Richard III during the battle of Bosworth.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

23

+

Lord and Vassal Histories

+

Here we briefly discuss the lives of historical figures depicted in

+

the game as Lords and Vassals. As a convention, we refer to no-

+

bles by their titles, except where other names better distinguish

+

them. See also the House of Lancaster and House of York family

+

trees, pages 54 & 55.

+

The Lancastrians

+

Henry VI Plantagenet, King of England

+

Henry was born on 6th December 1421, the only son

+

of King Henry V and Catherine of Valois, daughter

+

of Charles VI of France. Henry VI in 1422 succeed-

+

ed his father as the third King of England (and

+

claimant to the French throne) from the Lancastrian branch of

+

the Plantagenets, after Henry IV and Henry V. Until the new

+

King’s coming of age, a Lord Protector (Humphrey, Duke of

+

Gloucester) and a regency council of Henry’s uncles (Henry V’s

+

brothers) governed the country.

+

Henry VI was pious, shy, and averse to conflict, so when he

+

took up the reins of government in 1437, he allowed a few noble

+

favorites to dominate his court, first Suffolk, then after Suffolk’s

+

death, Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset. Suffolk’s ar-

+

rangement of a royal marriage to the French Margaret d’Anjou,

+

along with Henry’s less aggressive policy toward France relative

+

to that of his father, stirred conflict among the nobles and divid-

+

ed the court itself. An anti-French party led by Gloucester, later

+

succeeded by York, on one side opposed a party around the new

+

Queen on the other.

+

Henry VI suffered from bouts of mental illness or catatonia.

+

During the first one, in 1453, York was named Lord Protector.

+

And—perhaps ill-suited to a king in these times of division—

+

Henry always sought to negotiate rather than resort to resolution

+

by arms, as can be seen in his response to Jack Cade’s rebellion in

+

1450 and during the confrontation with York a bit later.

+

When armed conflict nevertheless came, the Yorkists proved the

+

greater military leaders. After the Battle of Towton and Yorkist

+

victory, Henry VI fled to Scotland and spent some years there in

+

exile before his capture and imprisonment in 1464.

+

Indeed, Henry VI was captured and freed multiple times after bat-

+

tles in the Wars of the Roses and even reinstated to the throne for a

+

few months in 1471, upon Edward IV’s exile to Burgundy. Henry

+

VI finally died 21st May 1471, captive in the Tower of London.

+

Margaret d’Anjou, Queen of England

+

Margaret (Marguerite) was born 23rd March 1430, the

+

daughter of René, Duke of Anjou, and Isabella of

+

Lorraine. She was a cousin of King Louis XI of

+

France, and when she married King Henry VI in

+

1445, she became Queen of England (and nominally Queen of

+

France) until 1461, and again from 1470 to 1471. Margaret and

+

Henry had only one son, Edward, born in 1453. (See Edward of

+

Westminster, below, and Arts of War Capability card L26 Ed-

+

ward – Prince of Wales.)

+

Margaret’s French family included several women who had ex-

+

ercised power in politics, administration, and war, so she found

+

it difficult to adapt to an English court that expected her to play a

+

secondary role. That, and Henry VI’s reticent personality, quickly

+

led her to become involved in the power struggle between the

+

two factions of the court: the Duke of Gloucester’s party, which

+

wanted to keep Henry V’s policy fighting France, and Cardinal

+

Beaufort’s party, which sought a negotiated exit from the Hundred

+

Years War. She favored the latter agenda and thus became an en-

+

emy of Gloucester and, after his fall, of Richard Plantagenet, the

+

Duke of York.

+

Margaret d’Anjou, Queen of England

+

Highly active at war, Margaret accompanied armies on campaign

+

and took command when Henry VI was imprisoned or unwell.

+

(See Capability L17 Margaret takes the reins.)

+

After Towton, she had to endure hard exiles in Scotland and

+

France. She had little hope of recovering the throne until Louis

+

XI arranged an alliance between her and the Earl of Warwick,

+

by then known as “Kingmaker”. In 1471, Margaret returned to

+

England at the head of a Lancastrian army to confront the Yorkist

+

King Edward IV.

+

The Battle of Tewkesbury saw the defeat of her army and the

+

slaying of her son. She was imprisoned in the Tower of London,

+

briefly with her husband, who died a few weeks later. Louis XI

+

ransomed her in 1475, and spent her final seven years near Anjou,

+

where she died in 1482.

+

Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset

+

Henry Beaufort, born 26th January 1436, was the son

+

of Edmund of Somerset and Eleanor de Beauchamp

+

and inherited the ducal title. The new Duke of Som-

+

erset had been present on the field upon his father’s

+

death at First St Albans in 1455, cementing his hatred of York and

+

the Nevilles and his enthusiasm for the Lancastrian cause.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

24

+

Somerset stepped into the forefront of military leadership for the

+

rest the first War of the Roses, commanding Lancastrian armies in

+

several campaigns. (See Capability L28 Loyal Somerset.)

+

Appointed Captain of Calais in 1459, Somerset sailed there but

+

was refused admittance to the city by Warwick’s supporters.

+

He tried unsuccessfully to besiege Calais, and spent some time

+

fighting skirmishes around it, until the Yorkists defeated him and

+

forced his return across the Channel.

+

During Somerset’s absence, the Yorkists had won at Northamp-

+

ton. But Somerset then defeated them at Wakefield in late 1460

+

and Second St Albans in 1461. Sadly for the Lancastrians, Somer-

+

set lost against Edward of March at the Battle of Towton later that

+

year and had to flee to exile in France.

+

Somerset sought Edward IV’s pardon and briefly became loyal to

+

the Yorkist King. But in 1464 he rebelled again, campaigned for

+

the Lancastrians near the Scottish border in the North, met defeat

+

at the Battle of Hexham, and there was beheaded.

+

Edmund Beaufort, 4th Duke of Somerset

+

Edmund Beaufort and Eleanor de Beauchamp’s

+

named their second son Edmund, born two years af-

+

ter his more famous brother Henry. Succeeding Hen-

+

ry as Duke of Somerset, Edmund became an import-

+

ant figure for the Lancastrians in the period of Warwick’s rebellion.

+

Imprisoned in the Tower of London, Edmund missed the 1460-

+

1461 Lancastrian victories of Wakefield and Second St Albans

+

and their defeat at Towton. He was released in 1462 when his

+

brother reconciled with Edward IV.

+

After his brother’s rebellion and death, the younger Somerset

+

joined Margaret d’Anjou’s court-in-exile at Coeur. There he

+

spent some time fighting for Charles, who later became Duke

+

of Burgundy.

+

When Warwick and Margaret d’Anjou became allies, Edmund of

+

Somerset, alongside the Duke of Exeter, started raising troops for

+

the Lancastrians. He joined Margaret and the Prince of Wales as

+

they finally disembarked in England in 1471.

+

Somerset commanded the Lancastrian army at the Battle of

+

Tewkesbury. After the Lancastrian defeat, Somerset sought shel-

+

ter in a nearby abbey, whence the victors removed him by force

+

and—dispensing the same punishment as befell his brother—be-

+

headed him.

+

Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter

+

Henry Holland was born 27th June 1430 to John Hol-

+

land, the 2nd Duke of Exeter, and Anne Stafford and

+

inherited the ducal title when his father died in 1447.

+

Exeter’s character has been described as cruel, sav-

+

age, and unpredictable. In 1447, the soon-to-be Duke of Exeter

+

had married Richard of York’s daughter Anne. However, during

+

the Wars of the Roses, he fought against his Yorkist father-in-law

+

and remained loyal to the Lancastrian cause.

+

Exeter commanded Lancastrian troops at the victories of Wake-

+

field in 1460 and Second St Albans in 1461 and the defeat of Tow-

+

ton in 1461. He joined Margaret d’Anjou in her exile in France

+

and returned to England when she allied with Warwick. He com-

+

manded the Lancastrian left at Barnet, where he was wounded

+

and captured.

+

Exeter received a royal pardon from Edward IV. In 1475, he

+

volunteered for Edward’s expedition to France. (See Capability

+

L29 High Admiral.) On the return voyage, Exeter fell over-

+

board and drowned.

+

Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham

+

Humphrey Stafford was born in December 1402, the

+

son of Edmund, 5th Earl of Stafford, and Anne of

+

Gloucester, a granddaughter of King Edward III.

+

(Yorkist Lord Humphrey Stafford, who became Earl

+

of Devon, was a distant relative.)

+

Humphrey Stafford was a military commander during the Hundred

+

Years War, having joined King Henry V’s campaign in France in

+

1420. After his elevation as Duke of Buckingham and the death

+

of his mother, he became one of the wealthiest and most powerful

+

landowners in England (see Capability L22 Stafford Estates).

+

During the reign of Henry VI, he usually acted as a conciliator

+

and peacemaker between Gloucester’s and Beaufort’s factions in

+

court. Upon war against Henry VI, Buckingham joined the King’s

+

side and served him faithfully.

+

Buckingham was near the King during First St Albans and was

+

captured by the Yorkists. A feud with Warwick made him an even

+

more clear supporter of Henry VI and Margaret d’Anjou.

+

Buckingham fell on 10th July 1460 at the Battle of Northampton,

+

while acting as the King’s personal guard.

+

Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland

+

The Percys had ruled estates in northern England

+

since the Norman Conquest. Henry Percy was born

+

25th July 1421. His father Henry was the 2nd Earl of

+

Northumberland, and his mother Eleanor was of the

+

House of Neville. (See also Capability L14 Percy’s Power.)

+

The younger Henry Percy was appointed Warden of the Eastern

+

March in 1440 and was very active in multiple border conflicts

+

with Scotland. In 1448, he with his father and Sir Robert Ogle

+

invaded and ravaged Dunbar and Dumfries.

+

Henry had married Eleanor Poynings, from an important near-

+

by rival family, and taken the title of Lord Poynings. Marriage

+

ties, however, did not prevent the Percy’s major feuding with the

+

Poynings and also with the Nevilles, against whom Henry even

+

fought a battle, at Topcliffe in 1453.

+

In the Wars of the Roses, Henry Percy was one of a generation

+

of nobles who, like Henry Somerset and John Clifford, saw their

+

Lancastrian fathers killed at the First Battle of St Albans in 1455.

+

As the new Earl of Northumberland after his father’s death, he

+

became a diehard Lancastrian.

+

Northumberland led the central battle (troop formation) at Wake-

+

field in 1460 and took part at Second St Albans in 1461. At the

+

Battle of Towton, on 29th March 1461, he commanded the Lancas-

+

trian vanguard. There, he was fatally wounded or slain outright.

+

(See also Yorkist Lord Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland—

+

he was the son of this Henry Percy.)

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

25

+

George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence

+

George was the sixth son of Richard of York and Ce-

+

cily Neville, born in Dublin on 21st October 1449, in

+

between his brothers Edward and Richard, each of

+

whom would become King of England. George was

+

made Duke of Clarence and appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland

+

when Edward became King in 1461.

+

Clarence fell under the influence of Warwick the “Kingmaker”

+

and married Warwick’s oldest daughter Isabel Neville against Ed-

+

ward IV’s wishes. When Warwick rebelled against the King, Clar-

+

ence sided with his father-in-law, joining him in France. When

+

Warwick’s rebellion in 1470 restored Henry VI as King, Clarence

+

became the next in line to the throne after Henry and Margaret’s

+

son Edward, Prince of Wales.

+

But Warwick then had his other daughter, Anne, marry Prince Ed-

+

ward. Clarence soon suspected that his faith in his father-in-law

+

was misplaced. He reconciled secretly with his brother Edward.

+

When Edward IV defeated Warwick at Barnet in 1471, the King

+

restored his brother Clarence to royal favor and made him Great

+

Chamberlain.

+

As Richard of Gloucester, Clarences’ younger brother, had mar-

+

ried the widowed Anne Neville, Clarence and Gloucester together

+

had to share Warwick’s inheritance. This situation created tension

+

between them. Clarence was made Earl of Warwick and Earl of

+

Salisbury, but it seems that that was not enough for him, especial-

+

ly after the death of his wife Isabel in 1476 from complications of

+

childbirth. Clarence never recovered from Isabel’s death, which

+

made his behavior increasingly erratic.

+

In 1478, he was imprisoned and privately executed in the Tower

+

of London for a supposed plot to kill King Edward.

+

Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke

+

Jasper Tudor, born in 1431, was the son of Owen Tu-

+

dor and Catherine de Valois—and thus half-brother

+

to King Henry VI.

+

Jasper Tudor’s father Owen was a descendant of

+

Ednyfed Fychan, Llywelyn the Great’s renowned Chancellor,

+

and that gave Jasper added status in Wales. (See Capability L25

+

Welsh Lord.)

+

Young Jasper and his brother—sons of Henry V’s widow—

+

were competitors to Henry, so his court at first kept them away.

+

But in 1442 it took them in, educated them, and gave them

+

military positions.

+

In 1452, Jasper Tudor was recognized as a legitimate

+

half-brother to the King and created Earl of Pembroke. Jasper

+

lost the title to the Yorkist William Herbert when Edward IV

+

attained the throne in 1461, briefly regained it in 1471, and

+

then lost it again.

+

Jasper had considerable military expertise, although the only two

+

major battles in which he took part were Mortimer’s Cross, where

+

he lost to Edward IV, and Bosworth.

+

In 1471, after the Lancastrian defeat at Tewkesbury, Jasper fled

+

to Brittany with his nephew Henry (who later would become

+

Henry VII). There, at Chateau de Suscinio, they created an

+

armed camp, where they planned their invasion of England with

+

the help of the French.

+

After a failed invasion attempt in 1483, they had to leave Brittany

+

and go to Charles VIII’s court. There, they prepared for a sec-

+

ond invasion. This one was successful—in 1485, they landed near

+

Pembroke and met Richard III at Bosworth, defeating his army

+

and killing him.

+

As Jasper’s nephew Henry Tudor became King Henry VII, Jasper

+

was finally fully restored as Earl of Pembroke and created Duke

+

of Bedford, taking possession of Cardiff castle. He lived until 21st

+

December 1495.

+

Henry Tudor

+

Henry Tudor was born 28th January 1457. He was the

+

son of Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond and

+

half-brother to Henry VI, and Margaret Beaufort,

+

daughter of John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset,

+

niece or cousin of various other Somersets, grandniece of Cardi-

+

nal Beaufort, and great-granddaughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke

+

of Lancaster. (See also Event L35.)

+

Henry’s mother provided him a claim to the English throne

+

through the House of Beaufort. After the death of Edward, Prince

+

of Wales, in 1471, Henry Tudor became the senior Lancastrian

+

male (though his matrilineal claim was stenuous).

+

From 1470, Henry was under the protection of his uncle, Jasper

+

Tudor, who went into exile with him to Brittany and helped to

+

prepare the Tudor invasion of England, unsuccessfully in 1483

+

and then again in 1485, culminating in the Battle of Bosworth

+

at which the Lancastrians (by this point, the Tudors) defeated

+

Richard III.

+

Henry was crowned as Henry VII, founding the Tudor dynasty.

+

He married Elizabeth of York, Edward IV’s eldest daughter, unit-

+

ing the feuding Lancastrian and Yorkist dynasties. He reigned for

+

24 years and died in April 1509, succeeded by his son, whose cor-

+

onation as Henry VIII the long-lived Margaret Beaufort attended

+

shortly before her death.

+

John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford

+

John was born 8th September 1442, the second son of

+

John de Vere, 12th Earl of Oxford, and Elizabeth

+

Howard, a first cousin of the Duke of Norfolk. In

+

1462, his father and eldest brother were accused by

+

treason by the Yorkist John Tiptoft, Earl of Worcester, and be-

+

headed a few days later. Following Edward IV’s conciliatory pol-

+

icies with Lancastrians, John was allowed to succeed his father as

+

Earl of Oxford.

+

In 1469, Oxford joined Warwick’s rebellion against Edward IV.

+

When Henry VI was restored, Oxford was appointed Lord High

+

Constable of England, and, from that position, he tried, con-

+

demned, and executed Tiptoft. (See also Oxford and Worcester,

+

under Prominent Houses, page 30.)

+

In April 1471, Oxford led Warwick’s right wing at Barnet, de-

+

feating Hastings and pursuing the Yorkist left from the field. As

+

Oxford’s men began to return to the battle array, allied troops mis-

+

took them for an attack from the rear by Edward’s men and shot

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

26

+

arrows at them. Oxford’s troops counterattacked, and the friend-

+

on-friend fighting contributed to a Lancastrian collapse.

+

After this defeat, Oxford went to Scotland and then to France to

+

engage in privateering. Oxford spent a few years as a prisoner

+

near Calais, but when Richard III ordered his transfer to England,

+

he was found to have escaped.

+

Oxford commanded the archers and vanguard on the winning

+

side at Bosworth in 1485. After Richard’s defeat and Henry VII’s

+

coronation, Oxford became one of the most powerful men under

+

Tudor reign. He died childless in 1513, after a life full of fighting

+

and adventure.

+

Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales

+

Born in 1453, Edward was the royal heir and only

+

son of Henry VI and Margaret d’Anjou. He accom-

+

panied his mother into exile to France and, after her

+

alliance with Warwick, in December 1470 married

+

Anne Neville. He sailed with the Lancastrian army that invaded

+

England in April 1471 and several days later was killed at the

+

Battle of Tewkesbury. (See also Capability L26 Edward –

+

Prince of Wales.)

+

John Clifford, 9th Baron Clifford

+

Born in 1435, son of Thomas Clifford and Joan Da-

+

cre, he saw his father slain at First St Albans in 1455

+

and became a loyal Lancastrian, intent on revenge.

+

(See Capability L21 My Father’s Blood.)

+

For a time, he joined Northumberland in the north, helping him

+

in his feud with the Nevilles. After the Battle of Northampton

+

in 1460, Clifford started a raiding campaign, and his ravaging of

+

York’s and Neville’s estates forced them to march north to deal

+

with the trouble.

+

Clifford was a commander at the Battle of Wakefield that defeated

+

York, and most believe that he killed Edmund of Rutland, York’s

+

son, as Rutland fled. He also played an important part in the Bat-

+

tle of Second St Albans. He was slain in 1461 in the skirmish at

+

Ferrybridge the day before the Battle of Towton.

+

John Neville, 1st Marquess Montagu

+

Salisbury’s third son John was born in 1431. Less fa-

+

mous than his eldest brother, Warwick, he was of a

+

more martial nature. (See L23 Montagu.)

+

He was one of the main actors during the Percy-Nev-

+

ille feud in the 1450s and took part in the Battle of Blore Heath

+

against the Lancastrians. Montagu, along with his brother Thom-

+

as, was imprisoned until 1460.

+

Montagu was present at Second St Albans, where he was cap-

+

tured again and not released until Edward IV’s victory at Towton.

+

After that, Montagu was briefly created Earl of Northumberland

+

but soon was stripped of that position in favor of Henry Percy.

+

During the start of Warwick’s rebellion, Montagu began loyal to

+

Edward IV but soon turned against the King and went over to his

+

brother’s side.

+

At Barnet in 1471, Montagu took charge of the center of War-

+

wick’s army and was cut down while fighting to give his brother

+

time for a last attempt to flee.

+

Sir Andrew Trollope

+

Andrew Trollope was born into a family of Durham

+

dyers. He spent most of his military career in France

+

as a man-at-arms. By 1442, he was serving under Sir

+

Richard Woodville, and by 1455 he was made Master

+

Porter of Calais. Trollope sailed with Warwick to England in

+

1459. But at the Battle of Ludford Bridge, he defected to Henry

+

VI’s side, dealing a blow to the Yorkists, who had to flee.

+

Sir Andrew kept fighting alongside the Lancastrians and be-

+

came a valuable strategist and tactician for them. Prince Edward

+

knighted him at Second St Albans. At the Battle of Towton in

+

1461, Andrew Trollope shared command of the vanguard with

+

Northumberland and there was killed. (See also Capability L19

+

Andrew Trollope.)

+

Thomas Stanley, 2nd Baron Stanley

+

Born in 1435, son of Thomas Stanley, 1st Baron Stan-

+

ley, and Joan Goushill, the younger Thomas Stanley

+

was a magnate of great wealth and power across the

+

northwest of England, based around Lancaster and

+

Chester.

+

Thomas Stanley managed to remain in favor with the various kings

+

during the Wars of the Roses. But Richard III came to distrust him

+

due to his marriage to Henry Tudor’s mother, Margaret Beaufort,

+

and demanded Stanley’s son, Lord Strange, as a hostage. At the

+

Battle of Bosworth, Thomas Stanley finally stood against Richard

+

III. The King issued orders for the murder of Lord Strange, but

+

they were not carried out.

+

The Stanleys’ intervention pushed the balance of the battle in fa-

+

vor of Thomas’s stepson, Henry Tudor, who later lavishly reward-

+

ed him. King Henry VII created Thomas Stanley the 1st Earl of

+

Derby in October 1485. Thomas Stanley lived until 1504. (See

+

also Stanley, under Prominent Houses, page 30, and Capability

+

L35 Thomas Stanley.)

+

Thomas Stanley after the Wars, as Earl of Derby.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

27

+

The Yorkists

+

Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York

+

Born 21st September 1411, Richard was descended

+

from the warrior King Edward III by both his parents.

+

Richard’s father was the son of Edmund, Duke of

+

York, Edward III’s fourth son. Richard’s mother was

+

the great granddaughter of Edward III’s second son, Lionel of An-

+

twerp.

+

In the reign of Henry VI, York joined the party of Henry’s uncle,

+

the Duke of Gloucester, which favored the continuation of the

+

Hundred Years War. York was appointed Lieutenant of France in

+

1436. There, he displayed his capabilities as administrator and

+

organizer but was not favored by the Crown. Backing Gloucester,

+

he opposed the marriage of Henry VI to Margaret d’Anjou. When

+

Gloucester in 1447 fell in disgrace and died, York took charge of

+

the opposition party.

+

After multiple royal slights in favor of York’s rival, the Earl of

+

Somerset, and the corresponding loss of influence, York rebelled

+

against Henry VI. The powerful Neville family joined York.

+

York became Lord Protector for a brief period after the Yorkist

+

victory at First St Albans that Henry VI became catatonic. After

+

the reversal at Ludford Bridge in 1459, York fled to Ireland, re-

+

turning to England in 1460 at the head of an army. Failing in an

+

attempt to be crowned, he did succeed in appointment as Henry

+

VI’s successor.

+

On 30th December 1460, Richard of York fell in the Yorkist de-

+

feat at the Battle of Wakefield and ended up with his head on a

+

spike at the gates of York.

+

Edward Plantagenet, 7th Earl of March

+

Richard of York’s eldest surviving son

+

Edward was born at Rouen in Norman-

+

dy, 28th April 1442, by Cecily Neville,

+

daughter of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of

+

Westmorland. Edward probably grew up at Ludlow Castle on the

+

Welsh Marches.

+

Edward in 1459, at the age of 17, had to flee England with his

+

father’s allies, the Nevilles, after the Battle of Ludford Bridge. He

+

went with them to Calais and returned one year later to march into

+

London and lead one of the three Yorkist divisions at the Battle

+

of Northampton.

+

After the death of his father in 1460, Edward of March became

+

the leader of the Yorkist faction. He defeated the Lancastrians at

+

Towton and was crowned King Edward IV.

+

Edward married Elizabeth Woodville, a factor in the King’s fall-

+

ing out with his long-term ally, friend, and mentor, Richard Nev-

+

ille, the Earl of Warwick. This conflict erupted into a Yorkist civil

+

war in 1469. The Lancastrians subsequently joined forces with

+

Warwick, and Edward IV briefly had to flee to Burgundy.

+

Edward returned to England once more in 1471, landing at Raven-

+

spur (as Henry Bolingbroke had done more than 70 years earlier).

+

From there, he gathered an army and defeated Warwick at Barnet

+

and the Lancastrians at Tewkesbury. King again, Edward IV spent

+

the next 10 years defeating the occasional revolt, organizing a

+

half-hearted invasion of France, fathering sons, and enjoying the

+

pleasures of a king’s life.

+

Edward IV died on the 9th of April 1483, possibly of pneumonia

+

caught while fishing and aggravated by his fondness for food and

+

drink. He left his son Edward, a minor, as his successor, with his

+

brother Richard of Gloucester as Lord Protector.

+

Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury

+

Richard Neville was born in 1400 in Durham to

+

Ralph Neville and Joan Beaufort. He married Alice

+

Montagu daughter and heiress of the 4th Earl of Salis-

+

bury. Through her inheritance, Richard as the next

+

Earl of Salisbury became one of the wealthiest and most influen-

+

tial nobles in England.

+

Richard of Salisbury was appointed Warden of the West March-

+

es (based in Carlisle) in 1420, traditionally a perch of the Percy

+

family. This increased the tensions between the Percys and the

+

Nevilles, the two most powerful families in the North of England.

+

The feud resulted in multiple skirmishes, and the Court had to

+

intervene.

+

Salisbury was brother-in-law to Richard of York. After the Lan-

+

castrians favored the Percys, Salisbury joined York’s party and

+

became the latter’s strongest ally, taking part in the Battle of First

+

St Albans. When York became Lord Protector, Salisbury was ap-

+

pointed Lord Chancellor—appointments overturned shortly after-

+

ward, when Henry VI recovered from his catatonia.

+

In 1459, the Yorkists rebelled again, and Salisbury marched for

+

Ludlow to rendezvous with his son Richard of Warwick and with

+

York. He defeated an intercepting force of Lancastrians at the bat-

+

tle of Blore Heath. After the rout at Ludford Bridge, he fled with

+

his son and with Edward, the Earl of March, to Calais.

+

Salisbury returned to England in 1460 and joined forces with

+

York. He died after Wakefield on the 30th of December—cap-

+

tured and beheaded while trying to escape, Salisbury shared Rich-

+

ard of York’s fate, his head put on a pike alongside his ally’s over

+

the gates of York.

+

Edmund Plantagenet, 1st Earl of Rutland

+

Richard of York and Cecily Neville’s second son, Ed-

+

mund, was born 17th May 1443. We know little about

+

his life, probably because he was absent from many

+

of the main events of the Wars of the Roses and died

+

young. Nevertheless, his figure is important as the brother and

+

next in line of succession to the future King Edward IV.

+

During York’s tenure as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Edmund was

+

appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland. During the first War, Ed-

+

mund of Rutland was the son most often at Richard of York’s side,

+

while Edward spent more time with the Nevilles.

+

In October 1459, Rutland at the age of 16 stood alongside his

+

father and elder brother at the Battle of Ludford Bridge. Rutland

+

fled with York to Ireland, while the elder son Edward of March

+

went with the Nevilles to Calais.

+

On 2nd December 1460, Rutland was among the nobles and troops

+

that his father with Salisbury led out of London to confront the

+

Lancastrians in the North. On 30th December, Rutland fought in

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

28

+

the Battle of Wakefield and was killed trying to flee the field—his

+

head placed alongside those of his father York and Salisbury at

+

the gates of York.

+

William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke

+

“Black William” Herbert was born in 1423, son of

+

Welsh nobleman Sir William ap Thomas and Gwlad-

+

ys ferch Dafydd Gam, the daughter of a Welsh war-

+

rior who died at Agincourt. William Herbert too took

+

part in numerous battles in France over the final years of the Hun-

+

dred Years War. He was taken prisoner after the Battle of Formi-

+

gny in 1450, freed, and knighted at Christmas of that year.

+

William ap Thomas up to his death in 1445 had been an ally of

+

Richard of York. The younger Sir William at the outset of the

+

Wars of the Roses held loyal to King Henry VI. But, when the

+

Yorkists returned from Calais in 1460, Black William followed

+

in his father’s footsteps to join the Yorkist cause. He represented

+

Hereford in the Parliament later that year and fought effectively

+

for Edward of March at Mortimer’s Cross.

+

After Edward IV ascended to the throne in 1461, the King reward

+

William Herbert with several key positions within Wales. Impor-

+

tantly, Herbert replaced Jasper Tudor as Earl of Pembroke and

+

became known as Edward IV’s Welsh “master lock”.

+

In the second War, Pembroke led a Royal army of Welshmen on

+

campaign against Warwick. (See also Capabilities Y25 Pembroke

+

and Y30 Captain.) Warwick’s rebels caught and defeated Pem-

+

broke and the Earl of Devon at the Battle of Edgcote on 24th July

+

1469, capturing Pembroke there. Warwick several days later exe-

+

cuted him along with Pembroke’s brother Richard.

+

Humphrey Stafford, 1st Earl of Devon

+

Humphrey Stafford was born in 1439 to Catherine

+

Chidiock and William Stafford, belonging to a cadet

+

branch (male descendants of younger sons) of the

+

Earls of Stafford, who later became Dukes of Buck-

+

ingham. (This Humphrey thus was only a distant relative of the

+

Lancastrian lord, Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham.)

+

Through inheritance, he became a dominant magnate in the south-

+

west of England, particularly in Dorset.

+

Humphrey proved a loyal Yorkist, and Edward IV knighted him

+

at Wakefield in 1461. Over the following years, he was appointed

+

steward of the Duchy of Cornwall, constable of Bristol, and keep-

+

er of Dartmoor. He served Edward IV faithfully and succeeded

+

in turning an area that had been strongly Lancastrian into a more

+

favorable region for the Yorkists.

+

In this process, Humphrey progressively took control of the Earl-

+

dom of Devon from its old holders, the Courtenays (who had been

+

Lancastrian supporters). In 1469, Stafford received the title of

+

Earl of Devon, previously being Baron Southwick.

+

But Devon was able to enjoy the Earldom for only three months.

+

That year, he went to help Pembroke quell Warwick’s rebellion

+

and took part in the Battle of Edgcote on 24th July. He initially was

+

able to flee but was captured later and executed on 17th August.

+

(See also Devon, under Prominent Houses, page 30, and Event

+

Y29 Dorset and Capability Y29 Stafford Branch.)

+

Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland

+

The staunch Lancastrian Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of

+

Northumberland, killed at Towton in 1461, left a son

+

Henry, born 1449 by Eleanor Poynings.

+

After the Yorkist victory in 1461, the younger Henry

+

Percy was imprisoned and even briefly lost his title in favor of

+

John Neville. But Henry finally swore fealty to Edward IV in 1469

+

and recovered his titles. The restored Earl of Northumberland be-

+

came an important member of the court and held key posts in

+

northern England, such as Warden of the East and Middle March-

+

es, a traditional appointment for members of his family. (See also

+

Capabilities Y27 Percy’s North and Y37 Percy’s North.)

+

In 1485, Northumberland commanded the Yorkist reserve at Bo-

+

sworth, but he failed to commit his forces to the battle—possibly

+

treason in favor of Henry Tudor. After the battle, Northumberland

+

was arrested, but he then swore allegiance to the new King and

+

was allowed to return to his old posts.

+

Northumberland was slain in April 1489 by rioters protesting high

+

taxation in Yorkshire.

+

Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester

+

Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, bore

+

Richard of York 12 children. The elev-

+

enth, also named Richard, was born on

+

2nd October 1452 at Fotheringhay Castle

+

in Northamptonshire.

+

When his father fell at the Battle of Wakefield in 1460, young

+

Richard was sent into exile in the Low Countries. After Towton in

+

1461, Richard came back to take part of his older brother’s cor-

+

onation as King Edward IV, where Richard was appointed Duke

+

of Gloucester.

+

During Edward IV’s reign, Richard of Gloucester became a trust-

+

ed supporter of his brother the King. He was a key combatant at

+

Barnet and Tewkesbury, leading a wing in each battle. After that,

+

he kept receiving appointments and responsibilities, taking part in

+

an invasion of France in 1474 and leading an English army in an

+

invasion Scotland in 1482.

+

Upon the King’s death in 1483, Gloucester was appointed Lord

+

Protector of the Realm. However, shortly afterward, he had him-

+

self crowned King Richard III, usurping his young nephews Ed-

+

ward and Richard.

+

Richard III’s brief reign was marked by multiple rebellions that

+

he repressed harshly, such as one by the Duke of Buckingham

+

in 1483, and by the threat of a Tudor invasion with the help of a

+

French army.

+

When Henry Tudor’s army finally landed in August 1485, Richard

+

III raised an army and, together with Northumberland and Nor-

+

folk, went to meet the invaders. On 22nd August 1485, the two

+

opposing forces met near Bosworth, where Richard met defeat

+

and death as he led a desperate charge to reach Henry and kill him.

+

Richard III is one of the most controversial figures in English his-

+

tory, with as many supporters as detractors. His real personality,

+

the reasons for his actions, and even which actions were really his

+

doing are all still shrouded in mystery.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

29

+

John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk

+

John Howard was a descendant of English royalty

+

through both sides of his family, born about 1425 to

+

Sir Robert Howard and Margaret de Mowbray, eldest

+

daughter of Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Nor-

+

folk. (As an added curiosity, John Howard was the great-grandfa-

+

ther of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard.)

+

Howard was strongly Yorkist and was knighted by Edward IV at

+

the Battle of Towton on 29th March 1461. After that, he started re-

+

ceiving appointments in service of the King, usually as constable

+

or sheriff. In 1468, he was made Treasurer of the Royal House-

+

hold. He bore the royal banner at Edward IV’s funeral in 1483.

+

Later that year, Richard III made John Howard the 1st Duke of

+

Norfolk (third creation, the death of John de Mowbray having

+

made extinct the first creation and King Richard invalidating the

+

second). (See also Norfolk, under Prominent Houses, page 30.)

+

Loyal to Richard III, the new Norfolk led the vanguard of the

+

King’s army at Bosworth Field on 22nd August 1485. According

+

to the Ballad of Lady Bessy, Sir John Savage slew Norfolk in sin-

+

gle combat. There is an alternative story that Norfolk fell when a

+

Lancastrian arrow struck him in the face.

+

William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings

+

Born in 1431 to Sir Leonard Hastings and Alice Cam-

+

oys, William Hastings became a close friend and

+

courtier of Edward Plantagenet.

+

Hastings served King Edward IV as Master of the

+

Mint and Lord Chamberlain and helped him during Warwick’s re-

+

bellion and against the Lancastrians after the Readeption of Henry

+

VI, commanding wings at the Battles of Barnet and Tewkesbury

+

in 1471. (See also Capability Y24 Hastings.)

+

Appointed Lieutenant of Calais that year, Hastings’s power and

+

influence continued to grow. By the time of Edward IV’s death in

+

1483, Hastings was one of the most powerful men in England. But

+

in June of that year Richard of Gloucester (soon to be Richard III)

+

executed him under a charge of treason.

+

The Kingmaker

+

Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick

+

Salisbury’s first son, named Richard like

+

his father, was born 22nd November 1428

+

by Alice Montagu. With the younger

+

Richard’s marriage to Anne Beauchamp,

+

he became Earl of Warwick and added access to the Beauchamp

+

and Despenser inheritances to that of Salisbury and Montagu.

+

Richard of Warwick soon became even richer and more influential

+

than his father.

+

When Warwick’s father Salisbury joined York’s rebellion, War-

+

wick went along. It is possible that Warwick was the first to attack

+

at First St Albans, earning him a certain reputation for bravery.

+

His victory over the King’s army at Northampton in 1460, where

+

Henry VI was captured, increased Warwick’s fame.

+

After York and Salisbury died at Wakefield, Warwick faced the

+

Lancastrians at the Second Battle of St Albans. Disastrously de-

+

feated (resulting in Henry VI’s release), Warwick was able to flee

+

and meet up with Edward of March after the latter’s victory at

+

Mortimer’s Cross.

+

Warwick was with Edward, by then King Edward IV, at Towton.

+

With the Lancastrian defeat, Warwick became the second most

+

powerful man in the Kingdom.

+

After some years, Warwick started losing influence over the King,

+

leading him to rebel. He forged an alliance with King Edward’s

+

brother, George of Clarence, through Clarence’s marriage to War-

+

wick’s eldest daughter. In 1469, Warwick captured Edward IV, but

+

had to release him shortly afterward. After the Battle of Losecote

+

in early 1470, Warwick fled to France. He then allied with his old

+

enemies: Margaret d’Anjou and the Lancastrians.

+

Warwick returned to England in September 1470, forcing Edward

+

IV to flee to exile Burgundy. Warwick released Henry VI from

+

the Tower and crowned him again—gaining Richard Neville the

+

nickname “Warwick the Kingmaker”.

+

After Edward IV’s return, the Yorkist King confronted his old

+

friend at Barnet in 1471. Warwick’s army outnumbered Edward’s,

+

but a thick mist worked against the Lancastrians. Warwick lost the

+

battle and was killed while trying to flee.

+

A Shakespearian depiction of Warwick’s fall at Barnet.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

30

+

Prominent Houses

+

Beaumont

+

William, 2nd Viscount Beaumont (1438-1507) was a

+

strong Lancastrian supporter. He fought at Northamp-

+

ton, Towton, and Barnet and survived all, a rare

+

achievement—then joined Henry Tudor to fight again

+

on Bosworth Field.

+

Bonville

+

The Bonvilles, led by William 1st Baron Bonville, were

+

a powerful family of landowners in southwest England.

+

They had a long-standing feud with the Courtenays (see

+

Devon below) and would support whoever would aid

+

them in that conflict. That placed them in the Yorkist camp.

+

Devon

+

The Courtenay family traditionally held the Earldom

+

of Devon. The Courtenays supported Lancaster, so

+

Edward IV rewarded the Yorkist Humphrey Stafford

+

with the title. (See Yorkist Lord Humphrey Stafford,

+

1st Earl of Devon, page 28.) Following Henry VII’s coronation,

+

the Earldom was recreated for the Courtenays.

