Pike & Shotte: Pavia

Sunday School at Barrie's


Pavia Scenario from the Pike & Shotte book
Imperialists: Jim, Barrie, Dillon
French: Mark, Richard

The pics are all taken from behind the Imperialist line.  The Imperialists advanced their left with de Alvales' arqubusiers in front of von Frundsberg's Landschnecks.  On their right del Vaste occupied the village that was the French HQ with his infantry supported by his cavalry.  The other two divisions, cavalry & infantry took a while to get over the river.

The French sent their cavalry right across the front of the Imperialist advance and began moving their Swiss to their left.  D'Alencon's division on the far flank seemed in no hurry to move across towards the action.

The Imperialists sorted their line out into a flat S.  Landsnecks at the head with cavalry behind, de Avale's arquebusiers in the swamps, then de Bourbon's pike & shot and del Vaste's division in and behind the village.

The French cavalry swept around the end of the Imperialist line.  Lead by the "Rash" King Francis, they had to charge anything within 9".  The Landscnecht pikemen turned left and advanced on the French cavalry provoking them to charge them while their own cavalry covered their flank.

The French cavalry obliged by bashing themselves out of the battle on their pikes.

On the far flank de la Pole's Black Band got out of the walled field.  Some of them attacked the village without success, the rest deployed outside the wall on the flank of the Swiss which had now come up.

d'Alencon's large division on the far French flank was on the move, but still a long way off.

The battle reached the critical stage as the Swiss attacked de Bourbon's pikemen.  On their left the Black Band were pinned down by del Vaste's cavalry.  On their right the arquebusiers of d'Allencon's advance guard exchanged shotte across the swamp with del Avale's arqubusiers.

Off pic on the left the French cavalry had broken and the Imperialst Lanschnechts and cavalry were reorganising.

de Bourbon's men were hit hard by the Swiss and pushed to the brink, but their leader pulled the shaken units back and rallied them as the cavalry and Lanschnecks arrived to help out in the nick of time.

del Avale's arqubusiers broke under the fire of d'Allencon's and fell back, but the Lanschnechks took their place in the line.

Now counterattacked on three sides, the Swiss broke.

This meant the French had lost 2 of 4 divisions and failed the army break test.  At this stage the Imperialists had 5 VPs for taking the French HQ, the French had none.  We were rather confused by the scenario rules for VPs - they say nothing about when to stop and count them.  We decided that when someone failed the Army Break Test was the logical time to call a halt.  As it happened that meant a minor victory for the Imperialists which seemed fair as they only won by the skin of their teeth - de Bourbon only just survived the Swiss attack.

It was a great wargame - a good scenario and a great set of rules.