Battle reports thread - King of the Romans PBM

[econ21]

The Battle of Staufen, 1358


“The French are advancing on Staufen.” reported the Teuton.

“How many?” demanded Welf.

“Over fifteen hundred - a strong army, well provided in all arms. They have many knights - mounted and on foot - together with good quality missiles - aventuriers and Scots Guards”

Welf nodded. French armies seemed only to come in one type these days - strong. For a moment, the young general wondered about hunkering down in Staufen or on the bridge before it. But then he dismissed the idea. Swabia had been on the defensive too long. Duke Arnold had provided him with as many men as he could hope to muster. True, he was short of good spearmen but that was a constraint Swabia would have to endure for many years to come. The cataclysm had drained Swabia of a sizable sergeant class willing to fight for their lords. Those semi-professionals who remained were assigned specialist roles - horsemen or crossbowmen - with lowly militia fulfilling the more basic duty of providing mass to an army.

Welf turned to Captain Otto, the veteran warrior he had recruited in the aftermath of the relief of Bern.

“Do you think our militia can stand up to the French in the field?”

Captain Otto, former leader of the Bern militia, bristled: “The militia will do their duty. Do not ask too much of them and they will serve you well.”

Welf nodded. His four regiments of crossbowmen were to spearhead his attack. Their pavises may give them an advantage even over the aventuriers and Scots Guard. And he had ample Teutons from Frankfurt and dismounted feudal knights to call upon to support them. The only tricky part might come if the militia had to be called upon to receive a French cavalry charge. Best have the crossbowmen target the French horse first, decided Welf.

We can do this, Welf thought, looking up to Captain Otto as if for confirmation. Then he spoke out loud:

"The odds are against us." He said confidentially to Captain Otto. "By our own efforts alone, we cannot win this. However, we can pray that the French by their stupidity will lose it."

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Attacking a superior French force fills Welf with trepidation.

*****

“Scheisse.” swore Captain Otto. “You would have us attack uphill in a blizzard?”

Welf smiled: “Surely you do not think I am asking too much of the militia?”

Captain Otto gave the eighteen your old general a withering look, but the weather hid his disdain.

The German army was deployed hidden in a central wood. The French were on the slopes above them and quickly established a line of battle below some cliffs overlooking the battle. The French deployment was asymmetric - all their cavalry on the western flank, with archers screening foot on the eastern flank. As Welf planned, the German crossbowmen, backed by militia, advanced on the French cavalry. But the French quickly moved their horsemen over to the east - avoiding exposing themselves to the arbalests fire.

“Now we have them!” cried Welf exultantly. While the French cavalry’s withdrawal had protected them from German fire in the short term, it had left the entire French eastern flank open. “March for the heights!” shouted Welf. “Everyone - now! Out of the woods. Get up that hill.”

Slowly, the Germans lumbered up the slope towards the unoccupied cliff heights that dominated the battlefield. They had to endure the harsh weather conditions and exhausting trek, but at least escaped the attentions of the French missile troops deployed to the west. In reaction to the German advance, the French pivoted their line to run north to south, instead of east to west.

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The Germans turn the French flank, bloodlessly seizing the heights above them.

The French response to the flanking action was pitifully inadequate - a regiment of Scots Guard and one of dismounted chivalric knights approached to threatened the German advance. However, the Germans deployed their crossbowmen and cut down the two approaching regiments.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The French make a half-hearted attempt to prevent the German envelopment

After that initial action, the German crossbowmen settled down and systematically began to fire on the French lying below them. Inexplicably, the enemy failed to return fire - their Scots Guards and aventuriers slowly being decimated. As the French missile regiments fell below half strength, Welf ordered that new targets be found. with German fire raking the enemy line, it appeared that the only obstacle to a German victory would be a shortage of crossbow bolts.

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The killing begins.

While the crossbows continued their barrage on the enemy, Welf spotted a weakness appear in the French line. The depleted enemy missile regiments had been left to defend the central portion of the French battleline unsupported. Conscious that his supply of ammunition was not infinite, Welf led his escort in a charge against the French center - hoping to add pressure on his beleaguered opponent.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Welf attacks the weakened French missile regiments.

