The Wars of Religion - Stubborn Defence

Deployment: In this game we are using the 'Liber Militum Tercios' rules, and their 3rd scenario 'stubborn defence'*. A strong Spanish force under the Duke of Palma have been chasing a weaker Huguenot one led by king Henri IV across the countryside, finally forcing them to make a stand. Fortunately for the French they have a cavalry detachment racing to the rescue. The Spanish score victory points for each unit they get into the defenders side of the board (just behind the fields), whilst the French get victory points for each attacking unit destroyed.

In their vanguard the French have a mixed English regiment of pike, shot and billmen, a body of Huguenot arquebusiers, a medium artillery piece, and a squadron of cuirassiers. In reserve they have more Huguenot shot, cuirassiers, and a squadron of mercenary reiters. The Spanish infantry hold their centre, interspersing one Italian and one elite Spanish tercio with detached mangas of musketeers in between. On the right they have a column of cavalry consisting of two units of mounted arquebusiers and another of reiters.

Turn 1: The French cavalry race around the edge of the woods towards the battle. The Spanish infantry confidently advance in echelon into the centre supported by the reiters, whilst the mounted arquebusiers swing out to the right. The English and artillery give a long range and ineffectual volley, King Henri discreetly moves his cuirassiers around behind his line using the cover of the smoke.

Turn 2: As the French reiters race forwards the mounted arquebusiers move to intercept, giving them a volley before caracoling to safety.

The Italian tercio advances to the edge of the wheatfield, but receives galling fire from the cannon throwing its ranks into disorder.

Throwing caution to the wind, Henri of Navarre leads his cuirassiers in a daring assault, using his fearlessness trait to move and then charge! The isolated musketeers are cut down, but manage to inflict a wear on their enemies in the assault.

Turn 3: Disaster! The Spanish cavalry counterattack forcing the cuirassiers to retreat. But as they flee the French king is unhorsed and captured.

On the right the French relief cavalry push on, trotting up through the gap in the Spanish line. In the centre The Italian tercio is forced to stop and regroup. The English, Huguenot shot and artillery all concentrate their fire on the oncoming enemy, but the old Spanish tercio are tough and disciplined enough to shrug it off. On the left the Spanish reiters circle round to menace the flank of the French artillery.

Turn 4: The cannon crew attempt to swing their gun around, but the reiters charge home before they get a chance. They bravely draw swords and kill a few of the horsemen, inflicting 1 wear and disorder before they are overrun.

In the centre the old Spanish tercio face a barrage of shots before launching themselves into the English regiment. Against all odds these Tudor militiamen standfast and throw the best soldiers in Europe into disorder. As the billmen hack their way into the pike block the Spanish are forced to pull back.

Behind the front line the French reiters chase the mounted arquebusiers while the cuirassiers rally and turn to face their pursuers. On the right the Spanish cavalry are pushed further back whilst a manga of musketeers fire in support.

Turn 5: The musketeers are surprised by the speed of the French cuirassiers, who time their charge perfectly between volleys to effortlessly cut the Spaniards down.

Amazed and emboldened by their success, the English charge forwards to finish off the elite Spanish tercio. But in their moment of triumph they are counter charged by the Italian tercio and instantly broken. The old Spanish tercio rapidly regroups to trade shots with the Huguenot arquebusiers. Behind the lines the Spanish mounted arquebusiers are sandwiched between both reiters and cuirassiers, but heroically resist their attacks and fight on!

Turn 6: Suddenly exposed by the rout of their supporting pike, the Huguenot foot make a desperate bid to retreat to the treeline, but are run down by the Spanish reiters.

The French cavalry slaughter the last of the brave Spanish mounted arquebusiers. The cuirassiers chase after the Spanish reiters, whilst the French reiters are driven off by the Italian tercio.

Turn 7: The cuirassiers continue to chase the Spanish reiters into the woods. The two tercios advance together with the last unit of mounted arquebusiers to secure the centre of the table. The remaining Huguenot foot give an ineffective volley whilst the rest of the French cavalry swirls around to menace the enemy. With their force mostly intact and the French driven from the centre of the board, Spanish win!