Another medieval battle

[AndrewL]

The rapid and deadly shooting of Aubrey's longbowmen cause Adhemar's horsemen serious difficulty...

[AndrewL]

Marshal Odo's Templars make little headway against the pikes of Remigius's men: packed into a narrow space, the defensive strength of massed pikes is telling.

[AndrewL]

Seeing the difficulties Odo's horsemen are having, lord Valdemar, another of Waltheof's vassals (silver dragon skull on grey & red), orders his knights to dismount. They will try to push the attack forward on foot.

[AndrewL]

The farmer, Paarchman, his family and labourers can only watch the battle in horror, now effectively trapped inside the farmhouse.

[AndrewL]

OK, there will have to be a pause in the narrative, so that the chronicler can go eat dinner with his wife!

@ Richard: it's not just armies that march on their stomachs!

Cheers,

AndrewL

[WarriorOfToys]

Bombards? Hell YES!

Can't wait to see those in action!
...
Im sorry, but why is it that your cavalry keep deciding to charge pikemen?
Not the best idea....
Atleast Lord Valdemar has some sense!
lol, Sorry if I am being annoying with my commentary.

I love watching your battles Andrew!
Cant wait to see the rest.

[AndrewL]

Bombards? Hell YES!

Can't wait to see those in action!
...
Im sorry, but why is it that your cavalry keep deciding to charge pikemen?
Not the best idea....
Atleast Lord Valdemar has some sense!
lol, Sorry if I am being annoying with my commentary.

I love watching your battles Andrew!
Cant wait to see the rest.

Hi WoT,

Glad you like things so far! Using cannon was a new wrinkle for me: I'm not sure how well things worked out in the end, but... well, you'll see!

And regarding charging pikemen: if Odo had managed to get past them, before they could get themselves set in that gap, who knows what might happen? And there's no guarantee that they'd be able to stand fast against a cavalry charge -- that was up to the dice! 

Anyway, the chronicle now resumes...

[AndrewL]

Despite the casualties caused by the longbows, Adhemar's cavalry press forward. Adhemar and his men do not lack for bravery (or it is hubris, or foolhardiness?).

And looming behind Adhemar's men are those of Geoffrey (blue lion on red & yellow) -- one of the lords swayed by Marshal Odo's religious zeal to join the invasion.

[AndrewL]

The crossbowmen of Duke Waltheof and billmen of lord Urse move forward...

The one area is which Waltheof's army is somewhat deficient is in missile troops -- he has only a few crossbowmen. But those cannon should make a difference...

[AndrewL]

Just before they reach Earl Aubrey's lines, Adhemar's cavalry are hit with another shower of arrows, and Aubrey's billmen and halberdiers move forward to shield their otherwise unprotected longbowmen. Adhemar's charge is stopped in it's tracks.

[AndrewL]

But lord Geoffrey's horsemen are close behind!

[AndrewL]

Having finally gotten them primed and loaded (late medieval cannon had a notoriously slow rate of fire), Waltheof's cannon fire...

To almost no effect. The projectiles either fall short or bounce into the opposing line, doing little damage.

[AndrewL]

Waltheof's men reload as fast as they can (which isn't terribly fast, in truth), while the infantry advance.

[WarriorOfToys]

NOOOO!
I was so waiting for the big explosion!

Bombards? Hell YES!

Can't wait to see those in action!
...
Im sorry, but why is it that your cavalry keep deciding to charge pikemen?
Not the best idea....
Atleast Lord Valdemar has some sense!
lol, Sorry if I am being annoying with my commentary.

I love watching your battles Andrew!
Cant wait to see the rest.

Hi WoT,

Glad you like things so far! Using cannon was a new wrinkle for me: I'm not sure how well things worked out in the end, but... well, you'll see!

And regarding charging pikemen: if Odo had managed to get past them, before they could get themselves set in that gap, who knows what might happen? And there no guarantee that they'd be able to stand fast against a cavalry charge -- that was up to the dice! 

Anyway, the chronicle now resumes...

I guess that is true... Had Odo managed to skirt around the pikemen -or better yet broken through thier lines- Then they could have inflicted massive damage.

[AndrewL]

Having seen many of their comrades shot down by arrows or felled by halberds, Adhemar's cavalrymen panic and turn to run. Adhemar cries out to rally his followers as the men of lord Geoffrey surge forward. The scene is confused as men and horses charge in opposite directions...