Captain Otto watched with concern as his young general rode off into the blizzard to strike at the heart of the enemy line. He roused a regiment of dismounted feudal knights:

“Are we going to let our young master fight this battle on his own? Let’s move it!”

The knights followed Otto westwards, towards the mass of French infantry that had formed up under the cliffs. Although the knights were the superior fighters, the solid formation of the voulgiers provided a tough nut for them to crack and the Germans made little progress. However, out of the snow, Otto could see black clad horsemen making for the rear of the French voulgiers - Welf was returning from his pursuit of the French missile regiments to reek more havoc.

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Welf leads a charge on the rear of the Voulgiers

The Voulgiers routed before Welf’s escort had slain a single one of them. Soon the mass of French infantry below the cliffs was dissolving. Captain Otto pressed on with his single regiment of dismounted foot knights. Welf was reluctant to order a general attack while half the French line - and all the French horse - remained in tact. He wanted to give the pavise crossbowmen time to finish their work and to conserve the bulk of his army, much of it exhausted from the climb to the cliff heights. However, Otto’s men and Welf’s escort remained engaged to apply pressure against the tip of the enemy battle line.

With half their army collapsing, the French finally responded to the German pressure. The French horse started to surge north, aiming for the cliff heights that the Germans had previously seized without a contest.

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The French belatedly respond to the Germans’ seizure of the high ground.

Once again the French failed to press their advance seriously. A regiment of French horse found a gap in the German line, but then became unsupported and cut-off, easy prey for the Germans. Similarly, a lone regiment of French dismounted noble knights reached the cliff heights but then was swiftly disposed of. The Germans first concentrated their crossbow fire on the unfortunate regiment, then blocked it with a regiment of German dismounted feudal knights before finally smashing it with charge into the rear by a regiment of Teutons.

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The French attempt to retake the cliff heights ends ignominiously.

Now Welf saw his opportunity to drive away the French survivors still clustered below the cliffs. He ordered a general advance. Captain Otto’s foot knights, now supported by other units, were to press in from the west while the victorious Teutons and other regiments from the cliff heights were ordered to march down from the east, striking the French in the rear. The enemy, long harassed by German crossbow fire from the cliffs, were now caught in a pincer movement.

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Coming in from both flanks, the Germans drive the French from the killing zone under the cliffs.

But the battle was not over yet - the French cavalry still remained in good order on the field and rode to intercept the Teutons rampaging around the helpless French infantry.

“Pull back! Pull back!” Welf shouted. Thanks to careful discipline, these orders were received and the Teutons ignominiously withdrew from the combat, several being slain by the pursuing French lancers.

Captain Otto rode over to consult with his general:

“The Teutons won’t be happy with that order.” he said wryly to Welf.

The young general shrugged: “I am not concerned with that. I will not have my cavalry wasted in combat with the French horse. That’s a job for our spearmen. Do you think the militia will be up for it?”

Otto smiled - the militia was exhausted by its climb to the cliff heights and beyond, but now it was advancing downhill and attacking lancers demoralised by the terrible destruction that had already been wrought on the French army.

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The massed German militia advance down the slopes to engage the French lancers.

The two men waited, trying to make out through the snowfall the contest to the east between French lancers and German militia. Then they heard a Germanic roar and suddenly all remaining French opposition seemed to collapse. The militia had claimed the life of the enemy general.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The fall of the French captain signals the end of the battle.

After the battle, Welf walked among his victorious army grinning from ear to ear. He whispered to Captain Otto:

“What did the Romans say to their victorious Caesars? Remember you are mortal. My God, I swear I never truly understood it fully until today!”

Captain Otto smiled knowingly at the young general and shook his head as if in warning. Welf waved him off:

“I know, I know - I am mortal.”

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The butcher’s bill

[_Tristan_]

In Dijon’s countryside, 1360


Hughes was sitting on his horse watching the French deploy in the plain below. They had already refused to fight once this day, prefering to look for more favourable ground. Now the sun iss setting but enough light remains to engage them.

This plays in Hughes’ hands. Guillaume, the old Templar knight, came in riding hard ans stopped his horse next to Hughes.

