Last night we let Nemours and Cordoba have at it at Cerignola. The battle was closer than some previous re-fights. Although the battle is not over, I shall do a short report at this point.The French begin their advance. The Swiss, subjected to early artillery fire are tardy - they were 'vexed' (disordered, etc.) and will move at half speed until rallied.Peter J., in white, is moving D'Alegre's off table rearguard.Graham H. helps d'Alegre out from under his elbows - Graham does not like the smell of French garlic (Spanish is fine) - and this was the fastest he moved all night (Graham that is).D'Ars orders his cavalry across the ditch. The Italian arquebusier are forced back.The French infantry and Swiss pike reach the ditch.For this re-fight we deployed the French skirmishers in deep formation blocks, side by side . They will go into multiple lines for the Triples demo.The Spanish shot flies thick and fast.Peter J. knows that this is his moment. Graham, unperturbed, looks on. Turn 1 is almost over.D' Alegre's light cavalry arrives, but his heavy horse (in the backgound) is still some way off). It's turn two.The orange paper on the road, under the stradiotti, is an arrow showing 'relative entry' point.The Swiss force the breastwork.But after a bitter fight, the Landsknechts, supported by volleys of Spanish arquebus, force them back - the Swiss, who started at 14 UI are at 0 UI: They've shot their bolt. Then again, they might be rallied.D'Ars is also making progress.D'Alegre's stradiotti come to grips on the extreme left. Gespard de Coligny de Chatillon, commander of the French infantry, is dead. We will examine his body after the battle: Was it Spanish ball or French bolt?D'Ars is counter attacked by Frabricio Colonna's Italian heavy cavalry and is forced back. It looks like Colonna is planning a left hook.D'Alegre has other ideas, four fresh units of French Gendarmes are heading for the crumbling French right.We are almost at the end of turn 2 (a turn ended half way through on an equal initiative roll and is not included in the turn count). We have been playing for going on for under 3 hours but, it already looks like another Spanish victory.
This last week I have based up the newly painted figures (102 infantry, 40 cavalry). I have also taken a break from painting (my own, but not client's) figures to paint up the two buildings in my spare time. They are a stable, and a balconied residential block. I also took the the opportunity to make a long, free standing, high, wall which now forms part of Cerignola - you can see it in some shots in front of the second pictured building - see the 'D'Ars is counterattacked' shot.
