Casting an eye over collections which have not seen much tabletop battlefield action recently I lighted on the early Italian Wars. Discussion with Phil lead to a joint decision to give our small armies a run out. The table as it appeared in the calm before battle was joined~
As a change we would play corner to corner, the Papal army deploying top left as you look into the picture, the Florentine army deploying bottom right. The rules would be Hail Caesar Mk2 and the game length set at twelve turns. I won the Initiative roll and so the Papal army got first move...
...under the watchful eye of Pope Alexander VI, Borgia, enjoying a relaxing summer break in one of his many palazzo.
The Papal army deploys for battle: Condottieri on the right; pike blocks in the centre; shotte on the left.
The Florentines emerge from their camp and deploy for action: Condottieri on their right; pike blocks supported by halbadiers and shotte in the centre and on the right. Let battle be joined!
The Condottieri of the Papal army surge forward on the army's right flank seeking to take the fight to the enemy. The foot on the left flank also advances enthusiastically, more than can be said for their fellows in the centre!
Already there is a dangerous gap opened up in the centre of the Papal army as you can clearly see from behind their position.
Fortunately the Florentine response is piecemeal and lacks urgency. Turn 2 may help the Papal army stabilise its position?
Florentine mounted crossbowmen take up position on their army's far left flank. Their fire, though not devastating, will come to be important as the battle unfolds.
Already though the Papal mounted crossbowmen have taken a casualty from their Florentine opponents first volley of bolts.
The Florentine advance, though steady, has been better coordinated bringing its various divisions into action in a more effective manner.
The arquebusiers on the Florentine right, supported by crossbowmen, have quickly inflicted casualties on the hesitant Papal halbadiers!
The centre division of the Papal army is moving very slowly forward making coordination with the left and right divisions difficult. Their light artillery is finding it hard to get into an effective firing position.
The Condottieri of both armies are now in action with charge and countercharge resulting in losses for the Papal knights.
The victorious Florentine Condottieri follow up their victory inflicting serious losses on their Papal opponents!
Even the arrival of their leader and his entourage cannot swing the combat back in favour of the Papal Condottieri!
They are swept away by the victorious Florentines along with their leader. The ensuing confusion while a new commander takes charge hands the initiative on that flank to the enemy!
In the centre the first push of pike develops as the Papal army tries to force the issue before its right flank is overwhelmed!
The attack lacks coordination though and heavy casualties result from the combat. Morale wavers, then breaks - two 1's, I ask you!
The mercenary arquebusiers are too late to sway the issue, pretty much the unfolding trend for the Borgias!
It is not all doom and gloom though for the Papal right division as the remaining Condottieri score a needed victory over the tiring Florentine Condottieri to buy time for the remaining pike blocks to turn the battle in the Borgias' favour.
It is all too little and too late! A disastrous defeat for the remaining pike block sees the morale of the Papal army plummet!
The Florentines have carried the day thanks to the steady and coordinated action of all their divisions, contrasting with the piecemeal actions of the Papal army cursed once more by those fickle 'dice gods'!
Just time for the victorious commander to get his latest portrait finished too!
