This battle was fought as an open game/demonstration of Piquet's 1200-1600 AD module, Band of Brothers, at Fall In! November 1998. It was the "Opening Salvo" in a semi-fictional Italian Wars campaign that my friend, Joe Fish and I are playing.
King Louis-Francois II of France has invaded the territory of the Duke of Savoy, hoping to filch some choice real estate to add to his kingdom. However, Duke Rinaldo Carlo Flabenico has other ideas, and has called on family ties with Carlos Miguel de Aragon, King of Spain. The Spanish have used their fleet to land an army in Savoy. The two armies are poised for battle to determine who will control the Duchy. Duke Rinaldo himself has wisely decided to stay holed up in his strong hold at Castel Nuovo. It is important to the French to keep the coastal road to France open, and equally important to the Spanish to cut off the French army from further reinforcements. The village of Benvenuto lies at a strategic location controlling the roadway. Each of the 2 buildings of Benvenuto is worth 3 Morale chips to the side that gains control of it, and similarly the exit point of the road to France is worth 3 morale chips to the side that gains control of it. Each army will also deploy its camp on the battlefield at the location of its choosing. Note that each army will gain one Morale Chip at the end of every turn that its camp remains in its control. See the optional rules in Band of Brothers for "Loot and Pillage" of the camp. As a Ken Baggaley inspired rules variant, pike Phalanxes are composed of 2 pike units plus a "free" extra stand of halberdiers.
A Tercio (or Colunella?) is composed of 2 pike and 2 arquebus units. Roll for commander and unit quality as usual for Piquet. The French are -2 for commanders quality rolls. The Spanish are +2 for unit quality rolls. Use usual Piquet procedure for army characterization. Both armies have a card divisor of "Four".
FRANCE:
Duc de Nemours, commanding
1 Units Mounted "Archers", HC, Metal Armor, Lance, Regulars as personal guards
Left Wing, Zamudio
1 unit Gendarmes, EHC, Full Plate, Bard, Lance, Guard, "Unique
1 unit Mounted Crossbowmen, LC, Helmet Only, Crossbow, Militia
1 unit Skirmish Crossbowmen (2 hits/stand), No armor, Crossbow, Militia
Right Wing, Chevalier Bayard
1 unit Gendarmes, EHC, Full Plate, Bard, Lance, Guard, "Unique"
1 unit Mounted "Archers", HC, Metal Armor, Lance, Regulars
1 unit Stradiots, MC, Leather Armor, Shield, Javelins, Mace, Natives
1 unit Skirmish Crossbowmen (2 hits/stand), No armor, Crossbow, Militia
Center, Louis D' Ars
4 units Swiss Pikemen, Leather Armor, Helmet, Pike, Regulars, "Unique"
2 units Landesknecht Pikemen, Leather Armor, Pike, Regulars
2 units Italian Arquebusiers (3 hits/stand, formed), Helmet only, Arquebus, Militia
1 units Skirmish Arquebusiers (2 hits/stand), No armor, Arquebus, Militia
1 Battery Heavy Guns, No armor, Militia
1 Battery Medium Guns, No armor, Militia
SPAIN
Guillermo de Cosas, commanding
Left Wing, Don Diego Garcia de Paredes
1 unit Italian Elmeti, EHC, Full Plate, No Bard, Lance, Regulars
1 unit Heavy Mounted Arquebusiers, HC, Metal armor, Arquebus, Sword, Regulars
1 unit Genitors, MC, Leather Armor and Helmet, Javelins, Natives
1 unit Skirmish Musketeers, No armor, Musket, Militia, "Unique"
Right Wing, Picassaro
1 unit Spanish Knights, EHC, Full Plate, Bard, Lance, Guard, "Unique"
1 unit Mounted Arquebusiers, LC, Helmet Only, Arquebus, Militia
1 unit Skirmish Crossbowmen, Helmet Only, Crossbow, Militia
Center, Compte De Allegre
2 Tercios, each consisting of: 2 units of Pikes, Metal Armor, Pike, Regulars
2 units of Arquebusiers, Leather Armor, Arquebus, Elite
1 unit Skirmish Musketeers, No armor, Musket, "Unique"
1 unit Skirmish Crossbowmen, Helmet Only, Crossbow, Militia
1 unit Sword and Bucklers, Metal armor, shield, sword, Regular, "Unique"
1 Battery Organ Guns, Militia * see special rule
Sequence decks are as for 14th-16th C. Spanish and 15th C. French.
Add 2 "Pillage and Loot" cards to the French Troubles and Delay ("TAD") deck, and 1 to the Spanish TAD deck.
Add 2 "Uncontrolled Charge" cards to the French TAD deck
Add 1 "Crushing Missilery" and 1 "Ineffective Missilery" card each to the Spanish TAD deck
* Organ Guns variant special rule: Organ guns have a basic Fire adjustment of "Up Two", point blank range 0 - 6", close range 6 - 12". They reload only on an elite reload card, and must pass a difficulty check to be successful. If a reload attempt fails by triple, there is an explosion, and the battery is removed from play!
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© Copyright 1999 by Craig Martelle Publications
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