+

Dudley

+

John Sutton, 1st Baron Dudley (1400-1487), briefly

+

Lieutenant of Ireland, fought in battles of the Hun-

+

dred Years War and the Wars of the Roses. First a

+

Lancastrian and councilor to Henry VI, Dudley

+

switched allegiance to the Yorkists before Towton. His title passed

+

to his grandson, who was elected Knight of the Garter early in

+

Henry VII’s reign.

+

Essex

+

Henry Bouchier, 1st Earl of Essex (1406-1483),

+

fought as a Yorkist at Second St Albans and Towton.

+

His brother Thomas, Lord Chancellor of England

+

(1404-1486), sided with Lancastrian or Yorkist as the

+

winds blew and, as Archbishop, crowned Edward IV, Richard III,

+

and Henry VII.

+

Fauconberg

+

Warwick’s uncle William Neville, Earl of Kent and by

+

marriage 6th Baron Fauconberg, served as a member of

+

York’s council during Henry VI’s second period of in-

+

capacity, fought on the Lancastrian side at First St Al-

+

bans, then commanded the Yorkist vanguard at Towton. After Ed-

+

ward IV’s victory, Fauconberg was appointed Lord Admiral.

+

Norfolk

+

John de Mowbray and his son, also called John, were

+

the 3rd and 4th Dukes of Norfolk, respectively. While

+

the father took York’s side and was instrumental in

+

Edward’s victory at Towton, his son was less active

+

in the struggle. After Edward IV’s death in 1483, Richard III cre-

+

ated John Howard the Duke of Norfolk (see Yorkist Lord John

+

Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk, page 29), which is the creation that

+

survives today.

+

Oxford

+

John de Vere and his son of the same name were the 12th

+

and 13th Earls of Oxford, respectively. The father, a

+

member of the Duke of York’s council while York was

+

Lord Protector, initially did not take sides but later sided

+

with Margaret d’Anjou. His son was more strongly Lancastrian,

+

fighting alongside Warwick at Barnet and Henry Tudor at Bosworth.

+

(See Lancastrian Lord John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford, page 25.)

+

Shrewsbury

+

John Talbot, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury, was killed at the

+

Battle of Northampton. His son, John Talbot, 3rd Earl

+

of Shrewsbury, fought alongside the Lancastrians at

+

Towton. But Edward IV then reconciled with Shrews-

+

bury, who held back from supporting Warwick and the Lancastri-

+

ans at Barnet and Tewkesbury.

+

Stanley

+

The Stanleys dominated the area around Cheshire and

+

Lancashire. They succeeded in surviving the changing

+

factions in power during the Wars of the Roses. They

+

usually waited to see who was going to be the winner

+

before picking a side. Both William and Thomas Stanley were at

+

Bosworth, where they turned on Richard III and sided with Henry

+

Tudor. (See Lancastrian Special Vassal Thomas Stanley, page 26.)

+

Suffolk

+

William de la Pole was Henry VI’s main councilor

+

and was lynched in 1450. His son John de la Pole, 2nd

+

Duke of Suffolk was married to Elizabeth of York,

+

Richard of York’s third daughter. That made Suffolk

+

Edward IV’s and Richard III’s brother-in-law. Nevertheless, Suf-

+

folk generally managed to steer clear of the Wars of the Roses. It

+

seems he was equally distrusted by both sides and received re-

+

wards from either.

+

Westmorland

+

Warwick’s cousin Ralph Neville, 2nd Earl of West-

+

morland, spent most of his life fighting against his

+

own family to secure his inheritance. Westmorland’s

+

brother John Neville, Lord of Raby, fought for the

+

Lancastrians was killed at Towton. Westmorland had an impor-

+

tance inheritance, so the Percys, Warwick, and Richard of

+

Gloucester all tried to control him in one way or another. Howev-

+

er, while Yorkists and Lancastrians each courted Westmorland, he

+

did not involve himself much in the wider issues raised by the

+

Wars of the Roses. Contemporaries thought him mentally unfit

+

and so appointed multiple guardians to take care of him.

+

Worcester

+

John Tiptoft, 1st Earl of Worcester, was known as the

+

“Butcher of England” due to the harsh methods he

+

used to repress the Lancastrians after Edward IV took

+

the throne. He served as Lord High Treasurer, Lord

+

High Constable of England, and Lord Deputy of Ireland. He made

+

an enemy of Oxford, who executed him after Henry VI’s Readep-

+

tion. After John’s death, his minor son Edward became Earl of

+

Worcester but remained under guardianship the rest of his short life.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

31

+

Arts of War – Notes

+

This section details each side’s Arts of War Events and Capabil-

+

ities with their texts, tips on implementing them, and historical

+

background. The back of this booklet lists the Arts of War decks’

+

card titles at a glance.

+

Yorkist Events

+

(top half of card)

+

All Scenarios*

+

*NOTE: The “Wars of the Roses” grand scenario assigns specific

+

cards to its sub-scenarios (6.3).

+

Y1. Leeward Battle Line

+

Hold: Play in Battle to halve all Missile hits (round up) to Friend-

+

ly Lords, unless Enemy Leeward Battle Line

+

Tips. Play this card at the Event step after Battle Array (4.4.1).

+

Halve all Missile Hits taken by the playing side, first adding any

+

from other cards, then cutting to half the total, rounded up. If both

+

sides play this Event, neither card has effect. The Attacker may

+

wait to see whether the Defender plays the Event before deciding

+

whether to play it.

+

History. Armies that could position their archers to shoot with the

+

wind had a huge advantage, as Fauconberg showed at the Battle

+

of Tewkesbury. The Yorkist archers were able to range the Lan-

+

castrians, while the latter’s arrows fell short. Yorkists reportedly

+

were even able to recover some of the enemy’s fallen arrows and

+

shoot them back.

+

Y2. Flank Attack

+

Hold: Play to Intercept without rolling and become Attacker in

+

that Battle

+

Tips. The Holding side may play Flank Attack when attempting

+

Intercept by the normal rules (4.3.4, including by a Marshal or

+

Lieutenant). Neither side may play this Event while Event Y12

+

Parliament’s Truce is in effect. If a side plays Flank Attack,

+

do not roll for Intercept—it succeeds automatically and then oc-

+

curs in the usual way.

+

History. During the Wars of the Roses, most of the fast move-

+

ments of the armies were in the context of trying to reach the bet-

+

ter defensive position before the enemy. As this is a war in which

+

most battles were won by the attacker, this maneuver did not tend

+

to yield the desired results. There are some exceptions though,

+

as at Edgcote, where Warwick’s army was able to intercept and

+

attack a Yorkist one and put it on the defensive.

+

Y3 & Y9. Escape Ship

+

Hold: Play upon Death check if Yorkist Route (4.5.1) to Port for

+

any Routed Yorkists to go into Exile instead

+

Tips. Play at the end of a Battle, before rolling for Death (4.4.3),

+

only if the playing side is at or can trace an overland Route to a

+

Friendly Port per Supply rule 4.5.1. The Defender must decide

+

and play any Events relating to Death checks before the Attacking

+

side does. The playing side may select any of its Routed Lords au-

+

tomatically to apply the Exile procedure (4.3.5) instead of the roll.

+

The effect occurs even if a side played Blocked Ford before that

+

Battle. Escape Ship may combine with Capability Y8 England

+

Is My Home to result in regular Disband of the affected Lord.

+

History. Most of the Lords losing a Wars of the Roses battle died.

+

They knew the stakes were high, so some of them had plans for

+

fleeing the field as soon as they saw the tide turn. But they were

+

not able to go back to their own estates immediately. Scared of the

+

more than possible persecution by their enemies, they often fled to

+

a foreign country where they had friends and allies.

+

Y4. Jack Cade – Rebel leader calls himself a Mortimer

+

This Levy Yorkist Lords in or adjacent to Yorkist Dominated Ar-

+

eas each add 2 free successful Parleys

+

Tips. Upon this turn’s Muster (3.4) by this side, determine which

+

if any Areas this side Dominates (has Favour in all that Area’s

+

Locales, 1.3.1, 4.8.1). All this side’s Lords within those Areas as

+

well as all its Lords in any Locales adjacent (linked by a Way) to

+

a Locale within such an Area must take two Parley Levy actions

+

by the usual rules (3.4.1) except without spending any Influence

+

points or Lordship and succeeding without rolling. The Capability

+

on this card will not be available for Levy this turn, as the player

+

will not discard the card until the end of the Levy phase (3.1.3).

+

History. Jack Cade’s rebellion, probably orchestrated by York

+

(who benefited from it), started in Kent and grew until the rebels

+

captured London. Smaller such rebellions were common, and par-

+

ties made good use of them. The south favored York heavily, and

+

he was able to leverage that into more influence over the kingdom.

+

Y5. Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind

+

Hold: Play in Battle for participating Yorkist Lord to check Influ-

+

ence. Success Disbands 1 Lancastrian Lord at Battle with lower

+

Influence rating

+

Tips. Play at the Event step after Battle Array (4.4.1). Then choose

+

one Friendly Lord and one Enemy Lord. The Friendly Lord must

+

have a higher Influence rating than the Enemy (1.5.2, including

+

modifications by other cards). The Friendly Lord checks Influ-

+

ence (1.4.2). If the Check is successful, Disband that Enemy Lord

+

(3.2.4). The Disband does not cause any loss of Influence points.

+

The Disbanded Lord will not take part in the Battle—Reposition

+

accordingly in Round 1 (4.4.2).

+

History. Gloucester speaks the Event’s title line in Shakespeare’s

+

Henry VI part III. Treason is one of the main features for which

+

we know the Wars of the Roses. Changing sides was less common

+

than indecisiveness, which this Event represents. The political

+

machinations of certain Lords were enough to make other nobles

+

decline to take part in some battles, as may have happened with

+

the Earl of Northumberland at Bosworth.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

32

+

Y6. Seamanship

+

This Campaign Yorkists may Sail for just 1 Command action

+

Tips. With this Event, Friendly Lords may Sail by the usual rules

+

(4.6.1) but spending just one Command action instead of an en-

+

tire Command card to do so. They may combine Sail with other

+

actions on the same card such as March, Tax, Supply, Parley, or

+

more Sailing. The Capability on this card will not be available for

+

Levy this turn, as the player will not discard the card until after

+

this Campaign (3.1.3).

+

History. Multiple armies from foreign countries fought in the

+

Wars of the Roses. Both Yorkists and Lancastrians shipped to and

+

disembarked armies in England. Knowing where and when to dis-

+

embark had huge importance in the future success of a campaign,

+

as when Edward IV sailed from Burgundy to land at Ravenspur or

+

the Nevilles landed at Dover from Calais.

+

Y7. Yorkists block Parliament

+

This Levy Lancastrians may not Levy Vassals except by Event

+

Tips. This card blocks the Levy Vassal action for Lancastrians this

+

turn, even from a Capability such as L32 Two Roses and for Spe-

+

cial Vassals such as L35 Thomas Stanley. However, Lancastrian

+

Events that enable Vassal Levy—L7 For trust not him, L35

+

Margaret Beaufort, and L37 The Earl of Richmond—super-

+

sede Yorkists block Parliament and allow Vassal Levy accord-

+

ingly. This card’s Capability is not available this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. Yorkists were constantly trying to get a hold on the

+

English Parliament. Even during York’s rebellion, he took great

+

pains to get his fellow nobles’ approval and was very disappoint-

+

ed when the Parliament rebuked him. Nevertheless, the Yorkists

+

were able politicians and multiple times were able to block the

+

nobles from taking any action against them.

+

Y8. Exile Pact

+

This Campaign Yorkist Lords may use a Command action to

+

place their cylinder into a Friendly Exile box (at no Influence cost)

+

Tips. This Event during the coming Campaign will allow volun-

+

tary Yorkist Exile without Approach by an enemy. At the cost of

+

one Command action, an Active Yorkist Lord can go directly to a

+

scenario-designated Exile box with no effect on Influence points,

+

Assets, or Vassals.

+

History. Exile was usually the consequence of a lost or averted

+

battle. Nevertheless, in some instances, Lords chose to leave the

+

country to regroup and gather forces, as was the case with Edward

+

IV and his 1470s exile to Burgundy.

+

Y10. Tax Collectors

+

Each Yorkist Lord may immediately conduct a Tax action to re-

+

ceive twice the usual Coin

+

Tips. Any of these immediate Tax actions are voluntary. Any on-

+

map Yorkist Lords may take the Tax actions regardless of loca-

+

tions, but the action must comply with the usual Tax procedure

+

and consequences (4.6.3)—such as an Influence check and select-

+

ing, tracing to, and Depleting a qualifying Stronghold—except

+

that the Lord obtains double the usual Coin.

+

History. The scarcest resource in the Wars of the Roses was mon-

+

ey. Lords ended up with huge loans to repay at the end of the

+

conflict. Yorkist had a special ability to get the money they needed

+

just in time, as Edward did in 1461 and 1471, when he was able

+

to secure loans to build the army needed for Towton and Barnet/

+

Tewkesbury, respectively.

+

Y11. Blocked Ford

+

Hold: Play upon Approach to prevent Exile (all Lords there Bat-

+

tle)

+

Tips. This Event, played at the moment of Approach by either

+

side (including as a result of Intercept, 4.3.4), forbids any Lords

+

there choosing Exile before Battle (4.3.5). Blocked Ford does

+

not affect Escape Ship. When Capability L15 King’s Parley can-

+

cels an Approach, Yorkists may not play Blocked Ford. Lan-

+

castrian play of Blocked Ford prevents use of Capability Y8

+

England Is My Home.

+

History. Lords going to exile was a common occurrence during

+

the Wars of the Roses. But to be able to flee from a field of battle

+

required having an open route to escape, and there were multiple

+

instances when a Lord was caught in the process, as what proba-

+

bly happened to Warwick at Barnet.

+

Y12. Parliament’s Truce

+

Hold: Play to prohibit all Approach and Intercept for the rest of

+

this Campaign

+

Tips. Play this Event at any moment during a Campaign. It for-

+

bids Approach and Intercept for both sides for the remainder of

+

the turn, including by Event Y2/L2 Flank Attack or by Capa-

+

bility L29 High Admiral. Return the card to its deck upon Reset

+

(4.8.6).

+

History. Yorkists used their influence in Parliament to further

+

their agenda, as when York became Lord Protector in 1453 and

+

stopped skirmishes amongst nobles.

+

Y13. Aspielles – Yorkist spies

+

Hold: Play to inspect all Lancastrian Held cards and 1 Hidden

+

Lancastrian Lord mat (1.5.3)

+

Tips. This Event can be played at any moment, even in the middle

+

of a Battle. If using the Hidden mats option (1.5.3), the side play-

+

ing the Event may select any one Enemy Lord’s mat to inspect.

+

History. Spies and saboteurs were com-

+

mon during the time. As the Wars of the

+

Roses was not a war of conquest, there

+

were sympathizers of both sides in all cit-

+

ies and towns, and information flowed,

+

albeit not fast.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

33

+

Scenarios Ia, Ib, & Ic

+

Y14. RICHARD OF YORK – Lord Protector

+

This Levy Yorkist Influence ratings +1 for Parley

+

Tips. The +1 increase to all Yorkist Lords’ Influence ratings (not

+

just York’s) affects Parley Levy actions (3.4.1) only, not Levying

+

Lords, Vassals, or Troops. This card’s Capability is not available

+

this Turn (3.1.3). Discard the card at the end of Levy—it will not

+

affect Parley during the ensuing Campaign (4.6.4).

+

History. Lord Protector was a temporary title given to a lord who

+

sat in the governing council and had the duty to defend and pro-

+

tect the realm, usually while the King was a minor, ill, or absent.

+

Richard of York was Lord Protector three times—from March

+

1454 to January 1455, from November 1455 to February 1456,

+

and again from October 1460 until his death. The first two ap-

+

pointments happened when Henry VI was ill, the last one when

+

Henry was under the custody of York and Warwick.

+

Y15. London for York

+

If Yorkist Favour at London, add a second Favour there – London

+

changes Favour only by Event or Pillage

+

Tips. If there is a single Yorkist Favour marker at London, put a

+

second Yorkist Favour marker on it. If this Event

+

occurred earlier, and there are already two Yorkist

+

Favour markers at London, London for York has

+

no effect. The double Favour markers mean only

+

that London is immune to Lancastrian Parley actions (3.4.1, 4.6.4)

+

unless enabled or aided by Events such as L17 My crown is in

+

my heart or L18 Parliament Votes. London otherwise Favours

+

Yorkists normally, such as for Tides of War (4.8.1). Pillage (3.2.1)

+

can remove or reverse Favour at London normally, removing both

+

Yorkist markers.

+

History. London tended to favor Yorkists during all the Wars of

+

the Roses. Margaret d’Anjou felt so unloved there that she per-

+

suaded Henry VI to move his court to Coventry. One exception

+

was Warwick’s rebellion against Edward, when London seemed

+

to prefer the Kingmaker.

+

Y16. The Commons

+

This Levy each Yorkist Levy Troops action may add up to 2 Mi-

+

litia extra (from pool)

+

Tips. Each time in this turn’s Levy phase that a Yorkist Lord takes

+

the Levy Troops action, he has the option to add two Militia piec-

+

es in addition to any other Troops normally received (like those

+

provided by the Stronghold or any other Event or Capability), so

+

long as Militia pieces remain in the pool (1.6). This card’s Capa-

+

bility is not available this Turn (3.1.3). Discard The Commons at

+

the end of Levy—the Militia remain.

+

History. The common populace was not heavily invested in the

+

Wars of the Roses. Commoners seemed to fare as well under one

+

side as under the other, although there was a tendency to favor

+

Yorkists, probably because Richard of York’s protectorate, re-

+

stored order and lowered taxes (or, at least, did not increase them).

+

Y17. She-Wolf of France – Queen without dowry

+

Shift each Yorkist Vassal’s Calendar marker 1 box right

+

Tips. When this Event occurs, identify which Vassal markers on

+

the Calendar are Yorkist. Shift those Vassal markers each one Cal-

+

endar box to the right (delaying Pay or Disband of each by one

+

turn, 3.2.3). The status of the Lancastrian Lord Margaret does not

+

affect this Event.

+

History. Margaret d’Anjou was unloved since the first day the

+

English new about her marriage to Henry VI. She didn’t bring any

+

dowry (on the contrary, concessions were made to France), was

+

French and had a strong character that made her very different

+

from Catherine, the mother of Henry and wife of Henry V whom

+

people deeply loved.

+

Y18. Succession – Richard declared Henry’s heir

+

This Levy 1 Parley action by each Yorkist Lord costs less by –1

+

Influence point and automatically succeeds

+

Tips. Each Yorkist Parley action during this turn’s Levy phase

+

(only) costs one Influence point less total, to a minimum of zero

+

and always succeed rather than rolling. Succession does not af-

+

fect the cost of any Parley Levy actions that other cards already

+

reduce to zero Lordship cost or “free”. This card’s Capability is

+

not available this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. Richard of York sought to use his influence to become the

+

heir to a childless Henry VI in 1451 to 1452. He nearly achieved

+

it then. Finally, in 1460, the Parliament passed the Act of Accord,

+

which recognized York and his heirs as Henry VI’s successors.

+

Y19. Caltrops

+

Hold: Play in Battle to add +2 Melee Hits against the Enemy each

+

Round

+

Tips. Play after Battle Array (4.4.1). Each Melee step of each

+

Round, Caltrops causes two extra Hits against the Lancastrians.

+

The Yorkist player distributes the two added Hits among Engage-

+

ments, the Lancastrians among Lords and Forces within an En-

+

gagement.

+

History. Although the use of caltrops in some battles is more than

+

probable, the one where it was recorded is Second Saint Albans.

+

Warwick prepared a very well defended position, although his

+

strategy was thwarted when the Lancastrians came from an un-

+

expected side. Nevertheless, caltrops had a substantial effect on

+

the enemy army.

+

Y20. Yorkist Parade

+

Hold: Play if London Friendly and York or Warwick there. This

+

Levy Yorkist Influence ratings +2

+

Lords. York and Warwick.

+

Tips. Play the Event at any time that London Favours the York-

+

ists. If played during Campaign, the card stays played and the

+

Event takes effect only during the following turn’s Levy; the

+

card’s Capability will not be available until thereafter (3.1.3). This

+

Event increases all Yorkist Influence ratings by two for all purpos-

+

es during that Levy phase. It does not affect Tides of War “Gain

+

Lords Influence” (4.8.1).

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

34

+

History. London was the biggest, richest, and most influential city

+

in England. Yorkists took the most advantage of this as leverage to

+

project their power across the rest of the kingdom.

+

Y21. Sir Richard Leigh – Yorkist Mayor of London

+

Remove Lancastrian Favour from London or, if neutral, place

+

Yorkist Favour there

+

Tips. This Event occurs even if there is a Lancastrian Lord pres-

+

ent in London.

+

History. Sir Richard was a member of the Grocers’ Company, at

+

the time the most important of the 12 Guilds and trade associa-

+

tions that guided London. He served as Sheriff of London 1452-

+

1453 and Mayor 1460-1461 and 1469-1470. He favored the York-

+

ists at the start of the two more decisive periods of the first half

+

of the war.

+

Y22. Loyalty and Trust

+

This Levy any 1 Yorkist Lord has Lordship +3

+

Tips. Select any one Yorkist Lord for the increased Lordship rat-

+

ing. The +3 is in addition to any other Event or Capability that

+

could modify this rating. This card’s Capability is not available

+

this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. Followers look to their lords for good lordship—taking

+

care of their needs and helping them in their quarrels. In turn,

+

followers rewarded lords with loyalty and trust (that then went

+

both ways).

+

Scenario II

+

Y23. Charles The Bold – Edward IV’s brother-in-law

+

Add 1 Coin and 1 Provender to each Yorkist Lord on map

+

Tips. All Yorkist Lords on map—those in Exile boxes but not the

+

ones on the Calendar—each receive the Assets.

+

History. Charles the Bold was the Duke of Burgundy from 1467

+

to 1477 and a strong ally to the Yorkists, as he was married to

+

Margaret, the sister of Edward IV. He (or maybe she) was one of

+

the main sources of foreign help to Edward, as apparent during his

+

exile to Burgundy in 1470.

+

Y24. Sun in Splendour

+

Hold: Play in Levy if Edward IV on Calendar (even as Exile) to

+

Muster him at any Friendly Locale free of Enemy Lords

+

Lord. Edward IV.

+

Tips. Play at any moment of a Levy phase (including immediately

+

after drawing the Event card) that Edward IV’s cylinder is any-

+

where on the Calendar. Automatically Muster him per the usual

+

rules (3.4.2) but at any Friendly Locale of the Yorkist player’s

+

choosing where no Lancastrian Lord, either a Stronghold with

+

Yorkist Favour or a scenario-designated Yorkist Exile box. If

+

Mustered ahead of the Muster segment (3.4), he will be able to

+

take part in it with his Lordship. Discard this card at the moment

+

played—the Capability on it is immediately available for Levy

+

(3.4.6).

+

History. Edward’s banners showed the Sun in Splendor, a sym-

+

bol he had chosen after the parhelion (solar optical phenomenon)

+

seen before the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross in 1461. Edward went

+

into exile in 1470, but he soon saw that as a mistake. His support

+

in England was stronger than he thought, so he rushed back and

+

disembarked at Ravenspur.

+

Y25. Owain Glyndŵr – Welsh hold rebel in memory

+

This Campaign no Lancastrian March or Sail to any Strongholds

+

in Wales

+

Tips. This card takes precedence over any other Event or Capa-

+

bility enabling March or Sail. It forbids March or Sail into any

+

Stronghold in Wales even for Lancastrian Lords already inside

+

Wales. This card’s Capability is not available this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. Wales was in a constant struggle to be free from English

+

rule. Owain was probably the last great rebel. He led the Welsh

+

people on a war with England that lasted from around 1400 to

+

1409, having its high point between 1403 and 1406.

+

Y26. Dubious Clarence – The weakest brother

+

If Edward IV on map, he may check Influence to Disband Clar-

+

ence

+

Lords. Edward IV and Clarence.

+

Tips. This Event has effect if both Edward IV and Clarence cylin-

+

ders are at any Strongholds or Exile boxes. The Influence Check is

+

at the option of the Yorkist player. If successful, Disband Clarence

+

per 3.2.4 (no Influence point penalty).

+

History. The brothers Edward became Edward IV, Richard be-

+

came Richard III, and Edmund died at Wakefield. The only broth-

+

er who did not show any martial talents or good lordship was

+

Clarence. With a weak personality, he easily fell prey to War-

+

wick’s influence to rebel and then to Edward’s to come back to

+

the flock.

+

Y27. Yorkist North

+

Gain 1 Influence point for each Yorkist Stronghold and each York-

+

ist Lord in the North

+

Tips. Immediately add one Yorkist Influence Point for each

+

Stronghold in the North Area (1.3.1) with Yorkist Favour plus an-

+

other one for each Yorkist Lord in a Stronghold within the North.

+

Even if the Influence total then exceeds the Victory Threshold

+

(5.2), play continues because the Victory Check happens at the

+

end of the Campaign phase.

+

History. The North became a critical area for the Yorkists when

+

they got the support of the Percys during Warwick’s rebellion and,

+

later, when they had the Lancastrians exiled to Scotland. Lots of

+

the Yorkists’ defensive efforts centered on the North.

+

Y28. Gloucester as Heir

+

This Levy Gloucester may Parley +3 times for 0 Lordship

+

Lord. Gloucester or Richard III.

+

Tips. At the Yorkist player’s option, Gloucester (or Richard III in

+

the full-length scenario) if on map at the outset of Muster (3.4)

+

takes up to three Parley actions that do not spend Lordship (in

+

addition to any that he may take with his Lordship). The add-

+

ed Parley Levy actions otherwise follow the usual rules (3.4.1),

+
+ +
+

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+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

35

+

including Influence cost and rolls. This card’s Capability is not

+

available this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. Until the birth of Edward, son of Edward IV, Gloucester

+

could be considered his brother’s heir. As such, his influence over

+

the rest of the nobles was stronger.

+

Y29. Dorset – The Staffords’ lesser branch

+

This Campaign Devon at Exeter Parleys for no Influence cost and

+

automatic success

+

Lord. Devon.

+

Tips. The Event does not affect Parley during the Levy phase

+

(3.4.1) and only affects Devon’s Campaign Parley actions once

+

he is at the City of Exeter. His Parley Commands from there cost

+

no Influence points and all succeed without rolling but otherwise

+

follow the usual rules (4.6.4) such as costing Command actions

+

and remaining limited to Exeter and adjacent Strongholds Wells,

+

Dorchester, Launceston, and Plymouth, extended to other Ports

+

on the English Channel if Stafford has or Shares a Ship. This

+

card’s Capability is not available this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. Humphrey Stafford, Earl of Devon, had a strong influ-

+

ence over Dorset and the southwest. He was a loyal ally to Edward

+

and was appointed Steward to the Duchy of Cornwall as well.

+

Y30. Regroup

+

Hold: Play in Battle for a Lord once to roll each of his Routed

+

Troops’ (modified) Protection for them to recover

+

Tips. If the Yorkists play this card after Battle Array (4.4.1), they

+

may at any one moment of the Battle choose a Lord. All that’s

+

Lord’s Routed Troops—wooden unit pieces, not Retinue or Vas-

+

sals—roll for Protection. If successful, immediately slide them up

+

out of the Routed section of their mat—they are no longer Routed

+

(but can Rout again normally). If failed, there is no effect, they

+

remain Routed.

+

History. Some leaders were able to rally their troops and bring

+

them again to the front line of the battle. As Warwick showed at

+

Second Saint Albans and Barnet, it was not easy. But, as Edward

+

showed in Towton, it was possible.

+

Y31. Earl Rivers – Woodville family head

+

Add up to 2 Militia to each Yorkist Lord on map

+

Tips. Adding Militia is optional and may include Yorkist Lords in

+

Exile boxes (but not any on the Calendar). Added Militia may not

+

go beyond those available in the pool (1.6).

+

History. Richard Woodville was the head of the Woodville fam-

+

ily. He served as Lieutenant of Calais and Warden of the Cinque

+

Ports. Initially a Lancastrian, he became the most solid support-

+

er of Edward IV when his daughter Elizabeth Woodville married

+

Edward. He was appointed Earl Rivers less than two years later.

+

As Lord Treasurer and Constable of England, Richard was able to

+

quickly raise troops in almost any place.

+

Scenarios III & III(B)

+

Y32. The King’s Name is a tower of strength

+

This Levy Gloucester (not Richard III) may cancel each success-

+

ful Lancastrian Levy action by paying 1 Influence point

+

Lord. Gloucester.

+

Tips. This turn, after any successful Lancastrian Levy Action

+

(3.4.1-3.4.6)—Parley by Levy action, Levy Lord, Levy Troops,

+

Levy Vassal, Levy Transport, or Levy Capability—the Yorkist

+

player may opt to pay one Influence point to cancel the result

+

of the action. Any Influence point cost that the Lancastrians in-

+

curred during the action remains, but any Depletion or Exhausted

+

incurred is reversed. This card’s Capability is not available this

+

Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. Richard III speaks the Event’s title line in Shakespeare’s

+

Richard III. The influence of Richard when he was Lord Protector

+

and the English nobility had yet to fear him was far reaching. The

+

legitimacy of Edward VI was without doubt, and a Lancastrian

+

rebellion would not have an easy time taking hold.

+

Y33. Edward V

+

This Levy Gloucester (not Richard III) has +3 Lordship

+

Lord. Gloucester.

+

Tips. The +3 Lordship is in addition to any other Event or Capa-

+

bility that could modify this rating. This card’s Capability is not

+

available this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. Richard as Duke of Gloucester and Lord Protector was

+

the most powerful man of the Kingdom. His nephew Edward V,

+

who at the time was 12 years old, was still years away from being

+

able to wrest away any power from him.

+

Y34. An honest tale speeds best being plainly told

+

Through end of this Campaign (including in Levy), each Lancas-

+

trian Parley costs +1 extra Influence Point

+

Tips. From the moment this Event occurs until the end of the turn,

+

each Lancastrian Parley action costs one more Influence point

+

than it otherwise would. That means that even actions that would

+

have cost zero Influence, such as a Parley Command targeting the

+

same Stronghold as the Lord (3.6.4) or Parley using Events such

+

as L17 My crown is in my heart, now cost one Influence Point.

+

This card’s Capability is not available this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. Queen Elizabeth speaks the Event’s title line in Shake-

+

speare’s Richard III. The last phase of the Wars of the Roses saw

+

an amount of propaganda dwarfed only by that of Henry VIII’s

+

period. Richard, having learned from Warwick, was a master in

+

that field.

+

Y35. Privy Council

+

This Levy all Yorkist Influence ratings +1

+

Tips. Increase all Yorkist Lords’ Influence ratings by one from the

+

moment this Event occurs until the end of the current Levy phase.

+

This card’s Capability is not available this Turn (3.1.3).

+
+ +
+

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+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

36

+

History. The nobles that surrounded Richard gathered a lot of

+

power. They filled the void left by great figures as the Duke of

+

Buckingham, who was executed after his rebellion in 1483.

+

Y36. Swift Maneuver

+

Hold: Play in Battle. Whenever a Lancastrian Retinue Routs, if

+

desired, immediately end the Round

+

Tips. If the Yorkists play this card after Battle Array

+

(4.4.1), they may end any Rounds of the Battle at the

+

moment that any Lancastrian Retinue (not Vassal or

+

Troops unit) Routs and go directly to Lord Rout step

+

(4.4.2). The interruption of the usual sequence can skip remining

+

Hits, skip more Engagements, and so on.

+

History. Richard III may be loved or hated. But it is difficult to ar-

+

gue against his bravery. His behavior in Scotland, in naval battles,

+

at Barnet and Tekewsbury, and in his final charge at Bosworth

+

show as much. Bosworth, if successful, would have changed the

+

outcome of the battle.

+

Y37. Patrick de la Mote – Chief Cannoneer, Master Founder

+

Hold: Play in Battle for Yorkist Culverins and Falconets to add

+

2 dice of Hits (not just 1 die)

+

Tips. Play after Battle Array (4.4.1). Capability cards Y1 and Y2

+

Culverins and Falconets in that Battle add two extra dice of

+

Missile Hits on the first Round instead of just one die.

+

History. Richard III was very interested in the use of cannon and

+

other gunpowder weapons on the fields of Battle. He hired experts

+

from the Continent and used a considerable part of his funds to set

+

up foundries for making cannons. Patrick de la Mote was appoint-

+

ed the Master Founder.

+

Yorkist Capabilities

+

(bottom half of card)

+

All Scenarios

+

Y1 & Y2. Culverins and Falconets

+

At start of Round 1 of Battle, this Lord may discard this card to

+

add 1 die roll of Missile Hits

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. After both sides decide on playing any Events and before

+

Round 1 of a Battle, Defender then Attack decide whether to ex-

+

pend their Culverins and Falconets, if any there. Use of the

+

card on Round 1 only rolls a die upon that side’s Missile Strike

+

step and adds that number (from one to six) extra Missile Hits

+

then discards the card.

+

History. Artillery was still in its first stages of development in the

+

15th Century. Cannons were little more than a metal tube support-

+

ed by a wooden frame. Precision was problematic and accidents

+

common. They were useless in rain and very hard to reposition

+

during a battle. So, they were mostly used at the beginning of

+

battles to create a bit of chaos in the enemy lines and add some

+

extra casualties.

+

Y3. Muster’d my soldiers Gather’d flocks of friends

+

Each Battle at a Friendly Stronghold, this Lord adds 2 Men-at-

+

Arms and 1 Longbowmen. Remove them after Battle

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. If the Lord with this Capability is in Battle at a Friendly

+

Stronghold, at the outset of the Battle Array phase (4.4.1), add two

+

Men at Arms and one Longbow Troop pieces to that Lord’s mat.

+

Upon Aftermath (4.4.4), remove those Troops (only, not the card).

+

If the Lord is left without any Troops, the Lord Disbands (1.6).

+

History. Warwick speaks the Capability’s title line in Shake-

+

speare’s Henry VI. Local troop support was not very common in

+

this war. Most men in an army came with nobles’ retinues and

+

Commissions of Array. Nevertheless, some Lords were popular

+

enough to be able to gather extra troops from the surrounding

+

areas—some of them from minor nobility, as in this Capability, in

+

other cases from the general populace.

+

Y4. We done deeds of charity

+

Each Tides of War, this Lord may pay 1 or 2 Provender (may

+

Share) for +1 Influence point each

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. Once during each Tides of War phase (4.8.1), a Lord with

+

this Capability may discard one Provender (including Shared

+

from another Lord, 1.5.3) to add one Influence Point for that side

+

or two Provender for two Influence points.

+

History. Edward IV speaks the Capability’s title line in Shake-

+

speare’s Richard III. Plunder and sacking in any place in England

+

had negative consequences for the side doing it—loss of prestige

+

and enmity of the people. On the other hand, periodic bribes to

+

towns, such as sharing the spoils of nearby battles, could give a

+

boost to the image of a faction’s Lords.

+
+ +
+

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+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

37

+

Y5. Thomas Bourchier – Archbishop of Canterbury

+

This Lord starts in any Friendly City Command +1.

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. “Command +1” means, for example, that a Lord with Com-

+

mand rating “2” instead could take three Command actions on his

+

card (1.5.2, 4.2.1). The effect only applies if this Lord, at the start

+

of his Command Card, is located at a Friendly City (not Town,

+

Fortress, Special Locale such as London, or Exile Box). The add-

+

ed Command applies for that Lord’s entire Command card, even

+

if he moves away from the Friendly City.

+

History. Cities had cathedrals associated with them, and Church

+

collaboration was essential for some aspects of waging the Wars

+

of the Roses. Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, was

+

made Lord Chancellor during York’s stint as Lord Protector in

+

1456, and crowned Edward IV five years later, who in return

+

helped him become a cardinal in 1473. He was a clear supporter

+

to the Yorkists during the Wars of the Roses.

+

Y6. Great Ships

+

This Lord’s Ships count double for Sail and Supply and connect

+

all Ports of all Seas

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. This Lord’s Ships—including when other Lords use them,

+

but not other Lord’s Ships that this Lord might use

+

(Sharing, 1.5.3)—in a Sail action can each take 12

+

Forces units, plus four Provender, plus four Carts

+

(4.6.1). This Lord’s Ships also can add two Proven-

+

der each when Supplying from a Port (4.5.1). As well, these Ships

+

(even when Shared) render all Port Strongholds and Exiles Boxes

+

as at one Way distance for Parley, Supply, and Tax—as if all on

+

the same Sea (1.3.1 Seas And Ports). This Lord Levies Ships

+

normally (3.4.5).

+

History. During the 15th and early 16th Centuries, the term “great

+

ship” denoted the largest carracks of the fleet. Although the term

+

is best associated with the ships built during the reigns of the first

+

Tudor kings, it was already in use at the time of the Wars of the

+

Roses and even before. Examples included the Holigost of Henry

+

V and Warwick’s great ship, whose wreck was found at Newport.

+

Y7. Harbingers

+

This Lord’s Supply actions draw twice the usual Provender

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. For any Supply by this Lord, calculate the number of

+

Provender that it would add to the Lord’s mat (4.5.2)

+

and place double that amount. The increase is manda-

+

tory. The effect is cumulative with other cards that

+

affect Supply actions, such as Y6 Great Ships. Har-

+

bingers does not affect Forage (4.6.2).

