Wayne ventured forth to take on Aggressive Dave on Easter Saturday.
Wayne was commanding the Parliamentary Militia who were defending a ruined papist church, after capturing the notorious Royalist rabble rouser Cardinal Sin. Maurice Weasel of the Rhine returned to try and salvage some honour after his recent setbacks!!!
Dave fielded two units of Pike, two units of trotters, two lots of commanded shot and a regular shot unit.
I gave Wayne two lots of veteran Pike and three units of shot.
Cardinal Sin being prominently displayed for both sides to see in the church, Dave needed to reach him and then get off the board, before losing half of his force (a real challenge for Dave)!!
Dave lined up his forces in an uncharacteristically conventional manner.
Wayne elected to set up with two units of shot and a unit of pikeman in the church, with more pike and shot off the board as reinforcements.
Dave managed to move his army forwards in a very coordinated manner, this clearly threw Dave off guard and he decided to send a unit of trotters in a flanking movement, un-supported of course, in what Dave proudly describes as a Cavalier manner.
Wayne managed to bring on his reinforcements. Putting his pikemen in close order and delivering some effective first volleys into Dave's ordered battle line.
Dave's flanking move was brought to a decisive end , when his trotters were charged by the reinforcing pikemen, routing them the trotters. Dave retaliated in the centre by attacking with his own pike unit, over a defended wall, at least sticking to his reputation for rushing in!!!
It was now that Maurice behaved true to form and fled from a little bit of musketry!!!! Depriving his forces of his command bonus.
Maurice fled straight off the board in true Royalist dashing fashion!
Wayne realised that Dave was on the verge of losing half of his force and went on the offensive, using Jose and his pike to charge into Dave's pike block. After initially wavering Jose rallied in time to see Dave's remaining units whittled down to the point of no return!!!
Cardinal Sin decided it was time to consider converting to baptism, or face a cold Easter Sunday in his tower!!!!
Me and Dave replayed the mission with Dave swapping trotters for aggressive gallopers.
True to form, Maurice now leading pikemen (offering him greater protection), wavered and retreated at the first round of musketry aimed at him!!!
However This time the cavalier cavalry really performed, sweeping units away on both flanks, albeit they were ultimately destroyed in the process!!!
After some in-decision Dave decided that losing 8 points if cavalry was enough and actually rescued the Cardinal, shooting my dragoons up to prevent a pursuit!!! It was noted that he could have rescued him on turn two, but this was Dave after all!!
To my astonishment Dave actually failed to loose the mission in what was another good game.
Another showdown between Maurice and Jose will be on the cards, afterall Maurice is still bearing the shame of losing the King's Lifeguard standard!!
