Something went wrong: La Rosiere 1347

So last week, I had a game of Armati at the club; once again probably the last big game I'll get for a while.

A French army of some 130 foot and 40 horse faced around 150 English foot and 20 horse; well over three hundred models filled the little club table.

Chris commanded the English and with a little advice deployed in the classic English formation of bowmen interspersed with heavy infantry, and a small flank guard of Sergeants and Knights.

I as the French opted for similarly classic lines, i.e. cavalry to the front en-masse, infantry lines to the rear and the left.

Thick lines of French infantry back up the knights. Figures include Games Workshop, Essex, Blacktree Designs and Prince August.

English Billmen. Games Workshop 5th edition Bretonnians.

French knights, Foundry and Essex miniatures.

English mixed lines. Bowmen by Irregular and men at arms from Foundry and Copplestone castings.

Flemish allies and English longbowmen. Essex and Games Workshop figures respectively.

Anyway. The battle itself. Being Armati, it was a fast affair, less than two hours to set up and play, despite the size of the forces.

The French essentially charged the English lines to minimise the effect of massed archery. They were spectacularly lucky on their first turn to take only one hit from the bowmen. Wood on the right hampered their supporting mounted men at arms, but not seriously.

However the English were able to manoeuvre their limited cavalry reserves to threaten the advancing French flank. And as the cavalry approached more casualties were suffered. Elsewhere the French infantry halted to support their Genoese crossbowmen.

The charge went in regardless of the threats...

And in doing so, it smashed the English lines, causing several routs. In return one unit of knights was destroyed. The French reserves were able to counter the flank attack of the English Sergeants, who were unable to do more than stall the French knights.

And soon it was all over. To many English formations broke, unable to do more than slow the initial tide of the attack. The French eventually beat the English 8-3 on unit losses with a requirement to Break 7 units to win and have 5 of their own broken to lose.

Yes, that means I won.

Whoopee!

Finally, a bit of luck.