+

History. In the late 1300s, “harbinger” meant a person sent ahead

+

of a main party to seek lodgings, often for royalty or a campaign-

+

ing army. They were the ones in charge of making sure that the

+

place where the army was going to stay would have all the right

+

conditions for a camp and available supply at hand.

+

Y8. England is my Home

+

When going into Exile, this Lord instead Disbands to the next

+

Calendar box

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. Whenever this Lord would go into Exile (including by

+

Event Y3 & Y9 Escape Ship), he instead Disbands per 3.2.4, but

+

placing his cylinder automatically into the next turn’s Calendar

+

box instead of rolling for its position. There is no Influence point

+

penalty. The Blocked Ford Event prevents use of England Is

+

My Home.

+

History. Some lords chose to risk staying in England when on

+

the losing side of a battle rather than going into exile in a foreign

+

country.

+

Y9. Barricades

+

At Friendly Strongholds, this Lord’s Men-at-Arms have Armour

+

1-4 and Longbowmen and Militia have Armour 1-2

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. The effect applies regardless of who is the Attacker, when-

+

ever the Stronghold where this Lord Battles is Friendly. Long-

+

bowmen and Militia become Armoured Troops. The modification

+

does not apply when rolling for Losses (4.4.3).

+

History. There were no relevant siege battles in the Wars of the

+

Roses, the largest clashes having been field battles. But, in some

+

battles, one side made use of towns nearby to set a better defen-

+

sive position, as in the two St. Albans battles. And the most used

+

maneuver was barricading the streets of the town.

+

Y10. Agitators

+

This Lord can use a Command action to Deplete an adjacent Neu-

+

tral or Enemy Stronghold or flip Depleted there to Exhausted

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. At the cost of one Command action each, this Lord could

+

Deplete and/or Exhaust multiple qualifying Strongholds on the

+

same Command card. He can combine these actions with other

+

Commands such as March. The actions add no Assets or Troops.

+

The presence of Lancastrian Lords does not affect this Capability.

+

History. Both sides used propaganda extensively and successful-

+

ly, an innovation from preceding wars. Depletion and Exhaustion

+

represent the difficulty of extracting resources from areas where

+

the war had already taken its toll. The use of agitators to prevent

+

the enemy from getting that extra batch of troops or carts with

+

bread was common during the Wars of the Roses.

+

Y11. Yorkists Never Wait

+

This Lord Marches alone (not in a Group) on Road as if Highway

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. This Lord can use one March Action to move two Ways if

+

each is either Highway or Road (4.3.3). A Marshal or Lieutenant

+

with other Lords would have to leave them behind on Road to use

+

this benefit. The Capability does not affect March along Paths.

+

History. In terms of armies, technology, and tactical knowledge,

+

the opposing sides in the Wars of the Roses were very similar.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

38

+

Nevertheless, there were a few differences, and one of them was

+

that, in general, the Yorkists lords were able to move and react

+

a bit faster than the Lancastrians, as during the Tewkesbury and

+

Towton campaigns.

+

Y12. Soldiers of Fortune

+

When Levying Troops, this Lord may pay 1 Coin to also add 2

+

Mercenaries (from pool)

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. Soldiers of Fortune is the only way in the game that Mer-

+

cenary units enter play. This Lord when Levying Troops (3.4.4)

+

may expend one Coin (including Shared, 1.7) in order to add two

+

Mercenary units in addition to the Troops that the Lord would

+

otherwise receive. The Lord must meet all the usual requirements

+

and costs of the Levy Troops action. Receive exactly two Merce-

+

nary units, or only one or zero if that is what currently remains in

+

the pool of unit pieces (1.6). Note that the card will remain with

+

the Lord until Disband (1.9.1), even after no Mercenaries remain

+

in the pool.

+

History. Armies during the Wars of the Roses were mostly profes-

+

sional, either the retinue of one noble (and thus, received an eco-

+

nomic benefit from their allegiance) or earning a stipulated wage.

+

However, mercenaries existed, as in all the medieval wars, though

+

not as numerous and not used as much as in other countries.

+

Y13. Scourers

+

This Lord’s Forage actions always add +1 extra Provender

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. This Lord’s Forage actions each add one more Proven-

+

der than they otherwise would, even if the Forage action is not

+

successful (in which case, it would add one Provender instead

+

of none and would still not Deplete the Locale). The increase is

+

mandatory. Scourers does not affect Supply (4.5).

+

History. The supply of the armies was very important, as in this

+

civil war there was almost no pillaging. Armies counted on being

+

able to forage to complement their supply trains, so having a good

+

team of scourers (those in charge of the task of foraging) was

+

essential.

+

Scenarios Ia, Ib, & Ic

+

Y14. Burgundians

+

This Lord at any Port adds 2 Handgunners (once, maximum)

+

Lords. York or March.

+

Tips. Burgundians (Capabilities Y14 & Y23) is the only way

+

in the game that Handgunners units enter play. The first moment

+

(only) that this Lord is at any Port Stronghold (not Exile box,

+

1.3.1, and regardless of Favour at the Port), including upon Levy

+

of the card if he is already at a Port, he must add two Handgunners

+

units to his mat, no Levy action required. Note that the card will

+

remain with the Lord until Disband (1.9.1), even though he will

+

receive no further Handgunners, even if some are Lost.

+

History. Although there were multiple handgun artisans in En-

+

gland, the main provenance of black powder weaponry was the

+

continent. And handgunners from Burgundy and the Holy Roman

+

Empire were especially appreciated. As Burgundy was usually the

+

ally of the House of York, handgunners mostly appeaed on the

+

Yorkist side.

+

Y15. Naval Blockade

+

This Lord at a Port cancels Lancastrian actions using Ports on that

+

Sea unless a roll of 1-2

+

Lord. Warwick.

+

Tips. Whenever Warwick with this Capability is at any Port

+

Stronghold (not Exile box, 1.3.1, and regardless of Favour at the

+

Port), roll a die immediately after any Lancastrian action taken

+

that uses a Port on the same Sea—that action only occurs on a

+

roll of 1 or 2. Such actions can include Parley, Levy Ship, Supply,

+

Sail, and Tax (3.4.1, 4.6.4, 3.4.5, 4.5, 4.6.1, 4.6.3). If the action

+

requires an Influence check (1.4.2), the Lancastrians may wait to

+

see the Naval Blockade roll before paying Influence and rolling

+

the check. The Lordship or Command cost for the action point is

+

spent, regardless of the result of the roll. Naval Blockade im-

+

pedes neither use of a Stronghold itself that happens also to be

+

a Port, nor card effects that require a Port, such as Heralds or

+

French Troops.

+

History. Warwick was a clever politician and probably a good ad-

+

ministrator and brave fighter (although not a good tactician). One

+

of his other talents tends to be overlooked, though: he was an ex-

+

cellent pirate—the terror of foreign fleets in the English Channel.

+

Y16. Beloved Warwick

+

This Lord can Levy Troops for 5 Militia (from pool) instead of the

+

Stronghold’s listed Troops

+

Lord. Warwick.

+

Tips. This Capability enables Warwick to Levy five Militia units

+

instead of the Troops provided by the Stronghold. He must meet

+

all the usual requirements and costs of the Levy Troops action.

+

If he opts for the Militia, he must take the full five units, until

+

exhausting the pool. He may do so for several Levy actions for ad-

+

ditional Militia. Militia received are limited to the pieces available

+

in the game (1.6). Note that the card will remain with Warwick

+

until Disband (1.9.1), even after no Militia remain in the pool.

+

History. As evident upon Warwick’s return from Calais in 1460,

+

commoners well appreciated him. He probably was the most char-

+

ismatic lord of the time and cleverly used propaganda to enhance

+

his image even more. During that return from Calais, and many

+

times later, commoners flocked to his banners helping him in-

+

crease his armies significantly.

+

Y17. Alice Montagu

+

This Lord’s Vassals have +1 Service and are immune to For

+

trust not him

+

Lord. Salisbury.

+

Tips. When Salisbury with this Capability Musters a Vassal, place

+

its counter on the Calendar one box to the right of where it would

+

usually be placed per 3.4.3 (unless already beyond box 15, 2.2.3).

+

Lancastrians may not use Event L7 For trust not him against

+

Salisbury’s Vassals.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

39

+

History. Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, was married to Alice

+

Montagu. This let him come into greater estates than usual for a

+

third son or from a second marriage. These acquisitions made him

+

the Lord with the most nobles under his patronage in all England

+

and thus one of the most influential.

+

Y18. Irishmen

+

This Lord in Ireland or at Port on Irish Sea can Levy Troops for 5

+

Militia (from pool) total, no Depletion or Exhaustion

+

Lords. Rutland or York.

+

Tips. This Lord when Levying Troops (3.4.4) while in the Ireland

+

box or at any Port Stronghold on the Irish Sea may add five Militia

+

units instead of the Troops that the Lord would otherwise receive.

+

He may do so for several Levy actions for five Militia each. When

+

he does so, the action does not Deplete or Exhaust the Locale. The

+

Lord must meet other requirements for the Levy Troops action,

+

including that the Locale not be already Exhausted. If he opts for

+

the Militia, he must take the full five units, until exhausting the

+

pool. Militia received are limited to the pieces available in the

+

game (1.6). Note that the card will remain with the Lord until Dis-

+

band (1.9.1), even after no Militia remain in the pool. Y6 Great

+

Ships does not alter this Capability’s requirement that the Port

+

used be on the Irish Sea.

+

History. After the battle of Ludford Bridge in 1459, Richard York

+

and his son Edmund Earl of Rutland fled to Ireland. There, they

+

gathered troops and came back to England in 1460. That was pos-

+

sible because York was still the Lieutenant of Ireland (1447-1453

+

and 1455-1460) and was backed and appreciated by its Parlia-

+

ment.

+

Y19. Welshmen

+

Each Tides of War, Yorkists Dominate Wales with this Lord and

+

3+ Friendly Strongholds there

+

Lords. York or March.

+

Tips. Each Tides of War step (4.8.1), when this Lord is at any

+

Stronghold within Wales and at least three Strongholds within

+

Wales have Yorkist Favour, the Yorkist earn the Influence point

+

for Domination of Wales. In other words, the presence of the

+

Lord with this Capability in that Area reduces the requirement for

+

Domination from Friendly Favour in all its Strongholds to Favour

+

in just three.

+

History. Edward was Earl of March, in charge of the Welsh

+

Marches and well-loved there. Although Wales in general was

+

against any English king, and, if they had any sympathy, it was to

+

the Lancastrians, the Marches favored Yorkists for their success in

+

defending them from their neighbors’ incursions.

+

Y20. York’s Favoured Son

+

This Lord has Influence +1 and Command +1

+

Lords. Rutland or March.

+

Tips. Rutland or March with this Capability increase the value of

+

that Lord’s Influence and Command ratings each by one.

+

History. A probably false rumor circulated about the legitimacy

+

of Edward. Some historians have seen possible evidence for truth

+

of the rumor in a hinted preference by Richard for Edmund. This

+

Capability is for the player to decide who will be York’s heir and

+

thus, get a boost on confidence and political power.

+

Y21. Southerners

+

Each Tides of War, Yorkists Dominate the South with this Lord

+

and 5+ Friendly Strongholds there

+

Lords. March, Rutland, or York.

+

Tips. See Capability Y19 Welshmen. Southerners works the

+

same way for the Area, Lords, and number of Strongholds stated.

+

History. Although their main strongholds were in the area around

+

York and Ely, Yorkists and Warwick were very appreciated in the

+

South and especially in Kent, where they were able to raise con-

+

siderable support for their rebellion.

+

Y22. Fair Arbiter

+

This Lord at a Friendly Locale has Influence +1 and Lordship +1

+

Lord. Salisbury.

+

Tips. Whenever Salisbury with this Capability is in a Friendly

+

Locale (including an Exile box, 1.3.1), his Influence and Lordship

+

ratings each increase by one. He could start the Levy phase in a

+

neutral Stronghold, for example, take a Parley action to turn that

+

Stronghold Friendly, and then use the added Lordship and Influ-

+

ence that same Levy Phase.

+

History. During his stint as Lord Chancellor in 1455, Richard

+

Neville, Earl of Salisbury, was able to advance the interests of his

+

followers greatly, improve his position in the Percy-Neville feud,

+

and show his capacity as an efficient administrator.

+

Scenario II

+

Y23. Burgundians

+

This Lord at any Port adds 2 Handgunners (once, maximum)

+

Lords. Edward IV, Gloucester, or Richard III.

+

Tips and History. See Capability Y14.

+

Y24. Hastings

+

This Lord Levies Special Vassal Hastings (free), adds 2 Men-at-

+

Arms units, and has Command +1

+

Lord. Edward IV.

+

Tips. When Edward IV gets this Capability, place the Hastings

+

Special Vassal marker plus two on Edward IV’s mat.

+

See rule 1.5.4 regarding Special Vassals. The Com-

+

mand benefit applies as long as Edward IV retains

+

Hastings. If Hastings Disbands, discard this Capa-

+

bility; there is no effect on the two units.

+

History. Hastings was one of the closest friends to Edward IV.

+

He lost part of his influence when Elizabeth Woodville became

+

Queen, but he was there for Edward during Warwick’s Rebellion,

+

helping him raise and organize troops.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

40

+

Y25. Pembroke

+

Each Battle in Wales, this Lord adds 2 Longbowmen. Remove

+

them after Battle

+

Lord. Pembroke.

+

Tips. This Lord at any Battle within during Battle Array (4.4.1)

+

must add two Longbowmen to his mat’s Forces. Upon Aftermath

+

(4.4.4), remove the added units (if any remain) to the pool, re-

+

gardless of Battle outcomes. If that leaves this Lord without any

+

Troops, he Disbands (1.6, 3.2.4).

+

History. Pembroke was an important castle and town that helped

+

control the south of Wales. It wavered in its support from the Lan-

+

castrians to the Yorkists, but during 1461 and up to 1469 it was

+

held by William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, a loyal Yorkist.

+

Y26. Fallen Brother

+

If Clarence is Dead or Shipwrecked, this Lord has Influence +2

+

and Lordship +1

+

Lord. Gloucester or Richard III.

+

Tips. Only Gloucester (or Richard III in the full-length scenar-

+

io) can obtain this Capability, and it only increases his ratings if

+

Death (4.4.3) or Shipwreck (4.8.2) has permanently Disbanded

+

the Lancastrian Lord Clarence.

+

History. Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was the youngest of the

+

brothers and thus he was after George, Duke of Clarence, in the

+

line of succession. Although he was already a very influential

+

Lord in the Court because of his good performance in battle and

+

lordship, his brother’s execution in 1478 considerably increased

+

Richard’s influence.

+

Y27. Percy’s North

+

Each Battle in the North, this Lord adds 4 Militia. Remove them

+

after Battle

+

Lord. Northumberland.

+

Tips. See Capability Y25 Pembroke. Percy’s North works the

+

same way for the Area, units, and Lord stated.

+

History. Henry Percy was the Warden of the Marches and had

+

strong support in all the frontier with Scotland. The Marches

+

were able to raise troops fast and react to Scottish incursions with

+

speed. They were also useful during Warwick’s rebellion and the

+

return of the Lancastrians.

+

Y28. First Son – Edward, son of Edward IV

+

Each Tides of War, Yorkists add +1 extra Influence point

+

Lord. Edward IV.

+

Tips. Each Tides of War (4.8.1) that Edward IV is on map (even

+

in an Exile box) with First Son, add one Yorkist Influence point

+

to the edge track.

+

History. As soon as Edward had a son, the latter became the heir

+

to the throne (except for the brief time that Henry VI was rein-

+

stated), and the influence of the King grew because he then had

+

secured the succession by having a male heir.

+

Y29. Stafford Branch – Duke of Buckingham’s family

+

Exeter and adjacent Strongholds add 1 more Provender or Coin

+

than usual to this Lord’s Supply or Tax

+

Lord. Devon.

+

Tips. Whenever Devon with Stafford Branch draws Supply

+

from or Taxes the Stronghold of either Exeter, Launceston, Plym-

+

outh, Wells, or Dorchester as a Source, add one extra Provender if

+

Supply (only) or one extra Coin if Tax (only). Add no extra if the

+

Supply uses a Port Source and Ships (4.5.2).

+

History. Humphrey Stafford, in a lesser branch of the Stafford

+

family and a distant cousin of the Lancastrian Duke of Bucking-

+

ham with the same name, was one of the most trusted support-

+

ers of King Edward. Stafford showed a great capacity for turning

+

the sympathies of places under his supervision and reversed the

+

sympathies of the strongly Lancastrian southwest to support the

+

Yorkists.

+

Y30. Captain

+

This Lord is a Marshal in any Locales where no Friendly Marshal

+

or Lieutenant

+

Lords. Northumberland or Pembroke.

+

Tips. The Locale may be an Exile box (1.3.1, for group Sail,

+

4.6.1). The effect is blocked the instant that a Yorkist Marshal or

+

Lieutenant is at the same Locale with this Lord.

+

History. Most of the clashes of the Wars of the Roses consisted of

+

small battles with few lords rather than big battles such as Towton

+

or Tewkesbury. In those smaller battles, such as Edgcote, the main

+

leaders of the factions were not present. Instead, one of the lesser

+

leaders there (Pembroke at Edgcote) would have full command

+

of the army.

+

Y31. Woodvilles – Powerbrokers under Edward IV

+

This Lord Levies Troops without Depleting or Exhausting Strong-

+

holds

+

Lords. Edward IV, Devon, Gloucester, or Richard III.

+

Tips. A Lord with this Capability Levies Troops with the usual

+

restrictions and effects—including a Friendly Stronghold that is

+

not yet Exhausted—except that the action neither Depletes nor

+

Exhausts the Stronghold. Thus, this Lord can Muster Troops mul-

+

tiple times from the same Stronghold.

+

History. The Woodvilles joined the ranks of England’s most

+

powerful families when Elizabeth Wood-

+

ville married King Edward IV. Queen

+

Elizabeth’s father, Richard Woodville,

+

was appointed Lord Treasurer and Con-

+

stable of England. That enabled him to

+

muster troops quickly from all around the

+

country.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

41

+

Scenarios III & III(B)

+

Y32. Final Charge

+

As Richard III (not Gloucester) this Lord’s Retinue once per Me-

+

lee Strike may suffer +1 Hit to add +3 extra Hits against Enemy

+

Lord. Richard III.

+

Tips. Only Richard III, not Gloucester, may Levy this Capability.

+

At the beginning of each Melee Strike phase, the

+

Yorkist player can opt for Richard III’s Retinue to

+

receive one added Hit in order to increase the total

+

number of Melee Hits that the opponents in the same

+

Engagement receive by three.

+

History. “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!” If Richard

+

really said those words, they had the meaning of wanting a horse

+

not to get away but to keep on charging against Henry Tudor.

+

Richard was brave and intended to solve the battle with a head-to-

+

head fight with Henry, but Talbot cut his charge short.

+

Y33. Bloody thou art, bloody will be thy end

+

When this Lord as Richard III (not Gloucester) wins a Battle, skip

+

Death checks. All Routed Lancastrian Lords Die

+

Lord. Richard III.

+

Tips. Only Richard III, not Gloucester, may Levy this Capability.

+

The effect applies only when the Yorkists win a Battle that in-

+

cludes Richard III (even if he Routed). As the effect skips Death

+

checks (4.4.3), it moots any modifier to the Death Check and

+

blocks any card of either side that says “upon Death check”, such

+

as L3 Escape Ship or L36 Talbot to the Rescue. The effect of

+

Bloody thou art is mandatory: Routed Yorkists Disband nor-

+

mally (3.2.4) and Routed Lancastrians Die.

+

History. The Duchess of York (Queen Elizabeth) speaks the Ca-

+

pability’s title line in Shakespeare’s Richard III. During his rule,

+

Richard III became famous for the ruthlessness with which he

+

treated his enemies. To the degree that he was able, all were killed

+

in battle or executed, none was spared.

+

Y34. So wise, so young

+

Each Tax by this Lord as Gloucester adds +1 extra Coin. Discard

+

if Richard III

+

Lord. Gloucester.

+

Tips. This Capability adds one extra Coin each time Gloucester

+

takes a Tax action, even if the Tax action is not suc-

+

cessful (the attempt would yield one Coin instead of

+

none). Discard the Capability if Gloucester becomes

+

Richard III per scenario special rule (6.0) or Succes-

+

sion (6.1-6.3).

+

History. Richard speaks the Capability’s title line in Shake-

+

speare’s Richard III. The Duke of Gloucester showed very ear-

+

ly his skills as administrator. Although Richard was young, his

+

brother Edward IV gave him many responsibilities and valued

+

him highly.

+

Y35. Kingdom United

+

Each Battle in the North, South, or Wales, this Lord as Gloucester

+

adds 3 Militia. Remove them after Battle. Discard if Richard III

+

Lord. Gloucester.

+

Tips. Only Gloucester, not Richard III, may Levy this Capability.

+

See Capability Y25 Pembroke. Kingdom United works the same

+

way for the Areas, units, and Lord stated. Discard the Capability

+

if Gloucester becomes Richard III per scenario special rule (6.0)

+

or Succession (6.1-6.3).

+

History. Richard had lands all around England. He had received

+

Warwick’s inheritance through his wife, Anne Neville, and add-

+

ed it to the numerous lands awarded by his brother Edward IV

+

during his reign. He had been Lord Warden of the Marches; he

+

was Duke of Gloucester, and he had estates in the South. The

+

name of the Capability plays on the term United Kingdom to refer

+

to this spread of Gloucester’s influence in the less central areas

+

and also how the kingdom would probably have been more united

+

against Henry Tudor if Edward V was still king.

+

Y36. Vanguard

+

In Battle, this Lord may choose his Engagement to be the only one

+

fought in Round 1

+

Lord. Norfolk.

+

Tips. If the Yorkist player decides so after the Battle Array (4.4.1),

+

the first Round of a battle with Norfolk and Vanguard will con-

+

sist exclusively of the Engagement (4.4.2) that includes Norfolk.

+

(There is no effect if the Battle has only one Engagement.)

+

History. Richard placed Norfolk in the vanguard at Bosworth.

+

Had he been successful (a considerable feat, in the circumstanc-

+

es), there would not have been a Tudor dynasty.

+

Y37. Percy’s North

+

Each Battle, this Lord with a Route (3.4.1) to Carlisle adds 2 Men-

+

at-Arms. Remove them after Battle

+

Lord. Northumberland.

+

Tips. See Capability Y25 Pembroke. Percy’s North works the

+

same way for the units and Lord stated, but for any Battle Locale

+

from which the Yorkists can trace a Route to the City of Carlisle

+

as per 3.4.1, as if a Parley Levy action from the Battle Locale but

+

regardless of the Battle Locale’s Favour.

+

History. The power of the Percys resided in the North, and they

+

felt uncomfortable when fighting far from their home. That was

+

especially true when Richard called Henry Percy to help him

+

against Henry Tudor, as the battle took place very near the center

+

point of England.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

42

+

Lancastrian Events

+

(top half of card)

+

All Scenarios

+

L1. Leeward Battle Line

+

Hold: Play in Battle to halve all Missile hits (round up) to Friend-

+

ly Lords, unless Enemy Leeward Battle Line.

+

Tips and History. See Yorkist Event Y1.

+

L2. Flank Attack

+

Hold: Play to Intercept without rolling and become the Attacker

+

in that Battle.

+

Tips and History. See Yorkist Event Y2.

+

L3. Escape Ship

+

Hold: Play upon Death check if Lancastrian Route (4.5.1) to Port

+

for any Routed Lancastrians to go into Exile instead

+

Tips and History. See Yorkist Event Y3 & Y9.

+

L4. Be sent for to return from France with speed

+

This Levy Muster Lancastrian Exiles from anywhere on the Cal-

+

endar

+

Tips. The Lancastrian player may treat any or all Lancastrian

+

Lords marked Exile on the Calendar as if they were in the current

+

Turn’s box. Each chosen Lord Musters to a scenario-designated

+

Exile box (3.3). This card’s Capability is not available this Turn

+

(3.1.3).

+

History. Henry VI speaks the Event’s title line in Shakespeare’s

+

Henry VI part III. Lancastrians were almost always ready to come

+

back from exile at the first sign of weakness from the Yorkists.

+

They kep their supporters and resources prepared for an invasion,

+

such as Margaret d’Anjou’s in 1471.

+

L5. Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind

+

Hold: Play in Battle for participating Lancastrian Lord to check

+

Influence. Success Disbands 1 Yorkist Lord at Battle with lower

+

Influence rating

+

Tips and History. See Yorkist Event Y5.

+

L6. Seamanship

+

This Campaign Lancastrians may Sail for just 1 Command action

+

Tips and History. See Yorkist Event Y6.

+

L7. For trust not him

+

Hold: Play in Battle for a participating Lord to attempt to Levy

+

(3.4.3) a regular Enemy Vassal at Battle onto the Lord’s own mat

+

Tips. Play this card at the Event step after Battle Array (4.4.1).

+

The Lancastrian player chooses a Lancastrian Lord and a regular

+

Yorkist Vassal (not a Special Vassal) who are taking part in that

+

Battle. The Lord chosen immediately attempts to Levy the Vassal

+

(3.4.3), ignoring Routes and Favour of the Vassal’s Seat. The cost

+

in Influence points is only for the Influence check and modifiers

+

(1.4.2). If successful, move the Vassal marker from the Yorkist

+

mat to that Lancastrian Lord’s mat and shift that Vassal’s marker

+

on the Calendar to a box as if newly Levied.

+

History. Queen Elizabeth speaks the Event’s title line in Shake-

+

speare’s Henry VI part III. There were not many instances of no-

+

bles changing loyalty in the field of battle, but the most notable

+

ones are probably Andrew Trollope and Thomas Stanley, both go-

+

ing from the Yorkist side to the Lancastrians.

+

L8. Forced Marches

+

This Campaign lone Lancastrian Lords (not Groups) March on

+

Road as if Highway

+

Tips. With this Event, Lancastrian Lords can use one March Ac-

+

tion to move two Ways if each is either Highway or Road (4.3.3).

+

A Marshal or Lieutenant with other Lords would have to leave

+

them behind on Road to use this benefit. The Event does not affect

+

March along Paths. The Capability on this card will not be avail-

+

able for Levy this turn, as the player will not discard the card until

+

after this Campaign (3.1.3).

+

History. Although Yorkists were generally able to react faster

+

than Lancastrians, there were some instances when fast move-

+

ment by Lancastrians enabled them to gain important victories, as

+

at Edgcote and Second St Albans.

+

L9. Rising Wages

+

This Levy Yorkist Lords must pay 1 Coin per Levy Troops action

+

Tips. For Yorkist Lords to Levy Troops (3.4.4), they must first

+

spend one Coin per such action (they may Share, 1.5.3). That pen-

+

alty applies even if Levying Troops via Event or Capability that

+

requires a Levy Troops action, such as like Y16 Beloved War-

+

wick or Y18 Irishmen. Card L9’s Capability is not available this

+

Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. The armies of the Wars of the Roses were composed

+

of soldiers who received a wage. And during the war’s duration,

+

there was a significant inflation in costs. There were some instanc-

+

es when Yorkist had difficulties in raising troops because of the

+

lack of funds.

+

L10. New Act of Parliament

+

This Campaign Yorkist Parley takes entire Command card

+

Tips. Any Yorkist Parley during the coming Campaign (4.6.4)

+

requires all that Lord’s actions on the Command card (instead of

+

just one action). The Event does not affect Parley during Levy

+

(3.4.1). Card L10’s Capability is not available this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. Although Yorkists were generally more apt at getting

+

what they wanted from Parliament (or forcing it), Lancastrians

+

were occasionally able to make it work for them.

+

L11. Blocked Ford

+

Hold: Play upon Approach to prevent Exile (all Lords there Bat-

+

tle)

+

Tips and History. See Yorkist Event Y11.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

43

+

L12. Ravine

+

Hold: Play on an Enemy Lord in Battle. Round 1, ignore that

+

Lord for Engage and Strike

+

Tips. Play this card at the Event step after

+

Battle Array (4.4.1). Then choose one

+

Yorkist Lord there. Conduct the first

+

Round of Battle (only) as if his place in

+

the Battle Array were empty. As a remind-

+

er, place this card beneath the top edge of

+

that Lord’s mat, then remove it after

+

Round 1.

+

History. When Henry Percy arrived at

+

Bosworth, Thomas Stanley was watching

+

him from an elevated position. Moving to

+

his scripted position in the battle meant giving him the flank, and,

+

as his loyalty was not clear, he stood there, blocked from taking

+

part in the clash.

+

L13. Aspielles – Lancastrian spies

+

Hold: Play to inspect all Yorkist Held cards and 1 Hidden Yorkist

+

Lord mat (1.5.3)

+

Tips and History. See Yorkist Event Y13.

+

Scenarios Ia, Ib, & Ic

+

L14. Scots

+

Each Lancastrian Lord on map may add up to 1 Men-at-Arms and

+

1 Militia to his or her mat

+

Tips. Each Mustered Lancastrian Lord (even if in an Exile box)

+

has may opt immediately to receive one Men-at-Arms and/or one

+

Militia unit (until the pool runs out, 1.6).

+

History. After Henry VI’s capture by the Yorkists, Margaret and

+

Somerset secured the help of the Scots and got an army. As they

+

brought them all the way south to St Albans, panic swept through

+

all middle and south England.

+

L15. Henry Pressures Parliament

+

Yorkists lose 1 Influence point per Vassal they currently have

+

Mustered

+

Tips. Count all the Mustered Vassals on Yorkist mats (including

+

Special Vassal Hastings). Subtract that number of Yorkist Influ-

+

ence points total.

+

History. One of the few instances when Henry VI’s power over

+

the Parliament was felt was in December 1459, when York, War-

+

wick, and Salisbury suffered attainder. Their lands were returned

+

to the king and their lives were forfeit. Their loss of political pow-

+

er after this was great, although not definitive.

+

L16. Warden of the Marches

+

Hold: Play upon Death check in the North. Move any Routed

+

Lancastrians to a Friendly Stronghold there instead of rolling

+

Death or Disband

+

Tips. Play the Event only in a Battle at a Stronghold in the North

+

Area (1.3.1), before rolling for Death (4.4.3). Any Lancastrian

+

Lords who Routed may choose before rolling (only) instead to

+

move their cylinder to a Friendly Stronghold in the North (other

+

than the Battle Locale). If there is no such Stronghold, the Event

+

has no effect. Lords who move keep their Assets, Capabilities,

+

and Unrouted Troops. If left without Troops, they Disband (1.6).

+

History. The position of Wardens of the Marches historically be-

+

longed to the Percys. Though there were some short periods when

+

the Nevilles were able to steal it from them, all the decades spent

+

as protectors of the North against Scottish incursions let the Per-

+

cys create a strong net of allies and supporters there.

+

L17. My crown is in my heart

+

This Levy Henry VI may Parley twice for 0 Lordship (with Influ-

+

ence checks)

+

Lord. Henry VI.

+

Tips. During this Levy (only), Henry VI may optionally take two

+

additional Parley actions, for the usual Influence point costs and

+

Influence checks required (3.4.1). This Event allows Parley on

+

London even if Event Y15 London for York has placed double

+

Favour markers there. The Event has no effect if Henry VI is not

+

on map and does not affect Parley during Campaign (4.6.4). This

+

card’s Capability is not available this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. Henry VI speaks the Event’s title line in Shakespeare’s

+

Henry VI part III. Henry VI was so pious and good mannered that

+

even at the height of Yorkist rebellion, Yorkists could not argue

+

that he was evil. Even his staunchest enemies could not help but

+

listen to what he had to say.

+

L18. Parliament Votes

+

This Levy 1 Parley action by each Lancastrian Lord costs less by

+

–1 Influence point and automatically succeeds

+

Tips. During this Levy (only), each Lancastrian Lord may reduce

+

the cost of any one Parley action taken by one Influence point,

+

and that Parley succeeds without rolling an Influence Check. (An-

+

nounce use of the option before rolling.) This Event allows Par-

+

ley on London even if Event Y15 London for York has placed

+

double Favour markers there. The Event does not affect Parley

+

during Campaign (4.6.4). This card’s Capability is not available

+

this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. Just before the Battle of Ludford Bridge, Henry VI

+

seemed to have the parliament again in his favor and was able

+

to enact hard measures against the rebels. That was short lived,

+

however, as York and Warwick upon their return from exile took

+

control of the nobles.

+

L19. Henry’s Proclamation

+

Yorkists shift all their Vassals’ Calendar markers to the current

+

Turn box

+

Tips. All Yorkist Vassal markers on the Calendar immediately

+

move to the current Turn box (then discard the card). Pay or Dis-

+

band (3.2.3-.4) will affect those Vassals this Levy.

+

History. The Acts of Attainder against York, Warwick, and Salis-

+

bury in 1459 made some of the nobles rethink their allegiances in

+

the conflict and brought them closer to the Lancastrian faction.

+
+ +
+

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+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

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+

L20. Parliament’s Truce

+

Hold: Play to prohibit all Approach and Intercept for the rest of

+

this Campaign

+

Tips. A player can use this Event at any moment during a Cam-

+

paign (only), including at the moment of an Enemy March trig-

+

gering an Approach (4.3.5) or an Enemy Intercept. Use of the

+

Event forbids (and cancels) all Approach and Intercept by both

+

sides for the rest of the Turn.

+

History. After the Battle of Ludford Bridge, Henry VI briefly re-

+

covered his influence among the nobles and was able to stop their

+

skirmishes and petty conflicts for a few months.

+

L21. French Fleet

+

This Campaign Yorkist Lords may not Sail

+

Tips. This Event forbids Sail for Yorkists during this Turn’s Cam-

+

paign, even if another card, such as Event Y6 Seamanship would

+

enable it. This card’s Capability is not available this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. French help was essential to the Lancastrians during the

+

war. Part of that consisted of raids along the coast and the use of

+

French ships to block Yorkist naval movement.

+

L22. French Troops

+

Add up to 2 Men-at-Arms and 2 Militia to a Lancastrian Lord at

+

a Port

+

Tips. This Event is optional, not mandatory. The Lancastrian

+

Player may immediately choose one Lancastrian Lord at a Port

+

Stronghold (regardless of Favour, but not an Exile box), and add

+

zero, one, or two Men-at-Arms plus zero, one, or two Militia units

+

to that one Lord’s mat, within those available in the pool (1.6). If

+

no Lancastrian Lord is at a Port, the Event has not effect.

+

History. French King Charles VII “the Victorious” showed his

+

son, Louis XI, the way to keep England off Continenal soil:

+

feed its internal struggles. The fact that Margaret d’Anjou was

+

Charles’s niece and Louis’s cousin made it natural for the French

+

Crown to provide help to the Lancastrians. (See also Events L27

+

L’Universelle Aragne and L30 French War Loans and Capa-

+

bility L37 Madame La Grande.)

+

Scenario II

+

L23 & L24. Warwick’s Propaganda

+

Select 3 Yorkist Strongholds. For each, Yorkists either pay 2 Influ-

+

ence points or remove Favour

+

Tips. The Lancastrian player must immediately select any three

+

Strongholds with Yorkist Favour (or all of them if fewer than three.

+

They may include Special Strongholds (London, Calais, Harlech).

+

For each Stronghold selected, the Yorkist player chooses either to

+

lose two Influence points or to remove that Yorkist Favour mark-

+

er. Adjust Stronghold markers on the edge track accordingly.

+

History. Warwick saw himself as a Renaissance Prince. As

+

such, he made use of the most modern techniques of influenc-

+

ing the common people and the bourgeoisie. Propaganda be-

+

came one of his main weapons, enlarging his figure and gath-

+

ering popular support.

+

L25. Welsh Rebellion

+

Remove 2 Troops from each Yorkist Lord in Wales OR, if no

+

Yorkist Lords there, 2 Yorkist Favour from Wales

+

Tips. If there is any Yorkist Lord cylinder on the map within the

+

Wales Area (1.3.1), the Lancastrian player chooses and returns to

+

the pool any two wooden Troops units (not Retinues or Vassals)

+

from each such Yorkist Lord in Wales. If that leaves any Lords

+

without Troops, they immediately Disband (1.6, 3.2.4). If there

+

are no Yorkist Lords in Wales, the Lancastrian player chooses and

+

removes two Yorkist Favour markers from Wales (or one if only

+

one is there). Adjust Stronghold markers on the edge track ac-

+

cordingly. The Event has no effect if there are no Yorkist Lords or

+

Favour markers in Wales.

+

History. Although Pembroke was able to pacify the south of

+

Wales, the influence of Jasper Tudor was greater, and the presence

+

of English troops resented. This made Wales a dangerous place

+

for Yorkist armies.

+

L26. Henry Released

+

If London Favours Lancastrians, add 5 Lancastrian Influence

+

points

+

Tips. This effect is immediate and can happen multiple times in a

+

game. The Event has no effect if London has Lancastrian Favour

+

or no Favour marker.

+

History. The highest moment of Warwick’s rebellion, whence

+

came his nickname “Kingmaker”, was Henry VI’s release from

+

the Tower of London. Henry was King again for a few months,

+

and Warwick increased his hold on the Kingdom.

