Post by diades on Jul 12, 2020 12:50:47 GMT
I am not entirely sure where my loyalties should lie. I just want some peace. King Philip of France has drawn up his army against the Holy Roman Emperor, Otto, and his Angevin allies outside our town of Bouvines.
Otto was here first determined to reclaim Philip's recent gains. He has placed his English allies on his right, North of the town in front of a small wood, from the extreme flank they are longbows, Knights and levies. Next to the levies, on Otto's own right is the schiltron of Brabanter pikemen, with two unit of militia spearmen next to them. Off a fair way to the left in front of a large patch of rocky ground are two units of Knights. Otto with two more units of Knights sits behind his infantry.
Philip has Crusaders with him. I think they are recently committed. There is a ragtag unit of Knights, a horde of ribauds and some bidet javelins and Philip has them on his left flank, by the town opposite the English, with the knight tucked in behind the ribauds. The French centre is a wall of militia and feudal spearmen, with a unit of mercenary crossbowmen to their right. Two units of French nobles form the right flank, with a gentle conical hill between them and the Emperor's left. Philip and another unit of Knights are deployed in reserve.
Otto gets things under way, sending the English forward. Philip advances his entire line in reply, with the crusaders on the left moving faster ahead of the rest. The English longbows open fire and the bidets flee. Enraged, the crusading nob(le)s charge the longbows. Philip is obliged to commit his whole line in support to engage the English levies, as the ribauds are frozen with the English nobs ahead of them, whilst Otto moves his militia spear left to join his Knights on that flank. The longbows prove too well trained and the crusading nobs are destroyed, whilst the English levies hold firm against the French spear.
The English nobs charge the ribauds and unsurprisingly destroy them, whilst the bidets return wide and left. Otto advances the schiltron and with one other unit of Knights joins them. The remaining reserve Knights are advanced towards the right. Meanwhile Philip and his reserves wheel left to counter the English threat, who wheel to face him, with longbows flanked by Knights. This causes the bidets to flee into the outskirts of the town.
In the centre, the English levies push back the French spear as the schiltron hits home, but is held. Otto bides his time whilst his militia spear and left flank catch up with him. French mercenary crossbows prove ineffective.
Philip charges with the bidets providing support, whilst his right flank backs off to refuse the overlap threat of the imperial left wing Knights. Whilst Philip's supporting knights push their English counterparts back, Philip retires from the longbowmen. In the centre, the schiltron is pushed back, whilst Otto's main line advances close. Quarrels bounce harmlessly off militia shields.
On the left, the French nobs continue to push back the English, but English arrows continue to see Philip retreat. Otto makes his move. All along the line the imperial troops hit home. All goes badly for Philip. The English knights rally, destroy their French opponents and head off towards the bidets, Otto and his fellow knights destroy two units of French spear and the bidets succumb too. The French are utterly routed. Time for us in Bouvines to declare ourselves firmly loyal to the Holy Roman Empire, Angevins and Flemish!
Bouvines 1214. The few references I have checked make this mainly a Battle between Otto and Philip. The rule book does not show Feudal French and Medieval German as enemies at this time. The Feudal English army, whilst claiming to include John in France does not seem to have the right balance or allies for the encounter. We therefore played a little high and loose. Otto was Medieval German b with Feudal English allies, with some alterations to the strict choice of allied elements. Similarly, Philip was Feudal French b with a Later Crusader allies, again somewhat adjusted. Otto had five knights, two spear, two pikes and English allies of knights, fast longbow and solid hordes. Philip had four knights, four spear, a solid crossbow unit and crusader allies of knights, Psiloi and fast horde.
It was fun. My opponent playing Otto did remark on how many sixes he rolled...I lost five units and a horde and destroyed nothing in reply. History somewhat rewritten!
Otto was here first determined to reclaim Philip's recent gains. He has placed his English allies on his right, North of the town in front of a small wood, from the extreme flank they are longbows, Knights and levies. Next to the levies, on Otto's own right is the schiltron of Brabanter pikemen, with two unit of militia spearmen next to them. Off a fair way to the left in front of a large patch of rocky ground are two units of Knights. Otto with two more units of Knights sits behind his infantry.
Philip has Crusaders with him. I think they are recently committed. There is a ragtag unit of Knights, a horde of ribauds and some bidet javelins and Philip has them on his left flank, by the town opposite the English, with the knight tucked in behind the ribauds. The French centre is a wall of militia and feudal spearmen, with a unit of mercenary crossbowmen to their right. Two units of French nobles form the right flank, with a gentle conical hill between them and the Emperor's left. Philip and another unit of Knights are deployed in reserve.
Otto gets things under way, sending the English forward. Philip advances his entire line in reply, with the crusaders on the left moving faster ahead of the rest. The English longbows open fire and the bidets flee. Enraged, the crusading nob(le)s charge the longbows. Philip is obliged to commit his whole line in support to engage the English levies, as the ribauds are frozen with the English nobs ahead of them, whilst Otto moves his militia spear left to join his Knights on that flank. The longbows prove too well trained and the crusading nobs are destroyed, whilst the English levies hold firm against the French spear.
The English nobs charge the ribauds and unsurprisingly destroy them, whilst the bidets return wide and left. Otto advances the schiltron and with one other unit of Knights joins them. The remaining reserve Knights are advanced towards the right. Meanwhile Philip and his reserves wheel left to counter the English threat, who wheel to face him, with longbows flanked by Knights. This causes the bidets to flee into the outskirts of the town.
In the centre, the English levies push back the French spear as the schiltron hits home, but is held. Otto bides his time whilst his militia spear and left flank catch up with him. French mercenary crossbows prove ineffective.
Philip charges with the bidets providing support, whilst his right flank backs off to refuse the overlap threat of the imperial left wing Knights. Whilst Philip's supporting knights push their English counterparts back, Philip retires from the longbowmen. In the centre, the schiltron is pushed back, whilst Otto's main line advances close. Quarrels bounce harmlessly off militia shields.
On the left, the French nobs continue to push back the English, but English arrows continue to see Philip retreat. Otto makes his move. All along the line the imperial troops hit home. All goes badly for Philip. The English knights rally, destroy their French opponents and head off towards the bidets, Otto and his fellow knights destroy two units of French spear and the bidets succumb too. The French are utterly routed. Time for us in Bouvines to declare ourselves firmly loyal to the Holy Roman Empire, Angevins and Flemish!
Bouvines 1214. The few references I have checked make this mainly a Battle between Otto and Philip. The rule book does not show Feudal French and Medieval German as enemies at this time. The Feudal English army, whilst claiming to include John in France does not seem to have the right balance or allies for the encounter. We therefore played a little high and loose. Otto was Medieval German b with Feudal English allies, with some alterations to the strict choice of allied elements. Similarly, Philip was Feudal French b with a Later Crusader allies, again somewhat adjusted. Otto had five knights, two spear, two pikes and English allies of knights, fast longbow and solid hordes. Philip had four knights, four spear, a solid crossbow unit and crusader allies of knights, Psiloi and fast horde.
It was fun. My opponent playing Otto did remark on how many sixes he rolled...I lost five units and a horde and destroyed nothing in reply. History somewhat rewritten!