“Hughes, the Germans under Günther are in place on the other side of the plain. They are marching towards our position.”

“Then all is well” answered Hughes, taking one last look at the French before turning to his men, the last remaining of the Templars sent on that fateful mission so long ago now…

“My friends, this is another chance for us to repay the French for the destruction of our Order. Fight bravely !!”

Hughes had set up his retinue of knights on a hill overlooking a wide plain. The plagued force under Captain Günther was approaching from the opposite side of the plain.

The French force deployed in the plain and started to turn towards Hughes and his men.

A lookout must have warned the French captain because at the base of the hill he started to order his footmen to turn around and head for Günther’s line. Only the captain and his Gendarmes remained at the base of the hill, hoping to prevent Hughes from reaching the main force.

“En avant”, ordered Hughes, spurring is horse forward. The Templars moved as one, starting down the hill.

Meanwhile in the plain, the French footmen were marching to meet the main German force.

As Hughes started his descent, he noticed that the French captain was leaving his position to join his men. Seeing an opportunity, Hughes issued a single order.

“Chargez !!”

The slow canter of the horses turned to a powerful downhill charge.

Watching the main force approaching, the French captain had no time to see Hughes and his men riding on his left flank. The lowered lances of the Templars caught the Gendarmes totally unaware and ripped half of them from their horses, to be trampled by the horses.

In the meantime, Captain Günther had ordered his own cavalry forward. The mounted crossbowmen concentrated their fire on the spearmen. The Imperial Knights and Sergeants marched to the advancing enemy crossbowmen before charging.

The crossbowmen separated, one group going to the left, the other to the right, each pursued by German cavalry while the spearmen continued onwards to the main German line, knowing that it was a lost fight but intent on taking as many lives as possible.

The French captain was left with only three of his men and running hard to catch up with his spearmen hoping to help them take as many French lives as possible.

They advanced in a deluge of crossbow bolts, men dropping like flies. Two of the Gendarmes reached the line and charged the German crossbowmen only to be met by a perfectly-timed counter-charge of the spearmen. The French captain tried to run only to be caught by the Imperial Knights who had followed him.

Further up the field, Hughes was fighting the last of the French crossbowmen, ordering the sergeants to round up the few surviving men in the hope of ransoming them.

He then turned towards the main German line and with reluctance born of knowledge of the plague ravaging the German force spurred his horse onwards to catch the few surviving French speramen in the back while they were trying to catch up with the Imperial Knights.

Seeing this, Captain Günther ordered his men to cease fire.

To the French, the sudden stop in the rain of bolts could mean only one thing : doom…

Hughes and his retainers slammed into the back of the spearmen before they could turn around, breaking their morale.

Only one Frenchman was left alive… He was given a note asking the commander of the garrison besieging Dijon to pay ransom for the prisoners.


Hughes was watching the flames from the bonfires, sparks flying up and becoming so many new stars before disappearing… The French had refused to pay to free their prisoners and this left Hughes with few options : use some of his men to play watchdogs or kill the French…

Those had been in contact with the plagued Germans… They had to be cleansed… Only fire would prevent the plague from spreading… And it seemed a just payment for the burning at the stake of so many of his former comrades-in-arms…

The screams had all died... Now the wind caught up the smoke and carried it towards Dijon, carrying with it an odor of defeat to the French commander…

“Onwards to Dijon !!” ordered Hughes, breaking from his reverie… So many good men lost..

[_Tristan_]

Placeholder for the Capture of Paris, 1362

EDIT : This post can be deleted...

[OverKnight]

The Sally against the Turks at Adana, 1362

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Matthias stood on the outer ramparts of Adana surveying the newly arrived Turk army.

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After a long absence, the old enemy had returned, and in force. Almost 175 years ago Saint Maximillian had taken this Citadel in the name of God and the Reich, and it had been over a century since the Turks had made an effort to reclaim it. Yet here they were. If serving in the Holy Land had taught Matthias anything, it was that time rarely erased dreams of lost glory. The very land was saturated with history, calling out to the ambitious and pious. Even if more often than not the siren call of lost empires led to further destruction.