+

L27. L’Universelle Aragne – Louis XI of France, a

+

cunning King

+

Select 2 Yorkist Mustered Vassals. Their Lords check Influence

+

for each—failure Disbands the Vassal

+

Tips. The Lancastrian player chooses any two Vassals Mustered

+

to Yorkist mats. They may include Special Vassal Hastings. For

+

each one, the Yorkist Lord that has the Vassal on his mat must

+

make an Influence check, the Yorkist player spending Influence

+

points normally (1.4.3). If the check fails, the Vassal Disbands

+

(3.2.4). If Hastings Disbands, discard Capability card Y24 HAST-

+

INGS from Edward IV’s mat (1.5.4).

+

History. The Lancastrian cause would have been totally lost if

+

not for the maneuvers behind the curtain of Louis XI. He used

+

influence, persuasion, and bribes to increase the tension among

+

the English factions and thus make France more secure.

+

L28. Rebel Supply Depot

+

Hold: Play after a Lord or Group Marches or Sails to a Port for

+

them to receive 4 Provender and ignore their next Feed

+

Tips. Play just after a March or Sail action by a Lord or Group

+

that is now at a Port (only). The Lord or Lords who moved (only)

+

receive four Provender distributed among them as the player

+

wishes. The qualifying Lord(s) also will remove Moved/Fought

+

markers in the upcoming Feed step (4.7) without expending any

+

Provender or Pillaging, regardless of that or any further March,

+

Sail, or Battle on that Command Card.

+
+ +
+

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+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

45

+

History. Hard work made sure that Margaret’s army would re-

+

turn to England in 1471 in the best of condition. Multiple ports

+

in the South were prepared to receive the French army that went

+

with her.

+

L29. To wilful disobedience and Rebel!

+

Remove Yorkist Favour from 2 Strongholds at or adjacent to a

+

Lancastrian Lord and not at or adjacent to Yorkist Lords

+

Tips. The Lancastrian player must immediately select and re-

+

move Yorkist Favour markers from any two Strongholds (or one,

+

if only one qualifies) that:

+

• Are adjacent by Way (1.3.1) to a Lancastrian Lord or have a

+

Lancastrian Lord present at the Stronghold itself, and

+

• Have no Yorkist Lord at the Stronghold or adjacent to it by Way.

+

The Strongholds may include Special Strongholds (London, Cal-

+

ais, Harlech). Adjust Stronghold markers on the edge track.

+

History. Robin of Redesdale’s rebellion and other multiple skir-

+

mishes around England marked the start of Warwick’s movement

+

against Edward, which used the growth of malcontent to reduce

+

Edward IV’s support. (See also Event L31 Robin’s Rebellion.)

+

L30. French War Loans

+

Add 1 Coin and 1 Provender to each Lancastrian Lord on map

+

Tips. The effect is immediate and mandatory. Lords on map

+

include those at Strongholds and in Exile boxes, not those on

+

the Calendar.

+

History. French help was essential for the Lancastrians. Louis XI

+

brokered the deal between Warwick and Margaret, and French

+

money paid the army that she brought to England in 1471.

+

L31. Robin’s Rebellion

+

Place and/or remove up to 3 Favour total in the North

+

Tips. The Lancastrian player immediately selects Strongholds

+

within the North Area (1.3.1) and removes Yorkist Favour mark-

+

er(s) there and/or then places Lancastrian Favour marker(s) on

+

neutral Stronghold(s) there, in any combination involving no

+

more than three markers total. Lords present have no effect. Ad-

+

just Stronghold markers on the edge track.

+

History. Insurrection by Robin of Redesdale (also known as

+

Robin Mend-All) in 1469 was probably the first movement in

+

Warwick’s rebellion. Robin rose against John Neville and asked

+

for the reinstatement of Henry Percy as Earl of Northumberland,

+

which happened just a few months later.

+

Scenarios III & III(B)

+

L32. Tudor Banners

+

If Henry Tudor is at a Friendly Stronghold, mark all adjacent

+

Strongholds that are free of Yorkist Lords with Lancastrian Favour

+

Lord. Henry Tudor.

+

Tips. Unless Henry Tudor is on map at a Stronghold with Lan-

+

castrian Favour, this Event has no effect. If he is so, remove all

+

Yorkist Favour markers from Strongholds that both are adjacent

+

to him by Way (1.3.1) and have no Yorkist Lord there. Then, place

+

a Lancastrian Favour marker at all such Strongholds (whether or

+

not they had a Yorkist marker). Adjust Stronghold markers on the

+

edge track accordingly.

+

History. Henry Tudor had his own supporters on English soil, but

+

he benefitted from the behaviour of Richard III, who became very

+

aggressive in his response to any hint of treachery. This made it

+

easier for Henry to bring the nobility to him.

+

L33. Surprise Landing

+

Hold: Play after Sailing to a Port to add a free March action

+

Tips. Play just after a Lord or Group uses a Sail action to reach

+

a Port Stronghold (only). The active Lord—plus, if that Lord is

+

a Marshal or Lieutenant, any other Lancastrian Lords there de-

+

sired—may not conduct a single March action without using up

+

Command. As March along a Path uses all actions of a Command

+

card, this bonus March action may not use a Path. Feed will hap-

+

pen after this free March action, not after the Sail action.

+

History. Richard III was anxious to know where the invasion

+

force led by Henry and Jasper Tudor was going to land. Their

+

first intention had been to land at a port on the English Channel.

+

But, as these were heavily guarded, they decided on Dale near

+

Pembroke in Wales, and marched from there into England proper.

+

L34. Buckingham’s Plot backfires

+

This Levy each Yorkist Vassal Levy costs +2 extra Influence

+

points

+

Tips. Each Yorkist Vassal Levy action this Turn will cost two

+

more Influence points than usual. Any Vassal Levy Influence cost

+

reduced to zero or “free” by Capability or Event will cost two

+

points. Card L34’s Capability is not available this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. The Event’s title refers not to Buckingham’s rebellion

+

in 1483 but rather to the theory that he was the mastermind be-

+

hind the assassination under Richard III of the two princes held

+

in the Tower. While Buckingham’s involvement is only a hy-

+

pothesis, the fact is that this event hurt views of the Yorkists

+

among the nobility.

+

L35. Margaret Beaufort – Henry Tudor’s mother

+

This Levy Henry Tudor may attempt to Levy any Vassals on the

+

map

+

Tips. This Event eliminates the Friendly Stronghold and Enemy

+

Lord restrictions on Henry Tudor’s Levy Vassal actions this Turn.

+

Provided that Henry Tudor is on map, including in an Exile box,

+

he need not be at a Friendly Stronghold, nor need the target Vas-

+

sal’s Seat have Lancastrian Favour or be free of Yorkist Lords.

+
+ +
+

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+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

46

+

The Lordship and Influence costs and Influence check to Levy a

+

Vassal still apply (3.4.3). The Event does not allow Levy of Vas-

+

sals who are already Mustered nor of Special Vassals (1.5.4). It

+

has no effect if Henry Tudor is not on map. This card’s Capability

+

is not available this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. There are lots of intelligent characters in the Wars of

+

the Roses—capable politicians and diplomats and manipulative

+

masterminds working in the shadows. Margaret Beaufort is prob-

+

ably one of the less known but surely one the most interesting and

+

influential. Dan Jones’s documentary TV series Britain’s Bloody

+

Crown dedicated its chapter 4 to Margaret Beaufort and might be

+

of interest to those intrigued by the life of this remarkable woman.

+

L36. Talbot to the Rescue

+

Hold: Play upon Death check to Disband any Routed Lancastri-

+

ans instead of rolling for Death

+

Tips. Play during a Battle, before rolling for Death (4.4.3). Any

+

Lancastrian Lords who Routed may choose before rolling (only)

+

instead to Disband (3.2.4). Because Yorkist Capability Y33

+

Bloody thou art skips Death checks entirely, it blocks this

+

Event.

+

History. It’s said that Richard’s famous last charge at Bosworth

+

was cut short when Talbot intercepted him in order to earn some

+

time for Henry Tudor to flee. That time was not necessary, as

+

Richard fell there, and was killed by Henry’s bodyguards—end-

+

ing the Plantagenet dynasty.

+

L37. The Earl of Richmond is with a mighty power landed at Milford

+

This Levy Lancastrian Vassal Levy always succeeds

+

Tips. Lancastrian Vassal Levy this Turn need not roll for success.

+

The Stronghold requirements, Vassal eligibility, and Lordship and

+

Influence point costs of Vassal Levy actions still apply (3.4.3).

+

This card’s Capability is not available this Turn (3.1.3).

+

History. Catesby speaks the Event’s title line in Shakespeare’s

+

Richard III. Upon news of the arrival of Henry Tudor, known at

+

the time as the Earl of Richmond, nobles started defecting to him

+

away from Richard III.

+

Lancastrian Capabilities

+

(bottom half of card)

+

All Scenarios

+

L1 & L2. Culverins and Falconets

+

At start of Round 1 of Battle, this Lord may discard this card to

+

add 1 die roll of Missile Hits

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips and History. See Yorkist Capability Y1 & Y2.

+

L3. Muster’d my soldiers Gather’d flocks of friends

+

Each Battle at a Friendly Stronghold, this Lord adds 2 Men-at-

+

Arms and 1 Longbowmen. Remove them after Battle

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips and History. See Yorkist Capability Y3.

+

L4. Heralds

+

This Lord at Port may use full Command card for an Influence

+

check. If successful, shift a Lord cylinder on Calendar to next

+

Turn

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. The Lord with Heralds while at any Port Stronghold (not

+

in an Exile box), regardless of Favour, Depletion, or Exhaustion

+

there, may use all actions of that Lord’s Command card to make

+

an Influence check in the usual manner (1.4.3, at the usual In-

+

fluence point cost, no Route). Success shifts a selected (typical-

+

ly, Lancastrian) Lord cylinder already on the Calendar (possibly

+

marked Exile) to the next Turn’s box. The Lord may do so on

+

several Command cards during a Campaign.

+

History. Lancastrian negotiations with foreign powers, especially

+

France and Scotland, let them gather support and resources very

+

fast and return from exile with their followers in almost no time.

+

L5. Church Blessing

+

This Lord’s Men-at-Arms have Armour 1-4

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. When rolling for protection, Men-at-Arms have Armour 1-4

+

instead of 1-3. Men-at-Arms with both Church Blessing and

+

Capability L34 Piquiers have Armour 1 4. The modification does

+

not apply when rolling for Losses (4.4.3).

+

History. Henry VI was a pious man. He placed great impor-

+

tance in following Christian principles. And because of that he

+

was loved by the people and considered a good example by the

+

Church. Although this was not a religious war, soldiers loyal to

+

Henry VI may have felt that they were also fighting with God’s

+

protection on their side, as Shakespeare notes during Clifford’s

+

speech in the play Henry VI.

+
+ +
+

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+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

47

+

L6. Great Ships

+

This Lord’s Ships count double for Sail and Supply and connect

+

all Ports of all Seas

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips and History. See Yorkist Capability Y6.

+

L7. Harbingers

+

This Lord’s Supply actions draw twice the usual Provender

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips and History. See Yorkist Capability Y7.

+

L8. Hay Wains

+

This Lord’s Carts count double for March and Supply

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. Each Cart on this Lord’s mat equals two Carts

+

for all March—both Haul and Intercept (4.3.2, 4.3.4)

+

and Supply (4.5.1-.2) purposes (only), not for Levy

+

Transport (3.4.5), Spoils (4.4.3), Sail (4.6.1), or

+

Waste (4.8.5). Shared with another Lord (1.5.3), this Lord’s Carts

+

count double in the same way, while another Lord’s Carts Shared

+

with this Lord do not.

+

History. “Wains” were wagons considerably larger than standard

+

wagons used in the period. They were excellent for bringing sup-

+

plies when a campaign led far away from the power base of the

+

army, so it would not pillage the country.

+

L9. Quartermasters

+

This Lord Levies Troops without Depleting or Exhausting Strong-

+

holds

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. See Yorkist Capability Y31 Woodvilles. Quartermasters

+

works the same.

+

History. Commissions of Array, paid conscriptions, were the

+

main source of soldiers for Wars of the Roses armies. Good quar-

+

termasters were able to get more troops from a town or city. (See

+

also Capability L12 Commission of Array.)

+

L10. Chamberlains

+

This Lord’s Supply and Levy Troops do not Deplete the Strong-

+

hold at his or her Vassals’ Seats

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. With this Capability, a Lord can Levy Troops and draw Sup-

+

ply from the Seats of any regular Vassals on the Lord’s mat with-

+

out adding Depleted markers or flipping Depleted to Exhausted

+

(3.4.4, 4.5). The benefit applies to each such Levy or Command

+

action, so it can enable repeated use of the same Locales. All other

+

Levy Troops and Supply rules still apply.

+

History. Chamberlain is a word derived from the French that

+

was used for the post of managing the household and finances

+

of high-ranking nobles, mostly kings. Nobles with good help-

+

ers who acted as chamberlains would be able to gather more

+

resources from their estates. Thomas Stanley, Salisbury, and

+

Hastings acted at some point as Lord Chamberlain for the King

+

(Henry VI or Edward IV).

+

L11. In the Name of the King – Sealed royal letter

+

This Lord has Influence +1 for Parley

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. This Capability increases the value of this Lord’s Influence

+

rating by one for Parley actions (3.4.1, 4.6.4) only.

+

History. Richard York, Edward IV, and Richard III as pretend-

+

ers or kings usually took matters into their own hands. Henry VI,

+

Margaret, and Henry Tudor were, on the other hand, more prone

+

to delegate to trusted councillors like Somerset or Jasper Tudor.

+

L12. Commission of Array

+

This Lord can Levy Troops from adjacent Friendly Strongholds

+

where no Enemy Lord

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. A Lord with this Capability Levies Troops standard manner

+

(3.4.4) except that he can draw Troops and Deplete or Exhaust

+

action can only be taken on the Strongholds adjacent to him by

+

Way (1.3.1) instead of his own location. All other requirements,

+

such as that the target Stronghold not be Exhausted, still apply.

+

History. During the Wars of the Roses, there were more instanc-

+

es of Yorkists having problems raising troops than Lancastrians.

+

Even as the Tudors first came onto the scene, they had plenty of

+

troops, while Richard III had some difficulties.

+

L13. Expert Counsellors

+

This Lord’s has Valour +2

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. This Lord adds two to the Valour rating shown on that Lord

+

card, increasing Interception chances (4.3.4) and adding two extra

+

Valour markers for re-rolls in Battle (4.4.1-.2).

+

History. The Hundred Years War ended in 1453, less than 10

+

years before the start of the Wars of the Roses. Many veterans of

+

the wars in France took part on the early stages of the new conflict

+

and were highly regarded as advisers in battle tactics and strategy.

+

(Andrew Trollope was a good example of that, see L19 below.)

+

Later in the conflict, they became less common and even more

+

appreciated.

+

Scenarios Ia, Ib, & Ic

+

L14. Percy’s Power

+

While this Lord is in the North, Lancastrian Pay (3.2) there is free

+

Lord. Northumberland.

+

Tips. If Northumberland with Percy’s Power is in any Strong-

+

hold in the North Area (1.3.1), neither he nor any other Lancas-

+

trian Lord at any Strongholds in the North (regardless of Favour,

+

Depletion, or Exhaustion) need Pay Coin to their Troops to avoid

+

Pillage or Influence points to avoid Disband or to shift their Vas-

+

sals by one box right each Pay step (3.2.1-.3).

+

History. The Wars of the Roses also were a continuation of the

+

Percy-Neville feud. The Percys were strong in the North, with

+

plenty of resources and available troops. Sadly for them, however,

+

their influence to the south waned, unlike that of the Nevilles.

+
+ +
+

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+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

48

+

L15. King’s Parley

+

Upon Yorkist Approach to this Lord, discard this card to cancel

+

that Approach and end Command card

+

Lord. Henry VI.

+

Tips. If Henry VI with this Capability is the target of an Approach

+

(4.3.5), including because he Intercepted (4.3.4), before declar-

+

ing any Exile, the Lancastrian player may choose to Discard this

+

Capability and cancel the Approach. The moving Yorkist Lord(s)

+

would return to their previous location. The current Command

+

card would end immediately, and play would proceed to Feed

+

(4.7). Only Lords who moved on that card before the cancelled

+

Approach move would be considered to have Moved/Fought.

+

History. Twice during the unrest ahead of the Wars of the Roses

+

(in 1450 and 1451) did Henry VI use the same trick when Richard

+

York had gathered an army and come to meet him. Henry would

+

call York to a parley and offer concessions. Once York disbanded

+

his army, Henry would renege on the concessions, and Richard

+

would end in a worse situation. When Henry tried the same at

+

First St Albans (1455), Richard refused to parley and attacked.

+

L16. Northmen

+

Each Tides of War, Lancastrians Dominate the North with this

+

Lord and 3+ Friendly Strongholds there

+

Lord. Northumberland.

+

Tips. See Yorkist Capability Y19 Welshmen. Southerners

+

works the same way for the Area, Lords, and number of Strong-

+

holds stated.

+

History. Percys’ power in the North was so great that most of the

+

towns and cities supported them regardless of the side they took

+

in the Wars of the Roses.

+

L17. Margaret takes the reins

+

Each Tides of War, this Lord at a Stronghold outside London or in

+

an Exile box adds +2 Lancastrian Influence points

+

Lord. Henry VI.

+

Tips. Each Turn’s Tides of War step (4.8.1) that Henry VI with

+

this Capability is on map anywhere outside London—at any

+

Stronghold other than London (regardless of Favour) or in an Ex-

+

ile box—add two extra Influence points for the Lancastrians.

+

History. Henry VI became truly involved as an active army leader

+

in the Wars of the Roses only when Margaret pressured him to do

+

so, as when she made him leave London, where she felt hated,

+

to hold court at Coventry. At times that Henry proved incapable,

+

Margaret stepped in herself to command.

+

L18. Council Member

+

Each Tides of War, this Lord adds +1 Lancastrian Influence point

+

Lord. Exeter, Buckingham, or Somerset.

+

Tips. Each Turn’s Tides of War step (4.8.1) that a Lord with this

+

Capability is anywhere on map, including in a Exile box, add one

+

extra Influence point for the Lancastrians.

+

History. One of Richard York’s complaints that made him rebel

+

was his exclusion from the King’s Council in favor of Somerset.

+

Somerset belonged to the Queen’s faction, and who saw York as a

+

threat. That cost him power among the nobles.

+

L19. Andrew Trollope

+

This Lord Levies Special Vassal Trollope (free) and

+

has Valour +1

+

Lords. Exeter, Buckingham, Somerset

+

Tips. When a Lord gets this Capability, place the named Special

+

Vassal marker on that Lord’s mat. See rule 1.5.4 regarding Special

+

Vassals. The Valour benefit applies as long as this Lord retains

+

the Capability and Special Vassal. If the Special Vassal Disbands,

+

discard this Capability.

+

History. Andrew Trollope was one of the few brilliant tactical

+

minds in the Wars of the Roses. He was the architect of the Lan-

+

castrian victory at St Albans, where he led a wing of the army—a

+

remarkable feat for a commoner born to a dyer’s family. At St

+

Albans, he stepped on a caltrop. He died at Towton, leading the

+

vanguard with the Earl of Northumberland.

+

L20. Veteran of French Wars

+

This Lord has Valour +2

+

Lords. Exeter or Somerset.

+

Tips. This Lord adds two to the Valour rating shown on that Lord

+

card, increasing Interception chances (4.3.4) and adding two extra

+

Valour markers for re-rolls in Battle (4.4.1-.2).

+

History. The time of the big battles of the Hundred Years Wars

+

had long passed when the Wars of the Roses began. Nevertheless,

+

there were still plenty of veterans of that conflict available who

+

could be hired as strategic advisors and army officers.

+

L21. My Father’s Blood

+

This Lord Levies Special Vassal Clifford (free) and

+

has Valour +1

+

Lords. Any.

+

Tips. See Capability L19 Andrew Trollop.

+

History. John, 9th Baron Clifford saw his father murdered at the

+

first Battle of St Albans. He became a staunch Lancastrian sup-

+

porter, and his hatred for the Yorkists ended only with his death

+

at Towton in 1461.

+

L22. Stafford Estates

+

At outset of each Campaign, this Lord receives 1 Coin and 1 Prov-

+

ender

+

Lord. Buckingham.

+

Tips. At the beginning of each Campaign (4.0), Buckingham with

+

Stafford Estates adds one Coin and one Provender to his mat,

+

regardless of his Locale.

+

History. Humphrey Stafford’s estates after inheriting a huge

+

amount of land from his mother ranged from East Anglia to the

+

Welsh border. That made him one of the wealthiest and most pow-

+

erful lords in England.

+
+ +
+

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+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

49

+

Scenario II

+

L23. Montagu

+

This Lord Levies Special Vassal Montagu (free), and

+

his Retinue has Armour 1-5

+

Lord. Warwick.

+

Tips. See Capability L19 Andrew Trollop. The Retinue Armour

+

benefit applies as long as this Lord retains the Capability and

+

Special Vassal, including for the remainder of a Battle in which

+

Montagu Routs.

+

History. During the Battle of Barnet, John Neville, 1st Marquess

+

of Montagu, allegedly persuaded his brother Warwick to fight on

+

foot. Montagu took the center, enabling Warwick to stay protected

+

in the rear for a final opportunity to escape the battle.

+

L24. Married to a Neville

+

This Lord at a Friendly Locale with Warwick has Influence +2

+

and Command +1

+

Lord. Clarence.

+

Tips. When Clarence and Warwick are at the same Stronghold

+

with Lancastrian Favour or in the same Exile box, Clarence’s In-

+

fluence rating increases by two and his Command rating by one. If

+

Clarence and Warwick at any moment part, the Capability ceases

+

effect. EXCEPTION: If the last Command action of a card sep-

+

arates Clarence from Warwick, the Capability still has effect for

+

that action, as it started with both together.

+

History. Clarence is another of the tragic characters of the Wars of

+

the Roses. He only became relevant when he married Warwick’s

+

elder daughter, Isabel Neville, and lost almost all influence when

+

Anne Neville was betrothed to Edward, son of Henry VI.

+

L25. Welsh Lord

+

Each Battle in Wales, this Lord adds 2 Longbowmen. Remove

+

them after Battle

+

Lord. Jasper Tudor.

+

Tips. If Jasper Tudor with this Capability is in Battle at a Strong-

+

hold within the Wales Area (1.3.1), at the outset of the Battle

+

Array phase (4.4.1), add two Longbowmen Troop pieces to his

+

mat. Upon Aftermath (4.4.4), remove those Troops (only, not the

+

card). If Jasper Tudor is left without any Troops, he Disbands

+

(1.6, 3.2.4).

+

History. Jasper Tudor was the son of Owen Tudor and Catherine

+

de Valois (Henry V’s widow), and so was the half-brother of Hen-

+

ry VI. He was greatly respected in Wales, and when in trouble,

+

could always find refuge and gather supporters there.

+

L26. Edward – Prince of Wales

+

This Lord Levies Special Vassal Edward (free) and

+

has Valour +1

+

Lord. Margaret.

+

Tips. See Capability L19 Andrew Trollop.

+

History. Edward, Prince of Wales, was the only son of Henry VI

+

and Margaret d’Anjou. He led the Lancastrian army that disem-

+

barked in England in 1471. The Yorkists executed him at Tewkes-

+

bury.

+

L27. Barded Horse

+

This Lord’s Retinue and his or her Vassals have Armour 1-3

+

against Missile but Armour 1-5 against Melee

+

Lords. Exeter, Somerset, or Margaret.

+

Tips. Representing the decision of these nobles’ retinues to fight

+

mounted, Barded Horse decreases this Lord’s Retinue and Vas-

+

sals’ Armour against Missile Hits by one and increases it against

+

Melee Hits by one. The modifications do not apply when rolling

+

for Losses (4.4.3).

+

History. There are almost no instances of mounted charges during

+

the Wars of the Roses, the main reason being the common pres-

+

ence of a few thousand longbowmen on the other side of the field.

+

But should a charge have been successful, it would have had dev-

+

astating effect, especially against foot soldiers.

+

L28. Loyal Somerset

+

This Lord at the same Locale as Margaret has Influence +1 and

+

Valour +1

+

Lord. Somerset.

+

Tips. While at the same Stronghold or in the same Exile box as

+

Margaret, Somerset has his Influence Rating and Valour Rating

+

each increased by one. Margaret’s Rout in Battle does not remove

+

the d on Somerset in the same Battle.

+

History. It seems that there was always a Somerset next to Marga-

+

ret. First Henry and then Edmund, his brother, who accompanied

+

her in her exile to France and then in her return to England at the

+

head of an army.

+

L29. High Admiral

+

This Lord can Sail to Ports where Enemy Lord(s), triggering Ap-

+

proach (4.3.5)

+

Lord. Exeter.

+

Tips. Exeter with High Admiral Sails normally (4.6.1) except

+

that his destination Port can be occupied by one or more York-

+

ist Lords. If he Sails to a Port where Enemy Lords, it counts as

+

an Approach (4.3.5), as if he had Marched there from his origin

+

(including an Exile box or at Sea). Exeter must take the Sail ac-

+

tion himself to use High Admiral; therefore, as Exeter is not a

+

Marshal or Lieutenant, the effect will never apply to Group Sail.

+

Event Y12 or L20 Parliament’s Truce prevents Exeter from us-

+

ing High Admiral to Approach Yorkists.

+

History. Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter, was appointed High Ad-

+

miral from 1450 to 1461. Curiously, in 1475 he died by drowning

+

on a return voyage from France after having volunteered to go on

+

Edward IV’s campaign.

+
+ +
+

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+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

50

+

L30. Merchants

+

This Lord for 1 Command action and successful Influence check

+

removes 2 Depleted or Exhausted at his location and/or adjacent

+

Lord. Warwick.

+

Tips. Warwick with Merchants for any Command action may

+

conduct an Influence Check in the usual manner (1.4.3) that, if

+

successful, enables the Lancastrian player to remove any two De-

+

pleted and/or Exhausted markers at Strongholds adjacent to War-

+

wick by Way (1.3.1). Removal of Exhausted leaves that Strong-

+

hold neither Exhausted nor Depleted. Success must remove two

+

markers if able, otherwise one. Warwick may use Merchants for

+

several actions, as desired. Favour and Enemy Lords have no ef-

+

fect on this Capability.

+

History. If there was ever a lord who could get a deal from any-

+

body, it was Warwick. He was especially friendly with the mer-

+

chant class, as he advanced their interests, sometimes at the cost

+

of the nobility. He got good deals in return, as could be expected.

+

L31. Yeomen of the Crown

+

If this Lord’s Retinue fails an Armour roll, she may instead Rout

+

1 of her Unrouted Men-at-Arms units

+

Lord. Margaret.

+

Tips. This Capability lets Margaret’s Retinue take

+

Hits without itself having to Rout, optionally Routing

+

her Men-at-Arms instead, in effect giving the latter

+

Armour 1-4 (unless with Barded Horse), or possi-

+

bly 1-5 against Melee only with Barded Horse. Once all Marga-

+

ret’s Men-at-Arms units are Routed, Yeomen of the Crown has

+

no effect that Battle. The card has no effect when rolling for Loss-

+

es (4.4.3).

+

History. The corps of the King’s bodyguards were known as the

+

“Yeomen of the Crown”. In 1485, Henry Tudor, by then Henry

+

VII, made that convention official when he rewarded his body-

+

guards for their exploits at Bosworth with the title Yeomen of the

+

Guard of our Lord the King.

+

Scenarios III & III(B)

+

L32. Two Roses – Henry Tudor, married to a York, enjoys

+

Lancastrian support

+

This Lord’s Vassal Levy always succeeds

+

Lord. Henry Tudor.

+

Tips. Henry Tudor with TWO ROSES Levies Vassals without

+

having to roll. Instead, the Influence check automatically suc-

+

ceeds. Stronghold requirements, Vassal eligibility, and Lordship

+

and Influence point costs of his Vassal Levy actions still apply

+

(3.4.3).

+

History. Thanks to the work of the Duke of Buckingham (before

+

his execution, of course) and Margaret Beaufort, Henry Tudor

+

emerged from the outset of the third War of the Roses as a prefer-

+

able option to Richard III, so prone to ire and fits of fury.

+

L33. Philibert de Chandeé – French royal envoy

+

Each Battle at or adjacent to Friendly English Channel Port, this

+

Lord adds 2 Men-at-Arms. Remove them after Battle

+

Lords. Oxford or Henry Tudor.

+

Tips. If Oxford or Henry Tudor with this Capability is in Battle

+

at a Stronghold with Lancastrian Favour that is or is adjacent to

+

an English Channel Port (1.3.1), regardless of the presence of any

+

Yorkist Lords at that Port, at the outset of the Battle Array phase

+

(4.4.1), add two Men-at-Arms Troop pieces to his mat. Upon Af-

+

termath (4.4.4), remove those Troops (only, not the card). If the

+

Lord is left without any Troops, he Disbands (1.6, 3.2.4).

+

History. King Charles VIII of France—or more probably his sis-

+

ter Anne, who was the regen—sent Philibert de Chandeé to take

+

care of Henry Tudor while he was their guest. Afterwards, de

+

Chandeé commanded the French troops that accompanied Henry

+

in his invasion.

+

L34. Piquiers – French pikemen

+

This Lord’s Men-at-Arms and Militia have Armour 1-4 until 3 of

+

them Rout

+

Lords. Oxford or Henry Tudor.

+

Tips. All this Lord’s Men-at-Arms and Militia begin any Battle as

+

Armoured Troops with modified Armour 1-4, regardless of how

+

many of each type he has. Men-at-Arms with both Piquiers and

+

Capability L5 Church Blessing have Armour 1 4. At the mo-

+

ment that this Lord’s third unit of the two types combined—Men-

+

at-Arms plus Militia—Routs, Piquiers loses its effect for the rest

+

of that Battle (only). The modification does not apply when roll-

+

ing for Losses (4.4.3).

+

History. The breaking point at the battle of Bosworth probably

+

was the attack from the flank of French pikemen against Norfolk’s

+

vanguard, as Yorkist arms could not reach the enemy across the

+

length of the French pikes.

+

L35. Thomas Stanley

+

This Lord Levies Special Vassal Stanley (free). Once

+

per Levy, he can Levy Troops for 0 Lordship

+

Lords. Jasper Tudor or Henry Tudor.

+

Tips. See Capability L19 Andrew Trollop. The Levy benefit

+

otherwise has the same requirements and effects as Levy Troops

+

(3.4.4) and applies as long as this Lord retains the Capability and

+

Special Vassal.

+

History. Thomas Stanley was the deciding actor at Bosworth.

+

Had he respected his oath to Richard III, there probably would

+

never have been a Tudor dynasty. Sadly for the Plantagenets,

+

Stanley was married and loyal to Henry Tudor’s mother, Mar-

+

garet Beaufort.

+

L36. Chevaliers – French knights

+

This Lord’s Men-at-Arms suffer –1 Armour against Missiles but

+

Melee Strike x2

+

Lords. Jasper Tudor, Oxford, or Henry Tudor.

+

Tips. All this Lord’s Men-at-Arms units (regardless of how many

+

he has) reduce their range of successful Protection rolls against

+

Missiles (only) by one, for example, from unmodified Armour 1-3

+

to Armour 1-2. The modification is cumulative with other card

+

effects, such as Capabilities L5 Church Blessing or L34 Piqui-

+
+ +
+

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+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

51

+

ers. During Melee, this Lord’s Men-at Arms units each generate

+

two Hits instead of one. The Armour modification does not apply

+

when rolling for Losses (4.4.3).

+

History. Henry Tudor’s army was mainly French. And with the

+

French army, came a significant number of mounted men-at-arms,

+

chevaliers. They were vulnerable to the English longbows, but

+

once their charge succeeded, they became an almost unstoppable

+

force.

+

L37. Madame La Grande – Louis XI’s daughter Anne

+

finances Tudors

+

Each Pay segment (3.2) that this Lord at or adjacent to a Friendly

+

English Channel Port, he receives 1 Coin

+

Lords. Jasper Tudor, Oxford, or Henry Tudor.

+

Tips. At the beginning of each Turn’s Pay segment (3.2), if this

+

Lord is adjacent by Way to an English Channel Port with Lancas-

+

trian Favour (regardless of the presence of any Yorkist Lords) or

+

at such a Friendly English Channel Port (1.3.1), he adds one Coin

+

to his mat.

+

History. Anne of France, Madame La Grande, was the daugh-

+

ter of Louis XI and sister of Charles VIII. She was the regent of

+

France from 1483 to 1491 and applied diligently her father’s les-

+

sons on how to treat with the English. Money spent helping create

+

internal tension was money saved fighting English invasions.

+

Design Notes

+

The Wars of the Roses is one of the most interesting periods of

+

English history. It has been the inspiration of multiple fiction-

+

al works, such as Shakespeare’s plays and Martin’s Game of

+

Thrones. And its iconography and legends still feel different from

+

any other historical situation.

+

The period first struck me when I was a kid and read a book called

+

The Black Arrow that featured a guy who went by the name of

+

Richard Crookback. That interest has accompanied me all my life.

+

So, when I started thinking about designing my own wargames,

+

it was natural that the first topic in my list would be the Wars of

+

the Roses.

+

One could wonder why I designed my own game about this sub-

+

ject instead of just playing one of the existing ones. The answer is

+

easy. I felt that none of them covered the aspects of the conflict in

+

the way that I wanted to play it. Either the scale was too big or the

+

military detail too little or too much. The representation of politi-

+

cal influence did not intermix with the building and maintenance

+

of armies, as I felt they should. Indeed, these games gave almost

+

no attention to the logistical needs of armies during the period.

+

And the different personalities that led the wars at various points

+

were not given different proficiencies in the way that I wanted.

+

While tinkering with some systems and subsystems with the

+

invaluable help of my eldest son Eidur, I acquired and played

+

Nevsky. I fell immediately in love with that system and asked

+

Volko Ruhnke for permission to use parts of it on my own game.

+

Not only was the answer positive, but the future game became

+

part of the Levy & Campaign Series.

+

The Levy & Campaign system provided for some of the details

+

that I wanted to see represented in a Wars of the Roses game. We

+

would now be able to see how different Warwick was from Rich-

+

ard III, thanks to Lord ratings and Capability cards. And we would

+

not have armies that stayed in the field for 30 years. Players would

+

have to take care of their pay and their sustenance and disband

+

them occasionally because they could not feed or pay them, and

+

they would start pillaging.

+

I added a political layer, by a system that I had already developed,

+

and adapted some aspects that did not really fit the historical facts

+

of the Wars of the Roses.

+

An Influence mechanic represents the diplomacy and negotiations

+

among the nobles and serves as a victory condition. My interpre-

+

tation of the conflict is that it was about who used political influ-

+

ence better to convince the rest of the nobles to come to their side.

+

Sometimes that required a victory on the battlefield to cement that

+

position (or to turn it upside down). Political power can be won

+

but also must be spent. And sometimes the political cost of a ven-

+

ture is higher than the benefits that it will reap. Plantagenet’s sys-

+

tem represents that by making Influence a net amount that, when

+

overdrawn, can bring a side to defeat.

+

Battles was also something to change from the original Levy &

+

Campaign. Looking at the data for all the battles of the period

+

(and helped by Graham Evans, who has acted as historical advi-

+

sor for the game and helped in lot of other ways), we saw that the

+

traditional advantage presumed for the defender in a battle did not

+

accrue in this conflict. We adapted the system so that the balance

+

was not so biased against the attacker and even brought it further

+

by giving an advantage to it.

+

Why is it that in this war the attackers tended to win? Any reason

+

may be the valid one. My own opinion is that the commitment to

+

fighting was greater by the ones initiating the attack. This was not

+

a war of conquest; it was a civil war. So both sides probably were

+

not too keen on fighting against their cousins and brothers, and

+

the side showing a higher intention of escalating to the clash had a

+

significant advantage. It’s difficult to know for sure.

+

We removed Sieges from the game. These campaigns were not

+

marked by the intention to take one stronghold or another, and

+

fortresses and cities did not impede movement. With sieges not

+

significant enough to call for a specific mechanic, their inclusion

+

would have altered the flow of the game away from the histor-

+

ical facts.

+

These wars also saw a clear avoidance of damaging the popula-

+

tion. Lords seldom ravaged lands, and, when they did, the reac-

+

tion benefitted the opponent. When that did occur, it resulted in

+

bad feelings all around the kingdom against that side doing. That

+

is why Pillage in this game is a negative consequence rather than

+

not a source of victory points like Ravage in the others.

+

We also changed some of the ways the assets worked. Troops

+

during the Wars of the Roses were paid. Not only the mercenaries

+

but also the forces recruited by conscription had an established

+

salary that had to be fulfilled or they would leave the army. That is

+

why we can read of huge debts that nobles in the Wars of the Ros-

+

es amassed to recruit armies. Tax became an essential mechan-

+

ic in the game that linked the maintenance of troops with allies

+
+ +
+

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+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

52

+

amongst the noble houses that a side could enlist. Historically, an

+

extended network of allies helped obtain resources and loans to

+

pay armies. If there is one limited resource in the game, it is Coin.

+

Once we had put together and tested all the pieces of the game

+

system, with the help of my friend Marc Aliaga, who also did all

+

the prototype graphics, the hard work started.

