We left the battle at the end of turn 1 with the French (left) wondering where their next initiative pips were going to come from. The Swiss (right) were, having won most of the initiative, poised to assault the French main position.
At the end of turn one the Swiss add two milling around cards to there deck (1 for the retreating advance guard and 1 because the central pike block has lost a unit worth of stands). Both side shuffle their decks. The Swiss deal out 2 cards sight unseen.
At the end of turn one the Swiss add two milling around cards to there deck (1 for the retreating advance guard and 1 because the central pike block has lost a unit worth of stands). Both side shuffle their decks. The Swiss deal out 2 cards sight unseen.
I will continue with the description of the next turn using the format of turn 1, but I will give the abbreviation code again.
IP: Initiative pips.
OC: Opportunity chip.
MP: Morale point.
20 IP to play for:
S18 Vs F16 = S 2 IP
Infantry in open – move retreating advance guard (1IP). They are classed as ‘left the table’ due to their position relative to the enemy (umpires call) and will not spend IP for further retreats.
18 IP to play for:
F7 Vs S2 = F 5 IP
Courage, Missile reload – shoot a unit of Gascon crossbowmen (1 IP) at the left hand Swiss pike block advancing on the French right D10 Vs D6, causing 5 hits and a stand loss (1MP) . Buy back 2 OC (2IP).
13 IP to play for:
F16 Vs S10 = F 6 IP
Open reload card showing - reload the crossbows that just shot (1 IP) shoot and reload another (2IP) Vs the same target D10 Vs D6 no effect. Shoot and reload another unit of Gascon crossbow (2IP) Vs the Swiss pike block advancing on the French left D10 Vs D6 no effect. Buy back the last OC (1IP).
IP: Initiative pips.
OC: Opportunity chip.
MP: Morale point.
20 IP to play for:
S18 Vs F16 = S 2 IP
Infantry in open – move retreating advance guard (1IP). They are classed as ‘left the table’ due to their position relative to the enemy (umpires call) and will not spend IP for further retreats.
18 IP to play for:
F7 Vs S2 = F 5 IP
Courage, Missile reload – shoot a unit of Gascon crossbowmen (1 IP) at the left hand Swiss pike block advancing on the French right D10 Vs D6, causing 5 hits and a stand loss (1MP) . Buy back 2 OC (2IP).
13 IP to play for:
F16 Vs S10 = F 6 IP
Open reload card showing - reload the crossbows that just shot (1 IP) shoot and reload another (2IP) Vs the same target D10 Vs D6 no effect. Shoot and reload another unit of Gascon crossbow (2IP) Vs the Swiss pike block advancing on the French left D10 Vs D6 no effect. Buy back the last OC (1IP).
7 IP to play for:
S 18 Vs F 14 = S 4 IP
Infantry in the open showing – Swiss move their right and central pike blocks into contact with the ditch (2IP). French shoot their light guns Vs the Pike moving onto their left D12 Vs D6 for NO EFFECT!!! (1 OC). All of the front line French guns are now unloaded. Major Morale – pass, Artillery Reload.
3 IP to play for:
S 13 Vs F7 = S 3 IP.
S 18 Vs F 14 = S 4 IP
Infantry in the open showing – Swiss move their right and central pike blocks into contact with the ditch (2IP). French shoot their light guns Vs the Pike moving onto their left D12 Vs D6 for NO EFFECT!!! (1 OC). All of the front line French guns are now unloaded. Major Morale – pass, Artillery Reload.
3 IP to play for:
S 13 Vs F7 = S 3 IP.
Move in difficult terrain – the Swiss pike blocks on the right and in the centre cross the ditch. Two units of Gascon crossbows shoot (2 OC) at the one moving against their left 2x D10 Vs D6 causing 2 stands loss (2 MP). The French challenge the morale (1MP) of the pike block for losses due to fire D8 Vs D12+4, the score is 6 each. This is a fail for the Swiss and will mean they have to fall back over the ditch disordered, however this is a morale challenge so they can re-roll Vs the 6 for the cost of 1MP – they re-roll and pass (1MP). The two offending crossbow units are in contact with the pike block, wisely they choose to evade disordered.
20 IP to play for:
S13 Vs F9 = S 4 IP
Move the remaining pike block over the ditch (1IP) on the open difficult terrain card forcing the facing crossbow to evade disordered, but one fails to outpace the Swiss and is contacted as it turns D12+4 Vs D4 and is destroyed (4 MP). Cavalry move in open, Courage! – the Swiss use this to challenge the morale of the French pike and the battery on the French left D12 Vs D12+3 and D12 Vs D8. Both fail and go disordered; they are formed units (not skirmishers) so this costs each 1 MP.
16 IP to play for:
S14 Vs F2 = S 12 IP
20 IP to play for:
S13 Vs F9 = S 4 IP
Move the remaining pike block over the ditch (1IP) on the open difficult terrain card forcing the facing crossbow to evade disordered, but one fails to outpace the Swiss and is contacted as it turns D12+4 Vs D4 and is destroyed (4 MP). Cavalry move in open, Courage! – the Swiss use this to challenge the morale of the French pike and the battery on the French left D12 Vs D12+3 and D12 Vs D8. Both fail and go disordered; they are formed units (not skirmishers) so this costs each 1 MP.
16 IP to play for:
S14 Vs F2 = S 12 IP
The other flanking pike block test the two unit of crossbows facing it (2 IP) D12 Vs D6, 1 passes and the other, already disordered, is doubly disordered and routs. Artillery move card – the artillery moves up (1 IP), Uncontrolled Charge! – all three pike blocks fail their control test and, as the enemy are in reach, charge to contact (3IP).
The central pike block melees the guns D12+6 Vs D4, both guns are overrun (2 milling around cards, 4 MP).