A lone horseman, heading to the Citadel under a flag of truce, broke Matthias's reverie.

Adalric, to his right, asked, "Shall I have him shot, Viceroy?"

"Nein, plenty of time for that, let's us hear what the infidels have to say."

The herald approached the gates and bellowed to the defenders, "My Sultan has sent Captain Kuchuk to reclaim this Citadel, so wrongly stolen from our people. Yet in his magnamity he simply wishes to see Adana returned, without bloodshed. You are free to leave, to carry on your war against the Greeks. In this my Sultan will assist you, but you must give us back what is ours."

The Turk waited for a reply on his horse. The truce banner flapping in the breeze.

Matthias scowled, and yelled down to the herald, "This Citadel is part of the Kingdom of Outremer. It has been sanctified with the blood of Germans. It houses the bones of our patron saint. It was given away by a traitor, and reclaimed with honor and steel."

Matthias spread his hands, his voice growing even louder, "Look to your right, there lie the bleached bones of the Greeks who layed claim to this place! Look to your left, that mound is the grave of Crown Prince Tutush and his men, the last Turkish garrison of Adana! God has given us this place to us, and only He may take it away."

The Crusaders cheered.

The Herald screamed in response, "This land is part of the Sultanate, leave now!"

Matthias drew Iron Faith and leveled the tip at the Turkish army.

"This IS OUTREMER! Go north, fight the Greeks, leave. . .or you will be destroyed!"

The garrison roared, rapping swords against shields, the butts of spears against stone and they screamed their defiance.

The Turkish herald spat on the ground and galloped off.

Adalric turned to Matthias, "Shall we prepare for their assault?"

Matthias continued to stare at the Turk army as he replied, "No, we will attack. I will not suffer their presence at our walls."

Two units each of crossbowmen and spearmen deployed in front of the gates, supported by the rest of the archers on the north wall. The lone unit of Turkish horse archers, a surprise, attempted to disrupt the move, but were run off by massed missile fire. Once the perimeter was established the cannons were set up.

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They soon made their presence felt.

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The trebuchets were the primary target, unless they were disabled, the Turks would have the advantage in artillery once in range. Soon enough, that problem was resolved.

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With the cannons out of shot, Matthias ordered the garrison to deploy. Archers in front, infantry behind, and what horsemen that remained to the left.

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Again the Siphais tried to disrupt the movement, but were routed.

Captain Kuchuk, faced with bowmen to his front, ordered much of his heavy cavalry forward.

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Matthias responded by sending his infantry on the right forward. The cavalry was met with spears.

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Massed crossbow fire was brought against the remaining cavalry and the Ottoman infantry that came up to support them. There were Imperial losses amongst the foot and precious horsemen, but the Turk charge and skirmish line were disintegrating.

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The Turk footmen desperately marched forward to save their comrades, but as Imperial spearmen pursued the remnants of the Turk cavalry on the left, Matthias charged his bodyguard into the last organized Ottoman archers in the center. The crossbowmen arced shots over him and his men and they fell among the advancing Turk infantry.

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In a last bid to save the battle, Captain Kuchuk tried to charge the rear of the spearmen pursuing the rest of his now broken cavalry. Fortunately, the spearmen were able to pivot and brace for the charge at the last moment, to the surprise of the Kuchuk.

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His horse was pierced by at least three spears, and in turn the falling beast crushed Captain Kuchuk. The last of the Turk cavalry was routed. The now leaderless infantry was relatively intact, and even able to pick off a few Imperial horsemen chasing routers, but they came under concentrated fire from five units of crossbowmen.

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Wilting under a rain of steel, they soon ran for their lives. Almost all of them were run down.

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The few Turks who managed to flee threw down their weapons and swore to never serve the Sultan again, or return to Outremer.

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Matthias found the Turkish herald among the prisoners, this time he seemed less defiant. He was dispatched to the Sultan with the head of Captain Kuchuk and a ransom offer of almost five thousand florins for the survivors. The Sultan kept the head, but refused the offer.

It was uncertain if he didn't have the money, was washing his hands of the failed invasion or nursing his dreams of lost glory and planning his vengeance.

Time would tell.