On the morning of October 23rd, 1642, two armies faced each other across the frost-touched fields near Edgehill in Warwickshire. For the men standing in those ranks, farmers, tradesmen, and gentlemen alike, the coming hours would introduce them to a form of warfare that had been perfected on the bloodied plains of continental Europe. The English Civil War had begun, and with it came the mature expression of Pike & Shot tactics that would forever change how battles were fought.
The term "Pike & Shot" describes more than mere weaponry; it represents a sophisticated tactical system that emerged from decades of European conflict, particularly the brutal Thirty Years' War. At its core lay a deceptively simple concept: combine the defensive power of massed pikes with the killing reach of gunpowder weapons. In practice, this marriage of medieval and modern created formations of terrifying effectiveness.
A typical regiment of foot during the English Civil War comprised both pikemen and musketeers, though the exact ratio shifted as the conflict progressed. Early in the war, formations might field equal numbers of each, but as experience mounted and firearms proved their worth, musketeers increasingly dominated. By the war's end, regiments often counted two musketeers for every pikeman.
The pike itself, a fearsome ash shaft measuring sixteen to eighteen feet, served as the infantry's bulwark against cavalry charges. When horsemen thundered toward a regiment, pikemen would lower their weapons into a bristling hedge of steel points that no horse would willingly approach. In the grinding close-quarters combat known as "push of pike," opposing formations would clash directly, shoving and stabbing until one side's nerve broke.
Surrounding this pike-armed core, musketeers delivered the regiment's firepower. Armed with matchlock muskets, these soldiers employed carefully drilled firing sequences to maintain continuous volleys. The countermarch saw ranks rotating forward to fire then retiring to reload, while the devastating salvee concentrated an entire unit's fire into a single shattering blast. Officers who had served under the great Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus brought these Continental innovations to English fields, transforming amateur levies into increasingly professional fighting forces.
This integration of shock and shot created tactical puzzles that commanders on both sides, Royalist and Parliamentarian, would spend four bloody years attempting to solve.
A Kingdom Divided: The Road to War
The roots of England's civil conflict reached deep into questions of power, faith, and governance that had festered for decades. When King Charles I raised his standard at Nottingham in August 1642, he set in motion a war that would pit neighbor against neighbor, father against son, and forever alter the relationship between crown and parliament.
Charles had ruled without Parliament for eleven years, funding his government through increasingly unpopular measures that alienated much of the political nation. His religious policies, guided by Archbishop William Laud, pushed the Church of England toward practices that many Protestants viewed as dangerously close to Catholicism. When Scottish resistance to these reforms forced Charles to recall Parliament in 1640, the accumulated grievances exploded into constitutional crisis.
Parliament demanded reforms Charles could not accept. The king demanded obedience Parliament would not give. By the summer of 1642, both sides were raising armies.
Here lay a profound military challenge: England had no standing army. Unlike the Continental powers, which maintained professional forces hardened by the Thirty Years' War, England's military tradition rested on county militias of varying quality and enthusiasm. Both Royalists and Parliamentarians faced the daunting task of transforming these amateur levies into effective fighting forces virtually overnight.
Salvation came from veterans of foreign wars. Officers who had served in the Dutch, Swedish, and German armies brought invaluable experience to both sides. These men understood Pike & Shot warfare intimately, they had seen the Swedish brigade system shatter Imperial tercios, had witnessed cavalry charges break against disciplined pike formations, had learned through blood and powder what worked and what killed. Their knowledge would prove essential as England embarked upon its own military education.
The armies that took shape reflected the kingdom's divided loyalties. Royalist forces drew strength from the north and west, from the aristocracy and their tenants. Parliament's power centered on London, the southeast, and the navy. Each side would field regiments distinguished by their coat colors, the reds, blues, greens, yellows, oranges, and whites that would become synonymous with Civil War imagery and that still mark these formations on wargaming tables today.
Cavalry: The Decisive Arm
While infantry formed the backbone of Civil War armies, cavalry often determined their fate. The mounted arm underwent its own tactical revolution during these years, evolving from an auxiliary force into the decisive element that could shatter enemy formations and turn hard-fought battles into crushing victories.
At the war's outset, Royalist cavalry held a distinct advantage. Prince Rupert of the Rhine, the king's nephew, brought Continental experience and aggressive instincts to his uncle's cause. His horsemen charged home with sword in hand, crashing into enemy formations at full gallop rather than employing the outdated caracole, a Continental tactic where cavalry would trot forward, discharge pistols, and wheel away. Rupert's shock tactics devastated Parliamentarian horse in early engagements.
Yet this aggression carried a fatal flaw. Royalist cavalry, having broken their opponents, would pursue fleeing enemies for miles, leaving the battlefield entirely. At Edgehill, Rupert's triumphant horsemen galloped off to plunder the Parliamentary baggage train while the infantry battle hung in the balance. Victory slipped away through lack of discipline.
