Audrehem's cavalry attacked Warwick's division on the English left, while Clermont charged Salisbury's on the right. In both cases the French plan was that they clear away the English archers, while given fire support by their own crossbowmen. However, the archers in Warwick's division were positioned in the edge of a marsh and this terrain prevented the French cavalry from getting to grips with them. The archers in turn found that the French armour and barding prevented them from firing effectively. To get close enough to penetrate the French armour, the longbowmen would have had to leave the protection of the marsh, which would have exposed them to the risk of being ridden down by the French. Instead, they turned their fire on the supporting crossbowmen and, having a superior rate of fire, were able to suppress them. Oxford realised the French horses were mostly only barded on their forequarters. He led some of the archers along the edge of the marsh to a position from which they could shoot into the horses' unprotected hindquarters. The French cavalry took heavy casualties and withdrew; Audrehem was captured.
Audrehem's cavalry attacked Warwick's division on the English left while Clermont charged Salisbury's on the right In both cases the French plan was that they clear away the English archers while given fire support by their own crossbowmen However the archers in Warwick's division were positioned in the edge of a marsh and this terrain prevented the French cavalry from getting to grips with them The archers in turn found that the French armour and barding prevented them from firing effectively To get close enough to penetrate the French armour the longbowmen would have had to leave the protection of the marsh which would have exposed them to the risk of being ridden down by the French Instead they turned their fire on the supporting crossbowmen and having a superior rate of fire were able to suppress them Oxford realised the French horses were mostly only barded on their forequarters He led some of the archers along the edge of the marsh to a position from which they could shoot into the horses' unprotected hindquarters The French cavalry took heavy casualties and withdrew; Audrehem was captured