Battle Music

Byzantine Productions Pike and Shot is a deep strategy game set during the bloody conflict of the Thirty Years War.

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w_michael
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Posts: 1133
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2015 1:04 pm
Location: Fort Erie, Canada

Re: Battle Music

Post by w_michael »

The Battle by The Strawbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZrMpHaIUkk
In the early dawn the Bishop's men
Shivered in the damp
But the shiver came not from the cold
And spread throughout the camp
The trembling horses sensed the fear
Of silent thoughtful men
Who prayed that wives and families
Might see them once again
The bishops sent a dawn patrol
To investigate the weight
Of forces at the King's command
Ensconced behind the gate
The ground mist hid the patrol's approach
As they drew close enough to show
The sentries on the battlements
And an archer drew his bow
From the topmost tower a sentry fell
As an arrow pierced his skull
And his headlong flight into the moat
Seemed that of a gull
The patrol reported little
There was nothing much to see
But the strong and silent castle
A symbol of the free
The King's men took communion
As the first rays of the sun
Lit up the castle's gloomy walls
The fatal day begun
From the castle green the rooks took flight
To the high trees in the east
To their carrion minds the battlefield
Set a table for a feast
A tide of black, the Bishop's men
Equality their right
Swarmed like ants across the hill
Their aim at last in sight
The King's men dressed in purest white
Were driven back by force
And the fighting grew more violent
As the battle took its course
The Bishops gave the order
No mercy to be shown
The sacrifice will reap rewards
When the King is overthrown
The sight of children lying dead
Made hardened soldiers weep
The outer walls began to fall
They moved towards the keep
The rooks surveyed the battlefield
Their hungry beady eyes
Reveled in the sight of death
Showing no surprise
The pressure mounted steadily
As the Bishops neared the gate
And the desperate King called to his knights
It's your lives or the State
When the anxious King began to fail
As many thought he might
The Queen ran screaming round the walls
And urged the men to fight
The Bishop's men were tiring
As the afternoon drew late
And the King's men lowered the drawbridge
And poured out through the gate
They fought their way across the bridge
The men like falling leaves
Or ears of corn that fall in swathes
The vicious sickle cleaves
The tide receded up the hill
The waste of reclaimed land
Once decaying swamp became
A shore of pure white sand
A blinded priest was seen to bless
Both dying and the dead
As he stumbled around the battlefield
His cassock running red
If uniform were black or white
His eyes could never see
And death made no distinction
Whatever man he be
As darkness fell both camps withdrew
Their soldiers slain like cattle
Leaving the rooks to feast alone
The victors of the battle
At evensong both camps reviewed
Their sad depleted ranks
As survivors of the battle
Gave God their grateful thanks
Last edited by w_michael on Sun Mar 11, 2018 1:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
William Michael, Pike & Shot Campaigns and Field of Glory II series enthusiast
JohnWise
Lance Corporal - Panzer IA
Lance Corporal - Panzer IA
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2017 3:27 pm

Re: Battle Music

Post by JohnWise »

For those who remember the ITV series Pretenders ( an HTV Children's series ) originally shown in the
UK back in 1972 but repeated on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the Monmouth Rebellion
and Battle of Sedgemoor back in 1985 ( which is when I first saw it )
The good news is it's out on DVD and what an excellent historical jaunt through the Monmouth
Rebellion it is - highly recommended.

Which brings me nicely back to Battle Music - for as you know with the Battle of Sedgemoor scenario
available for download with P&S Campaigns - I'd like to add the opening 'voice over' and theme tune of
Pretenders whenever I start the Battle of Sedgemoor scenario.
For those who have yet to enjoy the Pretenders TV Series - the 'voice over' to the Pretenders theme
tune goes like this:

'England, the West Country, 1685 - REBELLION !! - The rebels, including myself though scarce fourteen,
the rebels were led by that fair Duke, the Protestant Duke of Monmouth, pretender to the throne.
He recruited his ragtag army from the stout-hearted farmers and peasents of the West Country.
Amoung his few professional soldiers, Joachim the German Gunner with whom I came to share so
many adventures.
King James men were all professionals, none more so than Colonel Kirke, the infamous commander
of the dread Tangier Regiment, Kirke's lambs.

My mother seemed to tell me on her death-bed, that my father was the duke, the Duke of Monmouth;
so we too became Pretenders !!

Anyway any suggestions and tips on how to add the Pretenders theme tune to the Battle of Sedgemoor
scenario ( on start up ) will be greatly appreciated as I'm a newbie to P&S.
JohnWise
Lance Corporal - Panzer IA
Lance Corporal - Panzer IA
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2017 3:27 pm

Re: Battle Music

Post by JohnWise »

Also for all battles of the Franco - Spanish War 1635 to 1659.

You will no doubt guess which theme tune I would like to hear when starting any of those battles.

Yes you guessed it - The Flashing Blade :D :D

Another British TV - Children's classic starring The Chevalier de Recci - who I used to nickname
The Chevalier de wretched.

Search for Classic Children's TV 'The Flashing Blade' Opening Titles and Closing Credits in Youtube.
JohnWise
Lance Corporal - Panzer IA
Lance Corporal - Panzer IA
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2017 3:27 pm

Re: Battle Music

Post by JohnWise »

And finally for all battles of The Great Northern war, that is those battles involving Peter the Great's
Russian army. Why not have the battle open with the theme tune to Michael Strogoff - The courier
to the Czar.

Search for Michel Strogoff (1975) Intro on Youtube

There's also a very nice - closing theme tune to the Michael Strogoff TV Series:
Search for Vladimir Cosma Nadia's Theme Michael Strogoff on Youtube
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