+

Christophe Correia with Volko led development. They and others

+

did a lot of work to make sure that the mechanics had histori-

+

cal justification, that the model made sense. We adjusted some

+

systems and subsystems to reduce the excess of calculations and

+

make them more elegant and less fiddly. I have a tendency to

+

overcomplicate some mechanics, and Volko led me in a Socratic

+

way on how to change them into something simpler that was clos-

+

er to what we wanted the model to do and a lot more fun to play.

+

We also worked hard on the balance and on increasing the strate-

+

gic options for the players, so that the game would not have just

+

one way of being played well. In Plantagenet, each side may win

+

by a strategy of focusing on Influence, or a strategy of focusing

+

on Battles, or a mixed strategy. And there are lots of ways of con-

+

ducting each of them. The credit for creating such an open game

+

belongs to Christophe, who pushed me hard to give more options

+

to the players and provided some key ideas to achieve that. Chris-

+

tophe designed the full Wars of the Roses scenario, and it is a

+

piece of art.

+

Many other people helped at one time or another during the de-

+

velopment of the game. Plantagenet is a product of teamwork

+

that followed a specific idea: to provide players an experience that

+

brings them into the historical period and, apart from having a

+

good time playing the game, hopefully teaches them something

+

about why the conflict developed as it did and what else might

+

have happened.

+

Francisco Gradaille

+

Barcelona, Spain

+

December 2022

+

Selected Sources

+

Bicheno, Hugh. Battle Royal, The Wars of Lancaster and York,

+

1440-1462 (2015) and Blood Royal, The Wars of Lancaster and

+

York, 1462-1485 (2016). Hugh Bicheno displays his engaging

+

narrative in these two excellent books. They include abundant

+

charts, lists, and maps that provide data about the conflict and

+

the times, such as lists of bishops and archbishops and of the En-

+

glish Peerage and a map showing the geographic distribution of

+

the main nobles’ estates.

+

Butley, Peter, Michael Elliot, and Harvey Watson. The Battles of

+

St Albans (2007). An exhaustive account of these famous battles,

+

with extra information about the campaigns that led to them and

+

the military tactics employed.

+

Evans, Graham. The Battle of Edgcote 1469, Re-evaluating the

+

evidence (2019). The best source of information for this rela-

+

tively unknown battle. It includes an analysis of problems re-

+

garding the validity of sources that any book about this conflict

+

might encounter.

+

Ingram, Mike. Richard III and the Battle of Bosworth (2019). An

+

account of the famous battle that ended the Plantagenet dynasty.

+

The first chapter of some 20 pages is the best summary of the

+

Wars of the Roses to be found. The book adds lots of informa-

+

tion about weaponry, army structure, and the personalities of both

+

Richard III and Henry VI.

+

Lewis, Matthew. The Wars of the Roses: The Key Players in the

+

Struggle for Supremacy (2015). A different approach to narrating

+

the Wars of the Roses. In this book we follow the lives of the main

+

actors in the war, and with them we understand how their person-

+

alities shaped the conflict.

+

Seward, Desmond. The Wars of the Roses: Through the Lives of

+

Five Men and Women of the Fifteenth Century (1995). This book

+

provides a very valuable and unusual point of view, as it is fo-

+

cused in the second level actors of the conflict. Characters such as

+

Margaret Beaufort, Jane Shore, Dr Morton, and William Hastings

+

become the protagonists of this telling of the wars.

+

Shakespeare, William. Henry VI, Parts 1, 2 & 3; Richard III

+

(1591-1594). Not the most accurate historical recollection, but a

+

very entertaining one to read.

+

Weir, Alison. Lancaster and York: The Wars of the Roses (1995).

+

If anybody wanted to understand the Wars of the Roses by reading

+

only one book, it should be this one. Although a bit lacking in the

+

military analysis, it more than compensates with the information

+

given about how economics, religion, and foreign interests influ-

+

enced the faction leaders’ actions.

+

Wise, Terence. The Wars of the Roses (1983). This Osprey book

+

of around 40 pages provides a good summary of the conflict, with

+

abundant illustrations and maps. Not the most up-to-date source

+

of information, but more than enough to get a quick understand-

+

ing of how the conflict’s battles developed.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

53

+

ART:

+

Robert Altbauer—Gameboard, counters, mats, screens,

+

stickers, Lord cards, Command cards, card backs.

+

Matthew Wallhead—Box cover, Arts of War cards,

+

player aid charts, titling.

+

Charlie Kibler—Manuals.

+

Marc Aliaga—Prototype Art.

+

Sodacan—Prince of Wales Coat of Arms.

+

VASSAL MODULE: Christophe Correia, Brian Reynolds,

+

Stephen Stone.

+

GAME DESIGN: Francisco Gradaille.

+

DEVELOPMENT & SCENARIO DESIGN: Christophe

+

Correia.

+

SERIES CREATOR: Volko Ruhnke.

+

HISTORICAL ADVISOR: Graham Evans.

+

PLAYTEST: Marc Aliaga, Joseph Bottoms, John Camp-

+

bell, Joe Dewhurst, Carlos Gete, Antoine McNicoll, John

+

O’Reilly, Marc Pyolle, Stephen Rangazas. Special thanks to

+

attendees of TSCON21 in Cádiz, BellotaCon22 in Badajoz,

+

and Batalladores 2022 in Zaragoza, Spain.

+

PROOFING: Joseph Bottoms, Stuart Ellis Gorman, Justin

+

Fassino, Mark Greenwald, Arno Van de Velde.

+

CREDITS

+
+ +
+
+ +
+
+ +
+

Plantagenet Background Book

+

56

+

Arts of War – Card List

+

This chart provides at a glance the numbers, titles, and pairings of each side’s Arts of War cards.

+

See pages 31 to 51 for detailed notes on each Event and each Capability.

+

No.

+

Roses

+

Yorkist Events

+

Yorkist Capabilities

+

No.

+

Roses

+

Lancastrian Events

+

Lancastrian Capabilities

+

Y1

+

Leeward Battle Line

+

Culverins and Falconets

+

L1

+

Leeward Battle Line

+

Culverins and Falconets

+

Y2

+

Flank Attack

+

Culverins and Falconets

+

L2

+

Flank Attack

+

Culverins and Falconets

+

Y3

+

Escape Ship

+

Muster’d my soldiers

+

L3

+

Escape Ship

+

Muster’d my soldiers

+

Y4

+

Jack Cade

+

We done deeds of charity

+

L4

+

Be sent for

+

Heralds

+

Y5

+

Suspicion

+

Thomas Bourchier

+

L5

+

Suspicion

+

Church Blessing

+

Y6

+

Seamanship

+

Great Ships

+

L6

+

Seamanship

+

Great Ships

+

Y7

+

Yorkists block Parliament

+

Harbingers

+

L7

+

For trust not him

+

Harbingers

+

Y8

+

Exile Pact

+

England is my Home

+

L8

+

Forced Marches

+

Hay Wains

+

Y9

+

Escape Ship

+

Barricades

+

L9

+

Rising Wages

+

Quartermasters

+

Y10

+

Tax Collectors

+

Agitators

+

L10

+

New Act of Parliament

+

Chamberlains

+

Y11

+

Blocked Ford

+

Yorkists Never Wait

+

L11

+

Blocked Ford

+

In the Name of the King

+

Y12

+

Parliament’s Truce

+

Soldiers of Fortune

+

L12

+

Ravine

+

Commission of Array

+

Y13

+

Aspielles

+

Scourers

+

L13

+

Aspielles

+

Expert Counsellors

+

Y14

+

Richard of York

+

Burgundians

+

L14

+

Scots

+

Percy’s Power

+

Y15

+

London for York

+

Naval Blockade

+

L15

+

Henry Pressures…

+

King’s Parley

+

Y16

+

The Commons

+

Beloved Warwick

+

L16

+

Warden of the Marches

+

Northmen

+

Y17

+

She-Wolf of France

+

Alice Montagu

+

L17

+

My crown is in my heart

+

Margaret takes the reins

+

Y18

+

Succession

+

Irishmen

+

L18

+

Parliament Votes

+

Council Member

+

Y19

+

Caltrops

+

Welshmen

+

L19

+

Henry’s Proclamation

+

Andrew Trollope

+

Y20

+

Yorkist Parade

+

York’s Favoured Son

+

L20

+

Parliament Truce

+

Veteran of French Wars

+

Y21

+

Sir Richard Leigh

+

Southerners

+

L21

+

French Fleet

+

My Father’s Blood

+

Y22

+

Loyalty and Trust

+

Fair Arbiter

+

L22

+

French Troops

+

Stafford Estates

+

Y23

+

Charles the Bold

+

Burgundians

+

L23

+

Warwick’s Propaganda

+

Montagu

+

Y24

+

Sun in Splendour

+

Hastings

+

L24

+

Warwick’s Propaganda

+

Married to a Neville

+

Y25

+

Owain Glyndŵr

+

Pembroke

+

L25

+

Wales Rebellion

+

Welsh Lord

+

Y26

+

Dubious Clarence

+

Fallen Brother

+

L26

+

Henry Released

+

Edward Prince of Wales

+

Y27

+

Yorkist North

+

Percy’s North

+

L27

+

L’universelle Aragne

+

Barded Horse

+

Y28

+

Gloucester as Heir

+

First Son

+

L28

+

Rebel Supply Depot

+

Loyal Somerset

+

Y29

+

Dorset

+

Stafford Branch

+

L29

+

To wilful disobediance

+

High Admiral

+

Y30

+

Regroup

+

Captain

+

L30

+

French War Loans

+

Merchants

+

Y31

+

Earl Rivers

+

Woodvilles

+

L31

+

Robin’s Rebellion

+

Yeomen of the Crown

+

Y32

+

The King’s Name

+

Final Charge

+

L32

+

Tudor Banners

+

Two Roses

+

Y33

+

Edward V

+

Bloody thou art

+

L33

+

Surprise Landing

+

Philibert de Chandeé

+

Y34

+

An honest tale speeds…

+

So wise, so young

+

L34

+

Buckingham’s Plot

+

Piquiers

+

Y35

+

Privy Council

+

Kingdom United

+

L35

+

Margaret Beaufort

+

Thomas Stanley

+

Y36

+

Swift Maneuver

+

Vanguard

+

L36

+

Talbot to the Rescue

+

Chevalier

+

Y37

+

Patrick de la Mote

+

Percy’s North

+

L37

+

The Earl of Richmond

+

Madame La Grande

+

© 2023 GMT Games LLC

+

P.O. Box 1308, Hanford, CA 93232

+

www.GMTGames.com

+
+ + + diff --git a/info/playbook/playbook1.jpg b/info/playbook/playbook1.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3886b94 Binary files /dev/null and b/info/playbook/playbook1.jpg differ diff --git a/info/playbook/playbook10.jpg b/info/playbook/playbook10.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..185eb8b Binary files /dev/null and b/info/playbook/playbook10.jpg differ diff --git a/info/playbook/playbook11.jpg b/info/playbook/playbook11.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9f68d82 Binary files /dev/null and b/info/playbook/playbook11.jpg differ diff --git a/info/playbook/playbook12.jpg b/info/playbook/playbook12.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d080453 Binary files /dev/null and b/info/playbook/playbook12.jpg differ diff --git a/info/playbook/playbook13.jpg b/info/playbook/playbook13.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dd76a50 Binary files /dev/null and b/info/playbook/playbook13.jpg differ diff --git a/info/playbook/playbook14.jpg b/info/playbook/playbook14.jpg new file mode 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+

Summary of Changes

+

.............................................................2

+

1. Introduction

+

........................................................................3

+

General Course of Play

+

..........................................................3

+

Components

+

...........................................................................3

+

Game Board and Map

+

............................................................3

+

Influence ................................................................................5

+

Lords and Vassals ..................................................................5

+

Force ......................................................................................7

+

Assets

+

.....................................................................................7

+

Other Markers

+

........................................................................8

+

Cards

+

......................................................................................8

+

2. Setup and Calendar ...........................................................9

+

Setup ......................................................................................9

+

Calendar

+

.................................................................................9

+

3. Levy ...................................................................................10

+

Arts of War ..........................................................................10

+

Pay .......................................................................................10

+

Exiles and Vassals

+

................................................................11

+

Muster

+

..................................................................................11

+

4. Campaign.

+

.........................................................................12

+

Plan ......................................................................................13

+

Command ............................................................................13

+

March

+

...................................................................................13

+

Battle

+

....................................................................................14

+

Supply

+

..................................................................................16

+

Other Commands

+

.................................................................17

+

Feed .....................................................................................17

+

End Campaign .....................................................................17

+

5. Victory

+

...............................................................................18

+

Campaign Victory

+

................................................................18

+

Threshold Victory ................................................................18

+

Scenario End Victory

+

...........................................................18

+

6. Scenarios ...........................................................................19

+

Respite and War

+

...................................................................26

+

Heirs and Succession

+

...........................................................26

+

The Wars

+

..............................................................................27

+

Key Terms Index ..................................................................31

+

Action Requirements Summary .........................................32

+

TABLE OF CONTENTS

+

Rules of Play

+

© 2023 GMT Games LLC

+

P.O. Box 1308, Hanford, CA 93232

+

www.GMTGames.com

+

Levy & Campaign Series - Volume IV

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

2

+

Locales: Stronghold types City, Town, Fortress, London,

+

Calais, and Harlech have no size and add to victory via

+

Tides of War (1.3.1, 4.8.1). Exile Boxes hold Lords in

+

Exile (1.3.1, 3.3.1).

+

Seats: Lords’ Seats use markers, removed upon Death.

+

Vassals have Seats printed on the map (1.3.1, 3.4.2-.3,

+

4.6.3).

+

Locale Markers: Favour markers show allegiance. De-

+

pleted/Exhausted replace Ravaged (1.3.1).

+

Ways: Types are Highway, Road, and Path (1.3.1).

+

Turns: Each Turn is 60 or 90 days, named by months not

+

Seasons (1.3.2, 2.2.1).

+

Influence: Sides accumulate Influence points that deter-

+

mine victory and spend them to check success at various

+

tasks (1.4, 3.2, 4.8.1, 5.0).

+

Lords: Lord cards, not mats, show characteristics (1.5),

+

including Valour and whether an Heir (4.4, 6.2). Lieuten-

+

ants are like Marshals (1.5.1, 4.3.1).

+

Vassals: Either side may Levy them by Favour of their

+

Seat (1.5.4, 3.4.3). They require Pay and help Tax (3.2,

+

4.6.3). Special Vassals Muster by card and merely pro-

+

vide Forces for Battle (1.5.4, 1.9.1).

+

Forces and Assets: Retinue and Vassal counters add to

+

wood Troop pieces, with new types (1.6, Forces table).

+

Assets are Carts, Ships, Provender, Coin (1.7). Troop

+

pieces and Ship counters limit play.

+

Waste: It periodically halves Transport and Provender

+

and resets to starting Coin and Troops (4.8.5).

+

Arts of War: There is no voluntary discard (3.1.4). Ca-

+

pabilities always attach to a single Lord (3.4.6).

+

Pay, Pillage, Disband: Pay Troops Coin and Lords Influ-

+

ence each Turn or face Pillage or Disband (3.2). Pay Vas-

+

sals Influence and Ready them for Muster per markers on

+

the Calendar (3.3).

+

Parley: Lords during Muster and Campaign can attempt

+

to shift Locales’ Favour (3.4.1, 4.6.4).

+

Muster: Levy of Lords and Vassals requires a check

+

against an acting Lord’s Influence (3.4.2-.3). Seats work

+

differently. Levy Troops per Stronghold (3.4.4). One

+

Levy action obtains two Carts (3.4.5).

+

Call to Arms: There is none.

+

March: Ways affect March speed (4.3.3). Lords are nev-

+

er Laden. Enemy Lords can Intercept Marching Lords

+

(4.3.4). Approach ends a Command card; Lords Avoid

+

Battle only by going into Exile (4.3.5).

+

Bypass: There is none.

+

Battle Rounds: Lords may Flee individually rather than

+

Concede the Field. Opposing Lords group into Engage-

+

ments, with Attacking and Defending Missiles, then Me-

+

lee Striking simultaneously. Lords Rout if their Retinue

+

counter or all their wood Troops do (4.4.2).

+

Protection: There is no Evade (4.4.2).

+

Ending the Battle: Winners receive Influence. There is

+

no Retreat: Routed Lords either Die or Disband (4.4.3).

+

Death: Lords Routed in Battle check for permanent re-

+

moval (4.4.3).

+

Siege and Storm: There are none; Strongholds change

+

hands via Parley, Muster, Pillage (3.4.1, 3.4.2, 3.2, 4.6.4).

+

Supply: Use just one Source. Transport need is different.

+

Strongholds yield Provender by type (4.5).

+

Forage: Locale Favour and adjacent Enemies affect suc-

+

cess (4.6.2).

+

Ravage: There is none, but Pillage, Troop Levy, Supply,

+

Forage, and Tax can Deplete or Exhaust Locales (1.3.1,

+

3.2, 3.4.4, 4.5, 4.6.2-.3).

+

Sail: Sea boundaries limit Sail. Ship requirements are

+

different (4.6.1).

+

Tax: Uses only a single action. Lords can Tax their own

+

and their Vassals’ Seats and Special Strongholds from a

+

distance (4.6.3).

+

Feed: Lords who fail to Feed Pillage (4.7).

+

End Campaign: Steps add Tides of War for Influence

+

and Disembark (4.8.1-.2). Grow and Waste are different

+

(4.8.4-.5).

+

Victory: Threshold and Scenario End Victory are by In-

+

fluence points (4.8.3, 5.2-.3). Check Campaign victory

+

near the end of each Campaign.

+

Summary of Changes from Earlier Volumes

+

+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

3

+

1.0 INTRODUCTION

+

Plantagenet is a board wargame about the Wars of the Roses. It

+

covers the main periods of military conflict between the Planta-

+

genet dynasty’s royal houses of Lancaster and York.

+

Plantagenet is the fourth volume in GMT Games’ Levy & Cam-

+

paign Series that portrays medieval military operations. Players

+

will gather and equip their armies and then send them to gain

+

support and defeat enemy forces in battle. Alliances will provide

+

lords and vassals to serve for limited periods, sustained in the field

+

by supply, pay, and influence.

+

Plantagenet offers several short scenarios, a main scenario for

+

each of three historical crescendos of fighting, and a grand “Wars

+

of the Roses” scenario linking them. An advanced rule adds op-

+

tional screens that can hide armies’ strength for greater fog of war.

+

Plantagenet has no solitaire system but is solitaire friendly with

+

its standard rules.

+

The final pages of this rulebook provide the scenarios, a key terms

+

index, and an action requirements summary. A folding play aid

+

summarizes key aspects of the game, and a separate aid sheet

+

guides play of the Wars of the Roses grand scenario. A back-

+

ground booklet contains a “quickstart” setup and examples of

+

play for learning the game system, strategy notes, card lists and

+

implementation tips, plus historical and other reference material.

+

The page opposite lists rules changes from earlier Levy & Cam-

+

paign Series games. In addition, this icon ▶ precedes such

+

rules in this booklet that differ from Volume I, Nevsky.

+

1.1 General Course of Play

+

In Plantagenet, players take one of two enemy sides, Yorkist

+

(white) or Lancastrian (red, also representing the Tudors). By

+

scenario, one side controls the King, the other side the Rebels

+

(affecting player order, 2.2.4). The side ending with the most in-

+

fluence wins.

+

In turns covering from 60 to 90 days each, Yorkist and Lancas-

+

trian players will levy lords and vassal forces, gather transport,

+

and recruit specialists. Lords will start in their historical holdings,

+

then roam England to gather support. They might go into exile to

+

gather forces for a return to England.

+

Each lord’s forces and assets are laid out on a mat. Players plan

+

and command campaigns with their lords. Cylinders on the map

+

show the lords’ movements, while markers on a calendar show

+

which lords may join and how long vassals will serve.

+

1.2 Components

+

A complete game of Plantagenet includes:

+

• A mounted game board (1.3).

+

• Twelve Lord mats (1.5.3).

+

• One Battle mat (4.4.1).

+

• ▶ 128 Troop unit bars (35 steel [Men-at-Arms], 40 green

+

[Longbowmen], 45 brown [Militia (billmen)], 6 black [Merce-

+

naries], 2 burgundy [Handgunners]; 1.6).

+

• Twenty-four Lord cylinders (12 white, 12 red)

+

• A Lords sticker sheet (apply to cylinders).

+

• Two sheets of markers and counters (1.3-1.8)

+

• Six decks of playing cards (▶ 14 Yorkist and 14 Lancastrian

+

Lord cards, 1.5.1; 37 Arts of War cards for each side, 1.9.1; and

+

40 Yorkist and 37 Lancastrian Command cards, 1.9.2).

+

• Two player aid foldouts (summarizing Sequence of Play, Com-

+

mands, Forces and Strongholds, Battle, and other key rules).

+

• ▶ A Wars of the Roses scenario aid sheet (6.0-6.3).

+

• Two screens (1.5.3).

+

• Six 6-sided dice (three white, three red).

+

• A background booklet (not needed for play).

+

• This rules booklet.

+

1.3 Game Board and Map

+

1.3.1 Map. The game board shows a map of England and envi-

+

rons, circa 1459. It depicts Locales, Ways, a Calendar along the

+

top, Exile boxes, and numerical track along the board edge.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

4

+

LOCALES: Locales are the spaces on the map that hold Lord

+

cylinders and game markers. Locales include various types of

+

Strongholds ▶ as well as four Exile boxes outside of England.

+

See the Strongholds table on the player aid foldout.

+

• Strongholds: City, Town, and Fortress Locales are Strongholds.

+

They can hold Seats as marked or printed. They can enable

+

Muster of Troops and provide Provender and Coin (3.4.4, 4.5,

+

4.6.2, 4.6.3). Having the most Favour of each type of Strong-

+

hold yields Influence (4.8.1).

+

• Special Strongholds: London, Calais, and Harlech are unique

+

Strongholds that provide Troops, Assets, and Influence differ-

+

ently (3.4.4, 4.5, 4.6.3, 4.8.1).

+

• Exile Boxes: Ireland, Scotland, Burgundy, and France are Lo-

+

cales that hold Lords who Muster in Exile (below and 3.3.1).

+

They are not Strongholds.

+

NOTE: Calais is not in France.

+

EXILE BOXES: Lords on the Calendar marked as Exiles Muster

+

to an Exile box during Levy (3.3.1). Exiles boxes

+

are Locales that differ from Strongholds as follows.

+

• Lords may only occupy Exile boxes that circular scenario setup

+

markers (6.0) show as permanently Friendly to their side. Parley

+

cannot affect them (3.4.1).

+

• A Lord in an Exile box who has to Pillage (3.2.1, 4.7) instead

+

Disbands Unpaid or Unfed (3.2.1).

+

• Lords can move out of but not into Exile boxes, as shown by ar-

+

rows at each box. (They enter the boxes by Exile Muster, 3.3.1,

+

or card effects.) They can Sail (4.6.1) from an Exile box as if

+

from a Port on the Sea that the arrow shows (for Scotland, the

+

North Sea). They can March (4.3) from Scotland (only) as if

+

along a (one-way) Path to Carlisle or Bamburg, which are adja-

+

cent to Scotland.

+

ON THE MAP: The phrase “on the map” refers to Lords at Lo-

+

cales—Strongholds and ▶ Exile Boxes (not on the Calendar).

+

SEATS: Strongholds can host Lord or ▶ Vassal Seats.

+

• Lord Seat: Setup uses Seat markers to assign each Lord a

+

Stronghold Seat (6.0). Seats aid

+

Muster of a side’s Lords (3.4.2)

+

and Taxing for Coin (4.6.3). Death

+

or Shipwreck removes a Lord’s

+

Seat from the map (4.4.3, 4.8.2).

+

• Vassal Seat: Each Vassal (1.5.4) has a Seat shown by that Vas-

+

sal’s Coat of Arms printed on the map. A side can Levy a Vas-

+

sal or Tax with one only if the Vassal’s Seat is Friendly (3.4.3,

+

4.6.3).

+

▶ FAVOUR: Strongholds are Neutral unless marked as Friendly

+

to one side with a Favour marker in that

+

side’s color (red rose for Lancastrian, white

+

rose for Yorkist). A Locale Friendly to one

+

side is Enemy to the other. Parley, Lord Mus-

+

ter, and Events can place or remove Favour (3.4.1, 3.4.2, 3.1.3).

+

Numerous actions, such as Muster, Supply, and Tax, require

+

Friendly Locales (3.4.2-4, 4.5, 4.6.3). Favour also affects how

+

much Influence sides will gain each turn, with bonuses for control

+

of key Areas (4.8.1). NOTE: The Event card London For York

+

(1.9.1) can add a second Favour marker at London, the sole

+

meaning of which is to block change in Favour there except by

+

Event or Pillage.

+

• Net Stronghold Favour: On the gameboard’s edge track, adjust

+

separate markers for the sides’ net total Friendly Cities, Towns,

+

and Fortresses, respectively. NOTE: These totals award Influ-

+

ence points at the end of each Campaign (4.8.1).

+

EXAMPLE: Yorkists have Favour at three Cities, while Lancas-

+

trians have Favour at five Cities; put the Cities marker on its red

+

side in track box 2.

+

DESIGN NOTE: Favour shows the leaning of local nobles

+

rather than absolute control. Such local sympathies aided the

+

gathering of resources but could change rapidly in the face of

+

political pressure.

+

▶ DEPLETED/EXHAUSTED: Troop Levy and Supply, Forage,

+

and Tax actions can mark Locales (including

+

Exile Boxes) as Depleted or, if already De-

+

pleted, Exhausted (3.4.4, 4.5, 4.6.2, 4.6.3).

+

Pillage always Exhausts a Stronghold (3.2.1,

+

4.7). Exhaustion bars further use of a Locale for those purposes.

+

Depleted and Exhausted Locales periodically recover (4.8.4).

+

DESIGN NOTE: Depletion and Exhaustion represent a locali-

+

ty’s reluctance to help either side during the war and its resent-

+

ment against anyone calling upon it to do so.

+

SEAS AND PORTS: There are ▶ three Sea zones marked on

+

the map—Irish Sea, English Channel, and North Sea. Strongholds

+

with an anchor are Ports. Seas and Ports affect Supply, Sail, and

+

▶ tracing connections.

+

• All Port Strongholds and Exile boxes on the same Sea are con-

+

sidered at one Way distance for tracing Routes of adjacent Lo-

+

cales (for Parley, Supply, and Tax) if the Lord taking the action

+

has at least one Ship (1.7, 3.4.1, 4.5, 4.6.3).

+

• Ships can use Ports to Supply Provender (4.5).

+

• Sail requires Ports and/or Exile boxes and is more difficult be-

+

tween Seas (4.6.1).

+

NOTE: While Exile boxes act similarly to Ports as listed above,

+

they are not otherwise Ports.

+

▶ AREAS: There are three Areas marked by colored lines—

+

North, South, and Wales. A side Dominates an Area when it has

+

Favour in all Strongholds of the Area (regardless of either side’s

+

Lords there). Certain Events (1.9.1) can grant Dominance to cer-

+

tain Lords in certain Areas. Dominance of Areas yields Influence

+

each Campaign (4.8.1).

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

5

+

WAYS: Three types of Ways—▶ gray Highways, brown Roads,

+

and green Paths—link Strongholds as adjacent. A Way’s type af-

+

fects March speed (4.3.3). The Scotland box is adjacent to Carlisle

+

and Bamburg as if by Path (see EXILE BOXES, above).

+

Path, Highway, and Road Ways leading

+

south from the City of York

+

1.3.2 Calendar. A Calendar on the board tracks time. Cylin-

+

ders placed on the Calendar indicate when Lords are Ready for

+

Muster, and markers show when a Side ▶ must spend Influence

+

to keep Vassals from Disbanding (3.2.3). Reminders are printed

+

underneath for ▶ when to gain Influence, reset Lords’ Troops

+

and Assets, and remove Depleted and Exhausted markers (4.8.1,

+

4.8.4-.5).

+

TURNS: Each box of the Calendar is a Turn of ▶ 60 or 90 days

+

(two or three months). The boxes show how many Command

+

cards to use each Turn (representing seasonal effects on cam-

+

paigning).

+

▶ 1.4 Influence

+

Influence points in Plantagenet represent the relative political

+

power of the Houses of York and Lancaster. Influence ratings

+

(1.5.2) represent the individual clout of a Lord in England’s inter-

+

nal struggle. The foldout aid sheet summarizes how sides spend,

+

lose, or gain Influence points (1.4.1) and how to check against a

+

Lord’s Influence rating (1.4.2).

+

1.4.1 Influence Points. Sides track Influence points toward

+

victory (5.1-5.3); spend them to check against Lords’ Influence

+

ratings to Parley, Levy Lords or Vassals, and Tax (3.4.1-.3, 4.6.3);

+

lose them when Lords face adversity such as lack of Pay or Feed

+

(Pillage, 3.2.1, 4.7) or Exile (4.3.5); gain them by winning Battles

+

(4.4.3); and also gain them for Favour and Mustered Lords in a

+

Tides of War step at Turn’s end (4.8.1). Arts of War cards also can

+

shift Influence (1.9.1).

+

TRACKING INFLUENCE: Slide the Influence marker along

+

the gameboard’s edge track as the sides gain or lose Influence.

+

Flip the marker to red for Lancastrian or white for Yorkist to show

+

the positive net Influence total for that side. The net total can nev-

+

er exceed 45.

+

EXAMPLE: The Influence Marker is at 3 showing Yorkists

+

(white). Yorkists spend 4 Influence points for Favour. Slide the

+

Influence marker to the 1 box and flip it to Lancastrians (red).

+

NOTE: Influence tracking is a net value. When the marker shows

+

one sides’ color, the other side can still spend Influence points,

+

pushing the opponent’s Influence total higher.

+

1.4.2 Check Influence. Many Parley, Levy, and Tax actions

+

(3.4.1-.3, 4.6.3-.4) and several Arts of War cards (1.9.1) call for a

+

Lord to check Influence.

+

PROCEDURE:

+

• That Lord’s side spends one Influence point (1.4.1).

+

• Before rolling, that side may spend an additional one or three

+

Influence points (never two). If it spends one added point, add

+

one (+1) to that Lord’s Influence rating for that check only; if it

+

spends three points, add two (+2) to the rating.

+

• If the target is a Vassal (usually, for Levy, 3.4.3), modify that

+

Lord’s Influence rating by the Loyalty rating on that Vassal’s

+

counter, if any (1.5.4). Add the Vassal’s rating to the Lord’s rat-

+

ing if the Vassal rating numeral’s color on the Vassal matches

+

the Levying side—red for Lancastrian, white for Yorkist—or

+

subtract if the color opposes that of the Levying side.

+

• If Parley (3.4.1), the side then must spend one additional In-

+

fluence point for each Way (if any, including Port or Exile box

+

to Port on the same Sea) between that Lord and the targeted

+

Stronghold.

+

• Roll a die. The check succeeds if the roll is equal to or less than

+

that Lord’s modified Influence rating. EXCEPTION: A roll of

+

“1” always succeeds, and a roll of “6” always fails.

+

EXAMPLE: A Yorkist Lord with Influence rating “3” attempts to

+

Parley Favour at an adjacent Stronghold during Levy (3.4.1). The

+

Yorkists opt to lower their Influence points by three total—one for

+

the check, plus one for the intervening Way, plus one to modify the

+

Lord’s rating to “4”. The roll is a “5”, so the Parley fails.

+

PLAY NOTE: As an Influence check always fails on a roll of

+

“6”, there is no benefit to spending points to raise an Influence

+

rating beyond “5”.

+

1.5 Lords and Vassals

+

Cylinders, ▶ Lord cards, and 5”x5” mats track the status of Lords

+

in Plantagenet. Vassals set up with ▶ counters at certain Strong-

+

holds and Muster to Lord mats and the Calendar to track their

+

Service.

+

1.5.1 Lords. Lords are the figures who lead military preparations

+

and operations (Levy and Campaign).

+

CYLINDERS: Each Lord has a wood cylinder to show that

+

Lord’s location or readiness to Muster. Any reference to location

+

of a Lord means where the cylinder is—at a Stronghold, in an

+

Exile box, on the Calendar, or out of the game.

+

STICKERS: Apply stickers onto the 24 cylinders, one stick-

+

er each, red sticker on red, white on white. A cylinder’s sticker

+

shows the Lord’s Livery Badge, Command rating, and—if Mar-

+

shal or Lieutenant—a gold or silver ring.

+

BADGES: Each Lord has a shield-shaped Livery Badge that

+

identifies that Lord’s cylinder, Lord card, Seat marker, and card

+

effects.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

6

+

▶ LORD CARDS: Lords have cards that show their Livery

+

Badge, name and title, Seat location, whether a Marshal or Lieu-

+

tenant (4.3.1), whether an Heir and what rank (6.2), ratings, and

+

starting Forces and Assets. When a Lord sets up or Musters (6.0,

+

3.4.2), put that Lord’s card on a blank Lord Mat (1.5.3).

+

Badge

+

Lord version

+

Heir rank

+

Seat marker location

+

Ratings

+

Starting Troops

+

Starting Assets

+

A Lancastrian Lord card

+

NOTE: Some historical figures have multiple cards and/or cyl-

+

inders, and some cylinders represent successors. Numbered Lord

+

card versions such as “Exeter (1)” and “Exeter (2)” appear by

+

scenario or by Succession in the full-length scenario (6.0-6.3).

+

Arts of War card text and Livery Badges referring to such Lords

+

(1.9.1, 3.4.2) apply to either.

+

COMMAND CARDS: Each Lord has a set of Command cards

+

that enables that Lord to take actions on Campaign (4.2).

+

▶ RETINUES: Each Lord uses a single generic Retinue counter

+

in Battle as part of that Lord’s Forces (1.6, 4.4).

+

MARSHAL, LIEUTENANT, HEIR: Certain Lords, marked by

+

a gold or silver ring on their cards and cylinders, can lead other

+

Lords on March (4.3.1). NOTE: Lieutenants in this game, unlike

+

those in earlier games, closely resemble Marshals. Also, some

+

Lord cards say “Heir” with a number, as aspect used only in the

+

full-length scenario (6.2).

+

Yorkist Marshal and Lieutenant Lord cards

+

DISBAND/REMOVAL: Lords and Vassals can Disband (3.2.4).

+

▶ Death or Shipwreck can remove Lords (4.4.3, 4.8.2). Return

+

Disbanded or removed Lords’ Forces and Assets from their mats

+

to pools and discard any Capability cards at the mat.

+

• If Disbanded, return a Lord’s cylinder to the Calendar as in-

+

structed in 3.2.4.

+

• If Dead (4.4.3) or Shipwrecked (4.8.2), remove a Lord’s cylin-

+

der from the game permanently.

+

• Return a Disbanded Vassal to the Calendar as instructed in

+

3.2.4.

+

1.5.2 Ratings. Lord cards list four ratings:

+

• ▶ Influence: A die-roll range for Influence checks (1.4.2),

+

shown as a scroll symbol with the upper number of that range

+

(such as “4” for 1-4).

+

• Lordship: The number of Levy actions that the Lord takes

+

during Muster (3.4), a numeral in an oval symbol.

+

• Command: The number of Command actions that the Lord

+

can undertake each time that Lord’s Command card is revealed

+

during Campaign (4.2.1), a numeral in a card symbol and on the

+

Lord’s cylinder piece and Command cards.

+

• ▶ Valour: A die-roll range for that Lord’s ability to Intercept

+

(4.3.4) and the number of rerolls that Lord can make during a

+

Battle (4.4), shown as a numeral over a shield symbol.

+

DESIGN NOTE: Influence shows a Lord’s political charisma,

+

Lordship wherewithal to mobilize for war, Command alacrity in

+

the field, and Valour tactical talent.

+

1.5.3 Lord Mats. ▶ Generic 5x5-inch mats hold Mustered

+

Lords’ cards, Forces, and Assets.

+

MAT SECTIONS: Mats have spaces for a Lord’s card (1.5.1),

+

Forces (1.6), and Assets (1.7).

+

FORCES AND ASSETS: Upon Setup or Muster of a Lord (6.0,

+

3.4.2), put that Lord card, a Retinue counter, and the Troops and

+

Assets listed on the card (1.6, 1.7) into the appropriate sections

+

of a blank mat. As the Lord adds Troops, Vassals, or Assets, add

+

them to the mat, ▶ to a maximum of two Ships per mat (1.7.3,

+

3.4.5). Forces Routed in Battle slide into a Routed section (4.4.2).

+

Forces area

+

Retinue

+

Vassal

+

Troops

+

Routed area

+

Assets

+

Lord card

+

A Mustered Lord’s mat

+

ARTS OF WAR CARDS AT MATS: When Arts of War cards

+

affect that Lord, tuck them partly under the mat—Events at the

+

top edge and up to two Capabilities at the bottom edge (1.9.1,

+

3.1.3, 3.4.6).

+

SHARING: Lords may use and spend Assets (1.7) to help one

+

another if at the same Locale. They never Share Retinues, Vassals,

+

Troops, or Valour markers.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

7

+

EXAMPLE: A Lord Shares his Carts with another Lord whose

+

Provender exceeds Transport, so as to speed a group’s March

+

(4.3).

+

Important: Lords on the same side may Share but not transfer

+

or trade anything among one another – not Vassals, Troops,

+

Assets, or cards.

+

Hidden Mats Option: For fog of war, players may agree to hide

+

their Mustered Lords’ mats (and Capability cards, 3.4.6) behind

+

screens (2.1.1) except when in Battle. Players declare hidden Vas-

+

sals, Assets, cards, and Troops only as needed to verify actions on

+

the board, such as enough Transport for a March (4.3).

