Hello hello hello!

After a few weeks of hard labour, i have a week's holiday to rest and recuperate! That means (once homework is done) gaming!!! I'm back a my parents for the week so i might even be able to take some pictures...

Anyway, what have i been up to in the wargaming world? Mostly painting and modelling for my Normedra world. I'm rather enjoying working with 15mm figures, they're easy to convert and quick to do and look really cool too. Should i start a new project in the future, i'd probably do it in this scale (not that i'm starting one soon!).

I haven't painted or modeled much in 28mm lately, painting them seems to take a lot longer than 15mm figures. Looking through my pictures on my computer and War of the Roses figures here at my parents i think i shall get back to them soon. I have a box of fireforge cavalry that i waited for an age to arrive and still haven't broke into them yet! So soon i'll be getting some Kaliads and Kindarrians on the painting table soon.

Until then, i found these pictures on my computer that i never blogged. They're of a Dux Bellorum battle with my WotR figs i played months ago. I won't comment much but just so you have some pictures to look at :-P

Team 1. They were slightly smaller as no battle is even!

Team 2, the attackers

Fire away!

Long range archery duel begins

Taking losses

Some cavalry nipping the flanks

Getting stuck in!

I was actually considering new Dux Bel lists for this period the other day after this interesting discussion that i might stick up here some time.

Dux Bel French vs Lowlands battle #1

Here it is, the report for my first Dux Bellorum on the continent game. Posted a bit later than planned, but the pictures take an age to load up! Anyway...

This battle pitched the militia forces of a small Lowland town against the company of a French captain looking for some land to nap and loot for his soldiers. Nothing too historical here.

The French had the following:

Mounted companions

2 units out mounted gendarmes (men-at-arms)

1 unit of mounted coustilliers

1 unit of heavy infantry

3 units of crossbowmen

7 Leadership points (for boosting combat and morale)

The Lowlanders brought the following to the battle:

Foot companions

2 units of heavy infantry with pikes

4 units of militia infantry with pikes

1 unit of crossbowmen

1 unit of mounted poorterij (men-at-arms)

1 unit of mouted coustilliers

2 units of skirmishers

6 LPs

The opening moves. The Lowlanders planned to advance as quickly as possible to stop the French cavalry from maneuvering, with the cavalry to take out the archers (who in this battle were actual archers :-p)

The French captain looks at the advancing enemy while his archers advance to open fire.

Seeing an opportunity, the captain charges a unit of skirmishers that strays too far forward. The infantry are too far away to help and the captain deprives the Lowlanders of an LP.

For every unit lost, you loose an LP, meaning you get less and less bonuses as the battle rolls on, handy way of representing confusion and the chaos of battle.

In the following turn, the Lowland cavalry charge, having taken no losses from archery at the beginning of the turn. The infantry also manage to get into contact. Despite being charging cavalry, the French archers hold (thanks to LPs, used to save losses) excpet on their right where the militiamen force back some archers. The lighter coustilliers, however, are thrown back by the French heavy infantry.

End of third turn view.

Being a brave French man, the captain charges the mass pikes of the Lowlands. Despite the penalties imposed on him by the pikes, he hopes to hold out until his men can win elsewhere on the field.

Meanwhile...

2 units of Lowlanders decide today's a day off, and refuse to pass a bravery test to move.

the following combat does not go well, as he and the gendarms take losses, but manage to inflict enough to get a draw, unfortunately.

The Poorteri slowly cut through the archers, but the coustilliers pull back, battered with a threatened flank. The Lowland infantry on the right just watches.

The Lowland infantry pile on the pressure and hem in on the weakened cavalry. Things are not looking good for the French.

LPs keep the archers in play (albeit at with only 1 or 2 points of cohesion left) and the heavy infantry join in the swing the balance in favour of the French on their left.

On the right, some gendarms ride down the Lowland archers, but the cavalry in the center are suffering. Coutrai all over?

As the French wanted, they now however have 2 units of cavalry ready to attack the infantry's flanks, but in a classic show of dice rolling, both fail, the gendarms even loosing a point cohesion! The captain must fight another round alone in the center.

Pour sainte Denis!

Thanks to their armour and courage (ie, LPs) the French captain holds on, and manages to inflict some casualties. He is lucky the heavy infantry at his flank failed to move.

The following turn, everyone gets stuck in. The Lowland poorterij are driven off, fleeing the field, and in the center the French cavalry crash down on the Lowland infantry flanks, causing enough losses to force the rest of the force to test for morale. Men begin to run, and at the end only a few men stand with the Lowland leader, the rest having run in the general direction of home.

Still waiting to advance, there will be some arguments in the camp about the performance of these chaps!

