Battle of Sanguetta 1497, Game #3

With two Sanguetta battles in the Log Book, Game #3 takes the stage with two Dave's battling it out for honor and supremacy.  Like the earlier two contests, each player submitted his initial army deployment to me ahead of game time.  David B. would command Vitelli's Army (red dice) while David C. took the reins of Borgia's Army (Blue dice).

When both players joined into the session, the battlefield looked as,

Initial deployments

with Vitelli's Army lined up along the edge of the gently sloping hill while Borgia positioned his army within the open woods below the high ground.

The armies poised for battle!

As Borgia readies his troops, Vitelli sends his crossbowmen down the slopes to bring the enemy within range.  Sensing opportunity, Borgia's Landsknechts emerge from the woods to engage the enemy.  With the dopplesoldners in the fore of the pike block, the Landsknechts attack.

Firing into the swordsmen at close range, the dopplesoldners are compelled to retire to the rear of the pike block.  Seeing the dopplesoldners retire, the Landsknechts press on.  Not able to withstand the push of the pikemen, Vitelli's crossbowmen retire back up the hill where they find support from Vitelli and his Men-at-Arms.  The Landsknechts continue pressing forward in pursuit of the retiring enemy.  There, they come face to face with a wall of enemy troops including the Vitelli and his MAAs.  

Borgia's Army waits in the woods.

Landsknechts attack with dopplesoldners leading the way.

As dopplesoldners retire, the pikemen press on.

Vitelli's crossbowmen are driven back
and the Landsknechts pursue.

The Landsknechts, attacking uphill into the teeth of the enemy position, are stopped having suffered heavy casualties.  With their momentum gone, the Landsknechts fall back down the slopes as the enemy's MAA launch a counterattack.  Faced with a now steady wall of pikes, the MAA retire back up and fall back into their place in the battle line.  Seeing the heavy horsemen withdraw, the Landsknechts redouble their efforts against the crossbowmen.  The Landsknechts go in again!  On Vitelli's Left, his mounted crossbow are suffering from the fire of both mounted and foot crossbow.

Vitelli's MAA pursue...

but quickly retire.

Vitelli's crossbowmen cannot withstand a second attack.  The men first waver and then break.  Despite clearing the enemy from their front, the Landsknechts fail to follow-up in pursuit.  This momentary hesitation is all that Vitelli needs.  He sends his large pike block in a counterattack against the Landsknechts while his pike block on the right confronts Borgia's MAA as they approach the hill.  

Landsknechts attack again driving off the enemy crossbow!

Counterattack!

While Vitelli's pikemen see off Borgia's MAA on the right, Borgia's Landsknechts hold their ground.  Vitelli's pikemen fall back.  Having suffered horrible casualties defending their ground, the Landsknechts choose not to pursue.  Vitelli's mounted crossbow fall back to avoid the punishing enemy missile fire.

You win some; you lose some.

Situation viewed from behind Borgia lines.

Surprised at seeing the Landsknechts fail to pursue, Vitelli's pikemen rally themselves and advance back into the fray.  Still wavering from their recent efforts and combat losses, the Landsknechts can hold on no longer.  Borgia and his Landsknechts reel back down the slopes with the enemy in hot pursuit.  Vitelli's guns on the hill finally find the range and begin taking shots into the dense pike blocks in the clearing below.  

The Landsknechts buckle from repeated attacks.

With their blood up, Vitelli's pike block continues to hound the Landsknechts as the pursuit continues.  The Landsknecht retreat continues.  The pursuit finds Vitelli's pikemen unsupported and among the enemy army.  Seeing his pikemen now isolated, Vitelli leads his MAA forward into Borgia's second pike block.  Charging down from the heights, the MAA crash into the pikemen.

Vitelli pursues the wavering Landsknechts.

Landsknechts are streaming toward the rear.

Even support from crossbowmen cannot stop the pursuit.

Vitelli and his MAA charge into enemy pike!

The weight of Vitelli's MAA is too much to resist.  Borgia's pike block is driven back with great casualties.  The pikemen recoil.  Vitelli pursues.  More pikemen are lost as the MAA catch their foe.  Again, the pikemen are driven back.  Again, Vitelli continues his relentless pursuit.  More of the Papal pikemen flee from the present threat.     

Vitelli and his MAA crash into enemy pike.

A running pursuit depletes the Papal pike block.

Seeing that his entire army is either scattered or in full retreat, Borgia abandons the field.  Victory to Vitelli! 

End of battle with Borgia in retreat.

Wow!  An impressive victory for David B. and his Orsini-backed army under the leadership of Vitelli.  Congratulations, DB!  This whole affair was fought to conclusion in under two hours.  DC, my condolences on your loss.

While we are hesitant to lay blame at the feet of the Dice Gods, this time they showed their hand repeatedly.  Not to take anything away from DB's stunning victory but Vitelli pursued when he needed to while Borgia failed to pursue when the opportunity arose.  Those failures to pursue and press on cost Borgia dearly.  In the end, Borgia's Army was in tatters while Vitelli's Army was still, mostly intact.

Still, a very dynamic and exciting came to watch unfold.  Well-played by both Daves!