Pavia Refought and a close run thing

Somewhat delayed from the original date I had planned but also earlier than it might have been due to unexpected circumstances requiring our early return from India.

So, I set this game up several weeks ago, and the troops more or less survived the attention of Catzilla and Catzilla’s apprentice. The town was pretty much levelled but that was easy to fix. This was actually the first game I have run here at the Burrow since early October last year.

We played the scenario straight out of the new Helion ‘All is Lost Save Honour’ wargamer’s guide to the Italian Wars (published on 12 April). Conrad, Paul and Dave took the French and Shaun, Nigel and Neil were the Spanish. I took control of the coffee urn and was on cat patrol. We used my heavily-fiddled-with Pike and Shot rules, mainly with changes to the stats and some characteristics but with a couple extra tweaks. I also knocked off a dozen random event cards to add to the ‘fun’ together with names and images of all the main commanders. The stream was a minor obstacle deducting 3” off the move of units crossing. The marshy ground and the camps reduced movement by half. The woods were all classed as open and no obstacle to any troops except pikes, not that anyone put that to the test. 

The photos are more or less in the correct order. The Spanish had the first move.

The city of Pavia. Swiss pike under Anne de Montmorency in the background next to the camp.

A better view of Pavia.in the foreground are more Swiss and light cavalry under Robert de la Marck.

Charles de Bourbon’s landscknechts in the foreground.over the stream is the French camp, the king, the Black Band, gendarmes and French infantry.

The Spanish army. Closest to the camera is Bourbon’s command, then George von Frundsberg with yet more landsknechts, then from the Mirabello Tower and beyond lots of Spanish and Neapolitan arquebusiers and heavy cavalry.

Down the table from the city walls this time. 

Bourbons landsknechts and de la Marcks Swiss look destined to meet head on.

A huge Swiss pike block with heavy artillery and the clutter of the camp, again Montmorency’s command.

The Black Bande cross the stream to try and overwhelm the Imperial landscknechts.

Spanish shot. I fielded two large units of these, and gave them an additional d6 for their controlled fire. 

The Spanish right facing the king and his gendarmes. 

Up the table from the garden end.

French gendarmes charged a unit of arquebusiers, who caused heavy casualties and a disorder. The arquebusiers held on due to some dreadful French dice rolling, then Spanish genitors hit them in the flank, breaking them.

The Black Band and Frundsberg clash.

The disciplined volleys from the Spanish arquebusiers prevented the French from launching any more attacks.

French infantry move up to try and drive off the Spanish.

A massive melee develops on the Spanish left, with Landsknecht against Landsknecht and Landsknecht against Swiss, involving hundreds of pointy pikemen!

I don’t think anyone expected this!

Despite heavy losses and a few nervous moments the Spanish destroyed the Black Band, while the Swiss decided to pull back to form a new line.

French light cavalry drove off some Spanish Genitors who had been lurking in the woods.

The gendarmes have been forced back behind the camp, leaving their infantry to the mercy of the Spanish.

The loss of this French pike unit was the final straw for their army. With the exception of the Swiss the entire army was now shaken. As that equated to more than half of their battalia, a Spanish victory was proclaimed.

Now that was an enjoyable game. It was also very close as until the demise of the Black Band a French victory was looking to be a distinct possibility, especially as by then Bourbon’s command was broken. As it was the French reached their break point first, and suddenly, so that was the end.

I think the scenario worked quite well. Still not a big fan of P&S but in the absence, in my opinion, of anything better I shall persevere. With all the various changes I’ve made they do work well and give the feel of an Italian Wars game (folks playing the period not the rules helps too). 

It was great to have some of the Burrowers round after such a long break, and choosing to play an Italian Wars game certainly ensured a colourful day. I really do NEED two more big units of Landsknecht pike as I had to borrow two off Conrad for this game. I also really need to go through the Italian Wars lead mountain and see what else I have that can be painted or disposed of.

Might even have a game next Saturday as it’s my 67th birthday.