Parliament's answer emerged in the form of Oliver Cromwell and his Ironsides. Cromwell, a minor gentleman with no prior military experience, proved a natural cavalry commander. He recruited men of religious conviction, trained them relentlessly, and instilled iron discipline. His troopers would charge with the same fury as Rupert's cavaliers, but after breaking the enemy, they would rally and reform for further action. This combination of aggression and control made the Ironsides nearly invincible.
The mounted forces of the Civil War encompassed more than heavy cavalry. Cuirassiers, clad in three-quarter armor, served as shock troops capable of absorbing punishment that would fell lighter horsemen. Dragoons occupied a unique tactical niche, mounted infantry who rode to battle but typically fought on foot, providing flexibility that commanders valued for scouting, screening, and seizing key positions. A wise general kept dragoons ready both mounted and dismounted, prepared to exploit whatever opportunity arose.
By war's end, the superiority of disciplined cavalry had been proven beyond doubt, a lesson that would echo through military thinking for generations.
Crucibles of War: The Battles That Shaped a Nation
Three engagements stand above others in defining the English Civil War's military character, each demonstrating how Pike & Shot tactics evolved under the pressure of combat.
At Edgehill in October 1642, inexperience marked both armies. Regiments advanced in textbook formations learned from Continental manuals, but the chaos of actual battle quickly revealed gaps between theory and practice. Prince Rupert's cavalry swept the Parliamentary horse from the field, yet his troopers' pursuit left the Royalist infantry unsupported. The pike-and-musket formations ground against each other in bloody stalemate until darkness ended the fighting. Neither side could claim victory, but both had received a harsh education in the realities of seventeenth-century warfare.
Marston Moor, fought on a July evening in 1644, became the war's largest battle and Parliament's most decisive victory. Over 40,000 men clashed across the Yorkshire moorland in an engagement that demonstrated what disciplined combined arms could achieve. Cromwell's Ironsides shattered the Royalist cavalry on Parliament's left flank, then wheeled to strike the enemy center while infantry formations locked in desperate combat. The Royalist army disintegrated, costing the king the north of England.
Naseby in June 1645 sealed Charles's fate. Here the New Model Army, Parliament's newly formed professional force, faced the king's veterans. The battle showcased mature Pike & Shot doctrine: coordinated infantry advances supported by artillery, cavalry charges delivered with precision timing, and disciplined reserves committed at the decisive moment. When Cromwell's horsemen rolled up the Royalist flank while Fairfax's infantry pressed the center, the king's cause collapsed. Charles would never field another major army.
The Scottish Dimension: Celtic Fury Meets Lowland Discipline
The English Civil War was never purely English. Scotland's involvement transformed the conflict's scope and introduced fighting traditions that differed markedly from those practiced south of the border.
The Scottish Covenanters, bound by their National Covenant to defend Presbyterian worship, initially allied with Parliament against their shared enemy in Charles I. Scottish armies marching south brought experienced soldiers hardened by earlier conflicts, their infantry organized into disciplined regiments that had faced Imperial forces during the Thirty Years' War. These Lowland troops understood Pike & Shot warfare thoroughly, their steady formations providing crucial support at battles like Marston Moor.
Yet Scotland also fielded warriors of an entirely different character. The Highland clans fought in ways that bewildered commanders trained in Continental methods. Highlanders favored the terrifying Highland charge, a headlong rush that combined a volley of musketry with the immediate shock of sword and targe. Against unprepared enemies, this assault proved devastating. The Marquis of Montrose wielded Highland forces alongside Irish veterans in a brilliant campaign that swept through Scotland, demonstrating that Pike & Shot formations could be broken by warriors willing to close before disciplined volleys could destroy them.
Scottish lancers added yet another dimension, their long spears recalling medieval cavalry traditions that had largely disappeared from English battlefields. Irish-Scottish regiments, meanwhile, brought their own fierce reputation, their pike formations renowned for stubborn resilience. The war's Celtic fringes offered tactical variety that enriched the conflict's military tapestry.
The New Model Army: Birth of Professionalism
By 1645, Parliament recognized that victory required military reform. Regional armies commanded by aristocratic generals had achieved much but suffered from divided leadership, irregular pay, and inconsistent training. The solution was radical: a national army organized on professional principles, commanded by merit rather than birth, and dedicated solely to winning the war.
The New Model Army represented England's first truly professional military force. Its regiments received standardized equipment, regular wages, and systematic drilling that transformed recruits into reliable soldiers. Officers rose through demonstrated ability, creating a command structure where talent mattered more than title. The famous red coats that would later define British military identity first appeared in these formations, giving the army a unified appearance that reinforced its professional character.
