Burgundians v French : Pike & Shotte game

This was today's game at Essex Warriors, laid on by Allan using his collection of troops.

He decided to umpire whilst Steve C and Rafael took charge of the Burgundians and Wes and I had the French command. Pike& Shotte rules were used.

Burgundians on the left, French on the right

The French camp behind their left flank and a small village

French commanders ready their troops

Burgundian cavalry are ready to roll

The French push their guns into forward position

and in front of the camp.

Burgundian archers give fire

watched by their mounted comrades

This Ralf's command, facing my troops

A gun is pushed forward to start firing

This is a Burgundian piece in action.

Burgundian commanders order forward their foot troops

Time for Rafael to get a good shot !

The dancing bear in the French camp gets agitated !

The French have now formed their defensive line, resting on the village at left

I have strong mounted forces in reserve out on our right, leaving the early fighting to the pikemen

Here's the French commander.

Steve advances his troops to attack on the Burgundian right

Archers to the fore

The cavalry hit our dismounted knights in front of the village

A hard long fight ensues

Ralf's cavalry hit my pike blocks

One cavalry unit recoils, the other holds but the Burgundian archers have backed off beside their cavalry

Over on our left, Wes's dismounted knights have beaten off the Burgundian cavalry

But its not all going our way, Burgundian cavalry break one of pike blocks in a subsequent melee and then over-run our red artillery piece.

Shaken for now, they have to reform

Meanwhile, Rafael has got cavalry on the flank of another pike block which is locked in combat with their archers.

Whilst all this is going on, one of Ralf's over confident guns has been caught by my crossbowmen - the gunners flee !

Heavily armoured Burgundians have smashed their way through the centre and are only faced with lightly armed hand gunners

Steve C tries another cavalry attack against Wes's dismounted knights

At long last, our cavalry reserve is tired into action

but too late to save these pikemen

The Burgundian cavalry destroy them

but then find themselves attacked by more pikes as the French cavalry press forwards 

French cavalry engage their Burgundian counterparts

as the cavalry return to face our pikemen

Wes is under increasing pressure in the fields

our pikes fail and flee so Rafael's cavalry feel confident enough to charge the pikes to their left

but this proves too much, these pikes prevail

Steve C has charged Burgundian pikemen against the already engaged French archers

but the French cavalry have to fall back from my pikes and are unable to do so because firstly they are blocked by their gun and secondly by the said Burgundian pikemen - that forces them to flee leaving a big hole in Rafael's Burgundian left command

French cavalry now swoop on the French cannon

and the Burgundian archers are destroyed by the pikes

This is enough to tip the balance - Wes has held off all the attacks against his troops, so a French victory is declared.

It was a tough battle lasting some five hours. Don't know about the others, but I was exhausted !

Another enjoyable Pike & Shotte game - thanks to Allan.