Valois Habsburg Wars Rd 2 1506

[awesum4]

The Valois have started well having captured Germany and Spain, and lost only France in doing so.

Now 8 years later the two sides are ready to continue the contest.

The Habsburg players may choose the from the following armies;
Any player may choose Swiss 1494-1515
Any player other than Kiwiwarlord may choose Italian 1494-1530
Any player other than SMJohnso77 may choose English 1494-1542
Any player other than Lascar can choose Spanish-Imperial 1503-1533
otherwise they will use Imperial 1494-1519

The Valois players may choose from the following armies;
Any player other than AlexdeTrojan can choose Scottish 1494-1557
Any player other than Doyley50 can choose Kalmar Union 1494-1522
Any player other than Peterthe Painter can choose French 1494-1542
Otherwise they will use French 1494-1525

You have until Friday to decide unless all players have made a decision before then

[PeterThePainter]

I feel the call of my ancestors, Scots please.

[GentlemanRanker]

I volunteer to lead the attempt to eject the uncouth, skirt wearing, offal eating, accursed Scots from our lovely sunny beaches, and send them packing, back to the dreary, dank realm from whence they had the temerity to emerge!

The magnificent Spanish-Imperial 1503-1533 army for me please.

[ahuyton]

Thanks Andre, I am happy to stay with the French.

[AlexDetrojan]

I feel the call of my ancestors, Scots please.

Peter, they are a hoot to play. Other people might think they're limited with few cavalry options, but I tell you the combination of huge keils and wild highlanders inexorably bearing down on you will give even the most seasoned general pause to thought. Go get em!

[AlexDetrojan]

Well, I've never played the Kalmar Union, so I'm going to roll the dice and go with them.

[awesum4]

Sorry GentlemanRanker but SMJ has nabbed the Spanish for this round, but I can book you in for next round if you want me too..

[lascar]

I'll go with the Imperialists this round.

[KiwiWarlord]

Imperial 1494-1519 for me please Andre

[Doyley50]

French for me.

[PeterThePainter]

I feel the call of my ancestors, Scots please.

Peter, they are a hoot to play. Other people might think they're limited with few cavalry options, but I tell you the combination of huge keils and wild highlanders inexorably bearing down on you will give even the most seasoned general pause to thought. Go get em!

I am looking forward to it Alex and especially relaxing on the beach afterwards, must remember to take the sun cream!

[GentlemanRanker]

Really Andre? I would have thought that my claim, timestamped ‘13 Feb 2023 11:48’ would take precedence over Steve’s at ‘14 Feb 2023 01:48’.

No matter, mindful of the acuity of Alex’s analysis of the Scots’ potential, I happily waive my claim, fortunate perhaps to be able to slink away and avoid the attentions of the ‘Devils in Skirts’ this round. I will continue with Imperial 1494-1519. Thank you.

[awesum4]

Actually Steve wanted the Spanish in 1494 but missed out but I promised he could have them in 1506, I'll reserve them for you in 1518.....

[GentlemanRanker]

Ah, that's fine, 1518 it is then.

It is to be hoped that Steve will have smoothed the way by ejecting the pesky Scots by then!

[SpeedyCM]

I'll take Imperials.

[awesum4]

For this round again the invader sets up the battle; open battle, large armies in agricultural terrain. Password 1506.

The Valois invaders are;
PeterthePainter using Scottish 1494-1542 to capture France from awesum4 using Swiss 1494-1515
AHuyton using French 1494-1525 to capture Austria from Kiwiwarlord using Imperial 1494-1519

The Habsburg invaders are;
SMJohnso77 using Spanish-Imperial 1503-1533 to capture Spain from AlexdeTrojan using Kalmar Union 1494-1522
Lascar using Imperialist 1494-1519 to capture Venice from Snugglebunnies using French 1494-1525
SpeedyCM using Imperialist 1494-1519 to capture Germany from Doyley50 using French 1494-1525
GentlemanRanker using Imperialist 1494-1519 to capture Savoy from GDodd using French 1494-1525

[SnuggleBunnies]

I'll go with the Imperialists this round.

Will you host lascar?

[awesum4]

Snuggles,

Lascar has already set up the battle....ready for you to pick up

[SnuggleBunnies]

Snuggles,

Lascar has already set up the battle....ready for you to pick up

Whoops, thanks. Will grab that tonight and get going on it.

[awesum4]

France has remained in Habsburg hands.

Fortunately for me PeterthePainter had never fought the Swiss before and recruited lots of highlanders and lancer light horse.
The battlefield was almost completely clear which suited us perfectly.
Our left wing of light horse and light foot advanced to engage his larger number of light horse, then we ran away all over the battlefield. Lancers cannot catch shooty light horse who stay far far away

Our heavy foot centre rushed at him with a solid wall of elite pike with a smaller pike and couple of halberdiers behind our right. They simply absorbed his shooting and crashed into his front line, routed those highlanders silly enough to be in the front, pursued into his artillery then engaged his pike. his pike put up some resistence but began to disrupt and then rout.
We had no right wing and eventually the highlanders there and his 2 cavalry behind the light horse got into our rear.

By then we were up 38 to 15 and only needed to get 2 clear points to break his army. But the rear charges were often deadly and the results went up to 38 to 36.
His light horse continually charging my routers meant none rallied, but a couple of his did and had to be dealt with again.

Eventually my pursuing pike blocks turned around and charged back into the fray, pushing his army over the edge.

Final result awesum4 36% lost, PeterthePainter 63%.A fun game played in good spirit.
I doubt I would use the Swiss again in a tournament I only won because Peter chose too many highlanders and not enough pike, that won't happen again.