Another medieval battle

[AndrewL]

On the other side of the line, to this side of Paarchman's farmhouse, Ansculf's troops march forward toward the waiting crossbowmen of Earl Wulfmaer.

[AndrewL]

On the other side of the farmhouse, the Templars and Valdemar's dismounted knights can make little progress...

[AndrewL]

The space is too narrow for the attackers, and the hedge of pikes too thick to get through.

[AndrewL]

Aubrey's longbowmen and Wulfmaer's crossbowmen shoot, thinning the ranks of the oncoming infantry, though only slightly...

[AndrewL]

There are  still plenty of men left to mount an attack!

[AndrewL]

On the right of their line, Earl Aubrey's men prepare to face the oncoming charge of Geoffrey's horsemen. Geoffrey's men are unscathed by arrows, and are keen to show they are braver than Adhemar's men. This time, the horsemen reach the opposing line...

[AndrewL]

Having reloaded, Waltheof's cannon fire again, and this time their aim is true. Nearly half of Earl Aubrey's longbowmen are stuck down as the projectiles ricochet through their ranks.

[AndrewL]

Here, a view from behind Earl Aubrey's lines as the charge of Geoffrey's horsemen hits home. One of Geoffrey's men manages to get around the block of Aubrey's men, threatening one of Aubrey's banner-bearers.

[AndrewL]

As Ansculf's men charge forward, Earl Wulfmaer's crossbowmen manage to reload fast enough to get in one more volley, this time from point-blank range.

[AndrewL]

On the far side of the battle, Valdemar and his dismounted knights make an attempt to break through the hedge of pikes...

[AndrewL]

And at the rear of his line, Waltheof's men bring up further supplies of powder for the cannon. [Fast, mobile field artillery is still a couple of centuries in the future here!]

[AndrewL]

Having met the charge of Geoffrey's horsemen, one of Earl Aubrey's men darts forward to attack lord Geoffrey himself. Meanwhile, Adhemar has stemmed the flight of his men, but they still mill about in confusion, not able to attack or retreat.

[AndrewL]

Following the close-range volley of bolts, Wulfmaer's men charge forward to meet lord Ansculf's attack.

[AndrewL]

Having done nothing to dent the wall of pikes, Valdemar and his knight pull back to pause, while men of viscount Carlos (yellow eagle on blue with blue & yellow stripes) move forward. Perhaps they can force a way through...

Meanwhile, Odo and his remaining Templars pull back to regroup, and maybe try to make an impression on another part of the battlefield. So far, all they've left is their own men on the field...

[AndrewL]

The billmen and halberdiers of Ansculf, followed closely by those of Waltheof himself now crash into their opponents' line.