Renaissance Campaign week 6

Turn 3 was to be fought over two weeks as we'd a new player this week who needed to learn the rules. So the only scoring game this week was the Ottomans invading Polish province 8. The scenario was Objectives, but to spice things up both players got to position an objective in the enemies half.

Both players opted to place the markers on the eastern end of the field and to mass their cavalry there. The central objective was left to the infantry to contest. 

Both sides horse pressed forward with the larger and wider Ottoman cavalry managing to get around the Poles and threaten the objective in their deployment zone early on. Similarly the much bigger Turkish infantry force simply swarmed the central objective and easily captured it. 

As the action got serious the Ottoman horse proved much more capable than usual, and instead of simply melting they withstood the Polish charge and actually managed to push them back. With the main heavy cavalry attack stalled the Poles found themselves stuck and went on to loose all three objectives.    

so Province 8 has been recaptured by the Ottomans and a strong foot hold made into Polish lands.

The Practice Game

We also fought a small 800 point game so our newest recruit could try out the army they would captain for the campaign - Roy's Imperial forces.  

Ottoman centre of guns and artillery

Imperial foot

The Germans pressed forward doggedly and enjoyed considerable success in the cavalry melee, before  being more roughly handled by the Ottoman foot and artillery. 

28mm Ancient Spanish

As a background task I've been finishing some units for use in a forthcoming Saga campaign. I've now completed most of what's needed and I'm adding a few mercenary units. These chaps are  ancient Iberians from Victrix.

These chaps are all depicted with the larger scutarii-type shield but a wide variety of weapons including spears, javelins, swords and the Soliferrum, a type of heavy iron javelin  

 

Renaissance campaign - week 5

This week we played the second part of turn 3, with the Ottomans attacking into Imperial territory. The scenario was Attrition, meaning it was all about kills.

It was clear this would be head-on clash with both sides deploying their infantry on the eastern side of the field and their horse on the more open west. The Ottomans had a small numerical advantage.      

Imperial shot hiding in a village

Sekban mercenary infantry 

Ottoman heavies

Both sides advanced their cavalry towards a large melee, while the Turks hung back a little with their foot to gain maximum advantage from their guns. Things began pretty evenly with the mass cavalry attacks but the Ottomans enjoyed an edge in the infantry shooting as they chipped away at the Imperial pike & shot.  

The big clash

Some well dug-in Ottomans

Historically the Ottomans have not enjoyed much luck with their mounted and this proved the case again in this battle. Some below average rolling from the Turks and good rolls from the Germans gave them a clear upper hand in the west of the field.  

The Turks blushes were spared somewhat by the resolve of their infantry who had a narrow edge over the Imperial units in the east. The end result was a narrow victory (70 points from 1600) for the Germans, meaning the Turks were beaten back in their invasion attempt. 

We decided after the game that in Attrition you would need a 10% winning margin in future. This would not have affected the strategic result as a draw would still have sent the attacking Ottomans scurrying back.

So with two failed assaults turn 3 saw no changes in the strategic position.   

 

Renaissance Campaign - week 4

After a short isolation-force break we are back this week with the Polish attacking into the hard of the Ottoman-held territory (province 3).  This week was an objective scenario with 3 supply caches to capture and hold.

The Polish deployed with the mas of their cavalry in the centre and towards the east end of the board. Their infantry guarding the objective on the west side. So the gamble was that the cavalry would break through and be able to grab the objectives there.     

The Ottomans had a larger force numerically and so deployed a blocking force against the Polish horse and looked to move through the centre to hit the flanks of the Polish infantry.     

Things went pretty well for the Ottomans on this occasion in the early game - they were losing troops but tying-in the Polish while their heavy cavalry pushed through a gap in the Polish lines and turned inwards to attack the infantry contesting the objectives.  

Mid-late game the Poles fought back to capture the objective on the Turks side of the board. The game ended with both sides taking the objective in the opponents half and the tie-breaking centre contested, so our first draw of the campaign.       

As the game was a draw, the Polish had to withdraw.   

  

Isolation gaming

Frustratingly we could not meet for our usual game this week and so moved back to online for a week - this means some WWI aerial instead of the renaissance campaign.  I did manage something in-person though as I was tempted by the resident Warhammer 40K expert into a quick game.

A simple thrash involving some Custodians (space Praetorians) vs Necrons (Terminators). The former and good in combat and the later at shooting plus they respawn when killed, well sometimes. 

As I was commanding the Custodians aka Praetorians I got stuck in and began setting about the Necros with a variety of axes and lances. On this occasion the lack of space meant combat was joined by turn 2 and the Custodians won a convincing victory.

Its a complicated game with large numbers of unit and army special abilities which really define the play. I suspect the Necrons went easy on me as a beginner. 

Renaissance campaign - week 3

This week we played the second game of Turn 2 - a kill scenario between the Ottomans and the Imperial forces. The Turks were pretty much the same as last week but the Germans are a different prospect to the Polish - more powerful / numerous infantry but on a similar level to the Ottomans.

Ottoman heavy cavlary

Ottoman centre

The Sekban guard the flank

Both sides deployed with a strong cavalry force on the western end of the table with infantry in the centre. The Ottomans deployed their spear-armed Sekban on the eastern side in the hopes of blocking that side of the table. 

Imperial horse

The early turns went very much in favour of the Imperial army as their cavalry beat-back the Ottomans all across the line with some strong rolling. Centrally the German infantry pushed forward taking steady fire from the Janissaries and artillery, which slowed their advance. 

Imperial infantry squadron

The middle phase saw a change in the fortunes of the Turkish horsemen as they bounced back and were able to route the bulk of the Imperial Cuirassiers / Lancers facing them and begin turning the flank.  

Ottoman and Imperial heavy cavalry slug it out 

With the centre slowed to a crawl the game ended with the Imperial forces taking the highest casualties and so losing a tight game. It was a see-saw affair with the Germans winning easily at first before the Ottomans rallied and eventually won. 

So this turn saw two Ottoman victories and the capture of a further Polish province. So steady progress for the Sublime Porte as they advance into Polish territory.