Is there a way to win Marignano..
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 10:12 pm
.. using historical tactics? After a total disaster (3 to 2 killed ratio) I managed to win Marignano today but using oddball tactics without a hint of historicity. French knights proved useless and the grand battery (additional heavy guns) contributed nothing (once again). In desperation, I finally resorted to constantly harassing the Swiss pike squares with light missile troops sending my own pikes to the rear for safety and essentially out of action to the very end of the battle. Sort of quasi-Tatar light horse approach to it in the heart of Northern Italy.. At that point it seemed there was nothing else to do (by that time them damn Alpinis had already overrun the grand battery and all of the the not-so-haughty-now gendarmes were well on the way to Riviera. As the dust settled, a surprise victory of 1200 to 4000.
So it was a glorious victory after all but a number a questions remain. In reality, the gendarme DID contribute quite a bit to the French success as did the grand battery. They should have done a GREAT deal better. Surely the Swiss kiels were superior to anything the enemy could field (man to man at least) but firing a battery of heavy guns point blanc TWICE at a densely packed phalanx of pikemen - and nothing.. Why would the French have invested so much money and effort in new artillery technology so useless? I will never buy French guns again, light or heavy. And the pride of the French nation, the gallant gendarmes, proved, if possible, even less competent for what they cost. Even the Italian pikes did better. Makes one wonder..
Win is a win, yes, but I´d rather win using historical battle tactics, that way I might even learn something. Obviously I´m not doing something right. Any ideas?
At any rate, a very entertaining fight, an interesting puzzle to solve and certainly a damn close run thing.
Henry
So it was a glorious victory after all but a number a questions remain. In reality, the gendarme DID contribute quite a bit to the French success as did the grand battery. They should have done a GREAT deal better. Surely the Swiss kiels were superior to anything the enemy could field (man to man at least) but firing a battery of heavy guns point blanc TWICE at a densely packed phalanx of pikemen - and nothing.. Why would the French have invested so much money and effort in new artillery technology so useless? I will never buy French guns again, light or heavy. And the pride of the French nation, the gallant gendarmes, proved, if possible, even less competent for what they cost. Even the Italian pikes did better. Makes one wonder..
Win is a win, yes, but I´d rather win using historical battle tactics, that way I might even learn something. Obviously I´m not doing something right. Any ideas?
At any rate, a very entertaining fight, an interesting puzzle to solve and certainly a damn close run thing.
Henry