The left wing pike block crashes into the French pike block D12+4 Vs D12 resulting in a 9 all tie – the Swiss have the higher morale rating so win by default. The French pike block goes disordered, it is already disordered, but it is a big unit so loses a stand instead (1MP).
The left hand pike block only contacts two units of disordered crossbow armed skirmishers which choose to evade (routed) rather than face annihilation.
The central pike block melees the guns D12+6 Vs D4, both guns are overrun (2 milling around cards, 4 MP).
The left wing pike block crashes into the French pike block D12+4 Vs D12 resulting in a 9 all tie – the Swiss have the higher morale rating so win by default. The French pike block goes disordered, it is already disordered, but it is a big unit so loses a stand instead (1MP).
The left hand pike block only contacts two units of disordered crossbow armed skirmishers which choose to evade (routed) rather than face annihilation.
4 IP to play for:
F9 Vs S5 = F 4 IP
F9 Vs S5 = F 4 IP
Deployment – the Black Bands of Gueldres (a block 82 Landsknecht figures) deploys out of Ziuido and forms up outside of the town – Timely. Artillery reload, Buy back 1 OC.
20 IP to play for:
F19 Vs S1 = F 18 IP - Voila!
Cavalry move in open – French move 2 router (2 IP). Bourbon’s central Gendarme unit moves into contact with the central Swiss pike block. His left wing Gendarmes wheel and move to threaten the pike block there (2 IP total for the command group). Francis advances his retinue to add to the threat to the same pike block, whilst the Gendarmes on the extreme right of his main ward advance to cover the French pike block (1 IP total for the command group). No melee takes place because that requires a melee resolution card.
Leader Check – Flourange moves to join his his Stradiots and rallies them from rout (2 IP 1 MP). Infantry move in the open – move manoeuvre two units of Gascon crossbowmen 45 degrees (2 IP) to bring them into shooting arc (2 IP). Leader Check, Heroic Moment, Move in Difficult – move four routers (3 IP).
Melee resolution – 1 mandatory IP to resolve ongoing melee between French and Swiss pike blocks – D10 Vs D12+3, unbelievably the French win causing a stand loss to the Swiss (1 MP). The French challenge the Swiss morale D8 Vs D12=3 but the Swiss pass. The French must use a further 1 IP to resolve the contact between French Gendarmerie and Swiss pike blocks. Firstly the Bourbon’s central Gendarmes D12+1 Vs D12+3 – both score a maximum 12 and as both have the same morale rating (fanatic) it goes to the initiator. The French challenge morale (1MP) but the Swiss pass.
Melee Resolution,
2 IP to play for:
F12 Vs S9 = F 2 IP
Leader Check – Flourange moves to join his his Stradiots and rallies them from rout (2 IP 1 MP). Infantry move in the open – move manoeuvre two units of Gascon crossbowmen 45 degrees (2 IP) to bring them into shooting arc (2 IP). Leader Check, Heroic Moment, Move in Difficult – move four routers (3 IP).
Melee resolution – 1 mandatory IP to resolve ongoing melee between French and Swiss pike blocks – D10 Vs D12+3, unbelievably the French win causing a stand loss to the Swiss (1 MP). The French challenge the Swiss morale D8 Vs D12=3 but the Swiss pass. The French must use a further 1 IP to resolve the contact between French Gendarmerie and Swiss pike blocks. Firstly the Bourbon’s central Gendarmes D12+1 Vs D12+3 – both score a maximum 12 and as both have the same morale rating (fanatic) it goes to the initiator. The French challenge morale (1MP) but the Swiss pass.
Melee Resolution,
2 IP to play for:
F12 Vs S9 = F 2 IP
The French must resolve the tw0 ongoing melees. French pike Vs Swiss pike D10 Vs D12+3, the French lose 2 stands (2 MP) and the Swiss challenge their morale (1 MP) and the French fail and are pushed back in disorder, they are so already so lose another stand (2 MP). The French pike block is now substantially weakened and no longer counts as a big unit. The push back pushes them into the French Gendarmes to their rear and both are disordered (2MP and a further stand loss to the pike). Bourbon’s Gendarmes and the central Swiss pike – D12 Vs D12+3, no stand loss but the French lose and not being a big unit are automatically pushed back onto the Landsknechts. The Landsknechts are disordered (1MP). The Gendarmes are doubly disordered and rout (2MP).
20 IP to play for:
F8 Vs S6 = F 2 IP
The French are losing. They must kill more Swiss so shoot the Gascon Crossbowmen into the flank and rear of the central and left Swiss pike blocks. D12 Vs D6, the one on the right takes two stand losses (2 MP).
F8 Vs S6 = F 2 IP
The French are losing. They must kill more Swiss so shoot the Gascon Crossbowmen into the flank and rear of the central and left Swiss pike blocks. D12 Vs D6, the one on the right takes two stand losses (2 MP).
18 IP to play for:
S12 Vs F10 = S 2 IP
S12 Vs F10 = S 2 IP
Infantry move in open – the right wing pike charges into Francis’ Gendarmes.
Heroic moment.
16 IP to play for:
F20 Vs S20 = tied initiative die rolls – the turn is over.
The French won 37 initiative, the Swiss won 27. The French lost 19 MP the Swiss lost 6, before the cards are shuffled for the next turn. Both sides are running low on MP so the next turn should be decisive. Can the Swiss keep up the momentum or can the French stop the onrushing pike columns.
Heroic moment.
16 IP to play for:
F20 Vs S20 = tied initiative die rolls – the turn is over.
The French won 37 initiative, the Swiss won 27. The French lost 19 MP the Swiss lost 6, before the cards are shuffled for the next turn. Both sides are running low on MP so the next turn should be decisive. Can the Swiss keep up the momentum or can the French stop the onrushing pike columns.