This professionalism built upon earlier foundations. The London Trained Bands had long demonstrated that citizen soldiers, properly drilled and motivated, could stand against any troops in England. These urban militia formations defended London and marched to relieve besieged garrisons, their steadiness proving that English soldiers needed only proper training to match Continental veterans. The New Model Army absorbed these lessons and applied them systematically.
Within every regiment existed men designated as the Forlorn Hope, volunteers who would lead assaults on fortified positions, absorbing the deadliest fire to create openings for their comrades. These soldiers embodied the army's spirit: disciplined enough to advance into certain death, professional enough to execute complex attacks, and motivated by conviction that their cause was righteous. The New Model Army would not merely win the Civil War; it would reshape English military culture for centuries to come.
From History to Tabletop: The 10mm English Civil War Full Pack
The battles described in these pages, the desperate struggle at Edgehill, Cromwell's thundering charge at Marston Moor, the New Model Army's triumph at Naseby, need not remain confined to history books. The 10mm English Civil War Full Pack from WoFun Games brings these pivotal engagements to life on your tabletop, offering everything needed to recreate the military revolution that transformed seventeenth-century warfare.
This comprehensive collection contains 4,506 meticulously illustrated figurines across 23 plexiglass sprues, providing the raw material for armies of genuine scale. The Pike & Shot era demanded mass, regiments numbering hundreds, cavalry squadrons sweeping across open ground, artillery batteries anchoring defensive lines. The Full Pack delivers this scope, enabling battles that capture the visual drama of Civil War engagements where thousands clashed for the fate of a kingdom.
The infantry forms the collection's heart, just as it anchored every Civil War army. Six complete foot regiments, distinguished by their historic coat colors of Blue, Red, Yellow, White, Green, and Orange, provide 269 figurines each, allowing players to field the recognizable formations that contemporaries described in their accounts. The New Model Army regiment brings Parliament's professional force to the table, while the London Trained Band represents the citizen soldiers who defended the capital and marched to relieve beleaguered garrisons. For those desperate assaults on fortified positions, the Forlorn Hope provides 234 figures representing the brave volunteers who led every storming party.
Cavalry options reflect the mounted arm's crucial role. Standard Cavalry Riders and heavily armored Cuirassiers offer 150 figures each for traditional shock tactics, while the Iron Side Horses, 155 strong, let players deploy Cromwell's legendary disciplined troopers. Dragoons appear in both mounted and dismounted variants, with Red and White formations providing 150 mounted and 210 dismounted figures respectively. This flexibility mirrors the dragoons' historical versatility, ready to ride swiftly to threatened points or defend key positions on foot.
The Scottish dimension receives full representation. Highlanders number 252 figures, sufficient to recreate the terrifying clan charges that swept through Montrose's campaigns. Scots Lancers add 150 cavalry figures wielding their distinctive long spears, while 279 Irish Scottish Pikes bring Celtic stubbornness to the infantry line. Combined with the English formations, these Scottish units enable campaigns spanning the entire British conflict.
Supporting elements complete the collection. Artillery crews man 48 guns to batter enemy formations, while Generals and Casualty Markers provide 16 pieces for command representation and tracking battle damage. Two hundred Flag Holders across two sets ensure every regiment displays its colors proudly.
All figurines feature illustrations by Peter Denis, whose work for historical and fantasy wargaming has earned widespread recognition. Each figure is printed in full color on both sides, with careful attention to period-accurate uniforms, equipment, and poses. The CNC-cut plexiglass construction ensures clean edges and durability, while the detailed artwork creates visual depth that tricks the eye into seeing three-dimensional ranks.
WoFun's ready-to-play approach eliminates the traditional barrier to large-scale wargaming. Simply press figurines from their sprues, slot them into the included MDF bases, available in 43x43mm squares or 43x21mm rectangles, and your army stands ready for action. No painting, no gluing, no months of preparation. Within minutes of opening the box, Pike & Shot warfare awaits.
Command History's one of the Most Pivotal Conflict
The English Civil War shaped a nation and transformed the art of warfare itself. Now, nearly four centuries later, those desperate charges and disciplined volleys await your command. Will you lead Cromwell's Ironsides in their thundering assault at Marston Moor? Deploy the London Trained Bands to hold the line against Royalist fury? Or perhaps unleash the terrifying Highland charge that broke Continental formations and rewrote the rules of Pike & Shot warfare? Every tactical decision that haunted the commanders of 1642-1651 now rests in your hands, and with over 4,500 battle-ready figurines, the scale of your ambitions has no limits.
The battlefield is set. The armies are raised. All that remains is a general bold enough to lead them. Explore the 10mm English Civil War Full Pack and discover why thousands of wargamers worldwide have chosen WoFun to bring history's greatest conflicts to life. Your tabletop revolution begins today.