Battle Report - Medieval German vs Medieval French

The Battle of St Yves
2 May vs Mark Robson

Herzog Albrecht of Saxony cupped his ear, and bellowed "Ehh?"

The Kaiser calmly repeated, "I don't mind fighting my way through these French, but I didnt think their army would be so large."

"Charge? Charge? Of course my boys'll charge! But I don't see what's going to drench them?" The Herzog bellowed back. Konrad sighed, and turned to his Spanish advisor, Prince Pedro the Unspeakable. "So, you think this will work, senor?"

"Of courthe it will - our Thpanithth knightth will hold hith left, while the jineteth thweep around behind him. Thethe buffoonth thhould be able to hold the centre for you, while we win, and your own bodyguardth, with thothe Hungarians, thould be able to delay hith left."

The Archbishop of Trier frowned at Konrad, and muttered quietly at being lumped into buffoonery with the Herzog of Saxony. "My Lords, let us pray". "Gray? of course, I'm gray, you damn fool scribbler! 56 years if i'm a day!" retorted the Herzog.

Konrad bowed his head, and prayed devoutly that God would show him fortune, then stood in his stirrups to scan the enemy deployment. "Hmm, three bodies of knights, all close-drawn together. A riff-raff of spearmen and bowmen to their left, and Ribauds and archers to their right. Where are those Parisian burghers we've heard about, and the banner of their Mayor?"

While the Herzog looked bewildered at him, the Archbishop replied, "Mayhap marching around a flank." "Aye, likely so - best keep an eye wary for them."

Konrad turned to the Saxon, and spoke slowly and loudly, "Your boys should hop off their horses and form a hedgehog." Albrecht spluttered, "But I _am_ the Herzog, you damn whippersnapper!"  Konrad sighed and gave up on that idea - "To your posts, gentlemen!" The Archbishop waved his mace in a blessing over them, and Prince Pedro smiled "Don't worry, Thire, thethe French are rubbithh".


The Battle of St Yves

As soon as he'd joined his Italian mercenaries, Konrad saw the glimmer of spearpoints through dust, off to his left. "Ha! The Jacquerie arrives" he cried, and swung his knights to face toward them. He cast a glance around, and saw rest of the line holding - Prince Pedro dispatching some jinetes in a circling move, while the Archbishop sat arguing volubly with the Herzog(1). The French were advancing, slowly but inexorably in a tight line. (2)

Konrad dispatched his Hungarian supporters in a mad gallop forward, where they started sweeping around the end of the French line, while he led the Italians in a thund'rous charge forward on the Parisian burghers. After a brief crushing charge, he rallied his knights, and watched with satisfaction as the shattered remnants of the burghers poured off the field, leaving the bodies of their Mayor and more than half their number behind. He turned his men back toward the battle lines again.

His subordinates had barely stirred yet, although the Archbishop had apparently resolved his problems, and Prince Pedro's men were looking eager, after witnessing some of their jinetes being shot at. Konrad spurred his men forward, watching the French.

The French commander had apparently decided that he must bring his knights forward, leaving the foot to straggle behind, so the French Chivalry formed knee to knee, across a front of half a mile. All Konrad's urging could not bring his knights up to support before the French charged, he could see, but his Hungarians were another matter. He left the Italians to follow as best they could, and galloped forward, sending messengers to the Hungarians to ignore the baggage, and strike the French line from behind.

The crash of onset roared - the Germans, having barely stirred from their lines, met the French steadily. On the right, the Spanish front was pierced by a brave chevalier, while much of the Spanish chivalry was driven back. The Saxons, led by their indomitable Herzog, performed stirling service, driving the French back along the whole of their front, while the wedge of Saxon mercenaries broke open the French line. The Episcopal knights, in their tight wedges, fought an even struggle with the French, the Archbishop throwing back an attack on their flank.

Then the Hungarians darted in, falling on the French rear, breaking up their lines and making the French twist in their saddles. Caught between the Saxon spears and the Hungarian arrows, the French centre was destroyed in the twinkle of an eye. Konrad could hear the Herzog bellowing "Raise the Black Flag, boys! No prisoners!"

The Spanish were making heavy weather of holding off their French opponents - their jinetes were entangled amongst the French foot, who were arriving in bits and pieces, and the hole in the Spanish line was steadily widening. Prince Pedro, surrounded by a circle of steel, could be heard shouting "Thteady, boyth, Thteady! Remember Thantander!"

As the Saxons broke up, and turned to charge the French flanks, the Archbishop was ridden down, and his command cast in disarray. They fled towards the camp, hotly pursued, but Konrad rejoined his Italians, and smote the pursuers hip and thigh, aided by many a bloodthirsty Saxon knight striking the French from the opposite flank.

The Spanish wavered, but held, assisted by a flood of Hungarians and Saxons threatening the French rear, then in a moment the tide turned, and the remaining French fled the field.

Konrad rode forward slowly, watching his loyal Hungarians looting the French camp thoroughly in the distance. Herzog Albrecht rode up, and Konrad greeted him with a joyful salute: "Hail, Herzog, a sterling battle you fought!" Albrecht frowned, and bellowed back "No, your bloody Hungarians have caught all the cattle."
 


Notes
(1) all 3 allies rolled '1' for their initial PIP dice!
(2) all 3 French on-field commands rolled '1' for _their_ initial PIP dice - weird but balanced i guessLessons learnt:

For the Germans:
1.    LhO vs KnS, even with double overlaps, isn't a guarenteed win
2.    Kn(I) in 2 ranks can hold off any Kn, but only til their flank is turned.

For the French:
1.   Separating mounted and foot is an invitation to be flanked
2.    Kn(S) vs Kn(O) will not result in a quick victory