What to do with the ECW

What to do indeed!

Here's what I am thinking in terms of the general situation.

A small troop of Royalists under that rollicking old pirate, Sir Marmaduke Young control good old Pook Manor - erstwhile property of Sir Maxtible Grant, MP. They have thrown up some rudimentary earthworks and installed a cannon or two. Their forces are no more than a Company of Dragoons with Firelocks, a company of infantry with muskets and a good troop of Horse.

Their modus operandi is to use their musketeers for base security whilst the cavalry and dragoons go on the rampage in the local countryside. You know, beating up Parliamentary convoys, raiding local villages if they are not co-operating. Generally being a nuisance to the local Parliamentary Commander.

So then, Sir Maxtible is decidedly unhappy. Being as he is the leading man in the district for the Parliamentary cause, and concerned for the state of his wainscotting, he has determined that Sir Marmaduke needs to pack his bags and skedaddle.

He has roughly twice the force of Sir Marmaduke, viz: His Own troop of shewe in the form of some of Cuirassiers, two troops of grim-visaged Ironsides and four companies from a London Trained Band; two with pikes and two with muskets. He has two light and two heavy guns. More than enough force to grind out a pesky nest of Royalists, correct? His only complication is that every week he must safely convoy through the area supplies for the nearest Parliamentary city that is being beseiged by the King.

This feels rather like a small campaign.

The Royalist goal is to be a pest as long as is possible. The Parliamentarians must smoke out the vipers infesting Pook Manor whilst at the same time making sure that 'x' number of convoys make it through the district/parish/shire. A points system comes to mind. The Parliamentarians start with 20 points and lose one for every convoy lost or village raided. They lose if the total dips below 10. Something like that.

Thoughts and comments? How does the force balance feel? A troop of horse might be as many as a dozen figures, a company of foot 18. It would be nice to do this with less than a hundred figures. Hm, perhaps something like 140.

UPDATE: Rob left a comment that for some bizarre reason, Blogger won't publish:

"Sounds fun but I think these cavalier types need another unit to balance it out. Currently the parliamentarian foot and artillery look up to taking Pook Manor as it stands. If the horse and dragoons go out raiding the solitary foot company will probably just be overwhelmed. At the same time the three troops of parliamentary horse should be more than enough to escort a convoy.

Perhaps if Sir Maxtible also had a base to protect it might see him more stretched."

And I think Rob is right, so I may add another company of infantry to the garrison of Pook Manor. And Sir Maxtible I feel will be enjoying free quarter in a local village as he plans to smoke the vile Royalists out. What a good way for the Royalists to remove points from the Parliamentarian pile. I was also thinking that every convoy the Parliamentarians get through, they ought to be able to add a few more points to their own store.