David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Monday 4 June 2018

Crossing the Po

For the second week on the trot Phil kindly agreed to come over to GHQ so we could have a game as I continue my rehabilitation by getting back into normal activities as much as I can. I suggested combining our completed Italian Wars bases and trying out Neil Thomas’s Renaissance rules to see what changes we might like to make. We managed to make armies of thirteen units a side by combining our bases. Each side had an objective to seize in addition to trying to destroy the enemy army. The Florentines had to seize the farm in the Papal deployment area, while the Papal army had to seize the bridge over the Po in the Florentine deployment zone. The pictures will I hope capture the colour and drama of the unfolding action in a battle which went right down to the wire ~
The Florentine army deploys mostly to the right of the Po river bridge. The
bridge is defended by a unit of mounted crossbows and a (very) large gun!

The Elmetti of the Papal army, supported by a unit of Halberdiers and another
of swordsmen, seize the high ground on the left. The artillery covers the 
approach to the farm. On the army's right the main force is focused on the 
objective of the bridge over the Po.

































The Elmetti dominate the Florentine's right flank, supported by the swordsmen
and Halberdiers. The right flank advances with determination to seize the
bridge.

The Florentine Gendarmes are strangely inactive as the rest of their army
advances steadily against the Borgia foe.










































Screened from the enemy by units of crossbows and handguns the pike and
spearmen advance steadily towards the enemy.

With the Florentine Gendarmes still inactive, the swordsmen and the
Halberdiers close on the Florentine shot.


































In the distance the Papal army moves against the bridge,while in the
foreground the battle rages for the centre.

Having seen off the Florentine shot, the swordsmen rashly engage the still
stationary Gendarmes, supported by a unit of Elmetti!










































The Florentine and Landsknecht pike finally get to grips with the enemy,
while in the distance a unit of Borgia handgunners advances on the bridge.

The push of pike takes centre stage now, but the Halberdiers take the 
Florentines in the flank to swing the outcome. More Borgia units move on the
bridge on the right.





























At last the Florentine Gendarmes engage the Elmetti! The outcome was
largely underwhelming for Phil's cause I have to say.

In the final moments of the battle the Florentine pike and their Landsknecht
allies are destroyed and the Florentine army is broken. The bridge is firmly
in the hands of the Papal army, resulting in a victory for the Borgia cause!









































The game lasted about three hours, punctuated by lunch, and demonstrated to our satisfaction that Neil Thomas's Renaissance rules would suit us well, although we already have made the first adjustments and additions to the basics. The colour and spectacle of the armies on the tabletop battlefield have inspired us to press on with the project. Next week though we plan a return to the C5th struggle for the Roman Empire between Pompus Maximus and Baldinus.

28 comments:

  1. Stunning looking game. What have you done to tweak Neil’s rules? I do have to say I like the basing you’ve both chosen.

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    Replies
    1. It does look decent doesn’t it? The rules are a mix of his Medieval and Renaissance sets into which we ( mostly Phil) will inject our own ideas as we did for PMaxImp and Baldinus. It’s early days yet, so very much a work in progress.

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  2. What a pleasure to look at such splendid and colored figures, great pictures!

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    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed viewing our efforts.

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  3. Scimus tu es Deus solus;
    recognoscimus nos tibi perpetim regem.
    Auxilium invocaverimus te.
    A te victoria accipimus,
    in te inimicos nostros major facta sunt.

    Occasione autem accepta per tuam gratiam nunc beneficia
    Te spero futurum.
    Cunctis nos, quaesumus, quæsumus
    Bickley seruare
    et pie filios nostros et salvos victoresque in finem dierum.

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    Replies
    1. Interesting!
      Google translate didn’t do it justice I suspect...

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  4. A grand spectacle indeed for the first action, although a shame the evil Borgia's won out over the civic minded Medici :)

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    Replies
    1. You seem to have been drawn in by the Medici spin there...

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    2. I was enthralled by Florence, less so Rome but I am prepared to give the Eternal City a second chance at some point, not best pleased with Naples and the south.

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  5. A very pleasing prospect of a game. The Pike blocks look convincing. Should I ever decide to paint another landsknecht I think the NT rules have my vote.

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    Replies
    1. The rules do the job for us in the early periods.

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  6. A fine first run out, they do look very pretty don,t they.

    Rules suitably tinkered with/corrected ready for the next outing, we did say all troops of the Borgias should be a minus 1 for everything didn’t we?

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    1. Shades of your ECW rules there!

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    2. Would the Medici sink so low?

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    3. Certainly, it is C15th Italy after all....🗡🍷

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  7. I never would have thought of using the bases you chose David. They work really well.

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  8. A lovely looking game David...
    I’ve always liked slightly stylistic games and yours works a treat... the painting,the basing and the terrain...

    And brought together so fast... nice one

    All the best. Aly

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    Replies
    1. There are two bases left in my half, both Landsknechts!

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  9. Lovely looking troops and basing,no doubt the Borgia's won with underhand tactics!
    Best Iain

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    Replies
    1. Underhand, moi? Would you like some wine...?

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  10. Cracking looking eye candy 👍

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  11. What a lovely looking game David and those are some interesting bases as well they give the units a more natural look.

    Christopher

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    1. Basing seems to be stuck in the 1970s to me, as is the fixation on figure to man ratio. Our development of NT’s rules has allowed us to get away from both.

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  12. Yes great looking game and a colourful period. 😀 I think I need to give those bases further consideration.

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    Replies
    1. I shall expect royalties if you borrow my idea...😉

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  13. This comment has been removed by the author.

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