Photos of Indian Renaissance/18th century troops

 Irregular Indian (or Turkish) artillery which comes on the base to which I have added wheels and Baccus oxen

These are the H&R Roman archers with the crests removed and the helmets painted as turbans. 

These are the H&R Crusade Saracen cavalry; turbaned with lancers and archers. 

Irregular rocketeers with camels. 

H&R Colonial Ansar infantry in turbans & H&R Crusade Saracen infantry with bow and spear. 

Irregular 's Armoured Mughal Elephants with a Jezzail armed Elephant in support. As I emailed the other codes that Irregular do from their ancients range are also suitable like the Macedonian pike armed versions

Irregular's Elephant limber with fuel wagon in support!

H&R Gallic cavalry (with Renaissance Pancerni commander) serving as heavy or noble cavalry. 

H&R ECW Scots musketeers serving as arquebus or matchlock men. They are protected against bow fire behind Irregular pavises - which would also be used by the foot archers. 

Some of Irregular's Indian baggage. 

Irregular Indian Commanders. 

More Irregular baggage and a an Irregular Commander on a litter or doolie? - He has to be a D4!

Flodden Battlefield

Whilst we were away in the first week of May we visited Flodden which to my surprise was only 20 minutes away from our cottage in Northumbria.


Here's some photos of the battlefield.

The English main battle line would have been stood here looking up the ridge line

Branxton Church and Village

Flodden hill is to the left above the tree line

I took this standing the "ditch" which the Scots Pike walked into. This was a slaughter ground.

You can see that the slope of the hill is actually quite steep. Makes you wonder why the Scot's came down to fight and die.....

Rule Amendments for Renaissance Operational Games.

Some rules amendments for Saturday's operational game.


Line of supply for both armies is from their baggage train or the city on 3A and 3B.

The besieger has x8 bases of supply permanently positioned as one of the objective points on 3A.

The relieving army has x4 bases of supply in wagons that must be attached to one of the commands.

The City also counts as a line of supply by whoever occupies it.

Loss of baggage or being out of supply results in a unit suffering a shift left for firing, melee and a -1 for morale.

Any command out of supply will drop down a level of aggression for orders e.g. attack becomes engage.  This is cumulative.  So, for each command in the army that is less than 50% strength then this drops the aggression level of the army by one level.  As does the loss of the CinC.  Thus Attack is the highest level of aggression, then Engage, then hold then Retire.  Any individual command on less than 50% can only be on Hold as the highest level of aggression.

It takes one unit, one turn to destroy a baggage unit and then it is shaken.

Movement is allowed between 3A and 3B by whoever occupies the city.

Movement is double across uncontested tables.

Hidden movement boards are used for commands that have not been spotted.

Table 3A has on objective point for the besiegers baggage, the open ground outside the city walls and the city walls.  The besieger may have any units that begin on table 3A behind earth works.  The besieged army initially holds the city walls.

Table 3B has an objective point for the outer fortifications, the bridge and the inner city walls.  All these points are initially held by the besieged army.

The rivers on Tables 2A and 2B both have bridges across them.

The relieving army can decide to deploy as many units as it likes within the city walls, the remaining troops will enter on any of Tables 1A,B,C or D.  The besieging army holds all the remaining points on the other tables and deploys accordingly once the amount of units in the garrison has been decided.

The armies will be Venice as besieging army and the Italian League as army of relief and garrison.  They will be their full army lists plus one extra D6 commander and x8 points of additional reinforcements. Reinforcements can be placed in any command.  Both armies get x1 dummy movement board.

Reinforcements can be picked from the German States, the Italian States or the Swiss Mercenaries.  Swiss Pike will not fight other Swiss Pike.  Swiss Pike will ignore all orders and attack Landsknechts if visible within 16".

Hopefully I've covered everything!

Retire Orders in PoW Renaissance.

As we are going to delve into the Italian Wars for our next operational outing on the 4th November I need to write up a fuller version of the "Retire" orders for the Renaissance PoW rules.

At present retire orders are simply, "All units except skirmishers must retire at a minimum of speed 2" towards or away from their ordered destination. (The Italics is my replacement for the movement arrow.)

As it stands,  at least half the units in a command must obey the order.  So if half your command is non-skirmish and the other half is skirmish then that's an easy option of retiring with all your non-skirmishers and fending off the enemy with your skirmishers?