+

1.5.4 Vassals. ▶ Vassals in Plantagenet may join either side.

+

Vassals Muster to a Lord’s mat, fight as a unit with tht Lord’s

+

Forces in Battle, and enable Tax from their Seat (3.4.3, 4.4, 4.6.3).

+

Vassals stay with the Lord who Levies them until the Vassal Dis-

+

bands or the Lord Disbands or Dies (3.2.3-.4, 4.4.3).

+

VASSAL COUNTERS: ▶ Each Vassal has two copies of a

+

5/8th-inch square buff counter showing a family coat of arms, one

+

or two ratings, and the Vassal’s Seat on the back. Per scenario, set

+

up a Vassal’s two counters at the Vassal’s Seat on the map (also

+

identified by coat of arms, 1.3.1, 6.0). When a Vassal Musters, put

+

one counter on the Levying Lord’s mat as a Forces unit and the

+

other on the Calendar per the Vassal’s Service (3.4.3).

+

Loyalty

+

Name

+

Service

+

Seat

+

A Vassal counter, front and back

+

RATINGS: Vassal counters list one or two ratings—

+

• Loyalty: Often, a red or white numeral on the left that affects

+

Levy Influence checks by modifying the Levying Lord’s Influ-

+

ence rating (1.4.2, 3.4.3).

+

• Service: A numeral on the right affecting Muster and Pay or

+

Disband (3.4.3, 3.2.3).

+

SPECIAL VASSALS: ▶ Hastings, Edward Prince of Wales,

+

Montagu, Clifford, Stanley, and Trollope have single Vassal mark-

+

ers with light blue or pink backgrounds and no ratings. Unlike

+

other Vassals—

+

• They Muster by Capability card (1.9.1) rather than by Levy

+

Vassal action (3.4.3).

+

• They have no Vassal Seat and thus do not set up on the map or

+

aid Tax (4.6.3).

+

• They do not put a marker on the Calendar and need not be Paid

+

(3.2).

+

• Whenever they Disband (as in Battle, 4.4.3), discard the Capa-

+

bility card that placed them.

+

A Lancastrian Special Vassal, front and back

+

DESIGN NOTE: The “Vassals” here were all lords in their

+

own right, some richer and more powerful than Lords in the

+

game. “Lords” represent the nobles most active in the War.

+

“Vassals” represent noble families who fought but did not lead

+

the main armies.

+

1.6 Forces

+

Plantagenet represents a Lord’s with

+

Forces ▶ Retinue and Vassal counters

+

plus wooden Troop pieces, each of

+

which is a unit. See the Forces foldout

+

page for a listing of their types, count-

+

ers or pieces, and characteristics. Keep

+

spare Troop pieces in a pool such as a

+

bowl (2.1.1).

+

• ▶ Troop pieces in the game limit

+

play—Muster no Troop units beyond

+

those in the pool (3.4.4), including

+

via Arts of War cards (1.9.1).

+

• A Mustered Lord without any Troops (wooden pieces, not just

+

Retinue and Vassal counters) outside Battle immediately Dis-

+

bands (3.2.4).

+

DESIGN NOTE: Each Troop unit represents around 500 infan-

+

try, each Retinue and Vassal unit 200-250 armed and typically

+

mounted men.

+

1.7 Assets

+

Various items that Lords obtain and use—Transport (Carts and

+

Ships), Provender (food and other supplies), and Coin (money)—

+

are shown by 5/8th-inch counters placed on Lords’ mats.

+

NOTE: Lords use Transport to acquire and move Provender (4.3,

+

4.5) and Ships to Sail (4.6.1); Lords themselves otherwise can

+

move without Transport and do not need Transport to move Coin.

+

1.7.1 Accounting. Lords may add and expend each type of As-

+

set as if money, making change as needed. Plain markers repre-

+

sent one such Asset each; “x2”, “x3”, and “x4” markers represent

+

those amounts.

+

1.7.2 Greed. Lords may discard (rather than use) Assets only

+

as needed to help them move (4.3, 4.6.1) or as rules or card text

+

require.

+

▶ 1.7.3 English Ships. No more than nine Lords may have

+

Ships. No Lord may have more than two Ships.

+

NOTE: In effect, Ship counters limit play, while other Assets do

+

not. If other Asset counters run out, stack unused markers below

+

them as duplicates.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

8

+

1.8 Other Markers

+

Variously shaped game counters include—

+

Round markers to track time (2.2.2, 6.0) and ▶ Exile box align-

+

ment (1.3.1, 6.0).

+

Several 5/8th-inch square markers:

+

• ▶ Influence, Stronghold, and Victory Check markers for the

+

edge track (1.4, 4.8.1, 4.8.3, 6.0).

+

• Moved-Fought/Source and Battle Locale markers (4.3, 4.4,

+

4.5.1, 4.6.1, 4.6.3, 4.7).

+

Smaller ½-inch square markers include:

+

• ▶ Yorkist/Lancastrian Favour for Strongholds Friendly to a

+

side (1.3.1, 3.4.1, 4.6.4).

+

• ▶ Depleted/Exhausted for Strongholds and Exile boxes (1.3.1,

+

3.4.4, 4.5, 4.6.2, 4.6.3).

+

• ▶ Exile markers for Lord cylinders on the Calendar (4.3.5,

+

3.3.1).

+

• ▶ Valour and Hits for Battle (4.4.1-.2).

+

• Feed x2/x3 reminder markers (4.7).

+

• Numbered markers to help log actions, rounds, altered ratings,

+

and such.

+

1.9 Cards

+

In addition to Lord cards (1.5.1), each side has two types of cards:

+

Arts of War cards with Events and Capabilities, and Command

+

cards for Campaign actions. Players may not inspect one anoth-

+

er’s decks.

+

1.9.1 Arts of War. Each side has its own deck of Arts of War

+

cards. Each Arts of War card has an upper Event section and lower

+

Capability section. Only one of the two sections is in effect at a

+

time.

+

NOTE: Italicized card text beneath a title provides historical fla-

+

vor (no effect on play).

+

▶ SCENARIO: The number of roses at the center of an Arts of

+

War card indicates which numbered scenarios use the card (2.1.2,

+

6.0)—I, II, III, or no rose for all scenarios.

+

Event

+

(fleeting,

+

3.1.3)

+

(Scenario:

+

0-3 roses)

+

Capability

+

(lasting,

+

3.4.6)

+

Yorkist

+

Arts of War cards

+

Lancastrian

+

EVENTS: The upper Event section provides players immediate

+

and/or temporary benefits or opportunities. Players draw two Arts

+

of War cards for their Events at the outset of each Levy after the

+

first (3.1). NOTE: For the use of Events, see 3.1.3.

+

CAPABILITIES: The lower Capability section provides lon-

+

ger-lasting benefits, either drawn randomly during initial Levy

+

(3.1) or selected (3.4.6). Livery Badges at the left show which

+

Lords may Levy and use the Capability, ignoring which numbered

+

version of a Lord, (1) or (2).

+

▶ Important: Players may not voluntarily discard Capabili-

+

ties. They remain at Lords’ mats except as card text instructs,

+

when that Lord leaves the map (such as by Disband), or when

+

a Special Vassal named on them Disbands (3.4.6, 3.2.4, 4.3.5,

+

4.4.3).

+

PLAY NOTE: Since Events and Capabilities share cards, one

+

when in play blocks the other (3.1.3, 3.4.6).

+

+

CARD USE: When a card contradicts rules, card text takes pre-

+

cedence. The player of an Event or owner of a Capability decides

+

how to implement card text within what is specified. If an Event

+

contradicts a Capability, the Event governs.

+

1.9.2 Command Cards. Each side’s Command deck has three

+

action cards per Lord and four Pass cards. Players build their

+

Campaign Plan each Turn (4.1) by stacking Command cards of

+

their Mustered Lords. They add Pass cards as needed to fill out a

+

Plan when too few Lords are Mustered.

+

A scene from the battle of Towton

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

9

+

2.0 SETUP AND CALENDAR

+

2.1 Setup

+

2.1.1 Lay Out. Seat players and set the game board between

+

them. You will want enough table space around the board for

+

mats, cards, and pools. See the 2-player layouts shown here and

+

for solitaire play in the Background Book.

+

POOLS: We suggest a nearby pool each for wooden Troops, As-

+

set markers, and remaining markers (1.6-1.8).

+

DECKS: Select and separate playing cards into four decks—one

+

Arts of War deck and one Command deck per side (1.9).

+

OTHER ITEMS: Each player takes a foldout aid. If using the

+

Hidden Mats option (1.5.3), each player gets a screen. Keep this

+

rules booklet, other reference sheets, and the Background Book

+

handy.

+

2.1.2 Scenarios. Choose a scenario (6.0). Agree on whether

+

to use Hidden Mats screens (1.5.3). Prepare Arts of War decks

+

by setting aside cards not used in this scenario (1.9.1). Set up the

+

situation and begin play with the first Levy (3.0).

+

NOTE: If playing for the first time, consider setting up the “quick-

+

start” found in the Background Book.

+

2.2 Calendar

+

The Calendar (1.3.2) tracks time, Lord Readiness ▶ including for

+

Exile (3.4.2, 3.3.1), and Vassal Service (3.4.3).

+

2.2.1 Turns. Each Scenario covers one or more 60-Day or 90-

+

Day Turns (1.3.2). Each Turn has a Levy sequence, then a Cam-

+

paign sequence. Conduct each Levy and Campaign as detailed

+

in rules sections 3 and 4, respectively, and summarized on the

+

Sequence of Play foldout page.

+

2.2.2 Marking Time. The round Levy/Campaign marker

+

tracks the progress of 60-Day or 90-Day Turns and

+

Levy and Campaigns within each. Mark that it is

+

Levy or Campaign by placing the marker with that

+

side up in the Levy/Campaign circle of the current

+

Turn box on the Calendar.

+

2.2.3 Marking Readiness and Service. Place and shift

+

Lord cylinders and Vassal markers in the Calendar’s boxes as de-

+

scribed in various rules or on Event cards (1.9.1). All instructions

+

to shift right or left mean that number of Turn boxes. If a direction

+

is not specified, the executing player chooses.

+

EXAMPLE: “Shift 1 right” from box 10 means to box 11, “1 left”

+

from 11 means to 10.

+

CALENDAR’S END: When a Lord cylinder or Vassal marker is

+

to appear or shift below (left of) box 1 or beyond (right of) box 15,

+

set it just off the Calendar on that side and ignore further shifts in

+

that direction. The first shift back toward the Calendar places the

+

marker into box 1 or box 15, respectively. NOTE: This practice

+

reduces “end-of-time” anomalies.

+

Sample layout with square or round table and

+

no Hidden Mats Option (1.5.3).

+

Sample layout with wide but shallow table and

+

using Hidden Mats Option (1.5.3).

+

Unused Mats and Service markers

+

Unused Mats and Service markers

+

Troops and Assets pools

+

Troops and Assets pools

+

other markers

+

other markers

+ +

Battle Array with mats

+

(or use Battle mat with cylinders here)

+ +

Battle Array with mats

+

(or use Battle mat with cylinders here)

+ +

decks

+

decks

+

decks

+

decks

+

Muster

+

Muster

+ +

Screens

+

Player

+

Player

+

Player

+

Player

+ +
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

10

+

DESIGN NOTE: Periods when lords fought in the Wars of

+

the Roses varied enormously, as political negotiations brought

+

them into the field.

+

2.2.4 Player Order. ▶ By scenario setup, one side is the

+

King’s side, the other side is Rebel. Unless noted otherwise, the

+

Rebels go first and the King’s side second in each step of Levy

+

and Campaign.

+

EXAMPLE: If Yorkists are Rebel, they Pay Troops before Lan-

+

castrians do (3.2).

+

EXCEPTIONS—

+

• Play of Command cards alternates, one Rebel card, then one

+

King’s side card, then another Rebel card, and so on (4.2).

+

• The order of many steps in Battle will depend on who is Active,

+

Attacking, has Missile Troops, and so on (4.4).

+

3.0 LEVY

+

At the outset of each Turn, players prepare for the campaign to

+

follow by adding to their armies. See the Sequence of Play foldout

+

page.

+

3.1 Arts of War

+

Each side first draws two random Arts of War cards as Capabili-

+

ties or Events as follows.

+

3.1.1 Shuffle. Collect and shuffle all unused Lancastrian Arts of

+

War cards into an Event draw deck; do the same for Yorkists. Held

+

Events (3.1.3) and Capability cards in play (3.4.6) are not includ-

+

ed in the draw deck.

+

3.1.2 Draw Capabilities. If it is the Levy for the scenario’s

+

first Turn, the Rebel side then the King’s side each randomly

+

draws two Arts of War cards from the player’s own deck and de-

+

ploys them as Capabilities (lower half of the card, 1.9.1) at their

+

Lord mats (1.5.3).

+

• Discard any card that a side cannot assign to a Mustered Lord

+

(3.4.6).

+

3.1.3 Draw Events. If it is the second or any later Levy, the

+

Rebel side then the King’s side each draws and implements in

+

the order drawn two cards’ Events (the upper half of each card,

+

1.9.1). Except as specified below, reveal Events immediately and

+

return the cards to the deck. Bold-italic card text specifies certain

+

Event types:

+

• Players keep all drawn “Hold” Events hidden for later use.

+

When played on a specific Lord, tuck the card under the top

+

edge of that Lord’s mat, so that the Event text shows.

+

• “This Levy” and “This Campaign” Events are in effect until

+

the end of the current Levy or Campaign, respectively. Do not

+

return them to their deck until then. NOTE: The Capability on

+

the bottom half of such a card will not be available for selection

+

this Levy.

+

NOTE: A side’s Events can affect the opposing side. The side

+

playing an Event card makes any decisions allowed unless other-

+

wise specified. It is possible for an Event text to have no effect on

+

the current situation of the game.

+

3.1.4 Greed. Players may not discard (as opposed to use) cards

+

unless permitted by a rule.

+

EXAMPLE: Hold Events only return to their deck once used per

+

card text or discarded at Campaign’s end (4.8.6).

+

▶ 3.2 Pay

+

After drawing cards, unless it is the Levy for the scenario’s first

+

Turn, Rebels’ then the King’s sides Pay Coin for their Mustered

+

Troops and Influence points for their Lords and Vassals. Failure to

+

Pay fully results in Pillage and/or possible Disband.

+

Important: On the first Turn, skip to Exiles (3.3).

+

3.2.1 Pay Troops. First, in an order chosen by the owner, each

+

Mustered Lord must Pay that Lord’s Troops. Pay one

+

Coin from that Lord’s mat per six Troops on it, round-

+

ed up. Lords may not withhold Coin, even if able to

+

Pay only partially, nor may they Pay Coin beyond

+

that required (1.7.2). Lords of the same side in the same Locale

+

must Share Coin as needed (1.5.3). NOTE: Do not count Retinues

+

or Vassals. As helpful, put “Feed x2” or “Feed x3” markers on

+

mats as a cue to both Pay and Feed (4.7) amounts.

+

SHARING: Lords must Pay their own Troops first, using Coin

+

from their own mats. Then, Lords must expend Coin to Pay the

+

Troops of their side’s other Lords in the same Locale who have

+

expended all of their Coin but did not have enough to Pay their

+

Troops (1.5.3). Players may not withhold Coin; they must use all

+

Coin as able to make Pay, even partially.

+

GREED: Pay may not remove Coin beyond this requirement

+

(1.7.2).

+

PILLAGE: Then, Lords whose Troops received less Coin than

+

required (including requiring two or three Coin but with access

+

to fewer) must immediately Pillage their location if it is an Un-

+

exhausted Stronghold or suffer Unpaid/Unfed Disband if at an

+

Exhausted Stronghold or in an Exile box. NOTE: The foldout Se-

+

quence of Play page includes a Pillage summary box. The Back-

+

ground Book has an example beginning page 14.

+

• When an Unexhausted Stronghold has several Unpaid Lords or

+

Unfed Lords (4.7), the owner chooses one and only one Lord to

+

Pillage it.

+

PROCEDURE: Wherever a Lord Pillages—

+

• Add Coin and Provender to the Pillaging Lord’s mat per the

+

foldout’s Strongholds table.

+

• Reduce the Pillaging side’s Influence points by double the total

+

number of Assets added.

+

• Mark the Stronghold Exhausted (even if not yet Depleted).

+

• Mark the Stronghold with Enemy Favour (if not so already).

+

• Shift each Stronghold that is adjacent by Way (not by Sea) one

+

level toward Enemy Favour—Friendly to Neutral or Neutral to

+

Enemy.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

11

+

• After Pillaging, Pay Unpaid Lords’ Troops (regardless of any

+

Coin used earlier). Share as needed. If Coin is again insufficient

+

for any Lords’ Troops, Disband those Lords as Unpaid/Unfed.

+

UNPAID/UNFED DISBAND. Lords who fail to fully Pay or

+

Feed (4.7) their Troops, either because they could not Pillage or

+

still had too little Coin or Provender, must Disband (3.2.4). As a

+

penalty, their side loses Influence points equal to the sum of all

+

their Unpaid or Unfed Lords’ Influence ratings plus one for each

+

of their (Disbanding) Vassals (in addition to any Influence penalty

+

for Pillaging, above). NOTE: Shipwreck incurs the same penalty

+

as Unpaid Disband but permanently removes the Lord (4.8.2).

+

EXAMPLE: After Yorkists Pillage, their Lords Salisbury and

+

Rutland, each with one Vassal, still have too little Coin to ful-

+

ly pay one Coin per six of their Troop pieces, rounded up. Both

+

Lords now Disband to the Calendar Unpaid. The Yorkists lose

+

seven Influence points on the edge track—five for the sum of the

+

two Lords’ Influence ratings plus two for the Vassals they had on

+

their mats.

+

3.2.2 Pay Lords. Next, Rebel then King’s side players may

+

Disband (3.2.4) any of their Lords on the map. Sides then must

+

pay one Influence point for each Lord that they have at Strong-

+

holds plus two Influence points per Lord in Exile boxes (nothing

+

for Lords on the Calendar).

+

3.2.3 Pay Vassals. Finally, Rebel then King’s side players

+

may pay one Influence point for each Mustered Vassal on that

+

side that has a faceup counter in the current Turn’s Calendar box

+

(3.4.3). If Paid, shift that Vassal marker by one box right. If not

+

Paid, Disband that Vassal (3.2.4).

+

3.2.4 Disband. To Disband a Lord, Disband all that Lord’s

+

Vassals as below, return all Troops and Assets from that mat to

+

their pools, and set aside that Lord card, Retinue, and mat. Place

+

the Disbanding Lord’s cylinder from the map onto the Calendar,

+

a number of boxes right of the current Turn equal to six minus the

+

Influence rating as printed on the Lord’s card.

+

EXILES: When a Lord Disbands from an Exile box or when

+

choosing Exile upon Enemy Approach (4.3.5), put an Exile mark-

+

er on that Lord’s cylinder on the Calendar.

+

DISBAND VASSAL: To Disband a Vassal, take that Vassal

+

counter from the Lord mat and place it on its matching counter on

+

the Calendar, flip both over to their back side (naming the Seat),

+

and shift them a number of boxes right of the current Turn equal

+

to six minus the Vassal’s Service rating.

+

NOTE: A facedown Disbanded Vassal will return to its Seat when

+

the Turn reaches its Calendar box (3.3.2).

+

▶ 3.3 Exiles and Vassals

+

Sides after Pay and any Pillage or Disband may Muster Exiled

+

Lords and make Ready Vassals who Disbanded earlier.

+

3.3.1 Muster Exiles. Each side may now Muster (3.4.2) any

+

of its Lord cylinders in the current or any earlier Calendar box

+

that are marked Exile (4.3.5) into a scenario-specified Exile box

+

(6.0). They do so without Influence check or cost. Set up their

+

mats (1.5.3).

+

NOTE: They may take part in the Muster segment that follows.

+

3.3.2 Ready Vassals. Return any Disbanded Vassals (face-

+

down counter pairs, 3.2.4) from the current Turn box to their

+

Seat on the map, face up (regardless of markers or Lords at that

+

Stronghold).

+

3.4 Muster

+

Next, on-map Rebel then King’s Lords may take actions up to

+

their Lordship rating (1.5.2) to Levy other Lords, Vassals, Troops,

+

Transport, or Capabilities, or to ▶ Parley for Favour at Strong-

+

holds. Each Levy action spends one point of a Lord’s Lordship

+

rating. Complete each Lord’s actions before the next Lord, in any

+

order desired.

+

REQUIREMENTS: Lords must begin this Muster segment at a

+

Locale—Stronghold or Exile box—to use Lordship. ▶ While at

+

an Enemy or Neutral Stronghold, they may choose only Parley

+

attempts on their current location (3.4.1). ▶ Lords in Exile boxes

+

may not Levy Troops (3.4.4).

+

NOTE: Exile boxes are Friendly Locales to Lords there (1.3.1),

+

so allow Levy actions except Levy Troops.

+

Important: Lords brought onto the map during this Muster

+

segment (3.4.2) may not take Levy actions themselves. Lords

+

in Enemy or Neutral Strongholds may use remaining Lordship

+

normally if Parley (3.4.1) has rendered their current location

+

Friendly.

+

▶ 3.4.1. Parley. A Lord may use a Levy action (one point of

+

Lordship) to attempt to remove Enemy Favour or gain Friendly

+

Favour at that Lord’s Stronghold location or another Stronghold

+

that is connected to that Lord by a Route—an uninterrupted chain

+

of adjacent Locales, including the Lord’s Locale and the Parley

+

target Stronghold, that is free of any Enemy Lords and, except for

+

the target Stronghold, Friendly.

+

• If the Lord has at least one Ship, the Route may include an Exile

+

box holding that Lord and any Ports on the same Sea as if adja-

+

cent by a single Way (for Influence check cost, 1.4.2).

+

• Parley when a Lord’s current location is not yet Friendly may

+

target that Stronghold only.

+

PROCEDURE: The player declares which Stronghold is to

+

change Favour. The acting Lord checks Influence (1.4.2), includ-

+

ing added cost for the distance (in Ways) to the targeted Strong-

+

hold. Success adjusts the Stronghold to Friendly if it was Neu-

+

tral or Neutral if it was Enemy (as applicable, adjust Stronghold

+

markers on the edge track); failure has no effect. A Lord may

+

attempt repeated Parley for the same Stronghold, using a Levy

+

action (within Lordship) and spending Influence for each.

+

PLAY NOTE: Lords also can Parley as Command actions on

+

Campaign (4.6.4).

+

3.4.2 Levy Lord. A Lord at a Friendly Locale (including from

+

an Exile box) may use a Levy action to attempt to Levy another

+

Lord who is Ready—his cylinder is on the Calendar in the current

+

or a lower Turn box—to Muster onto the map.

+

• ▶ In addition, either the Seat of the Lord to be Mustered must

+

be free of Enemy Lords, or that side must have at least one Seat

+

of any of its Lords both free of Enemy Lords and Friendly.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

12

+

PROCEDURE: ▶ The Levying Lord checks Influence (1.4.2, no

+

cost for Ways). Success Musters the Ready Lord onto the map as

+

detailed below; failure has no effect. The Levying Lord may use

+

more Levy actions (within Lordship) and Influence to keep trying

+

to Muster the same Lord (or others).

+

MUSTERING: When a Lord is Mustered—

+

• If possible, place that Lord’s cylinder at that Lord’s Seat where

+

no Enemy Lord and ▶ mark that Stronghold with Friendly Fa-

+

vour (if not already Friendly). NOTE: The Seat may be Neutral

+

or Enemy before converting to Friendly Favour. ▶ If any Ene-

+

my Lord(s) occupy that Lord’s Seat, instead place the Mustered

+

Lord at a Friendly Seat of any other of that side’s Lords where

+

no Enemy Lord (leaving Favour as is).

+

DESIGN NOTE: Although Lords had preferred manors and

+

castles, they held lands all around England and could gather

+

an army almost anywhere.

+

• Put that Lord’s card on an unused Lord mat and place a Retinue

+

marker along with the starting Troops and Assets shown on the

+

card (1.5.3).

+

3.4.3 Levy Vassal. ▶ A Lord at a Friendly Locale may use a

+

Levy action to attempt to Muster a Vassal. That Vassal’s markers

+

must be on the map (at the Vassal’s Seat). In addition, that Vassal

+

Seat Stronghold must be Friendly to the Levying side and free of

+

Enemy Lords.

+

PROCEDURE: The player declares which Vassal is to be Lev-

+

ied. The Levying Lord then checks Influence (1.4.2, no cost for

+

Ways), modifying the Lord’s Influence rating by adding or sub-

+

tracting that Vassal’s Loyalty rating (1.5.4, if any). Success Mus-

+

ters the Vassal to the Levying Lord as detailed below; failure has

+

no effect. A Lord may make repeated attempts to Levy the same

+

Vassal, using a Levy action and spending Influence for each try.

+

MUSTERING A VASSAL: When Mustered—

+

• Place one Vassal marker from that Vassal’s Seat on the Levying

+

Lord’s mat to serve as a Forces unit.

+

• Place the Vassal’s other marker face up on the Calendar, a num-

+

ber of boxes to the right of the current Turn equal to the Vassal’s

+

Service rating (1.5.4).

+

▶ 3.4.4 Levy Troops. A Lord at a Friendly Stronghold—not

+

in an Exile box—that is not yet Exhausted (1.3.1) may use a Levy

+

action to Muster Troops.

+

PROCEDURE: The Levying Lord adds Troops from the pool

+

(as able, 1.6) to that Lord’s mat as listed for the Lord’s current

+

location on the foldout’s Strongholds table. Then mark the Lord’s

+

location as Depleted, or—if already Depleted—flip the Depleted

+

marker to Exhausted.

+

NOTE: Unlike Levy of Lords or Vassals, Levy of Troops does not

+

require an Influence check. The pool of wood pieces limits Troop

+

Muster for both sides together (1.6).

+

3.4.5 Levy Transport.

+

A Lord at a Friendly Locale

+

+

may use one Levy action to add ▶ two Carts to that

+

Lord’s mat. Instead, a Lord may add one Ship if—

+

• The Lord is at a Friendly Port or in an Exile box,

+

• Fewer than nine Lords total on both sides already have Ships,

+

and

+

• The active Lord does not already have two Ships

+

(1.5.3, 1.7.3).

+

NOTE: Unlike Troop Levy, Transport Levy neither

+

causes nor is hindered by Depletion or Exhaustion.

+

3.4.6 Levy Capability. A Lord at a Friendly Locale may ob-

+

tain one Capability (an Arts of War card’s bottom half, 1.9.1) per

+

Levy action. Select from that side’s currently unused cards in the

+

scenario—

+

• The lower left of each Arts of War card shows the Livery Badg-

+

es of those Lords who can Levy that Capability, often “Any”.

+

Ignore whether the Lord is either numbered version, such as

+

Somerset (1) or (2).

+

• Each Capability specifies in its text requirements and/or effects

+

related to the Lord who Levied it. Place the card at the bottom

+

edge of that Lord’s mat, with the upper half of the card (the

+

card’s Event) tucked out of view underneath the mat. A Lord

+

may only have two Capability cards at a time, neither with the

+

same name, and may not Levy more so long as two Capability

+

cards remain at that Lord’s mat.

+

PLAY NOTE: Levying a Capability blocks the Event on that

+

card from occurring.

+

+

▶ Important: Players cannot voluntarily discard Capabilities

+

(1.9.1). Capabilities remain with a Lord until a rule or card text

+

forces discard.

+

NOTE: After completing Muster, players discard any “This Levy”

+

Events (3.1.3).

+

4.0 CAMPAIGN

+

After Levy, conduct that Turn’s Campaign, completing the steps

+

below. The Sequence of Play page of the foldout summarizes the

+

Campaign steps.

+

CAMPAIGN STEPS:

+

• Plan: Each side sets its Campaign Plan—an ordered stack of

+

Command cards (4.1).

+

• Activation: Starting with the Rebel player, one side flips its top

+

Command card and executes actions (4.2-4.6) with the Lord on

+

that card or does nothing if a Pass card.

+

o Actions: One side is Active, using Command card actions;

+

the other side is Inactive.

+

o Feed: At the end of each card, both sides’ Lords who moved

+

or fought Feed their Troops and ▶ may have to Pillage and/

+

or Disband (4.7).

+

• More Activations: The other side next flips its top card and

+

executes that Activation (Actions, Feed). Continue to alternate

+

Activations by side until both Plan stacks are exhausted.

+

• End Campaign: After the sides exhaust Plan stacks and finish

+

all Command Activations, the Campaign ends. Reset as listed at

+

4.8 and, if this was not the scenario’s last Turn, advance and flip

+

the Campaign marker to the next Turn’s Levy.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

13

+

4.1 Plan

+

The players each build a Plan for that Campaign by selecting and

+

stacking Command cards (1.9.2). The current Calendar box speci-

+

fies the number of cards that each Plan stack must use:

+

• 4 cards for January/February/March.

+

• 6 cards for April/May.

+

• 7 cards for June/July.

+

• 6 cards for August/September.

+

• 4 cards for October/November/December.

+

4.1.1 Selecting Cards. A Plan may use any cards from that

+

side’s Command deck (1.9.2). Use Pass cards to fill out a Plan

+

Stack to the Calendar specified total, when a side has too few

+

Lords on the map to do so with Lords who might become Active.

+

NOTE: Each Lord has three Command action cards, so could

+

become Active up to three times per Campaign.

+

4.1.2 Arranging Stacks. Each side stacks its four-to-seven

+

selected Command cards in any order desired, face down. The

+

top face-down card will be that side’s first Active Lord, and so

+

on. Players may not rearrange Plan stacks once built. Keep all re-

+

maining Command cards face down as well. Players always may

+

inspect their own Plan and the other side’s played but not unused

+

Command cards.

+

PLAY NOTE: When arranging one’s Plan stack, fan the cards

+

to show the order of Lords by corner symbols from left to right,

+

then flip face down.

+

4.2 Command

+

After building Plan stacks, Rebels then King’s side alternate flip-

+

ping (revealing) the current top Command card of their stack—

+

one Rebel card, then one King’s side card, and so on. After reveal-

+

ing a Command card, a side Activates the Lord shown on that card

+

or Passes if revealing a Pass card (4.2.3).

+

NOTE: After each Command card, Lords who moved and/or

+

fought will Feed their Troops and might have to ▶ Pillage and/

+

or Disband (4.7).

+

Lord’s

+

Badge

+

Command

+

rating

+

(actions

+

available)

+

Yorkist

+

Command cards

+

Lancastrian

+

4.2.1 Actions. A Lord shown on a Command card (bearing that

+

Lord’s Command rating number, 1.9.2), may execute a series of

+

Commands of the owning player’s choice (4.2.2, 4.3-4.6), in any

+

order, using actions numbering up to that Lord’s Command rating

+

(1.5.2, as shown on the card and Lord cylinder), including Pass

+

(4.6.5). EXCEPTION: Certain Commands—March ▶ via Path

+

(4.3.3) and Sail (4.6.1)—take all actions of an entire card.

+

PLAY NOTE: Lords may use multiple actions for a single Com-

+

mand type, such as three actions on a card to Tax three times.

+

Remember when taking actions to account for any Capability

+

cards (1.9.1) that modify the Active Lord’s Command rating.

+

4.2.2 Command Menu. Lords select from Command actions

+

listed on the Commands foldout page and detailed below: March,

+

Sail, Supply, Forage, Tax, ▶ Parley, or Pass (4.3-4.6).

+

4.2.3 Pass Card. Upon revealing a Pass card or the card of a

+

Lord not on the map, that side does nothing. Play instead passes

+

to the other side or ends the Campaign if neither side has cards

+

left in its Plan (4.8).

+

4.3 March

+

A Lord may expend a Command action to March between Strong-

+

holds or from Scotland.

+

MOVED-FOUGHT: As a reminder upon any movement during

+

March, put a Moved/ Fought marker on or next to

+

each side’s moving Lord cylinders.

+

4.3.1 Group March. When an Active Marshal Marches, any

+

or all Lords in the same Locale may March with the Marshal.

+

▶ When an Active Lieutenant Marches, all Lords with the Lieu-

+

tenant except a Marshal may do so. Mark all who March Moved-

+

Fought.

+

4.3.2 Haul. Before Marching, Lords must Discard any

+

Provender exceeding the number of their

+

Carts, including Sharing if a Group

+

(1.5.3, 4.3.1).

+

Important: Lords do not need Carts to March nor to carry

+

Coin, as long as they discard any Provender in excess of Carts.

+

4.3.3 March Speed. A Lord or Group (4.3.1) uses March Com-

+

mands to move to adjacent Locales via connecting Ways (1.3.1),

+

as specified below.

+

▶ HIGHWAY: A Lord or Group uses one Command action to

+

March along a Highway to an adjacent Stronghold and then may

+

immediately March along a second Highway (only) for no added

+

action cost (reaching a Stronghold two Locales distant for just

+

one action).

+

▶ ROAD: A Lord or Group uses one Command action to March

+

along a Road to an adjacent Stronghold.

+

▶ PATH: A Lord or Group uses all actions of that Command card

+

to March along a Path to an adjacent Stronghold.

+

+

Path

+

Road

+

Highway

+

Types of Ways (1.3.1)

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

14

+

▶ 4.3.4 Intercept. Whenever an Active Lord or Group March-

+

es to a Stronghold that is adjacent to any Enemy Lord(s) by High-

+

way or Road (not Path), a single such Enemy Lord may attempt

+

once to Intercept the Marching Lord(s). An Intercepting Marshal

+

or Lieutenant may bring Lords of the same side along as if a

+

Group (4.3.1). (The destination Stronghold may itself be an Ap-

+

proach, 4.3.5.)

+

PROCEDURE: The Intercepting Lord rolls a die. If the roll is

+

equal to or less than that Lord’s Valour rating (1.5.2), the Inter-

+

cepting Lord or Group moves to the adjacent Stronghold as if

+

using a March action to get there (Carts limit Provender, mark

+

as Moved). The Marching Lord or Group Approaches the Inter-

+

cepting Lord(s) there as if the latter arrived earlier (4.3.5, with

+

Intercepting Lords choosing either Exile or to Defend in Battle,

+

4.4). Failure has no effect.

+

PLAY NOTE: Intercept can serve to force Battle or reinforce a

+

Battle that is about to occur.

+

4.3.5 Approach. If a Marching Lord or Group enters the

+

Stronghold location of any Enemy Lord(s), ▶ including because

+

of Intercept (4.3.4), each Enemy Lord there must choose either

+

Exile or Battle, as follows, then Command actions end.

+

▶ EXILE: For each Lord who chooses Exile—

+

• First, that side loses Influence points equal to that Lord’s printed

+

Influence rating plus one per Vassal on that Lord’s mat.

+

• Then, that Lord gives up Assets to Approaching Enemy Lords

+

as if Spoils after Battle (4.4.3).

+

• Lastly, the Lord going into Exile and that Lord’s Vassals Dis-

+

band (3.2.4). Put an Exile marker on that Lord’s cylinder on the

+

Calendar.

+

BATTLE: If any Enemy Lords remain there after completing any

+

Exile per above, then immediately fight a Battle (as part of that

+

March Command) with the Marching side as Attacker (4.4).

+

RECOVERY: After resolving any Exile or Battle resulting from

+

Approach, skip any Command actions remaining on this card

+

(4.2.1). Go to Feed (4.7).

+

Important: Whether Enemy Lords choose Exile or Battle, Ap-

+

proach blocks any further March or other Command actions on

+

the current card.

+

4.4 Battle

+

When a Lord Approaches an Enemy Lord (4.3.4-.5) who chooses

+

Battle rather than ▶ Exile, a Battle ensues (after any Exile). All

+

Lords remaining at the Stronghold location must participate. Ap-

+

proaching Lords Attack, and the other side’s Lords Defend. The

+

foldout’s Battle page summarizes these rules.

+

MARKER: As a reminder where Lords are fighting,

+

+

put the Battle marker at that Stronghold.

+ +

F R O N T

+

R E S E R V E

+

F R O N T

+

R E S E R V E

+

Center

+

Player

+

Center

+

Player

+ +

4.4.1 Battle Array. Players Array their Lords involved—either

+

cylinders on the Battle mat or mats on the table, as players prefer.

+

• ▶ Defenders then Attackers position their Lords.

+

• A side may have a Lord each in up to three possible Front posi-

+

tions: left, center, and right. Other Lords start in Reserve.

+

• The Defenders first fill in Front center then Front left and/or

+

right positions with one other Lord present in each, if any, and

+

put any remaining Lords in Reserve.

+

• The Attacker must place one Lord directly opposite each Front

+

Defending Lord, first in the center, then left and/or right, as able.

+

PLAY NOTE: Players may use Lord cylinders on the Battle mat

+

or Array Lord mats, as preferred.

+

▶ VALOUR: Put Valour markers on each Lord’s mat, equal to

+

that Lord’s Valour rating (1.5.2).

+

EVENTS: Defending then Attacking sides then may play Held

+

Events that specify “in Battle”, as applicable (3.1.3).

+

4.4.2 Rounds. Once Arrayed, a Battle continues Round after

+

Round, until all of at least one side’s Lords Rout. A Round of

+

Battle will go through the steps below in this order: ▶ Flee, Re-

+

position, Engage, Strike, Lord Rout. Strikes within each Engage-

+

ment will simultaneously total Missile Hits and roll Protection to

+

determine units’ Rout, then do the same for Melee. See the battle

+

play aid.

