28 June of 1519 before Langeloh exit Soltau

So, wait a minute, the Prince-Bishop wanted to have some abbeys back, he had pawned some lesser German principalities years ago, which where unfortunately related to the old house of the Welfs, which in return found the opportunity too irresistible to get into a feud, just like in the good old days. Yeah, but the relations and tribulations circled wider and wider and the Brunswickers were supporting Karl the V for the Emperor title and so, the others, the Lüneburger-Hildesheimer went for cheering for Francis I. And all clashed at that swamp in the middle of nowhere in northern Germany in Heidschnucken-land - got it?
Easy, a real pre-reformation, Italian War battle, but just on German land, the "Hildesheimer Diocesan Feud", who could resist.

Angus wanted to have Cavalry, so he could get the Lüneburger-Hildesheimer, as "Henry the Middle", who got some extra horses from his bad uncle in Flanders, and I went for Eric I, from Calenberg, who got mighty cash support from the Habsburgers, to buy what? Yeass - guns.
As nobody knows the exact historic deployment, so we aimed for maximum dynamic enthropy.
Between two swamps and two hills and two villages, we skipped the buildings and the hills, we deployed more or less simultaneously, Angus' Swiss pikes at his left (with the Gendarmes d'Ordonnance) and the French Men-at-arms (4 units) at the right. Opposing my enormous battery of heavy guns, mixed in all sorts of Landsknechte, Swordsmen and Arquebusiers.

First Angus tried the old all out attack, but didn't progressed far, then I forgot to shoot (duh), advanced as well and suddenly, the blocks and horses and units were standing on each others toes. Angus Stradioti blocked the french heavy horse for the entire battle, I had a couple of potentially good swings at some units, but the shitty dice ... To quote Boris Vian, an "orgy-like tohuwabohu of straw dim thrown up".

And did I mentioned it, I really, really rolled badly, honest to Fortuna!

But after all I enjoyed myself, the Calenbergs lost OK, just like in real life, but hey-ho, Karl will be Emperor soon and then its payback-time for those Heidschnucken!

Meeeh!

Miniatures Perry (Foundry and plastics) as well as som' old GW gun, flags by Flags of War.

more pics and a rap at Angus' page:
http://www.edinburghwargames.com/Journal%20106.htm

The silence before the storm

The indecisive Stradioti

The mean men-at-arms, middle class at its worst!

The infamous Gendarme d'Ordonnance

Landsknechte and their guns, loads of them!

Attack of the francophiles 

Bad war, push of the pikes!

The Germans nobility tries to late without luck

With gods blessing (in catholic painting often a hand pointing somewhere)
the Arquebusiers sent the Spanish Swordsmen to Hell

Campbell is visibly shocked at the success of the French

The Guns in peril 

Last attack of the Landsknechte 

The Swiss even break the last Spanish Swordsmen 

Still the Stradioti are perplex

The French nobility in for the kill -  the day was lost