Or can it be interpreted that if you retire with half your non-skirmishers you are complying with your orders as the half of the non-skirmishing units AND ALL the skirmishing units (which are fully complying with the retire orders!) fend off the enemy?

Or half of all your units regardless of whether they are non-skirmishing or skirmishing must retire - in which case the skirmisher option is being ignored?

Personally I prefer the second option as this gives light formations a great deal of flexibility.  In an operational game it also makes this formation well placed to hold and react to enemy advances on the first tables.  Detached units can have conditional orders to retire against the nearest enemy unit, allowing them to skirmish and slow down attacking forces but have the option of using their superior evades to fall back against overwhelming numbers.

We never use retire orders in a standard battle as there is seldom the room to make it relevant.  The operational game will make the "affairs of the lights" or the "petit guerre" far more relevant.  Let me know what you think.

Renaissance Battle - Burgundy v France

Over the weekend Mark and I managed to dust down the Renaissance PoW rules and get out the French and Burgundian armies.  Prior to Charles the Bolds defeat and death by the Swiss, Burgundy's principle foe was France with whom it sought to dominate the lowlands, Alsace, Lorraine and Burgundy.  Luckily for France, Burgundy's utter defeat and collapse at the hands of the Swiss left a power vacuum on its borders which it filled with the help of the Holy Roman Empire. 

Historically, the Burgundians should be a match for the French.  Whenever, the English campaigned on the continent they always needed Burgundian men at arms to match the French.  The Burgundians also led Europe in the development of artillery and in the establishment of a combined arms standing army.  

The French emerged victorious from the Hundred Years War through the establishment of heavy artillery that took every English stronghold except Calais.  It was also used effectively on the battlefield mowing down assaults by previously irresistible dismounted men at arms.  The French heavy cavalry remained  the finest in Western Europe and was composed with the cream of French society.  However, the infantry was weak and was some years behind the developments led by Burgundy.

We both struggle to determine each other's real deployment.  My French are on the left and Mark is on the right.

The generally open battlefield benefitted us both but where do we put our main effort?  Mark has put 25 points on each of the hills nearest the viewer.  He was relying on a firm push ahead of his baggage to secure victory.  I had opted for a defensive 25 points on the central steep hill and a further 25 points on the far town.  We had 13 turns to secure a victory but both of us were wary of committing an attack until we knew the others intentions.  We wasted the first six turns trying to spot each other!

My artillery offers only desultory support as my infantry move against the all arms force in the distance.  Off to my far left and beyond the woods my skirmishing bow lure Mark's troops towards me.  However, they are soon wiped out by the first rolled "20" of the day.

At last I felt I had enough information to force the issue.  My main infantry command was anchored on the left flank guarding the town and utilising the difficult ground.  I had attached a Gens d'armes and a retainer unit to this flank to give it some punch.  My two other cavalry commands were behind the steep hill under my CinC and on top of the right flank hill.  Mark had a weak combined arms force opposite the town and I decided to push against it and see whether this would prompt a response.

My CinC (cavalry in the bottom right) charges forward in support of my left flank which is already in combat around the village.  My Gens d'armes have already pushed the Burgundian men at arms back towards the table edge.

Mark still stuck to his wait and see plan.  He moved a little further forward to better engage my left flank and as a result was further away from any support that could be got from his slow central infantry command and his far away left flank cavalry.  My CinC slowly (it took 2 turns!) changed his orders and charged off in support of my infantry in the hope of smashing Mark's right flank and uncovering his centre.  However, they were not needed.  My left flank efficiently overwhelmed their opposite numbers and my CinC was able to change his orders from a position that uncovered the flank of the Burgundian infantry.

The Burgundian artillery has already routed and a unit of Gens d'armes and retainers is munching through  a lone unit of archers.  Mark's CinC is attached to the archers in a vain attempt to shore up this flank.  For fun I have charged the pike block with a spare unit of Gens d'armes - ouch!

We had reached the final two turns of the game by this point.  Mark had skirmished ahead of my right flank in the hope of forcing my elite Gens d'armes off their high ground.  However, this suited me as his remaining army were pinned watching my right flank as my CinC smashed into archers and artillery in the centre uncovering the Burgundian baggage.

Just to see how good the Burgundian pike was I charged into a block of three - I was minced!