Dux Bellorum for the Burgundian war of Succession

As some of you may know, Luddite did a post on using Dux Bellorum for the Wars of the Roses. I've tried these and they're rather good, and following an idea i had for using my figures for the Burgundian War of Succession, i knocked up a quick version for this setting. It can be used for any European conflict of the late 15th century, even the Italian Wars.
I've only really added some period flavour strategies, modified one or two things and added continental units. I've had one game with them, pictures to come soon. I might also add more strategies as i think of them. Enjoy!

Type	Move	Bravery	Aggression	Missiles	Protection	Cohesion	Notes	Pts
Foot companions	2	10	6	-	6	6		5
Mounted companions ^	4	10	5	-	5	5		5
Mounted men-at-arms ^	4	9	5	-	5	4		5
Dismounted men-at-arms	2	9	6	-	5	5		5
Coustillier ^	4	7	4	-	5	4		3
Skirmishing Coustillier ^	5	8*	3	-	4	2		2
Mounted crossbowmen	4	8*	2	2	4	2	2 BW range	2
Heavy infantry	2	7	5	-	5	5		3
Militia infantry	2	7*	4	-	5	4		2
Archers	2	7	2	3	4	4	Pavise, 4 BW range	3
Militia archers	2	7*	2	3	4	3	Pavise, 4 BW range	2
Skirmishers	3	8*	1	2	4	2	4 BW range	1
Field artillery	1	6	1	3	4	2	Unlimited range	5

*Brittle: Use bravery 6 when testing for rout.

^Must follow up if win a combat.

Companions: The elite troops who form the bodyguard for the army leader. They are the best equipped and the most motivated troops in the force. Can fight mounted or dismounted.

Men-at-arms: Made up of the gentry, richer citizens (the poorterij), professional soldiers and knights, and are the gen d’armes of the ordonnance companies. Armoured in full harness, they may fight mounted or dismounted. They may be supplemented by some squires or coustilliers in the rear ranks.

Coustilliers: The lighter cavalry who often scouted for the enemy. This unit represents a band of these horsemen who have been detached from the main body of gen d’armes, or could be used to represent French ‘archers’ who later fought as mounted lancers.

Mounted crossbowmen: Either mercenary Italians, or mounted ordonnance archers, these men are similar to coustilliers but have crossbows and fight in a loose formation.

Heavy infantry: Either dismounted coustilliers, ordonnace pike men or halberdiers, Swiss mercenaries or better trained and motivated town militia (or town watch even). There might be some heavier armoured men in the front rank as leaders or to boost the line. Lowland and Swiss heavy infantry carry pikes.

Militia infantry: Either Lowland militia drawn from both the towns and the countryside, or franc archers for the French, but armed with spears and halberds instead of missile weapons (franc voulgier). Lowland militia infantry carry pikes.

Archers: Either ordonnance archers or Lowland shooting guilds armed with a variety of weapons. No difference has been made between crossbows and bows, as it is possible that both were mixed in the same units. These units may carry pavises. Could also be English mercenary archers, these troops do not carry pavises but have a protection of 5.

Militia archers: Either reluctant shooting guilds or franc archers. As above, they will carry a mix of weapons and are equipped with pavises.

Skirmishers: Loose order missile troops, these troops are a mix of crossbowmen and handgunners; no difference has been made between the weapon types.

Field artillery: Can be bombards, light cannons, organ guns…

Special rules:

Pikes: Units pike armed always count as moving as a group even if a single group. Any enemy fighing a pike armed unit frontally with suffer a -2 aggression and gets no bonus for moving into contact. If fighting to the flank or rear, pike armed units suffer an additional -1 aggression in addition to the normal -2.

Pavises: A pavise armed unit has a protection of 6 against missile fire (except field artillery). It loses this benefit if the unit retreats from close combat.

Ammunition: All archer and skirmisher units only carry enough ammunition to allow them to fire 3 times during a game. Field artillery has unlimited ammunition however.

New strategies:

Horse armour: Armouring horses with padded, leather, chain or plate armour increases protection against missile weapons. Effects all mounted companions and mounted men-at-arms in the force. This unit gains a protection of 6 against missile fire. 3 points if 5 or less units are equipped, 5 points if 6 or more.

Wedge: A cavalry tactic to break through enemy ranks, wedges rely on hitting power and depth to destroy the enemy. A unit of mounted men-at-arms or mounted companions may have a unit of mounted men-at-arms or coustillier (not skirmishers) directly behind it and gain an additional +1 aggression when moving into contact. The units may move as a group, but not with other units and may only move forward. Formation lost if force to withdraw in combat. 3 points for training.

Armoured mounted crossbowmen (in front rank): It is possible that some mounted crossbowmen fought with the men-at-arms, firing their crossbows not long before the charge hit. Drawings from the period show armoured mounted crossbowmen in almost full harness, so include them if you wish. Including armoured crossbowmen in you mounted men-at-arms gives them a single missile aggression with a 2 BW range. It does not hinder their ability to move that turn as the crossbowmen will fall back. 3 points if 5 or less units have mounted crossbowmen in their ranks, 5 points if more.

