On a fine February afternoon the Friends met to play a couple of good old favourites – comfort gaming you could call it!
28mm Italian Wars – Battle of Ravenna 1512 – Warlord Games Pike & Shotte
The French and allies were pitted against the Spanish and allies, behind fortifications, in this classic Italian Wars refight.
The French commander, Gaston de Foix, arrived to see the Spanish and their Italian allies dug-in behind a defensive ditch. He had a trick up his sleeve as, unknown to the Spanish, he had an artillery position set up overlooking the Spanish left flank.
The French gendarmes attacked on their right wing while their pike in the centre and the gendarmes and lighter cavalry of the left moved forward more cautiously. The French attack on their right saw the proud French Gendarmes, supported by some plucky Italian pike, smash through the opposing Spanish cavalry whose defeat caused panic through the remaining Spanish left flank who also fled the field.
In the centre French pike blocks continued to move forward while on the French left a game of cat and mouse ensued. For the rest of the game every time the French Gendarmes charged the Spanish lights successfully evaded them.
However, with the French victorious Gendarmes sweeping around behind the earthworks on the right flank it was just a matter of time. They soon rolled up Spanish artillery and a disordered pike block for no loss. A brave rearguard by the Spanish commander, turning his remaining pike to face-off against the gendarmes, was in vain. This allowed the French Landsknecht pike to finally cross the earth works and the Spanish will was broken.
The game featured a classic Blunder-Comedy moment. Some French crossbows were commanded forward to lend support to a pike block. The French rolled a blunder and a resulting charge saw the light crossbow unit clatter into an enemy pike block – ouch! Predictably the crossbows lost the fight and routed. The panic of the rout spread to a nearby unit of French Gendarmes and the French commander was horrified to see the cream of French nobility leaving the field with their tails between their legs. Sacre-bleu!
28mm Napoleonic Peninsula – Perry Miniatures Valor & Fortitude
More classic wargaming action saw a French force attacking a British force with Portuguese allies. Unfortunately it had been sometime since V&F had a run out at club and the players were all a bit rusty with the rules. After a few strong cups of Yorkshire Tea (and biscuits!) things were coming back to mind. By the end of the game we had remembered why we liked the rules.
The French sent a strong force of two brigades of infantry, supported a brigade of dragoons, against the British left that was held by a brigade of Portuguese. The French then attempted to demonstrate against the centre and British right. The French advanced into withering, heavy fire and the French left and centre were easily held off. The main French attack on their right made some good progress with the KGL hussars who were sent in to support the Portugueses being seen off with short shrift by the French dragoons. The plucky Portuguese buckled but did not break, and were able to pull back in good order. Sadly darkness (and lack of tea!) meant the game came to an end before a full decision had been made.