The Burgundians are a good army but difficult to wield.  The generals are all D6 which is OK and it has all troop types but not an overwhelming superiority in one particular type.  Mark allowed himself to be picked off in detail without challenging me in the one troop type in which he did have a decided superiority - his pike!  Until I saw an opportunity I was not willing to risk my army against this all round force.

As a result of this game we think this period would be ideal for our first operational game outside of the twentieth century.  Once we have fully developed the ideas we will discuss further.

Renaissance Battles Italian league V Venetians

Never put your pike block on the flank as it will never get anywhere

Venetian baggage and defensive line

Damn stradiots

Venetian cavalry munching thru condottieri

Game ends 1/0 Venice

game No2

Italian league pike block was flanked and rolled up

2/0 Venice

cheers Ian

The Fall Of The Swiss!

It had to happen some time and that time was today!

Ian's French army clinched a rather strange victory against my Swiss POWR army.

It was a rather subtle and strange victory which came about as a result of me losing my baggage which dropped my army aggression to "engage" and some wichery that seemed to come from no where!


We rolled terrain for the mountains of Italy and I lost the initiative so would arrange the terrain pieces to suit. Not sure I did a sterling job but it was what it was and Ian took what was the best defensive side of the table.

My baggage was left out in the middle of the table so had "come and get me" written all over it.

Ian rolled a 20 x3 so his baggage was 60" in from the right and placed conveniently in the corner snug away in some high mountain terrain.

I had to deploy first and in all honesty I struggled to come up with a workable plan. The terrain was such it hindered my strategy so I decided to go with the standard Swiss army and left my normal "Milanese option" in the box.

With 12 pike units and 4 at 16 strength I knew I had plenty of punch. Ian deployed what was to be his main attack on the left using Gendermes and light crossbow / melee troops.

He was on me pretty quick and I had to send new orders out to react in time.

I think he took my baggage by turn 3!

I could live with that and knew that I just had to crush him on the field of battle.

Over on the right the French guns deployed perfectly and played a role in softening up some of my pike.


Ian also used his mounted crossbow very well and we both thought that these units had been most effective against the pike!

His impetuous cavalry burst through his own lines and charged my pike - the result was not good for the French. I think in the first round it was 7-1 in casualties followed by a repeat in round 2.

In one round I inflicted 10-0 and was on the 145 table. Yes the Swiss are that good!


By lunch time the french had lost 4 units out of one command and it was looking like a depressing repeat of the last 5 Swiss victories.

However as per the norm in POW the game never seems to be over even when you think it truly is.....


Ian had a unit of retainers which he slammed into one of my flanks that was already shaken.

A trick he has used many times before but with stronger Gendermes to little effect.


This time I rolled bad and routed!

Another pike unit failed it's morale as a result of the first rout and ran off.

All of a sudden I was 2 pike units down out of one command and due to the loss of my baggage dropped to On hold.

The finale blow was dealt (Ian had managed to wound 2 of my commanders with lucky * results) on turn 9 when I charged Ian's super unit of retainers in the rear with one pike and in the front with 2 and whopped 9 casualties leaving Ian with 1 strength.

Needless to say he routed but miraculously he rolled another star result and then went on to roll a 6 to kill the Swiss C in C.


Victory had been won and the Swiss although hardly touched retired from the battlefield.

The French had won the day by taking the Swiss baggage and killing the C in C.



You will take your wins however they come!

I can't say I felt cheated because Ian gambled big time by sending in a single command against all 3 of my Pike commands and did pay the price but managed to get a cheeky win, fair play!

If it had not gone this way I think the French army would of been on the receiving end of a drubbing
as there was not a great deal of stuff that could of took care of what Pike I had left.

A splendid result for the French and well earned.

As usual the rules gave us a great game and I am looking forward to another one soon!


Back to Switzerland to sharpen those pikes,.........


s

Switzerland 6 The rest of the world 0

It was time once again to summon the armies or the Swiss and French in a bitter conflict over at Ian's house today for a POW renaissance game.



The stakes were high, the Swiss came into this being unbeaten after their last five battles only narrowly victors in the previous encounter and coming a close second against Mark's Burgundian army. Could Ian and the French finally stop the "machine"?



We rolled and the French where on the attack so I got to place the terrain....


I was careful to ensure that whatever side the French decided to come on from I would not be at a loss. I had 5 ft of stream to play with and some woods plus a few areas of fields and a BUA.



Ian elected to attack from the North table side which suited me fine. Before we wrote orders and I deployed my army it was time to decide if I was going with the Milanese option. I dropped this in favour of a full Swiss army of pike split into 3 commands.