All mounted men-at-arms units must have armoured crossbowmen if this strategy is taken.

Read here for some thoughts on this subject.

Swiss tactics: The Swiss trained their militia to charge the enemy in dense columns, a revolutionary tactic that impressed military minds all over Europe. Many mercenaries were hired by all the major powers and the tactics were copied by the French and Germans. A unit of heavy infantry may form an attack column with another unit of heavy infantry behind it (or militia eventually) giving it an additional +1 aggression when moving into contact. Pike armed groups may also move normally if alone. 3 points for hiring the Swiss or getting them to train you men.

Eager nobles: Although the age of chivalry is coming to an end by the 15^th century, with infantry beginning to dominate the battlefield did not mean that the nobles still held onto their ideas that war was a noble pursuit. All companion and men-at-arm units are Impetuous. 3 points.

Extra ammunition: All shooting units with limited ammunition have an additional turn’s ammunition. 3 points if 5 or less units carry extra ammunition, 5 if 6 or more. This may be bought twice, giving 2 turns of extra shooting, at 6 or 10 points.

Organised supply train: Allows some cohesion points to be restored. If a unit has lost cohesion this game and is further than 5 BW away from the nearest visible enemy may restore 1 cohesion point. A unit may only restore 1 point in 1 turn, and the supply train has 2 cohesion points in total. 4 points to organise the wagons and obtain the supplies.

Subterfuge: Spies spread rumours around the enemy camp, lowering morale and causing some men to desert. Before the battle, choose an enemy unit and remove d6-1 cohesion points. If this takes the score to 0 then the unit does not arrive. It does not count as a loss and is ignored for all moral purposes in the game. 4 points to pay for the spies or buy off reluctant enemies.

Personal standard: The leader has brought his personal banner to the battle, and his inspiration means that men are more willing to fight for him when things become tough. All units within 3 BW of the companion unit may re-roll bravery tests for morale. 3 points.

The following strategies can be used freely: Ambush, Assassination, Dismount (Companions men-at-arms and mounted crossbowmen only), Experienced warlord, Loyal, Monks, Swift deployment, Veterans (men-at-arms, coustilliers, or heavy infantry)

The battle for Serlac Hill

So the other day i decided to continue my Anglo-Burgundian vs French campaign asi really felt like a Dux Brit battle. It also gave me a chance to test out a couple of new chances i made.

So, Steffan, the Burgundian captain, had some success in 1477, but lost his first major attack on the French lands. now it is 1478 and he prepares for another attack.

The French hear of his intentions and march out to halt him, aiming to take the hill (they chose the side with the hill but ended up on the wrong side of the table).

Militia crossbowmen prepare to cross the stream and dash for the hill.

Meanwhile, Steffan had similar ideas, but he was closer to the hill.

View before the first turn. Alain, the French lord, gave a stirring speech to his men that raised his level by 1. Steffan's speech was not so good and lowered his level by 1, but he had no chance to raise it as the French opened the battle.

Vite! The handgunners dash across the stream and spot some Danish skirmishers as they appear from the clump of trees.

Alain throws his men forward, determined to get to the hill before the Burgundians can form up.

Ils sont la! Archers are spotted on the hill.

The English archers spot the French below and hurry to reach the top of the hill.

Not everyone is happy though in the French camp, as Robin decides not to attack and stays put, thinking an attack on the hill is folly.

There's only one way; up. And up into the blades of the waiting men-at-arms.

Some Burgundian halbardiers appear on the French right, threatening the flank.

Steady men! Steffan watches to French coming for him.

Instead of waiting for the French, Steffan leads the charge into the enemy ranks. Both lords join in the melee.

Battered but not beaten, both sides pull back to regroup. But the French still have more men, and Alain regroups them quicker than Steffan.

Not many left, this'll be a piece of cake...

...there's only some English between us and victory!

Meanwhile, Charles attacks some militia who have not closed ranks. Levy not in formation, easy kills.

Steffan attacks the French again, but comes off for worse.

Although better skilled, the French have more men and fight off the men-at-arms. 

Here come the archers, drawing swords and bucklers to drive off the French.

The next time someone says levy not in formation die easily, i'll show them this;  first round, the Brugundians (soldiers, ie warriors) loose 3 MEN and the levy loose 1! The Burgundians charge again and kill a couple more.

Melee generale on the hill and the archers charge the French in the rear.

Everyone flees. The Men-at-arms loose their amphora, as do some French will the rest are at the limit. Only the archers stay.

The English see off the remaining soldiers and turn their arrows on the crossbow men below.

The militia aimed to kill a couple more men to push the Anglo-Burgundian losses from moderate to heavy, but they only kill one for the loss of four crossbowmen, so they quit the field to fight another day.

A +2 win for Steffan and he besieges a French manor, but the French sill be back in 3 months and the manor will fall in 4, so the French have one last chance to save their first manor from falling...