+

NOTE: Some Event Battle effects vary by Round.

+

▶ FLEE: At the start of each Battle Round, the Defenders then

+

the Attackers declare whether any of their Lords will

+

Flee the Battle and, if so, which. Lords who Flee im-

+

mediately Rout (see below). Flip their Retinue over

+

to “Fled”: at Battle’s end, they will check Death with

+

a benefit of –2 to the roll (4.4.3).

+

NOTE: If all Lords on a side Flee (4.4.3), immediately end the

+

Battle.

+

REPOSITION: As needed each Round, both sides reposition

+

Lords as follows (in this order).

+

• Rout. Remove Routed Lords (including any who Fled) from

+

the Battle Array. They no longer occupy any Array position nor

+

participate further until Ending the Battle (4.4.3).

+

• Advance. First the Defender then the Attacker slides any Un-

+

routed Lords in Reserve into any empty Front positions (one

+

Lord per position).

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

15

+

• Center. If a Front center position remains empty, Defender then

+

Attacker must select and slide one of that side’s Lords from

+

either left or right front to fill its empty Front center position.

+

ENGAGE: Lords in Front will fight the Lord directly opposite

+

or—if none opposite—an Enemy they are Flanking. Each pair or

+

group of opposing Lords fighting each other is an Engagement.

+

• Flanking. A Lord in Front who has no Enemy Lord opposite

+

Engages the closest Front Enemy Lord: center may choose left

+

or right.

+

Center

+

Defenders

+

Center

+

Attackers

+

A

+

B

+

C

+

D

+

EXAMPLE: Battle Rout has resulted in the above Array. Lords B

+

and C oppose each other, A Flanks C, and D Flanks B. Therefore,

+

all four Lords form a single Engagement. A and B will total their

+

Hits and resolve Protection together, as will C with D.

+

STRIKE: ▶ The Attacking side next declares the order of En-

+

gagements. Then, Engagement by Engagement, the Forces of all

+

Lords of each side within that Engagement Strike those of the

+

other side in two steps: Missiles, then Melee.

+

• Missiles. ▶ Simultaneously total each side’s Missile Hits

+

within the Engagement. Defenders

+

then Attackers then choose which of

+

their own Lords in each Engagement

+

will absorb Hits first. Defending

+

then Attacking Lords apply the Hits to their units, roll Protec-

+

tion, reroll for Valour, and Rout units before Melee.

+

• Melee. After determining any Rout from Missiles, resolve

+

Melee Hits in the same way.

+

TOTAL HITS: Units each cause from ½ to 3 Hits, depending on

+

Forces and Strike type—see the foldout’s

+

Forces table. Total all Hits for Missiles or all

+

Hits for Melee, including the Forces of all

+

Lords of a side within that Engagement,

+

rounding up. As helpful, mark total Hits on the edge track.

+

NOTE: You do not roll to generate Hits—they generate automat-

+

ically based on the Forces Striking.

+

APPLY HITS: Hits apply to any Forces units of any Enemy Lords

+

within that Engagement, as selected by the owner, Hit by Hit.

+

A portion of the Forces table

+

PROTECTION: The Forces table shows various unit types’ Ar-

+

moured or Unarmoured Protection. Protection provides saving

+

rolls that can nullify Hits. Card text (1.9.1) can change these die-

+

roll ranges by altering the top number of the range.

+

A Lord’s Retinue counter showing Armour 1-4 (unmodified)

+

Protection

+

ROLL BY HIT: Hits cause die rolls against Protection that may

+

or may not Rout Forces.

+

• Protection Rolls. For each Hit that a player assigns to a Reti-

+

nue, Vassal, or Troop unit, it rolls a die against its Protection. A

+

roll within its Protection range means that Hit has no effect (no

+

Rout). A roll above that range Routs it.

+

• ▶Valour Rerolls. Lords begin each Battle with Valour markers

+

equal to the Lord’s Valour rating (1.5.2). A Lord may expend

+

(set aside) Valour markers to reroll that Lord’s own Forces’

+

failed Protection, one marker per reroll, up to one reroll of each

+

failed Protection roll.

+

• Forces Rout. A Retinue, Vassal, or Troop unit Routs as soon

+

as it fails to negate a Hit with a successful Protection roll: slide

+

its counter or piece to the “Routed” section of the Lord’s mat.

+

Routed units no longer Strike nor absorb Hits in that Battle.

+

NOTE: Unrouted Forces fight on as long as their Lord mat re-

+

mains in the Battle Array.

+

LORD ROUT: After all of a Round’s Strikes, Protection rolls,

+

and Valour rerolls, check each Lord for Rout. ▶ A Lord Routs if

+

either all that Lord’s Troops have Routed (regardless of Retinue

+

or Vassals) or if that Lord’s Retinue has Routed, or both.

+

EXAMPLE: A Lord’s Retinue fails its Armour roll. The player

+

uses one of that Lord’s Valour markers to roll again. That roll

+

fails, so the Retinue Routs and so will the Lord.

+

NEW ROUND: If at least one Lord on each side has yet to Rout,

+

begin a new Round with the “Flee” step (above); otherwise end

+

per below.

+

4.4.3 Ending the Battle. If only one side still has Unrouted

+

Lords, that side wins the Battle. If all Lords of both sides Routed,

+

both sides lose. In either case, proceed thus—

+

INFLUENCE: As a reward, the Battle’s winning side gains In-

+

fluence points equal to the sum of the printed Influence ratings

+

(1.5.2) plus one per Vassal of the Lords who fought on the de-

+

feated side.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

16

+

SPOILS: ▶ A winning side’s Unrouted Lords might receive As-

+

sets from the losing side’s Lords.

+

• If the Battle Stronghold Favours the winning side, the winning

+

side takes all the losing Lords’ Carts and Provender (only), dis-

+

tributed as desired among the mats of Unrouted winning Lords.

+

• If the Stronghold is Neutral, total and halve all the losers’ Carts,

+

rounding up, and separately total and halve all Provender, be-

+

fore transfer.

+

• If the Stronghold Favours the losers, transfer nothing.

+

DESIGN NOTE: Ships are not taken as Spoils because they

+

are distant from the field. Armies in this era also stored coin

+

safely away from battles.

+

LOSSES: Unrouted Lords determine the fate of their Routed

+

Troops pieces (not Retinues or Vassals), as follows.

+

• Roll a die for each Routed Troop unit.

+

• Compare each Troop unit’s roll to its inherent Protection, as

+

shown on the Forces table for that type (unmodified by Events

+

or Capabilities).

+

• Troops that roll within those ranges are no longer Routed—

+

push them above the line on their mat.

+

• Those that fail their roll are Lost—remove those pieces to the

+

pool.

+

• ▶ Immediately Disband (3.2.4) any Unrouted Lord who Loses

+

all that Lord’s own Troops (regardless of Retinue or Vassal units

+

remaining).

+

▶ DEATH CHECK AND DISBAND: Routed Lords now Die or

+

Disband. Routed Vassals Disband.

+

• Events. First, Defenders then Attackers may play Held Events

+

that affect Death checks.

+

• Death Check. Then, each side rolls a die for each of its Routed

+

Lords—one by one, Defenders first, player chooses order

+

of own Lords. A Routed Lord Dies on a roll of 3-6. Sub-

+

tract two from the roll ( –2) for Lords who Fled (4.4.2).

+

• Death. Lords who Die immediately Disband (3.2.4). Also, re-

+

move their Seats from the map and their Lord cards, Command

+

cards, cylinders, and Seat markers from the game. NOTE: Sce-

+

nario rules might replace Lords who Die (6.2-6.3).

+

• Disband. Next, Disband normally (3.2.4) all Routed Lords who

+

did not Die as well as all Routed Vassals of Unrouted Lords.

+

NOTE: Vassals do not Die, as they represent entire families.

+

• Cards. Finally, if any Special Vassals Disbanded, discard their

+

named Capability cards (1.5.4, 1.9.1)

+

4.4.4 Aftermath. After resolving the Ending the Battle seg-

+

ment, conclude the Battle as follows.

+

• Moved-Fought: Mark all Surviving Lords Fought (if not al-

+

ready marked).

+

• Events: Discard all Hold Events (3.1.3) used in this Battle.

+

• Recovery: Skip any Command actions remaining on this card

+

(4.3.5). Go to Feed (4.7).

+

4.5 Supply

+

A Lord at a Friendly Locale may use a Command action to add

+

Provender to that Lord’s mat from ▶ a Friendly Stronghold or

+

Port.

+

4.5.1 Sources and Routes. The Active Lord must already

+

be at or have an unbroken Route, served by Carts,

+

+

▶ to a single Stronghold or Port that that Lord will

+

use as a Supply Source. Mark Sources as helpful.

+

• A Supply Route must be an unbroken chain of Friendly Locales

+

adjacent by Way (not across any Sea) and free of Enemy Lords,

+

including the Active Lord’s Locale and the Source.

+

• If drawing from a Stronghold (rather than using a Port) as a

+

Source, it may not be Exhausted (1.3.1).

+

• To add Provender with Ships, the Source must be a Port.

+

• If the Lord is in an Exile box, Supply must use Ships and a Port

+

on the same Sea as a Source. EXCEPTION: Lords in Scotland

+

may use Supply Routes (by Path) from there to a Stronghold.

+

NOTE: An Exile box is never a Supply Source.

+

CARTS: To add Provender, the Active Lord must have or Share

+

(1.5.3) at least one Cart per Provender for each inter-

+

vening Way crossed (if any) along any Route to a

+

Source. NOTE: A Lord drawing Provender from that

+

Lord’s current location—or by Sea if at a Port or Ex-

+

ile box—would not need any Carts.

+

▶ Important: In order to draw multiple Provender per Supply

+

action, a Lord must have a Cart for each Provender along each

+

Way along any Supply Route.

+

4.5.2 Add Provender. ▶ The Active Lord adds Provender

+

to that Lord’s mat per either the Source Stronghold or

+

Ships for a Port Source (not both), within the Trans-

+

port limit (Carts along Routes to Sources).

+

STRONGHOLD SOURCE: If the Source is a Stronghold, add

+

the amount of Provender shown for that Stronghold type on the

+

foldout’s Stronghold table (within the Transport limit, above).

+

Then mark that Stronghold as Depleted or—if already Depleted—

+

flip to Exhausted 91.3.1).

+

NOTE: Depleted and Exhausted markers do not affect Supply

+

Routes, only Strongholds as Sources.

+

EXAMPLE: A Lord with four Carts, two Ways from a Friendly

+

Depleted City, could draw two Provender for a Supply action and

+

flip the City to Exhausted.

+

PORT SOURCE: If the Source is a Port, add an amount of

+

Provender equal to the Active Lord’s Ships (includ-

+

ing Shared, 1.5.3, so may total more than two). If us-

+

ing any overland Route to the Port, do so within the

+

requirement for Carts (4.5.1). Ignore Depletion and

+

Exhaustion.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

17

+

4.6 Other Commands

+

4.6.1 Sail. ▶ The Active Lord at any Port or Exile Box or at Sea

+

may use all actions of that Lord’s Command card to move directly

+

to any Port on the same Sea that is free of Enemy Lords or into

+

that or an adjacent Sea (Irish Sea or North Sea to English Channel

+

or vice versa, 1.3.1); or, if at Sea, instead to such a Port on an ad-

+

jacent Sea. NOTE: See Sailing example in the Background Book,

+

page 14.

+

• An Active Marshal or Lieutenant may Sail with other Lords as if

+

a Group March (4.3.1), Sharing Ships among the Group (1.5.3).

+

• To move, the Active Lord must have or Share at least one Ship

+

per six Forces units (1.6), two Provender, and two

+

Carts (each rounded up). NOTE: A single Ship can

+

carry Forces and Provender and Carts up to each

+

of those limits. Lords may discard Assets as needed

+

to Sail (1.7.2).

+

MOVED-FOUGHT: Mark Sailing Lords Moved.

+

NOTE: Lords at Sea at the end of the Campaign must attempt to

+

Disembark (4.8.2).

+

4.6.2 Forage. ▶ A Lord at any Locale that is not yet Exhaust-

+

ed (1.3.1, regardless of Favour and including an Exile box) may

+

use a Command action to seek to add one Provender to that

+

Lord’s mat:

+

• If the Locale is Friendly and no Enemy Lord is adjacent, suc-

+

cess is automatic. Add one Provender.

+

• If Neutral and no Enemy Lord is adjacent, add one Provender

+

only on a die roll of 1-4.

+

• If Enemy Locale or any Enemy Lord is adjacent,

+

do so only on a die roll of 1-3.

+

DEPLETE: If Forage adds Provender (only),

+

mark the Locale (including an Exile box) Depleted,

+

or—if already Depleted—flip the marker to Ex-

+

hausted.

+

PLAY NOTE: Forage needs no Transport or Source but is less

+

sure and bountiful than Supply.

+

4.6.3 Tax. A Lord at a Friendly Locale may use a Command

+

action to add Coin to that Lord’s mat from that Lord’s

+

own Seat Stronghold, ▶ a Seat of one of that Lord’s

+

Vassals (1.3.1, 1.5.4), or a Special Stronghold (Lon-

+

don, Calais, or Harlech). The Taxed Stronghold must

+

not yet be Exhausted (1.3.1) and must be connected to that Lord

+

by an unbroken Route of adjacent Friendly Locales free of Enemy

+

Lords, including both the Lord’s Locale and the

+

Taxed Stronghold. If the Lord has a Ship, the Route

+

may link Ports and/or an Exile box on the same Sea.

+

As helpful, mark the Taxed Stronghold as a Source.

+

PROCEDURE: After selecting the Stronghold to be Taxed,

+

the Active Lord checks Influence (1.4.2). If successful, add the

+

amount of Coin shown for the Taxed Stronghold type on the fold-

+

out’s Stronghold table to that Lord’s mat. EXCEPTION—

+

• If the Taxed Locale is the Active Lord’s Seat, do not check In-

+

fluence, Tax succeeds automatically.

+

DEPLETE: If Coin added, mark the Taxed Stronghold as

+

Depleted, or—if already Depleted—flip the marker to

+

Exhausted.

+

▶ 4.6.4 Parley. A Lord can spend Command actions during

+

Campaign to Parley as during Levy (3.4.1), however—

+

• The Route to the Parley’s target Stronghold may extend no fur-

+

ther than a Stronghold adjacent to the Active Lord or, via Ship,

+

from a Port or Exile box to a Port on the same Sea.

+

• Parley targeting the Active Lord’s own location (only) succeeds

+

automatically, without checking Influence or expending Influ-

+

ence points.

+

NOTE: Campaign Parley is otherwise the same as during Levy,

+

using Command instead of Lordship. Parley beyond the Lord’s

+

own location requires the Lord to occupy a Friendly Locale, re-

+

quires the target Stronghold to be free of Enemy Lords, and calls

+

for the usual Influence check for success, including an extra Influ-

+

ence point for distance (1.4.2).

+

4.6.5 Pass. An Active Lord may opt to Pass (do nothing) with

+

any Command actions.

+

4.7 Feed

+

At the end of each Command card, those

+

Lords on the Rebel then King’s side

+

marked Moved-Fought (because they took

+

part in March, Intercept, Battle, or Sail;

+

4.3, 4.3.4, 4.4, 4.6.1) must Feed their Troops. Each

+

such Lord must remove one Provender (from own

+

mat or Shared, 1.5.3) ▶ per six Troop units on that

+

Lord’s mat, rounded up. NOTES: Do not count Reti-

+

nues or Vassals. As helpful, put “Feed x2” or “Feed x3” markers

+

on mats.

+

SHARING/GREED: Expend Provender for Feed by the same

+

restrictions as Coin for Pay (3.2).

+

PILLAGE: Lords who Feed their Troops less than required must

+

immediately attempt to Pillage their Locales as if they failed to

+

Pay them (3.2.1, including possible Unfed Disband and Influence

+

penalties), except that they then attempt to Feed them with the

+

Provender gained (rather than Pay them with the Coin gained).

+

REMOVE MARKERS: Once Fed, remove Moved-Fought

+

markers from all Lords and proceed with the next Command card

+

of the other side, if any.

+

4.8 End Campaign

+

After revealing all Command cards in both sides’ Plan stacks, end

+

the Turn.

+

▶ 4.8.1 Tides of War. At the end of each Campaign, calculate

+

the amount of Influence points that each side will gain and adjust

+

the Influence marker by the net amount. An Influence table on

+

the foldout’s Commands page lists these awards. NOTE: Some

+

Capability cards (1.9.1) affect Tides of War.

+

• Each Area (North, South, and Wales, 1.3.1) awards one point

+

to each side that has at least one Lord anywhere within it plus

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

18

+

two points to a side that Dominates it—has the Favour of all its

+

Strongholds (regardless of Lords present).

+

• Favour at Special Strongholds (1.3.1) awards points individual-

+

ly: two each for London and Calais plus one for Harlech. EX-

+

CEPTION: Award no points to a side for Favour at a Special

+

Stronghold while any Enemy Lord occupies it.

+

• A side that has the most total Favour markers at a given type of

+

Stronghold (1.3.1) earns two points for Cities plus one each for

+

Towns and Fortresses.

+

NOTE: Sides earn each award for having the most of that kind of

+

Stronghold, not per Stronghold.

+

EXAMPLE: Yorkists have Favour at five Cities, Lancastrians at

+

one City. The Yorkist side earns two Influence points total for hav-

+

ing the most Cities.

+

• At the end of certain Turns marked “Gain Lords Influence” on

+

the Calendar (January-February-March and August-Septem-

+

ber), each Side gains Influence points equal to the sum of print-

+

ed Influence ratings of all its Lords on the map (including those

+

in Exile boxes).

+

▶ 4.8.2 Disembark. Each Lord currently at Sea (4.6.1), first

+

Rebel then King’s side, now rolls a die.

+

• Shipwreck: Lords who roll 1-4 permanently Disband (3.2.4).

+

Remove their Seats from the map and their Lord cards,

+

Command cards, cylinders, and Seat markers from the

+

game. The owning side loses Influence points equal to the

+

Lord’s printed Influence rating plus one per Vassal Disbanded

+

(as if Unpaid or Unfed, 3.2.1).

+

• Land: Place Lords who roll 5-6 at any Ports on that Sea free of

+

Enemy Lords; they must immediately Feed (4.7). Lords who

+

roll 5-6 but cannot reach a free Port instead Disband normally

+

(3.2.4).

+

NOTE: Shipwreck is similar to Death in Battle (4.4.3), including

+

for Succession by scenario rule (6.2-6.3), but it incurs the Unpaid

+

penalty (3.2.1), and no Events influence the check (1.9.1).

+

4.8.3 Victory Check. ▶ After Tides of War and any Disem-

+

bark, check for game end and victory—

+

• If any side has no Lords on the map and no Exile Lords in next

+

Turn’s Calendar box, end the game and determine Campaign

+

Victory (5.1).

+

• If a side has Influence points equaling or exceeding the scenar-

+

io’s current Victory threshold (5.2, if any), it wins immediately.

+

• If neither of the above, but the just-concluded Campaign was

+

part of the scenario’s final Turn, the game ends: the side with

+

the most Influence points wins (5.3).

+

• If none of the above, proceed with play.

+

PLAY NOTE: For scenarios Ia and II, be sure to adjust the Vic-

+

tory Check marker to show the threshold listed for the current

+

Turn (5.2, 6.0).

+

4.8.4 Grow. ▶ At the end of each August-September Turn

+

(boxes 4, 9, and 14—marked “Grow” on the Calendar),

+

remove all Depleted markers from the map, then flip all

+

the Exhausted markers to their Depleted side.

+

4.8.5 Waste. ▶ At the end of October-November-December

+

Turns 5 and 10 (only, marked “Waste” on the Calendar), all on-

+

map Rebel then Kings’ Lords adjust their mat items thus:

+

• Provender, Carts, and Ships each to one-half their amount,

+

rounded up.

+

• Coin and Troops to exactly those shown on the Lord’s card as

+

Setup. EXCEPTION: Do not remove Mercenaries or Handgun-

+

ners.

+

NOTE: Waste does not affect Vassals or cards.

+

4.8.6 Reset. Prepare for the next Turn:

+

• Discard all “This Campaign” Events (3.1.3).

+

• Rebels then King’s side may discard any Held Arts of War cards

+

(▶ only—not Capabilities at Lord mats) as desired back into

+

their decks (1.9.1).

+

• Advance the Campaign marker to the next Turn box and flip the

+

marker to Levy (2.2.2).

+

5.0 VICTORY

+

▶ In Plantagenet, either Disband and Death of Lords or accu-

+

mulation of Influence points will determine Victory. Check for

+

victory after each Campaign (4.8.3, 5.1-5.2) and then at the end

+

of the scenario (5.3, after each War if playing the grand scenar-

+

io). Scenario special rules may provide added victory conditions

+

(6.0-6.3).

+

5.1 Campaign Victory

+

If a side upon Victory check (4.8.3) has no Lords on the map (in-

+

cluding none in any Exile boxes) and no Lord cylinders marked

+

Exile in the Calendar box for the next Turn (only), the game ends

+

immediately—the other side wins regardless of Influence points.

+

• If the above applies to both sides, the game instead ends in a

+

draw.

+

▶ 5.2 Threshold Victory

+

Several scenarios list Influence point thresholds, some by Turn.

+

If a side has reached or exceeded a Turn’s threshold after a Cam-

+

paign’s Tides of War and Disembark steps (4.8.3), it wins imme-

+

diately.

+

5.3 Scenario End Victory

+

If neither side has won by the Victory check (4.8.3) of the final

+

Campaign of a Scenario, ▶ the side with more Influence points

+

wins; if tied, the game ends in a draw.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

19

+

6.0 SCENARIOS

+

Prepare general setup per 2.1. Agree on whether to use the Hid-

+

den Mats option (1.5.3). Choose a scenario from the Scenarios

+

Guide chart below or the “quickstart” in the Background Book.

+

Find the scenario in the following pages and set it up. NOTE: The

+

Bosworth Battle mini-scenario does not use the game board, the

+

Hidden Mats option, or the Command deck.

+

DECKS: Each side has one Arts of War deck and one Command

+

deck. ▶ Assemble each sides Arts of War deck for that scenario

+

by including only cards without any roses at center plus those

+

with the number of roses corresponding to that scenario number

+

(I, II, or III, ignoring letters; 1.9.1). Alternatively, if playing the

+

Wars of the Roses grand scenario, set up Arts of War decks as

+

instructed (6.3).

+

MUSTERED LORDS: ▶ Find the named Lord cards listed

+

(1.5.1). For each, prepare a Mustered Lord mat as if just Levied

+

(1.5.3, 3.4.2), with that Lord’s card and starting Forces and Assets.

+

▶ Then find and place that Lord’s Seat marker

+

(matching that Lord’s badge) at the Stronghold

+

listed on the Lord card and noted on the back of

+

the marker.

+

MAP, CALENDAR, INFLUENCE TRACK: As listed for that

+

scenario, place Mustered Lord cylinders, ▶ regular Vassal marker

+

pairs (1.5.4), ▶ round Exile box alignment markers, and any other

+

markers (1.8) on the map; cylinders and markers on the Calendar

+

(2.2); and ▶ markers on the Influence edge track (1.3.1).

+

SPECIAL RULES: Note any listed special rules, such as “Cap-

+

ture of the King”, and Victory Threshold(s) for that scenario.

+

BEGIN PLAY: Commence the first Levy by shuffling each side’s

+

Arts of War deck and drawing random Capabilities (3.1.1-3.1.2).

+

Scenario Guide

+

1b. Towton, 1461

+

Battle Scenario-III(B). Bosworth, 22 August 1485

+

1a. Henry VI, 1459-1461

+

II. Warwick’s Rebellion, 1469-1471

+

I-III(?). Wars of the Roses, 1459-1485

+

III. My Kingdom for a Horse, 1484-1485

+

1c. Somerset’s Return, 1463-1464

+

Edward IV and Lancastrian fugitives at Tewkesbury Abbey

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

20

+

Seasons: This is a longer scenario (15 Turns, three years). Play

+

from the first Levy of 1459 (box 1) through the last Campaign of

+

1461 (box 15).

+

Sides: Lancastrians King, Yorkists Rebel (1.1).

+

Arts of War: Each side forms a deck of its 13 no-rose and 9 one-

+

rose Arts of War cards (1.9.1). Return all remaining Arts of War

+

cards to the game box.

+

Lord Cards: Next, find the following cards for the Lords that will

+

be involved in this scenario (1.5.1).

+

+

Lancastrian—

+

Yorkist—

+

+

• Henry VI.

+

• York.

+

+

• Somerset (1).

+

• March.

+

+

• Northumberland.

+

• Salisbury.

+

+

• Exeter (1).

+

• Warwick.

+

+

• Buckingham.

+

• Rutland.

+

Mustered Lord Mats: Set up the following mats for the Lords

+

whose cylinders will start on map (1.5.3).

+

Lancastrians—Henry VI and Somerset (1).

+

Yorkists—York and March.

+

Map:

+

See the setup illustration on the next page.

+

• Scotland and France Exile boxes marked Lancastrian, Ireland

+

and Burgundy Yorkist.

+

• Seats for each Lord listed on Lord cards above, at the Locales

+

specified on each marker.

+

• All 13 regular Vassal marker pairs (no Special Vassals) at their

+

Vassal Seats.

+

• Lancastrian (red) Favour at London and Wells.

+

• Yorkist (white) Favour at Ely and Ludlow.

+

• Henry VI and Somerset (with silver ring) at London (red cyl-

+

inders).

+

• York at Ely, March at Ludlow (white cylinders).

+

Calendar:

+

• Box 1 has the Levy marker.

+

• Box 2 has Northumberland (red), Salisbury (white).

+

• Box 3 has Exeter (red), Warwick (white).

+

• Box 5 has Buckingham (red), Rutland (white).

+

Influence Track:

+

• Influence marker at 0 on Lancastrian (red) side.

+

• Fortress marker Yorkist (white) at 1, Town Yorkist (white) at 0,

+

City Yorkist (white) at 0.

+

• Victory Check marker at 40.

+

Allied Networks: Lords may use Exile boxes only as follows.

+

• Henry VI and Somerset—Scotland.

+

• Northumberland, Exeter, Buckingham—France.

+

• York and Rutland—Ireland.

+

• March, Warwick, and Salisbury—Burgundy.

+

Capture of the King: If Yorkists win a Battle against Henry VI,

+

they add +10 Influence points.

+

• Instead of checking for Henry VI’s Death (4.4.3), Disband him

+

(3.2.4). The Yorkists place his cylinder on the mat of any Un-

+

routed Yorkist Lord at the Battle (instead of on the Calendar).

+

• While a Yorkist Lord holds him, Henry VI cannot Muster and

+

does not count as on map.

+

• If that Lord goes into Exile, Disbands, or Dies, place Henry

+

VI on the Calendar as if just Disbanded; Lancastrian adds +10

+

Influence points.

+

Victory Thresholds:

+

• 40+ Influence on Turns 1-5.

+

• 35+ Influence on Turns 6-10.

+

• 30+ Influence on Turns 11-15.

+

+

Ia. Henry VI, 1459-1461

+

Richard of York and his sons, with the help of Richard Neville and his son, rebel against King Henry VI.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

21

+

Starting setup positions for Scenario Ia, “Henry VI”, 1459-1461

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

22

+

Seasons: This is a brief introductory scenario. Play just the first

+

Levy and Campaign of 1461 (box 1).

+

Sides: Lancastrians King, Yorkists Rebel (1.1).

+

Arts of War: Each side forms a deck of its 13 no-rose and 9 one-

+

rose Arts of War cards (1.9.1). Return all remaining Arts of War

+

cards to the game box.

+

Lord Cards: Next, find the following cards for the Lords who

+

will be involved in this scenario (1.5.1).

+

+

Lancastrian—

+

Yorkist—

+

+

• Somerset (1).

+

• March.

+

+

• Exeter (1).

+

• Norfolk.

+

+

• Northumberland.

+

• Warwick.

+

Mustered Lord Mats: Set up six mats, one with each of the Lord

+

cards listed above (1.5.3).

+

Mustered Vassal: Add a Fauconberg Vassal marker

+

+

(1.5.4) to March’s mat.

+

Map:

+

• Seats for each Lord listed under Lord cards above, at the Lo-

+

cales specified on each marker.

+

• The 11 regular Vassal marker pairs other than Fauconberg and

+

Norfolk at their Vassal Seats.

+

• Lancastrian (red) Favour at St. Albans and all six Strongholds

+

within the North Area.

+

• Yorkist (white) Favour at London, Calais, Hereford, Glouces-

+

ter, Oxford, and all nine Strongholds within the South Area.

+

• Somerset (silver ring) and Exeter at Newcastle, Northumber-

+

land at Carlisle (red cylinders).

+

• March, Norfolk, and Warwick at London (white cylinders).

+

NOTE: There is no need to mark Exile boxes, as this scenario is

+

too short for Lords to end up there.

+

Calendar:

+

• Box 1 has the Levy marker.

+

• Box 2 has the End marker.

+

• Box 4 has Fauconberg Vassal.

+

Influence Track:

+

Influence marker at 0 on Yorkist (white) side (and no Stronghold

+

markers).

+

Norfolk is Late: In the first Battle that includes Norfolk and any

+

other Yorkist Lord(s), Norfolk Arrays and stays in Reserve (4.4.1)

+

until Round 2.

+

Test of Arms: After each and any Battle at York, set it to Favour

+

the winning side. A side with Favour at York at the end of the

+

Campaign wins the Scenario. The sides draw if neither has Favour

+

there.

+

Victory Threshold: None.

+

Ib. Towton, 1461

+

A climactic showdown will decide who is to be King of England for the next 10 years, Henry VI or Edward IV.

+

A scene from the battle of Towton

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

23

+

Seasons: This is a short scenario (three Turns, eight months). Play

+

from October 1463 (box 5) Levy through the April/May 1464

+

Campaign (box 7).

+

Sides: Yorkists King, Lancastrians Rebel.

+

Arts of War: Each side forms a deck of its 13 no-rose and 9 one-

+

rose Arts of War cards (1.9.1). Return all remaining Arts of War

+

cards to the game box.

+

Lord Cards: Find the following cards for the Lords who will be

+

involved in this scenario (1.5.1).

+

+

Yorkist—

+

Lancastrian—

+

+

• March.

+

• Henry VI.

+

+

• Warwick.

+

• Somerset (1).

+

DESIGN NOTE: Edward uses his “March” card because he is

+

still a young and inexperienced king. Henry VI’s side is Rebel

+

because Somerset is in rebellion against Edward’s control of

+

England.

+

Mustered Lord Mats:

+

Yorkists—March, Warwick with Lancastrian Capability card L23

+

Montagu and Montagu Special Vassal marker (see Montagu spe-

+

cial rule below).

+

Lancastrians—Somerset.

+

Map:

+

• Burgundy Exile box marked Yorkist, Scotland Lancastrian

+

(only).

+

• Seats for March, Warwick, Henry VI, and Somerset at the Lo-

+

cales specified on each marker.

+

• All 13 regular Vassal marker pairs at their Vassal Seats.

+

• Yorkist (white) Favour at Ludlow, Hereford, London, Calais,

+

and all nine Strongholds within the South Area.

+

• Lancastrian (red) Favour at Harlech, Pembroke, Cardiff, Ches-

+

ter, Lancaster, and all six Strongholds within the North Area.

+

• March and Warwick at London (white cylinders).

+

• Somerset at Bamburgh (red cylinder with ring).

+

Calendar:

+

• Box 5 has Levy marker and Henry VI (red cylinder) with Exile

+

marker.

+

• Box 8 has End marker.

+

Influence Track:

+

• Influence marker at 6 on Lancastrian (red) side.

+

• Fortress marker Lancastrian (red) at 1, Town Lancastrian (red)

+

at 0, City Yorkist (white) at 2.

+

• Victory Check marker at 25.

+

Montagu: Warwick—even though a Yorkist—sets up with the

+

Lancastrian 2-rose Montagu Capability card and its Special Vas-

+

sal (1.5.4). Disband or removal of Warwick or Montagu removes

+

the card from play.

+

Brief Rebellion: Skip Waste (4.8.5).

+

Victory Threshold: 25+ Influence.

+

Ic. Somerset’s Return, 1463-1464

+

As the Scots expel Henry VI, Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, turns on Edward IV—a new king seeking to prove himself in the shadow

+

of the mighty Warwick.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

24

+

Seasons: This is a longer scenario (15 Turns, three years). Play

+

from the first Levy of 1469 (box 1) through the last Campaign of

+

1471 (box 15).

+

Sides: Yorkists King, Lancastrians are Rebel.

+

Arts of War: 12 or 13 no-rose and 9 two-rose cards per deck—

+

for the Lancastrian deck, remove card L4 Be Sent for/Heralds

+

from this scenario.

+

Lord Cards:

+

+

Yorkist—

+

Lancastrian—

+

+

• Edward IV.

+

• Warwick.

+

+

• Pembroke.

+

• Clarence.

+

+

• Devon.

+

• Jasper Tudor (1).

+

+

• Gloucester (1).

+

• Margaret.

+

+

• Northumberland (1).

+

• Somerset (2).

+

+

+

• Exeter (2).

+

+

+

• Oxford.

+

Mustered Lord Mats:

+

Yorkists—Edward IV and Pembroke.

+

Lancastrians— Warwick, Clarence, Jasper Tudor.

+

Map:

+

• Burgundy Exile box marked Yorkist, France Lancastrian (only).

+

• Seats for the Lords listed under Lord cards above, at the Lo-

+

cales specified on the cards.

+

• The 11 regular Vassal marker pairs other than Devon and Ox-

+

ford at their Vassal Seats.

+

• Yorkist (white) Favour at London, Ely, Ludlow, Carlisle, Pem-

+

broke, and Exeter.

+

• Lancastrian (red) Favour at Calais, Harlech, York, Coventry,

+

and Wells.

+

• Edward IV at London and Pembroke at Pembroke (white cyl-

+

inders).

+

• Warwick at Calais, Clarence at York, Jasper Tudor at Harlech

+

(red cylinders).

+

Calendar:

+

• Box 1 has Levy marker and Devon (white cylinder).

+

• Box 9 has Gloucester (silver ring) and Northumberland

+

(white cylinders); and, marked Exile, Margaret, Somerset (no

+

ring), Oxford, and Exeter (red cylinders).

+

Influence Track:

+

• Influence marker at 0 on Yorkist (white) side.

+

• Fortress marker Yorkist (white) at 2, Town Yorkist (white) at 0,

+

City Yorkist (white) at 0.

+

• Victory Check marker at 40.

+

Foreign Haven:

+

• Whenever Warwick goes into Exile upon Yorkist Approach

+

(4.3.5), shift all Lancastrian Lords on the Calendar (including

+

Warwick) leftward (only) to the current Turn; then shift all

+

Yorkists on the Calendar leftward (only) to the next Turn.

+

• Whenever Edward IV is Routed in Battle while Margaret is not

+

on map, he may go into Exile (4.3.5) instead of checking for

+

Death (4.4.3).

+

Shaky Allies: Upon placing Margaret in the France Exile box, per-

+

manently remove Clarence (return his mat’s items to their pools

+

and his cylinder, Lord card, and Seat marker to the game box).

+

Margaret and Warwick may never enter the same Stronghold.

+

Queen Regent: Each Tides of War that Margaret is at London,

+

Lancastrians add +3 Influence.

+

Victory Thresholds:

+

• 40+ Influence on Turns 1-5.

+

• 35+ Influence on Turns 6-10.

+

• 30+ Influence on Turns 11-15.

+

Battle array at Barnet, 14th April 1471

+

II. Warwick’s Rebellion, 1469-1471

+

Slighted by the King he made, Warwick schemes with Edward’s brother, the Duke of Clarence, then allies with Margaret d’Anjou and

+

Lancastrian exiles in France.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

25

+

III. My Kingdom for a Horse, 1484-1485

+

King Richard III defends his crown against Henry Tudor to set the

+

fate of the Plantagenet dynasty.

+

Seasons: This is a medium scenario (seven Turns, 16 months).

+

Play from June/July 1484 (box 3) Levy through the end of Au-

+

gust/September 1485 (box 9).

+

Sides: Yorkists King, Lancastrians Rebel.

+

Arts of War: 13 no-rose and 6 three-rose cards per deck.

+

Lord Cards:

+

+

Yorkist—

+

Lancastrian—

+

+

• Gloucester (2).

+

• Henry Tudor.

+

+

• Northumberland (2).

+

• Jasper Tudor (2).

+

+

• Norfolk.

+

• Oxford.

+

+

• Richard III.

+

Mustered Lord Mats:

+

Yorkists—Gloucester (or Richard III), Northumberland, Norfolk.

+

Lancastrians—Henry Tudor, Jasper Tudor, Oxford.

+

Map:

+

• Burgundy Exile box marked Yorkist, France Lancastrian (only).

+

• Seats for the Lords listed under Lord cards above, at the Lo-

+

cales specified on the cards.

+

• The 11 regular Vassal marker pairs other than Oxford and Nor-

+

folk at their Vassal Seats.

+

• Yorkist (white) Favour at London, Calais, Carlisle, Arundel,

+

Gloucester, and York.

+

• Lancastrian (red) Favour at Oxford, Harlech, and Pembroke.

