Slitherine

a stream protects the french first line, poor mixed heavy weapon/crossbow, light artillery, gendarmes and chevaux-legers. The second line some distance behind includes the black band (superior pikes, in brown), more heavy cavalry and landskechte (average pikes, superior front rank, in green) and heavy artillery.

the swiss advanced in three pikes columns, preceded by the 'forlorn hope' advance guard. pikes columns (superior pikes, elite front ranks) have 2 support units (mixed firearms, heavy weapons, mf)

turn 5: the swiss' left column crossed the stream relatively unimpeded. the french will contest the crossing of the other two columns with heavy cavalry.

the french retreat on the left. the centre and right pikes columns are being hit as they cross the stream.

after 7 turns, the swiss have paid a dear price so far.

king francois I (inspired leader) and the gendarmerie's repeated charges maul the leading ranks of swiss columns as the cross the stream.

French heavy cavalry withdrew and reformed on the flanks of the landsknechte who had deployed within range of the heavy artillery. The swiss tidied up their columns and advanced.

the two pike lines clashed in a thunderous roar. french heavy artillery added to the high swiss toll.

after 5 turns of heavy pike on pike fighting, the swiss emerged victorious. french heavy cavalry was too decimated to contribute at this later stage. numerous swiss units were near auto-rout.

The Swiss had won but their losses were crippling. swiss courage was costly in the face of artillery, gendarmes' charges and the black band's tough fighting.