Medieval German vs. Milanese Condotta 12/7/08

My friend Joe and his son Jeremy have invaded the Holy Roman Empire with their army of Milanese Condottieri. Not one for diplomacy, I stand and fight.

Jeremy was home from college and his father gave him overall command for the night. Joe played the part of political commissar and "advised" his son. This was Jeremy's second, Joe's fifth, and my ninth Field of Glory battle.

Battlefield: Mostly open. There is an enclosed field in the German southwest corner, and three open fields (that will play no part in the battle) located in the eastern half of the field. We are using about 60% of the tabletop.

The Plan: I have taken a German army that is low on knights (one six stand unit) and heavy on pike. I am going to attempt to skirmish his knights in the west while crushing his pike and halberd units with my more massive infantry force.

The Milanese realize that their lightly protected halberdiers and smaller pike unit will not be able to handle the well-armored Germans and their massive pike block. They send their skirmishers forward in hopes of holding off the phalanx. They will attempt to win with their knights. At this point I am a little worried. At deployment I was counting on Joe's wargaming philosophy of charge-with-everything-it-isn't-a-wargame-unless-all-units-are-engaged approach. Jeremy is following a more cautious line. Damn him and his college education.

Jeremy is not content to simply skirmish between the lines. He throws his skirmish screen into the fight. There is a small unit of medium foot crossbow helping out on the far end of his line. To ensure victory, his general leads the charge. This is going to prove costly. The general will be tied up in this fight for most of the battle. And, although he has a general in the fight, my handgunners are wearing some armor. I realize that that the skirmish battle is going to make it impossible for the push of pike I want to occur. I don't have a ton of time, as the Milanese knights are putting pressure on my own skirmish screen to the west. My original plan in ruins, I turn to the west.

Trouble for the Milanese. His skirmishing light horse have gotten in the way of his knights. My single rank crossbow cavalry will evade his knights while my Hungarian horse archers will try to jump his crossbow light horse. Wanting his light horse out of the way, and knowing I have an 8 to 6 stand advantage, Jeremy orders his light horse to evade. Stage right, my reserve knights are moving to this side of the battlefield.

I have my own traffic problems. I put my pike in column in order to squeeze by the skirmish fight. One of Jeremy's handgun units is about to auto-break. I'm on my way to winning the skirmish battle! I hope. I'm pretty sure the Milanese pike and halberd unit won't be able to catch my mess of a phalanx in time to do it harm.

The Milanese light horse crossbow evaded short while my Hungarians pursued long! Am I a master-of-war or what? The flank is mine! MWAHAHAHA! Just gotta get my single ranked cavalry to safety. Where are those reserve knights?

One enemy handgun unit down--one to go! I'm feeling confident, but I shouldn't. My eight stand light bow unit will go from good order to fragmented in one bad turn. A four-stand unit of Milanese medium foot crossbow have arrived on the scene to help out their skirmish line. Unfortunately for them, a four-stand unit of armored German halberdiers are about to arrive as well. It gets ugly fast.

The sole unit of German mercenary knights has arrived from reserve, covering the withdrawal of the cavalry. The Hungarians, having chased the crossbowmen off the table, turned on, and routed the stradiots. They are now behind one unit of Milanese knights. The other unit of Milanese knights charged, and did serious harm to, a unit of halberdiers. The halberdiers hang on long enough for the lead pikemen to come to their aid. The halberdiers quickly fall apart, but the pike manhandle the knights in return.

We call the battle due to time. Victory to the Holy Roman Empire.

Milanese Losses:

Light horse crossbow fragmented and chased off table by Hungarians.

Light horse stradiots routed by Hungarians.

Light foot handgunners auto-broken by losses from protected light foot handgunners and some light foot archers.

Medium foot crossbow broken by heavy foot armored halberdiers.

Knights in serious trouble against pike.

Knights about to fight knights to their front and Hungarians to their rear.

German Losses:

Light foot bow fragmented by light foot handgunners. Will break in another turn.

Heavy foot armored halberdiers fragmented by knights. Will break in another turn.

If battle continued and the Milanese knights could hold out, a second unit of German halberdiers, and the flank of the German phalanx would have been in trouble.

My comments:

This army has always been one of my sentimental favorites. It was my first Medieval, and the first army I thought I did a decent paint job on. Unfortunately it was a real dog in DBM. I think it is a much better army under Field of Glory. What do I like about it?

1) Crossbow cavalry with armor and sword. Not afraid to play smashmouth when they have to. Can skirmish in single rank or double up to cover flanks.

2) Protected handgunners. That little bit of armor can put fear into other shooty light foot.

3) Pike. My favorite troop type. Nothing like a beefy phalanx.

4) Armored halberdiers. I took 2x4 to extend the phalanx.

5) Eight stands of Hungarian light horse. I wouldn't play this army without them. Just enough skirmish power (especially when supported by the crossbow cavalry).

I'll definitely use this list again.

The Grand Master's Comments:

Son, you SUCK! How many games did you say Jeremy has played? What was that? I couldn't hear you. TWO!That brilliant maneuver... the one where your Hungarians routed the Milanese light horse. PURE LUCK! He evaded short and you pursued long. How is that talent?And his stradiots. Remind me what they rolled on their cohesion test. Was that a two? And that Milanese traffic jam. Rookie mistake. You think they'll repeat that one? It held up their entire offensive for two turns. Give them those two turns back and you are in serious trouble. Hell, he trumped your entire battle plan in the first turn when he didn't rush to throw himself on your phalanx. By the way, nice move putting your general with the pike instead of with the light foot. Idiot. If they'd been with the light foot you would have bought yourself five more inches of maneuver room.

"Ooh, I'll definitely use this list again." Chump.