Battle Reports Thread: King of the Franks game

[deguerra]

Raoul, Lord of Berne surveyed the men under his command. A good number of archers and a good number of mounted men. He preferred having some infantry to fall back on, but it was not to be. He looked to the young Sieur Chretien sitting his horse beside him.

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Just then an archer shouted down from the walls:

"They are retreating my Lord, in a disorganized clump!"

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Raoul went with his first instictive thought: Charge! The first to be overrun by the French cavalry were the Imperial ballista crew, cut down to the man. Meanwhile, the main force had attempted to reform and tried to keep the French knights at bay with crossbow fire. Again, an instictive thought, again action.

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The Imperial crossbows were silenced. Now it was the Bernese turn to open fire. The archers, removed from the walls and augmented by a small force of spearmen, opened fire on the Imperial host. The response was rapid: Two companies of Imperial knights came charging. The first was warded off by the French cavalry and a deadly melee ensued, but the second got through to the archers, who fled in terror. Eventually, Sieur Chretien led his knights into the back of this dangerous foe and drove off the remaining Imperial cavalry.

The remaining imerpials stood no chance. Thrice they charged across the open ground towards the French archers, only to be repulsed by arrows and harried at their flanks by the Raoul, Chretien and their knights. Eventually, the last of them broke and fled, only to be cut down or captured as they ran.

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Offers for a ransom were rejected, the remaining Imperial soldiers were rounded up and killed.

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[Braden]

Battle of Frankfurt – account dictated by Duncan De Gant, late of the village of Leeds in England.

The enemy had been well scouted before hand by Prince Henri so it was well known to us that the German force was not only one of the largest we had seen but also certainly the most professionally trained and well armed.

Duke Thomas Saint-Amande, Duke of Lorraine and the Prince had gathered as much fighting force that the Duchy could provide and centred them on Frankfurt. Indeed most of the men armed with Spears had been born in Frankfurt, however, mostly they were Militia men, armed laymen of the parish rather than the professional soldiers who were arrayed before us outside the walls.

Along with the Prince and the Duke, the Princes’ vassal Baron André des Vaux and his bodyguard were with us. In all, our numbers matched those of the enemy although we were significantly lacking in the arms and quality of the men themselves. Word had also reached us that re-enforcements lead by a Chevalier named Villain de la Salle could also join us.

The Duke thought of a plan which was simple and used our strength over the Germans…our Royal cavalry.

We exited the city gates in full view of the enemy who redressed themselves further from the walls where we had our crossbowmen arrayed. This gave us time to ensure our militia spearmen were in formation. The Duke and Baron took one unit of mailed cavalry and moved to our right flank whilst the Prince took the remaining company of mailed cavalry and the armoured knights out to our left.

It was clear initially that the enemies own cavalry showed themselves more to our left flank so the Prince called for support from the crossbowmen we had on our walls. Our lines dressed and ready we started taking incoming bolts from enemy pavise crossbowmen who had moved ahead of their lines to harass us. The Prince charged them with all his companies and they were routed, he returned to our lines. The Duke took his companies of horse wider right and headed up the hill that the enemy sat at the base of, they took some fire from more crossbows but found combat with one enemy company of armoured knights whom they defeated with ease.

Again Henri moved ahead of our infantry intent on teasing out some more of the enemy mounted knights. This plan did work and we found ourselves engaged with at least one of their companies, perhaps two. I do not how it happened but one company managed to bypass us and engaged our crossbowmen who fled and were cut down before we could wheel and defend them. They were avenged however and soon the enemy had no horse to speak of. The Dukes own companies of horse continued to harrie the rear of the enemy force but soon it was time to signal a general advance.

In good order our militia men and the two companies of mercenaries advanced on the enemy. The Duke again charged down hill and destroyed a company of pavise crossbowmen who were harassing our advance before proceeding up hill again to the rear of the German army.

The Prince followed suit but on our left flank, advancing up hill behind the enemy formation.

Soon dreadful melee was engaged along the front lines. We, I mean, the Prince, would send our companies down hill into the enemy formations again and again, however, two companies of pavise crossbowmen remained in the centre of the enemy, well protected by foot-knights. These would assail us with bolts each time we tarried in melee for even a moment…no heed was held for their own casualties and they would loose directly into the mix of German and French horsemen without hesitation.

It was after one such engagement that I saw the Duke fall from his horse. The Prince and the Dukes companies had engaged into the rear of one company of foot-knights in the centre of the enemy force…again we were assailed by crossbow bolts from all sides but we showed no fear. All our companies redressed as one to gain high ground again and upon exiting melee I saw the Duke hit by several bolts to his body and fall from his horse. I gave the news to the Prince as we gained the high ground again but he seemed only intent on finishing the battle. Two or three more times all our companies fell upon the enemy from upon high before they finally broke and ran. Shortly after dispatching half their number it was clear we had also only half our men remaining too.

We captured upwards of 400 Germans. The Prince finally realised upon the Dukes death and was stricken by a grief I have not seen before, such was his anger that he killed one captive and myself and other retainers had to restrain him and remove him from the field of battle for the safety of others.

Baron André des Vaux was given charge of the enemy captives and attained a reasonable ransom for their small number. I heard that the enemy regrouped and withdrew to Nuremburg. Many of us said this was a heroic victory but the Prince did feel neither Heroic or Victorious with the Dukes death, nor was he happy that so many of us had perished during the fight either…I myself take solis from the fact that God has spared me this day and that despite the fact the enemy were far better armed and trained than our own men of Frankfurt we did best them and kill at least 2 to every 1 of us. I heard later that our re-enforcements arrived but only after the battle had just about turned in our favour and they did little if any fighting…pity perhaps but they remain largely un-touched and can pursue the enemy now in our stead.