Here is the first turn about to commence..... My C in C has the centre command whilst on the left & right I chose to attach my commanders to pike units.....

Ian and the French make their first moves..... I made mine and had written attack orders to take the hill with my left and centre commands, whilst the right was to take the crossroads.

I quickly sent an order change to this command and sent them off to attack Ian's main command by the woods...

On to the next turn..... Ian has managed to take the hill and you can see that a unit of retainers has charged my 2 pike units. This was a compulsary move as the cavalry are class 4 hand combat troops so behave like elite units and have to charge unless you spend 2 pips to hold them.

The retainers take a kicking against 3 pike units and suffer 6 casualties. they retire shaken.

Over on the hill on turn 3 Ian sends in his Gendarmes but they end up shaken. The elite French units had to charge and this was not working out well as the Swiss literally munched through them causing horrendous casualties whilst not taking much damage themselves.

This pike unit pursued forward and I knew that in the next turn would be attacked on all fronts.

The downside of Elite troops would shortly be my nemesis!

Over in the centre I was very quick to close on Ian's command and he was unable to bring his heavy guns into play quick enough. I knew I would get in but would have to take a volley of grapeshot on the way in.....

Ian's weakest command and I knew it which is why I pressed for the attack. The woods proved impassible to cavalry so I had a good anchor point to work on with this command.

Over on the left Ian get's mobile with his cavalry. My pike are vulnerable when shaken on the flank.

Ian was keen to exploit anything he could at this stage as several French units had retired with heavy losses. The Swiss looked menacing at this stage and we decided to break for lunch at this point.

Back after the break...... Principles of war has an uncanny knack of slapping you in the face. I have this theory that in most games, winning or losing at some stage of the battle the demons rise up and play havoc causing chaos on the table.


Before we had lunch this battle was looking like a walk over for the Swiss. Ian was in a very bad position because he was only able to attack piece meal which we know from experience against he Swiss is fatal and it showed. I was hitting with 5- 6 casualties per melee V 1 or 2 back. The pike had started to dominate like never before and it became scary. Ian kept his head up and played on even though the French had lost two units already by now.






As a general would do Ian took his chances after lunch, hats off.


He attacked where he could, things were desperate now, this was looking like a walkover for the Swiss but with some luck and well timed opportunist attacks Ian hit a winning streak

Flank attack after flank attack came in and I failed morale test after morale test, needing only to roll less than 17 and 18 on the D20 but failing by 1!

The pike are ordinary in these circumstances and by turn 6 I had lost 4 pike units in succession.

What a come back by Ian! He had managed to even things out with 4 units each lost.

Our armies had suffered that much that we both were now on hold due to lost units. It would now be a matter of resolve, brilliant generalship and skill to win this battle....

Ian threw everything he had at me and at one point had sandwiched my C in C between two cavalry units. I needed to roll less than 5 to survive. I rolled a 4! The French would of won here as my C in C was attached to the unit and would of surrendered to the French causing an instant victory.

My dice saved me when really Ian should of won.

Ian also had 6 chances to kill either my generals / C in C but never managed to roll higher than 3 on the D6 each time. I can't believe how I got off with this, shocking stuff!






We reached turn 9 out of 18 and somehow I managed to get in another counter attack which saw off another unit of Gendarmes. Over in the centre I lost my general and the pike unit he was with but it was not enough and the French main command started to melt away quickly.


At the end of the turn Ian declared that his army was now on retreat from the table after a crushing round of combat.


The day was done and the Swiss stole victory once again from Ian's French army.



This was a great game and could of easily gone in favour of the French. Ian was on a roll after lunch and I was deeply worried that a combination of great play by Ian and some shit dice rolling by me would spell the end and the first loss for my Swiss army.



It never happened in the end and the Swiss claimed their 6th consecutive win.

The battle was a real boxing match with both sides dealing brutal blows to each other.

Ian's heavy guns performed poorly and I do wonder if this was a factor in my victory.

The Swiss move so fast they are on you before you know it. I was on the attack from go 1 as it's my go to tactic with this army. Get them in fast and make it count....



Another POW roller-coaster ride with massive swings on each side during the battle.


The game was played in good spirit and in good company which is what it' all about.


We both enjoyed the game, the outcome was second guest.

Thanks Ian.


Who is next for the Swiss to take on?