Revenge at Sanguetta!

Having been beaten by Stephen commanding Vitelli's Army in the first match-up, Brian sought an opportunity to avenge that earlier loss on the battlefield where he commanded Borgia's Army (see Battle of Sanguetta, 1497).  Of course, I was only too happy to oblige! The players would swap sides and replay the battle.  With Brian leading Vitelli's Army (red dice) and Stephen leading Borgia's Army (blue dice), the players submitted their initial battle deployments.

Initial battle deployments

Unlike in the first game when Brian deployed his Papal Army under cover of the open woods, Stephen positioned his Papal Army at the wood line.  This would allow him to march out without incurring disorder.  

Borgia positions his army at the tree line.

The battle begins with both artillery pieces being knocked out of action by enemy fire.  Borgia brings his skirmishers forward as his MAA move up to align with the rightmost pike block.  As the MAA move forward, the skirmishers fall back through the cavalry.  With the battle line formed, Borgia advances toward the enemy.  Content to stand on the high ground as his enemy advances, Vitelli keeps his battle line in check.  He is not without a strategy, though.  Seeing the enemy advance upon him in the center, he orders his mounted crossbow to take the fight to the enemy.  Swinging around the enemy's right, the crossbowmen attack and quickly dispatch Borgia's skirmishers as they are caught falling back.  

Artillery from both armies do not last long!

Borgia advances toward the enemy...

as Vitelli's cavalry sweeps around the flank.

Seeing the enemy's flank turned and Borgia's MAA disordered from passing through the woods, Vitelli attacks down the gentle slopes and into the heavy cavalry.  In a long and hard fight with the MAA refusing to yield, Vitelli's pikemen retire from the fight much worse for their efforts.  Equally drained, Borgia's MAA do not pursue.

Pikemen attack!

After an exhausting clash, the pikemen retire.

Having repulsed the attack against his MAA, Borgia launches a counterattack.  This attack sends his two pike blocks up the slope against the enemy positions.  With Vitelli's two pike blocks split by the presence of his MAA, one of Borgia's pike blocks strikes the MAA while the Landsknechts crash into the pikemen on the enemy's right.  Borgia leads the attack against Vitelli and his cavalry. 

Borgia attacks!

Both pike blocks go in against the enemy's line. 

Borgia sends in the Landknechts first.  With the dopplesoldners hacking and slashing the path into the enemy, the Landsknecht pikemen push into the enemy as the dopplesoldners fall back.  The Landsknechts execute as expected, driving the enemy back.  With their blood up, the Landsknechts pursue vigilantly.  To their right, their companion pikemen do not fare as well.  Their attack is stopped by Vitelli and his MAA.  Borgia and his men retire back down the slope to the waiting support of his MAA.  Not wanting to court disaster by engaging both pike and horse, Vitelli holds his position on the hill.  He does not pursue.

Instead, Vitelli moves his MAA down from the high ground to bypass the enemy pike and engages Borgia's MAA alone.  The enemy's cavalry is driven off and the whole Papal Right is left hanging in the air.     

The Landsknechts succeed but the Italians are repulsed.

What befell Borgia's Right?

Landsknechts in pursuit!

With his right in tatters, Borgia sends his pikemen in the center against Vitelli and his MAA.  The attack almost works.  Vitelli holds his ground.  Borgia and his pikemen are forced to retrace their steps.  Borgia falls back to the support of the foot crossbow.  Borgia's Landsknechts scatter the remnants of the pike block that they have been so single-mindedly pursuing.

Pikemen attack...

but are repulsed.

Now it is Vitelli's turn to act.  With his large pike block descending the hill toward the beleaguered enemy, first his skirmishers harass Borgia's crossbow before launching a charge with his MAA.  Borgia's foot crossbowmen stand little chance.  They are driven from the field as Vitelli rides them down in pursuit.       

Vitelli moves to crush Borgia's will to fight. 

Papal crossbowmen are ridden down.

Despite the denuding of the Papal Right and Center, the battle hangs in the balance.  Given the success of Borgia's Landsknechts in both combat and pursuit, the battle dice show that each army is only one point away from breaking.  Whomever strikes first will likely see victory. 

Army Breakpoint tied at 1:1.

With weight of numbers, Vitelli attacks the now depleted ranks of Borgia's pike block.  The odds are too great and Borgia's Army breaks.  The battle is over.

A last, desperate defense.

Vitelli and the Orsinis are victorious in driving back these Papal aggressors!

Congratulations to Brian and Stephen for a well-played and hard-fought battle.

In a battle that could not have been any closer, Brian squeaked out a narrow victory as both armies battered themselves to the point of collapse.  Fortunately for Brian, he managed to outlast his opponent but only barely.

Great game fellas!  I enjoyed this contest very much.  With Game #4 in the record book, the tally stands at Vitelli 3, Borgia 1.