Another week another battle.

 I had a game in the diary with Julian, we returned at last to the Italian Wars, as usual I was running about like a blue ****** fly juggling maps, real life and games. Handily I was working on Helion's book on wargaming the period and settled on the Battle of Novarra, for no other reason than it looked an easy set up. I don't have all the information on the scenarios, only the maps but Colin Ashton, co-author, kindly sent me his information on the battle and this helped me set something up for a game, this is my interpretation until the book is published.

Basically the French are surprised by the Swiss attack, to replicate this I (the French) could not move for two turns as my men were running around donning armour and finishing off a cordon bleu meal. Julian simply came on in typical Swiss style, although I was outnumberd in infantry I was hoping my cavalry could hold my left flank and maybe secure it, my right I held back waiting.

The Swiss.

The French right.

The French left.

Swiss left, French right.

The Milanese came on at a pace way before I could move my heavy cavalry over to intercept them, the French heavies start in a very awkward position. My mounted crossbows were hit and dispersed while the Stradiots managed to evade and keep clear of the armoured horse while throwing useless javelins at the pike block. On the right my crossbows were equally useless as the Swiss pike blocks got ever nearer my lines. The largest pike block now hit two units of Landsknechts and a murderous combat ensued, my smaller block was pushed back but the other held, at one point I came so close to pushing the Swiss back only to be ruined by some fiendishly lucky dice thrown by Julian, again! Another enemy block now hit my remaining Landsknechts, these boys fought like Trojans and came so close to winning I shook my head in despair as the clockmakers rallied and turned the tide on me.

Trecate village.

Both sides advance on my left.

Ditto on the right.

Shoot guys, shoot.

Meanwhile on the left I had managed to ride down the annoying Swiss crossbowmen and was now about to go for their artillery. The Milanese had given up trying to catch the lighter horsemen and turned towards my approaching Gendarmes, I was looking for a win here as my fresh horse thundered in, it was not to be and the melee rocked back and forth until both sides broke while their leaders who had been in the front rank fled the scene. This left me one Gendarme unit to throw at the Swiss in the field, in they went and duly bounced off, I was gutted, surrounded by light cavalry and flanked by heavies the Swiss laughed in my face and stood like statues. To make matters worse my Landsknechts now gave up the fight and also fled, just as in the real battle the French had been routed so I handed over my sword.

Push of pike.

 

Clash of heavy cavalry.

 

It's all over.

 

A sad end.

If you peruse the photgraphs you will see most of the Swiss pike blocks received heavy casualties but Julian pulled it out of the hat time and again while I didn't, in wargame speak he rolled 5's and 6's while I managed 1's and 2's. Nevertheless it is an interesting battle and the gods teased me twice in the infantry melee only to snatch my good fortune away again. I had a couple of thoughts on the rules, it is difficult to get your head around the fact that a pike block is almost impervious to cavalry, probably right but annoying nevertheless. They were subject to several morale checks due to shooting but Julian sailed through them. Fatigued troops, having just charged for instance, have no penalties to their fighting ability, I am going to amend this. Another good game though and always a pleasure to fight Julian.

I did go to the club this week, twice. Because being an old sod I forgot the dials required to play X-Wing and had to go back home to get them, speeding along the M6 like I was at Brand's Hatch (remember that). Jimi and I need to read the rules before arranging a game, I was at my usual and winging it hoping nothing untoward turned up, but of course it did. We still managed to get a draw with two kills each although there was no way what I had left could take down the Milenium Falcon. It doesn't help that the owners of the game basically turned it loose last year and now only the fan base are left to play.

Not much on the painting table this week, but I did manage to finish two bolt shooters, so that is four units of the new army ready. I also got another package from A&A, these will be an auxilliary infantry cohort, Roman horse archers and Clibinarii, probably mentioned this before. I have managed to clean and prime the vexillation from IIII Flavia Felix despite the cold, I now use the wife's old hairdryer to help the process, this works a treat as it was Harry Freezers today.

I put on the second season of SAS Rogue Heroes during the week, I set a record as I made it through at least 10 minutes. OK, I get it it is not historical but basing your whole knowledge of WWII on Captain Hurricane and Maggot Malone from the Valiant is a bit over the top for me, they'll be grabbing Stuka's out of the air next. I shudder to think how they will ruin the upcoming 1066 saga, after all it is the BBC.

 Parthian Shot: I cannot remember when I joined the Navy in 1968, 8th October 1000 hrs, there being a Gender and Sexuality Network branch like there is today, head honcho a marine corporal no less. The service now imitates the old Swoppets figurines, remember changing the bodies? In the Navy now officers must wear proper jackets with markings but from the waist down they can wear any national dress they can lay claim to e.g. sari's, kilts, kaftans, kimono's etc. Why should Britain tremble.