Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Turks v. Poles: Pike & Shot

Turks: Mike & Chris with 6 Jannisaries, 12 Levy infantry,  4 Skirmishers, 2 Sipahis of the Porte, 4 Gonallu, 4 Feudal Sipahis, 4 horse archers in 5 divisions.  Command Rating 8. 634 pts.

Poles: Jim with 8 Shot, 4 Pike, 8 Heavy cavlry, 4 Winged Hussars in 5 divisions.  Command Rating 9. 630 pts.

Rules: Hail Cromwell - our Renassaince era variant of Hail Caesar. 

Scenario: Encounter battle.  Mainly flat terrain with some patches of swampy ground.  Deployment was on map before placing on the table.
The Poles are on the near side.  They have deployed all their infantry on their left & all their cavalry on their right.
The Turks have their Janissaries on their right, their Sipahis on their left, the levies centre & left of centre and their Gonallu on their left.
The Poles got first move & then good command dice on the first turn and rush forward all along the line as the Turks do some serious thinking.
The Winged Hussars were supposed to sweep the Gonallu off the table, but blundered sideways & the Heavy Cavalry took the lead while the Gonullu put up a good fight covering the withdrawal of the levy infantry to their right.   The Sipahis are advancing on the far side while teh advance of the Jannissaries is held up by the need to go around a swamp.
The Polish foot have formed hedghogs to face off the Sipahis.  Their RH Heavy Cav have been replused, but Hussars have moved up to take over.
The Polish foot hold off the Sipahis as the Turks try to get their Jannisaries into the fray. The Hussars are finishing off the Gonallu.
The Jannisaries have finally deployed to support their cavalry on the far flank.  The Polish cavalry are hesitating in front of a storm of arrows. 
The Jannisaries have pushed the centre of the Polish foot back but their flanks are holding firm & the divisions are not in danger of breaking. The Polish cavalry have finally got some good command dice and its happy hour as they ride down the first levy infantry division.
The Turks have pulled the Sipahis back to try to meet the Polish Horse, but it's too late, the second Levy division has also been ridden down  in one charge of the Hussars & the Turks fail their Army Break Test with 3 of 5 divisions broken. 
Another view of the end from behind the Turkish position.

The Poles got the upper hand at the start with their deployment putting their powerful cavalry against the weakest enemy units while the Turks' best troops were restricted by the swamps & unable to get into decisive action before their left crumbled.

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