+

• Gloucester (gold ring) at London, Northumberland at Carl-

+

isle, Norfolk at Arundel (white cylinders).

+

• Henry Tudor, Jasper Tudor, and Oxford in France Exile box

+

(red cylinders).

+

Calendar:

+

• Box 3 has the Levy marker.

+

• Box 10 has the End marker.

+

Influence Track:

+

• Influence marker at 0 on Yorkist (white) side.

+

• Lancastrian (red) Fortress marker at 1, Town Yorkist (white) at

+

1, City Yorkist (white) at 2.

+

King Richard: The Yorkist player at setup or during any Muster

+

(3.4) with Gloucester at London may replace the Gloucester Lord

+

card in place with Richard III, affecting various Arts of War.

+

Ravaged Land: Skip all Grow and Waste (4.8.4-.5).

+

Victory Threshold: 45+ Influence.

+

III(B). Bosworth, 22 August 1485

+

Richard III and Henry Tudor clash in an epic final battle.

+

Seasons: This is a Battle-only mini-scenario. It does not use the

+

game board (so ignore the map, Calendar, and Influence track).

+

Rather than playing any Turns, just Array Lord mats for a Battle

+

(4.4) and fight the Battle out for victory.

+

Sides: Yorkists King, Lancastrians Rebel.

+

Arts of War: 13 no-rose and 6 three-rose cards per deck.

+

Lord Cards:

+

+

Yorkist—

+

Lancastrian—

+

+

• Richard III.

+

• Henry Tudor.

+

+

• Northumberland (2).

+

• Jasper Tudor (2).

+

+

• Norfolk.

+

• Oxford.

+

Mustered Lord Mats:

+

Yorkists—Richard III, Northumberland, Norfolk.

+

Lancastrians—Henry Tudor, Jasper Tudor, Oxford.

+

On Bosworth Field: Each player, working behind a screen, se-

+

cretly chooses four Capability cards. Distribute the Capabilities

+

among the Lords. Then Array the mats, one Lord at Front Center,

+

one at Front Left, and one at Front Right, placing each Lord’s

+

Valour tokens (4.4.1). Finally, reveal Arrays and begin the Battle

+

with Round 1 (4.4.2).

+

Victory: The winner of the Battle wins the scenario. If all Lords

+

on both sides Rout, the game is a draw.

+

A scene from the battle of Bosworth

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

26

+

Wars and Respite: This full-length scenario links versions of

+

Scenarios I, II, and III into a single grand conflict (36 or 37 Turns

+

total), with added rules and altered setups. Play each of three

+

sub-scenarios—called “Wars”—in order. Rule sections 6.1 and

+

6.2 below detail how to go from one War to the next, and 6.3 lists

+

setup and special rules for each. Refer during play to the separate

+

Wars of the Roses aid sheet for summaries of these special rules

+

and victory conditions for each War.

+

Heirs and Succession: A specific set of Lords are rank-ordered

+

Heirs for each side. Heirs affect setup and play as explained in the

+

Victory special rules below, Surrender (6.1.1), Succession (6.2.2),

+

and each War’s own special rules (6.3). One side of the Wars of

+

the Roses aid sheet illustrates the Succession of these Heirs for

+

each War.

+

Dynastic Victory: A side that has its entire list of Heirs removed

+

(6.2.1, including Warwick) immediately loses the full Wars of the

+

Roses. NOTE: This is not possible for the Lancastrians in the first

+

and second Wars because of Henry Tudor, nor for the Yorkists in

+

the first War (only) because of Gloucester.

+

War Victory: A side that has all its Heirs listed for the current

+

War only (6.2.1, 6.3) removed by Death, Shipwreck, setup, or

+

special rules (4.4.3, 4.8.2, 6.3) immediately loses that War. A side

+

that wins a Campaign or Threshold Victory in the first or second

+

War (5.1-5.2) wins that War only. In either case, go to Respite and

+

War (6.1).

+

Final Victory: Ignore Scenario End Victory (5.3) until after the

+

third War, IIIY or IIIL. The side that wins the third War wins the

+

Wars of the Roses.

+

▶ 6.1 Respite and War

+

To begin the Wars of the Roses, set up and play the first War,

+

“Plantagenets Go to War” (6.3). That War’s outcome will deter-

+

mine which version of the next War to set up.

+

6.1.1 Surrender. A side in the first or second War may concede

+

that War as the loser (so as to proceed to Renewed War, 6.1.2), just

+

before their last Heir still present in that War (6.2, listed as an Heir

+

in that War’s setup but not yet removed) rolls for Death (4.4.3,

+

only, not Disembark, 4.8.2).

+

6.1.2 Renewed War. At the end of a War, note which Heirs

+

were removed, for example, by leaving them in the game box.

+

Then set up the next War (6.3).

+

• After the first War, if the Yorkists won the War, set up IIY. If the

+

Lancastrians won, set up IIL.

+

• After the second War, if the Yorkists won it, set up IIIY. If the

+

Lancastrians won, set up IIIL.

+

▶ 6.2 Heirs and Succession

+

6.2.1 Heirs. A Lord’s card (1.5.1) notes whether that Lord is an

+

Heir and, if so, what rank. Possible Heirs ranked highest to lowest

+

are as follows.

+

Yorkists—

+

• Heir #1: York.

+

• Heir #2: March or Edward IV (eldest son of York).

+

• Heir #3: Rutland (middle son).

+

• Heir #4: Gloucester (1) or (2) or Richard III (youngest son).

+

• Heir #5: Warwick—perhaps, in the third War only.

+

I-III(?). Wars of the Roses, 1459-1485

+

Royal cousins muster England for three great spasms of fighting, to find by test of arms who will be King.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

27

+

Lancastrians—

+

• Heir #1: Henry VI.

+

• Heir #2: Margaret (with her son Prince Edward).

+

• Heir #3: Somerset (1) (2nd cousin of Henry VI).

+

• Heir #4: Somerset (2) (next brother in line).

+

• Heir #5: Henry Tudor (nephew of Henry VI).

+

• Heir #6: Warwick—perhaps, in the third War only.

+

KING: The highest-ranking Heir of the King’s side present in a

+

War will be King, affecting Succession aspects during setup and

+

play such as added Lords and Arts of War card mix (6.2.2, 6.3).

+

DESIGN NOTE: Lancastrians and Yorkists had many pos-

+

sible royal heirs, with shifting recognition over the period of

+

the strength of various claims. The game for purposes of play

+

includes only the most likely heirs. For example, Clarence ap-

+

pears only as a pawn in Warwick’s rebellion (War IIY), not as a

+

Yorkist Heir, because his brothers so readily disposed of him as

+

any challenge to their claims.

+

+

6.2.2 Succession. Removal of an Heir by Death or Ship-

+

wreck (4.4.3, 4.8.2, not mere Disband or Exile) can bring in new

+

Lords and cards, either upon setup of the next War or—in certain

+

Wars—immediately during play (6.3). Each War’s setup or spe-

+

cial rules identify who might Succeed whom, when, and to where.

+

The Wars of the Roses aid sheet summarizes the order of Succes-

+

sion by Lord for each War.

+

Important: Upon Death or Shipwreck, check if the removed

+

Lord is an Heir subject to Succession as specified in the special

+

rules for that War.

+

REMOVE: An Heir (6.2.1) removed by Death or Shipwreck

+

(4.4.3, 4.8.2) is permanently out of the game and may not return

+

in future Wars (6.1.2). In contrast, a Lord who is not an Heir and

+

is removed might return in the setup of a future War (6.3).

+

NOTE: Dead Heirs do not return in later Wars. Lords who are

+

not Heirs, in contrast, can Die or Shipwreck and return in a later

+

War (representing other members of the same family, for exam-

+

ple). Warwick is not an Heir until so designated in the third War,

+

so may always return in that War (6.3).

+

ADD: Add a new arrival’s Command cards to the game, Lord

+

card (to a mat if Mustered), Seat to the map, and cylinder to the

+

Calendar or map.

+

REPLACE: To replace a Lord “in place”, swap Lord cards on

+

the mat currently in use, cylinders in place on the gameboard,

+

and Command cards where they are, including in that side’s Plan

+

stack.

+

TO CALENDAR: Adding a Lord to the Calendar during play

+

places the cylinder in the next Turn box, and during setup into a

+

Calendar box as directed.

+

SEATS: Exchange any removed Lord’s Seat with the new arriv-

+

al’s Seat on the mat, as applicable.

+

ARTS OF WAR: Sometimes, Succession also adjusts which Arts

+

of War cards are in play. Remove cards from wherever they are,

+

including Held Events and Mustered Capabilities, and add cards

+

to that side’s Arts of War deck, as directed. Cards repeated from

+

one Lord to the next stay where they are (EXAMPLE: Card Y20

+

in War IIL).

+

PLAY NOTE: Loss of a side’s Heirs can end a War or the entire

+

scenario. See the Wars of the Roses Victory special rules above

+

and 6.1.1 Surrender.

+

6.3 The Wars

+

I. Plantagenets Go to War, 1459-1461

+

York and Warwick’s rebellion touches off decades of bloodshed

+

among cousins chasing the English crown.

+

War: This is the first of three Wars of the Roses. Set up Scenario

+

Ia “Henry VI” per page 20.

+

Seasons: Play from the first Levy of 1459 (box 1) through the last

+

Campaign of 1461 (box 15), using the Wars of the Roses rules

+

starting page 26 and the special rules below (including Succes-

+

sion) in place of those listed for Scenario Ia.

+

Sides: Lancastrians King, Yorkists Rebel.

+

Special Rules—

+

Lancastrian Succession: Lancastrian Heirs present for this War

+

are Henry VI, Margaret (Edward), Somerset (1), and Somerset

+

(2) (only). Removal of Henry VI or Somerset (1) and Muster of

+

Margaret during play triggers additions as listed below. (See also

+

Automatic War Victory special rule below.)

+

• Removal of Henry VI (4.4.3, 4.8.2) adds Margaret to the next

+

Calendar box (6.2.2). Remove Arts of War cards L15 and L17

+

from play (wherever they are) and add L27 and L31 to the Lan-

+

castrian deck.

+

• Muster of Margaret immediately assigns Arts of War card L26

+

Edward to her mat as a free, mandatory Capability. Her Dis-

+

band or removal (3.2.4, 4.4.3, 4.8.2) sets the card aside rather

+

than back into the deck—the Event Henry Released cannot

+

occur. The Capability returns to Margaret if she Musters anew.

+

• Removal of Somerset (1) adds Somerset (2) to the next Calen-

+

dar box (whether or not highest Heir).

+

Yorkist Succession: Yorkist Heirs present for this War are York,

+

March, and Rutland. Do not replace or add any Yorkists. (But see

+

Automatic War Victory.)

+

Allied Networks: Lords use Exile boxes as follows.

+

• Henry VI and any Somerset—Scotland.

+

• Margaret, Northumberland, Exeter, and Buckingham—France.

+

• York and Rutland—Ireland.

+

• March, Warwick, and Salisbury—Burgundy.

+

Automatic War Victory:

+

• Removal (4.4.3, 4.8.2) of Henry VI and Somerset (1) immedi-

+

ately wins the War for the Yorkists.

+

• Removal of York, March, and Rutland immediately wins the

+

War for the Lancastrians.

+

Victory Threshold: 40+ Influence.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

28

+

IIY. The Kingmaker, 1469-1471

+

His power waning as the new King cements rule after the first War

+

of the Roses, Warwick plots a comeback.

+

War: This is the second War of the Roses if the Yorkists win the

+

first War. Set up Scenario II “Warwick’s Rebellion”, page 24; how-

+

ever, do not yet form Arts of War decks or set up any Yorkist Lords

+

or Seats. Modify the setup as below, using Succession to find a

+

Yorkist King and set each side’s Lords and Arts of War cards.

+

Seasons: Play from the first Levy of 1469 (box 1) through the last

+

Campaign of 1471 (box 15).

+

Sides: Yorkists King, Lancastrians Rebel.

+

Setup Modifications—

+

Arts of War: Start Yorkists with all no-rose cards plus Y25, Y26,

+

Y27, Y29, Y30; Lancastrians with all no-rose except L4, plus

+

L23, L24, L25, L29, L30, L36. Succession can add or later re-

+

move more cards.

+

Yorkists: Add Rutland, unless removed in first War, Mustered

+

with Yorkist Favour at Canterbury (slide Yorkist Cities marker to

+

1); Devon in Calendar box 1, Gloucester (1) (silver ring) and

+

Northumberland (1) in box 9 (6.2.2).

+

Yorkist Succession: The four Heirs listed below can be present

+

in this War and become King whenever that Heir is the high-

+

est-ranked who remains (6.2.1). At setup and in play, adjust for

+

who is King as follows (6.2.2, including cards, mats, cylinders,

+

and Seats).

+

• York. If still present, add York as King, Mustered at London.

+

Unless removed, Muster March at Ludlow. For as long as

+

York remains present (only), add Arts of War cards Y14, Y18,

+

Y19, Y20.

+

• March/Edward IV. If York removed and March present, replace

+

March with Edward IV as King, Mustered at London at setup,

+

or in place during play. As long as Edward IV remains (only),

+

add cards Y23, Y24, Y28, Y31.

+

• Rutland. If York and March removed at setup, Rutland as King

+

sets up at London (not Canterbury). Rutland, while King, adds

+

Y20, Y21, Y28, Y35.

+

• Gloucester/Richard III. If Gloucester becomes King, replace

+

him in place with Richard III. Richard III adds cards Y32,

+

Y33, Y34, Y35.

+

In addition, as soon as two or fewer of the above four Heirs re-

+

main, add Pembroke, at setup Mustered at Pembroke, or during

+

play to the next Calendar box.

+

Lancastrian Succession: These Heirs can be present and adjust

+

other Lords and/or Arts of War (6.2.2).

+

• Henry VI. If Henry VI survived the first War, he replaces Mar-

+

garet in box 9 of the Calendar, marked Exile. If Henry VI is lat-

+

er removed, add Margaret to the next Calendar box (no Exile).

+

For as long as Henry VI remains present (only), add Arts of War

+

cards L17, L18, L20, L21.

+

• Margaret (Edward). When Margaret is present, add cards L27,

+

L28, L31. When Margaret Musters, she uses card L26 Edward

+

as per the first War’s Lancastrian Succession.

+

• Somerset. If Somerset (1) survived the first War, replace Som-

+

erset (2) (no ring) with (1) in box 9, marked Exile. If Somer-

+

set (1) is removed, add Somerset (2) to the next Calendar box.

+

Whenever a Somerset is highest Heir, add cards L20, L21, L27.

+

Special Rules—

+

Succession: For any Heir removed during play (4.4.3, 4.8.2), con-

+

duct Succession as given above, including removing and adding

+

Arts of War (6.2.2).

+

Shaky Allies: Margaret and Warwick may never enter the same

+

Stronghold.

+

Foreign Haven: If Warwick chooses Exile upon Approach (4.3.5)

+

or Dies as a defender (4.4.3), shift all Lancastrians on the Calen-

+

dar left to the current Turn and all Yorkists left to the next Turn.

+

Gloucester: After resolving Event Y28 Gloucester As Heir, set

+

the card aside for reference in setup of the next War. Its Capability

+

becomes unavailable.

+

Natural Causes: After victory in this War, roll two dice each for

+

Henry VI and York, if still present—a roll less than the last Turn

+

played removes that Heir. Then roll one die for Edward IV (only,

+

not March)—remove him on a roll of “6”.

+

Victory Threshold: 40+ Influence.

+

IIL. Lancastrian Legitimacy Fades,

+

1469-1471

+

Rejecting the first War’s verdict, Warwick rallies the House of

+

York to renew its bid for the crown.

+

War: This is the second War if the Lancastrians win the first War.

+

Setup as below, with Succession.

+

Seasons: Play the first Turn of 1469 (box 1) through the last Cam-

+

paign of 1471 (box 15).

+

Sides: Lancastrians King, Yorkists Rebel.

+

Setup—

+

Arts of War: Lancastrians start with all no-rose cards except L4,

+

plus L18, L19, L20, L21, L25, L29, L34; Yorkists with all no-rose

+

plus Y15, Y16, Y17, Y22, Y28, Y29, Y31, Y34. Succession will

+

add and possibly later remove cards.

+

Lancastrian Lord Cards:

+

• Unless removed in first War, Henry VI, Margaret, Somerset (1),

+

Somerset (2).

+

• Northumberland, Exeter (1), Oxford, Jasper Tudor (1).

+

Yorkist Lord Cards:

+

• Unless removed in first War, York, March, Rutland.

+

• Gloucester (1), Warwick, Salisbury, Devon, Pembroke.

+

Lancastrian Succession: Lancastrian Heirs are Henry VI, Mar-

+

garet, Somerset (1), and Somerset (2), less any removed in the

+

first War. The highest ranked is King (6.2.1, Margaret as her son

+

Edward).

+

• Henry VI, so long as King, adds cards L15, L17. If Henry VI

+

removed, add Margaret to the Calendar, box 1 at setup or next

+

box in play (6.2.2).

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

29

+

• Margaret upon Muster uses card L26 EDWARD as per first

+

War, Lancastrian Succession. So long as Margaret (Edward) is

+

King, add L27, L31.

+

• Somerset while King adds L16, L27. Any removal of Somerset

+

(1) (whether King or not) replaces Somerset (1) with Somerset

+

(2) in place (6.2.2).

+

Yorkist Succession: Yorkist Heirs are York, March, Rutland, and

+

Gloucester (1). The highest Heir present adjusts Arts of War cards

+

as follows.

+

• York as highest-ranking Heir adds Y14, Y20.

+

• March or Rutland as highest Heir adds Y20, Y21.

+

• Gloucester as highest Heir adds Y25, Y30.

+

Mustered Lord Mats:

+

Lancastrians—The King, Somerset (1) or (2) (if not King), Jas-

+

per Tudor.

+

Yorkists—Warwick, Salisbury, Pembroke.

+

Map:

+

• France Exile box Lancastrian, Burgundy Yorkist.

+

• Seat markers per Lord cards listed above.

+

• The 11 regular Vassal marker pairs other than Devon and Ox-

+

ford at their Vassal Seats.

+

• Lancastrian (red) Favour at London, Harlech, Wells, Oxford,

+

Exeter, Carlisle.

+

• Yorkist (white) Favour at Calais, York, Ely, Pembroke, Lud-

+

low.

+

• The King at London, Somerset at Wells (unless King), Jasper

+

Tudor at Harlech (red cylinders).

+

• Warwick at Calais, Salisbury at York, and Pembroke at Pem-

+

broke (white cylinders).

+

Calendar:

+

• Box 1 has the Levy marker and Devon (white cylinder).

+

• Box 2 has Exeter and Oxford (red cylinders).

+

• Box 7 has York, March, Rutland, Gloucester (silver ring)

+

(white cylinders), all with Exile markers.

+

• Box 8 has Northumberland (red cylinder).

+

Influence Track:

+

• Influence marker at 0 on Lancastrian (red) side.

+

• Fortress marker Yorkist (white) at 2, Town Lancastrian (red) at

+

0, City Lancastrian (red) at 2.

+

• Victory Check marker at 40.

+

Special Rules—

+

Succession: For Heirs removed in play, conduct Succession as

+

above, adjusting Arts of War (6.2.2).

+

Gloucester: After resolving Event Y28 Gloucester As Heir, set

+

the card aside for reference in setup of the next War. Its Capability

+

becomes unavailable.

+

Natural Causes: After victory in this War, roll two dice each for

+

Henry VI and York, if still present—a roll less than the last Turn

+

played removes that Heir.

+

Victory Threshold: 40+ Influence.

+

IIIY. New Rivals, 1484-1485

+

Under Yorkist rule, discontent Lancaster rises to a final bout for

+

the Crown of England.

+

War: This is the third War if the Yorkists win the second War. Set

+

up Scenario III “My Kingdom for a Horse” on page 25; however,

+

hold off choosing cards and setting up any Lords, Seats, or Fa-

+

vour. Modify setup as below, including Succession to find which

+

Yorkist is King and set Arts of War cards.

+

Seasons: Play seven complete Turns, June/July 1484 (box 3)

+

through August/September 1485 (box 9).

+

Sides: Yorkists King, Lancastrians Rebel.

+

Setup Modifications—

+

Arts of War: Yorkists start with all no-rose cards plus Y36; Lan-

+

castrians all no-rose plus L33, L34, L36, L37. Heirs and Succes-

+

sion permanently add cards.

+

NOTE: All Lords who set up in this War do so Mustered (with

+

mats), none start on the Calendar.

+

Yorkist Heirs and Lords:

+

• Yorkist Heirs are York, March or Edward IV, Rutland, and

+

Gloucester (1), Gloucester (2), or Richard III, less any removed

+

in previous Wars.

+

• If Event Y28 Gloucester As Heir occurred in the second War

+

(set aside per IIY or IIL special rule), and if both Rutland and

+

Gloucester remain, remove Rutland now.

+

• If Rutland now remains as the only Heir, remove Rutland

+

and add the Yorkist Warwick as King at London (6.2.2, with

+

cards, mat, cylinder, and Seat), Salisbury at York, and cards

+

Y16, Y17, Y22.

+

• If exactly one of York, March/Edward IV, or Gloucester/Rich-

+

ard III now remains, add Northumberland (2) at Carlisle and

+

card Y37.

+

• Add Norfolk at Arundel.

+

Yorkist Succession: The highest-ranked among the Heirs listed

+

above who still remain sets up as King at London (6.2.1-6.2.2,

+

adding cards, mat, cylinder, and Seat). The next highest sets up as

+

an Heir who can become King. Remove all other Yorkist Heirs.

+

• York. York as King adds cards Y14, Y21.

+

• March/Edward IV. If York is King and March remains, set up

+

March at Ludlow and add card Y20. If March is King, set up

+

Edward IV at London instead of March at Ludlow and add

+

Y23, Y24.

+

• Rutland. If he remains as Heir to York or Edward IV, set Rut-

+

land up at Canterbury. If Rutland and Gloucester remain, set up

+

Rutland as King at London. Rutland as Heir to York adds Y20,

+

Heir to Edward IV Y31, or King Y20, Y21.

+

• Gloucester/Richard III. If York or Edward IV is King and

+

Gloucester remains, set up Gloucester (1) (silver ring) at

+

Gloucester. If Rutland is King and Gloucester remains, set up

+

Gloucester (2) (gold ring) at London. Gloucester (1) or (2) adds

+

card Y34 plus, if with Edward IV, Y28. If Gloucester is King,

+

set up Richard III (gold ring) at London instead of Gloucester

+

and add cards Y32, Y33.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

30

+

Lancastrian Heir: There is exactly one, either—

+

• Margaret (with Edward, Prince of Wales)—unless removed ear-

+

lier—in the France Exile box. Add L27, L31. She uses card L26

+

Edward per the first War’s Lancastrian Succession, page 27.

+

• Henry Tudor—if no Margaret and if anyone but Edward IV

+

(York, Rutland, Richard III, or Warwick) is King—in the France

+

Exile box. Add cards L32, L35.

+

• Warwick otherwise, at Calais. (In this case, not only King Ed-

+

ward IV but also Richard Neville have survived to fight a final

+

war.) Add cards L23, L30.

+

Lancastrian Lords: Add Oxford and Jasper Tudor (2) either in

+

the France Exile box if with Margaret or Henry Tudor or at Calais

+

if with Warwick.

+

Map: Set London to Yorkist Favour and each side’s other marked

+

Lord Seat (only) to that side’s Favour.

+

Influence Track:

+

• Each Heir (6.2.1, not Warwick) removed in an earlier War by

+

Death, Shipwreck, or Natural Causes special rule costs that side

+

–8 Influence points.

+

• Adjust City, Town, Fortress markers per Favour on the map.

+

Special Rules—

+

Succession: Heir removal affects only setup, not play.

+

Ravaged Land: Skip all Grow and Waste (4.8.4-.5).

+

Victory Threshold: 45+ Influence.

+

IIIL. Yorkists’ Last Stand, 1484-1485

+

Despite defeats, the House of York rallies for one final stab at the crown.

+

War: This is the third War if the Lancastrians win the second War.

+

Setup as below, modifying for Yorkist and Lancastrian Succession.

+

Seasons: Play six Turns, August/September 1484 through Au-

+

gust/September 1485 (boxes 4 through 9).

+

Sides: Lancastrians King, Yorkists Rebel.

+

Setup—

+

Arts of War: Lancastrians start with all no-rose cards plus L25,

+

L34, L36, Yorkists with all no-rose cards plus Y36. Succession

+

will permanently add more cards.

+

Lancastrian Lord Cards:

+

• Unless previously removed, Henry VI, Margaret, Somerset (1),

+

and Somerset (2).

+

• Oxford and Jasper Tudor (2).

+

Yorkist Lord Cards:

+

• Unless previously removed, York, March, Rutland, Gloucester

+

(1), and Gloucester (2).

+

• Warwick, Norfolk, and Salisbury.

+

Lancastrian Succession: Lancastrian Heirs are Henry VI, Margaret,

+

Somerset (1) and (2)—less any removed earlier. The highest ranked

+

is King (6.2.1, Margaret as Edward)—if Somerset (2), replace him

+

with Somerset (1) (his ratings showing the power of the Crown). Re-

+

move the other Heirs. The King (only) adds cards as follows.

+

• Henry VI adds L15, L17.

+

• Margaret (Edward) uses card L26 Edward per the first War’s

+

Lancastrian Succession, page 27, and adds L27, L31.

+

• Somerset adds L18, L20, L27.

+

Yorkist Succession:

+

• Yorkist Heirs are York, March, Rutland, and Gloucester, less

+

any removed, and perhaps Warwick.

+

• If Edward IV is present from the second War, replace him with

+

March or Richard III with Gloucester (2).

+

• If Event Y28 Gloucester As Heir occurred in the second War

+

(set aside per IIY or IIL special rule) and Gloucester (2) re-

+

mains, or if Gloucester is already highest Heir, remove all other

+

Yorkist Heirs and add card Y35.

+

• If York remains, add Y14, Y18 and remove all other Heirs ex-

+

cept the single next highest; if that is March or Rutland, add

+

Y20; if Gloucester, replace Gloucester (2) with Gloucester (1)

+

and add Y34.

+

• If neither York nor Gloucester remains as the highest Heir, re-

+

move all Heirs except Warwick.

+

• If no other Yorkist Heir remains, add the Yorkist Warwick as

+

Heir and add card Y16.

+

• If Yorkists now have exactly one Heir, add Salisbury and cards

+

Y17, Y22.

+

Mustered Lord Mats:

+

Lancastrians—The King, Oxford, and Jasper Tudor.

+

Yorkists—Heir(s), Salisbury if added, and Norfolk.

+

Map:

+

• France Exile box Lancastrian, Burgundy Yorkist.

+

• Seat markers per Lord cards listed above.

+

• The 11 regular Vassal marker pairs other than Oxford and Nor-

+

folk at their Vassal Seats.

+

• Lancastrian (red) Favour at London and at each other Lancas-

+

trian Lord Seat marker (only).

+

• Yorkist (white) Favour at each Yorkist Lord Seat marker (only).

+

• The King at London, Oxford at Oxford, and Jasper Tudor at

+

Pembroke.

+

• All Yorkist Lords per Succession plus Norfolk in Burgundy

+

or—if Warwick present—at Calais.

+

Calendar:

+

• Box 4 has the Levy marker.

+

• Box 10 has the End marker.

+

Influence Track:

+

• Start Influence marker at 0. Then each Heir (6.2.1, not War-

+

wick) removed in an earlier War by Death, Shipwreck, or Natu-

+

ral Causes costs that side –8 Influence points.

+

• Adjust City, Town, and Fortress markers to reflect Favour on

+

the map.

+

Succession: Heir removal affects only setup, not play.

+

Ravaged Land: Skip all Grow and Waste (4.8.4-.5).

+

Victory Threshold: 45+ Influence.

+
+ +
+

© 2023 GMT Games, LLC

+

Plantagenet Rules

+

31

+

Key Terms Index

+

60/90 Days—Calendar box, a Turn (1.3.2, 2.2.1).

+

Active—Acting on Campaign (4.0).

+

Adjacent—Linked by a Way (1.3.1).

+

Aftermath—Battle end routine (4.4.4).

+

Approach—March to enemy (4.3.5).

+

Area—Grouping of Locales (1.3.1).

+

Armour—Unit Protection (4.4.2).

+

Array—Lords in Battle (4.4.1).

+

Arts of War—card, deck (1.9.1, 3.1).

+

Asset—Provender, Coin, Cart, or Ship (1.7).

+

Attack—Initiate Battle (4.3.5, 4.4).

+

Badge—(Livery Badge) Lord’s symbol (1.5.1).

+

Battle—Fight due to March (4.4).

+

Battle mat—Array option (4.4.1).

+

Calendar—Board track for Turns, Ready Lords, and Vassal

+

Service (1.3.2, 2.2).

+

Campaign—Phase of each Turn (4.0).

+

Capability—Card aspect (1.9.1, 3.1.2, 3.4.6).

+

Cart—Transport type (1.7).

+

Check—Influence test (1.4.2); Death test (4.4.3); Victory test

+

(4.8.3).

+

City—Stronghold type (1.3.1).

+

Coat of Arms—Vassal’s symbol (1.5.4).

+

Coin—Asset type (1.7).

+

Command—Lord rating for Campaign actions (1.5.2, 4.2); card

+

(1.9.2); Activation or action (4.2-4.6).

+

Cylinder—A Lord’s piece (1.5.1).

+

Death—Permanent Lord removal by Battle (4.4.3)

+

Defend—Face an Attack (4.4).

+

Depleted—Locale marker (1.3.1).

+

Disband—Remove Lord from map (3.2).

+

Disembark—End Campaign segment (4.8.2)

+

Dominance—Favour across an entire Area (1.3.1, 4.8.1)

+

Enemy—Of the other side (1.1, 1.3.1).

+

Engagement—Lords fighting each other (4.4.1, 4.4.2).

+

English Ships—Limit on Ship Levy (1.7.3, 3.4.5).

+

Event—Arts of War card aspect (1.9.1).

+

Exhausted—Locale marker (1.3.1).

+

Exile—Lord status on Calendar (3.3.1, 4.3.5), box Locale (1.3.1).

+

Favour—Markers to set Locale allegiance (1.3.1).

+

Feed—Eat after Marched/Fought (4.7).

+

Flank—Fight non-opposite (4.4.2).

+

Flee—Voluntary Rout from Battle (4.4.2).

+

Forage—Command action (4.6.2).

+

Forces—Retinue, Vassal, and Troops units (1.6).

+

Fortress—Stronghold type (1.3.1).

+

Friendly—Of the same side (1.3.1).

+

Front—Forward Array row (4.4.1).

+

Greed—Discard restriction (1.7.2, 3.1.4, 3.2.1, 4.7).

+

Grow—Remove Depleted/Exhausted (4.8.4).

+

Handgunners—Troop type (1.6).

+

Heirs—Lords in line to be King (1.5.1, 6.2.1).

+

Hidden Mats—Rules option (1.5.3).

+

Highway—Way type (1.3.1).

+

Hit—Combat effect endangering a unit (4.4.2).

+

Hold/Held—Event type (1.9.1, 3.1.3, 4.4.1).

+

Influence—Points for victory (1.4.1), task success check (1.4.2),

+

Lord rating for checks (1.5.2).

+

Intercept—Move to adjacent Marching Enemy (4.3.4).

+

King—A side (1.1).

+

Land—Successful Disembark (4.8.2).

+

Levy—Phase of each Turn (3.0); call into play (3.4.2-.6).

+

Lieutenant—Lord type for group move (1.5.1, 4.3.1, 4.3.5, 4.6.1).

+

Livery Badge—Lord’s symbol (1.5.1).

+

Locale—Map space (1.3.1).

+

Longbowmen—Troop type (1.6).

+

Lord—Military Leader; card (1.5.1).

+

Lordship—Lord rating for Levy (1.5.2, 3.4).

+

Loss—Unit removal in combat (4.4.3).

+

Loyalty—Vassal rating for Muster (1.5.4, 3.4.3).

+

Map—Section of game board (1.3.1).

+

March—Command type (4.3).

+

Marshal—Group move Lord (1.5.1, 4.3.1, 4.3.5, 4.6.1).

+

Mat—Display for Lord or Battle Array (1.5.1, 4.4.1).

+

Melee—Strike type (4.4.2).

+

Men-at-Arms—Troop type (1.6).

+

Mercenary—Troop type (1.6).

+

Militia—Troop type (1.6).

+

Missile—Strike type (4.4.2).

+

Moved-Fought—marker (4.3, 4.4, 4.6.1, 4.7).

+

Muster—Levy Segment, enter play (3.4.2-.6).

+

Neutral—Stronghold Favouring neither side (1.3.1).

+

North—A map Area (1.3.1).

+

On Map—At a Locale (1.3.1).

+

Parley—Levy and Command action (3.4.1, 4.6.4).

+

Pass—Command card or action (1.9.2, 4.2.3, 4.6.5).

+

Path—Way type (1.3.1).

+

Pay—Expend Coin (3.2).

+

Pillage—Wreck a Locale (3.2.1, 4.7).

+

Plan—Stack of Command cards (4.1).

+

Port—Locale aspect (1.3.1, 4.5, 4.6.1).

+

Protection—Saving roll (4.4.2).

+

Provender—Asset type (1.7).

+

Rating—Lord or Vassal aspect (1.5).

+

Ready—Able to Muster (3.3.2, 3.4.2).

+

Recovery—Battle end to actions (4.4.4).

+

Rebel—A side (1.1).

+
+ +
+

Plantagenet Rules

+

32

+

Reposition—Move in Array (4.4.2).

+

Reserve—Array back row (4.4.1).

+

Respite—Transition between Wars (6.1).

+

Retinue—Forces type (1.5.1, 1.6).

+

Road—Way type (1.3.1).

+

Rout—Battle harm to unit/Lord (4.4.2).

+

Route—Chain of Friendly Locales, Ways, and/or Ports (3.4.1,

+

4.5.1, 4.6.3, 4.6.4).

+

Sail—Command action (4.6.1).

+

Sea—Map aspect affecting use of Ports (1.3.1).

+

Seat—Stronghold aspect, marker (1.3.1).

+

Service—Vassal rating delaying Pay (1.5.4, 3.2).

+

Share—Use Asset for another Lord (1.5.3).

+

Ship—Transport type (1.7).

+

Shipwreck—Lord removal by Disembark (4.8.2).

+

Source—Supply origin (4.5).

+

South—A map Area (1.3.1).

+

Special Stronghold—London, Calais, Harlech (1.3.1).

+

Special Vassal—Vassal type (1.5.4).

+

Strike—Inflict Hits (4.4.2).

+

Stronghold—Locale type (1.3.1).

+

Succession—Adjustments when Heirs Die (6.2.2).

+

Supply—Command action (4.5).

+

Tax—Command action (4.6.3).

+

Threshold—Victory level (4.8.3, 5.2).

+

Tides of War—Influence scoring segment (4.8.1)

+

Town—Stronghold type (1.3.1).

+

Troops—Wood Forces units (1.6).

+

Transport—Cart or Ship Asset type (1.7).

+

Turn—60 or 90 Days (1.3.2, 2.2.1).

+

Unit—Retinue or Vassal counter, Troops piece (1.6).

+

Unarmoured—Unit Protection roll (4.4.2).

+

Valour—Lord rating and markers for Battle rerolls (1.5.2, 1.8,

+

4.4.1-.2).

+

Vassal—Levied supporters (1.5.4, 3.4.3); Seat type (1.3.1);

+

Forces type (1.6).

+

Wales—A map Area (1.3.1).

+

War—Sub-scenario of the full-length scenario (6.3).

+

Wars of the Roses—Full-length scenario (6.3).

+

Waste—Asset/Troop adjustment (4.8.5).

+

Way—Link between Locales (1.3.1).

+

Action Requirements Summary

+

At Friendly

+

Locale?

+

Route?

+

Check

+

Influence?

+

Deplete/

+

Exhaust?

+

Special?

+

Lord (3.4.2)

+

✔

+

✔

+

Target Lord’s or Friendly Seat, free of Enemy

+

Vassal (3.4.3)

+

✔

+

✔

+

Vassal’s Seat Friendly, free of Enemy

+

Troops (3.4.4)

+

✔

+

✔

+

At Stronghold (not in Exile box)

+

Transport (3.4.5)

+

✔

+

At Port or in Exile box: may add Ship instead of Cart

+

Capability (3.4.6)

+

✔

+

Until 2 cards / Lord (no discard)

+

Parley

+

(3.4.1, 4.6.4)

+

✔

+

✔

+

Target Stronghold: Neutral or Enemy Favour

+

✔

+

Adjacent (or by Sea): no Enemy Lord. At target: no check

+

March (4.3)

+

From Stronghold or Scotland. Path: entire card

+

Supply (4.5)

+

✔

+

✔

+

Route to Stronghold or Port: 1 Cart / Prov / Way

+

Sail (4.6.1)

+

Ships from Port, Exile, Sea. Entire card. No Enemy Lord

+

Forage (4.6.2)

+

✔

+

Enemy or Neutral Locale or Enemy adjacent: roll

+

Tax (4.6.3)

+

✔

+

✔

+

✔

+

Seat or Special Stronghold. Lord’s Seat: no check

+

© 2023 GMT Games LLC

+

P.O. Box 1308, Hanford, CA 93232

+

www.GMTGames.com

+ +

Levy

+

Campaign

+
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