My only chances were using my two keils, being armored and four deep they had advantage against all his troops, and try to outmaneuvre his army with my mounted superiority... even if I saw no place to exploit that advantage! And, of course, run for his artillery
The battle begins and I try to catch his light infantry and artilleries with my light troops, but their keils block them and stop my advance.
Something similar happens on my left flank.
On the center the keils prepare to crash. My light infantry is blocked and suffers from heavy fire. No enemy artillery will be captured this time... but at least I distract enemy fire that would have targeted my keils or tercios.
I finally have a plan for my left flank. I thought about charging one keil with two groups of cuirassiers supported with two generals, a risky bet. But then I see a better opportunity: I manage to sneak one group of cuirassiers towards arquebusiers in the open. The other mounted groups will have to resist as long as they can.
On my right flank I can do nothing but retreat and gain time to win in the center.
The big pike blocks crash. It is a decisive combat and generals from both armies join the fight. I have better POAs along the line but... it is useless! Against the odds they win almost all the combats, and when they lose they don´t suffer any damage. Luck is not on my side!
My sneaky cuirassiers charge the arquebusiers, one base down from fire. Double POA advantage in impact and advantage in melee! Yes! But even as I win the impact and some melee phases the arquebusiers hold without taking casualties or gettind disrupted. They hold long enough to allow the enemy reiters to threaten a flank charge on my cuirassiers. I have to break off, and as they do it they take another casualty from enemy fire. This can´t be happening!
On the left my reiters have been destroyed by enemy fire. The enemy keils don´t charge as they prefer to fire better than risk a charge without POA advantage. So long my mounted resist, but how long?
Then the night came and both armies retired from the battlefield.
The enemy was intact even when I had advantage in combat. I had lost a group of reiters, but had the battle continued defeat was certain. A fun game nontheless.
And that was the end of a great weekend. It has been the tournament I have most enjoyed: the players, the games, the ruleset... everything was excellent. I am looking forward to attend another FOGR competition.
Oh yes, and the paella
