BACKGROUND

Following the Spanish Imperialist victory at Bicocca, the defeated French pulled back to France to regroup. Two failed campaigns by the Imperialist forces resulted in giving King Francis I another opportunity for the French to cross the Alps, capture Milan, and lay siege to Pavia in November of 1524.

Defeated by the Spaniards and lansquenets. Pavia repelled repeated attacks by the French. Francis finally limited himself to surrounding the city to starve the garrison into submission. In the meantime, newly raised lansquenet units crossed the Alps to join forces with the Spaniards under Pescara and moved east to relieve the city. The French however had two months to improve their siege lines and fortify against attack from both sides of the line.

Although Pescara pushed the Imperialist fortifications to within 40 paces of the French lines, the Spanish commander did not have time on his side. As the Imperialist army was now out of funds, the lansquenets were threatening to return home if they were not paid. Pescara persuaded the mercenaries to stay a few more days in return for a promise to do battle against the French. Along its front the French army was entrenched in an unassailable position toward the city of Pavia and the exterior lines of the Imperialist relieve force. The only weak link in Francis' position was in the north flank, where his lines extended into a deer park surrounded by a brick wall. To gain the advantage of surprise, tile Imperial army had to breach the wall and enter the park in force without alerting the French.

On the night of 23-24 February, the Spanish labor troops were sent to the north part of the wall, which was quite distant from the French camp. As the night was dark and stormy, their work went on undetected and three breaches in the wall had been completed by morning. At dawn the Imperial army streamed into the park through the breaches and formed into line of battle in the park. The Imperial troops reached the point where the Mirabello lodge stood. However, they soon found themselves facing a hurried, but reasonably composed, French army of equal strength drawn up in a makeshift line of battle. King Francis himself led his men-at-arms galloping into the weaker Imperial horsemen and routing them. While the superior French artillery laid down fire with some success.

Terrain

The terrain of the park was open rolling hills intermixed by solid hedgerows and small sections of trees. These hedgerows afforded strong cover to the almost 3.000 Imperial marksmen, Spaniards and lansquenets. Unable to get at the marksmen, the French men-at-arms were soon to pieces. So damaged were the French horsemen that the Imperial horse was able to rejoin the fight and sent the men-at-arms running.

Meanwhile the massive infantry squares were moving up to join the battle. Because of the unexpected nature of the battle, the 8,000 Swiss were unable to properly support the other square of 5,000 lansquenets that made up the Black Band. The Imperial squares charged into the hapless lansquenets. Seizing the Black Band as if with tongs, the Imperial squares, 12,000 strong, drove into both sides of the lansquenets and cut them to shreds. The remnants of the Black Band, along with the French horsemen, were sent streaming to the rear.

The Swiss were unable to save the day, as the garrison of Pavia, making a sortie, now appeared in their rear. In a desperate situation, the Swiss were unable to keep a close formation and, attacked from all sides. soon suffered the same fate as the Black Band.

The rear guard of the French army, under Duke Alencon, was posted on the other side of Pavia. Believing the battle was already lost, Alencon moved his forces back to the southside of the Ticino river and destroyed the bridge. In doing so he saved himself and his command but caused greater losses in other parts of the army. Hundreds drowned trying to escape death at the hands of the Imperialists. The Imperial lansquenets had no mercy for their Black Band counterparts or for their Swiss competitors.

This victory destroyed the French army, reportedly cost the Imperialist troops no more than 500 dead. As Francis I commented after the battle, "all is lost save my life and my honor."

THE WARGAME

The scenario starts at 8:00 AM when Francis finally decides to commit his forces to contain the Imperial breach of his line and ends at 11:00AM. After three hours of hard fighting it would seem unlikely that either side would retain the lust for the offensive. Both sides will deploy their troops in the areas called out on the map. Troop formations are at the discretion of the player. When using Armati, ignore the deployment and division guidelines listed in the ruleset.

Use instead the order of battle listing and battlefield map given in the scenario. Reinforcements for both sides will be handled in the following manner. At the end of each turn a die roll is made by the French. If the result is a six, then Duke Alencon's command will enter as indicated on the map at the beginning of the next turn. The Imperialist reinforcements under Leyva will also enter as indicated on the map at the same time as Alencon. Neither side will receive reinforcements unless a six is generated. Until then, both Alencon and Leyva are considered to be in a stand-off position.

Orders of battle have been provided for Armati, WRG2nd Edition. and Newbury Fast Play for 1300-1550 rulesets.

TERRAIN

As stated earlier, the terrain of the battlefield is largely open, rolling meadowlands The hedgerows are thick and impenetrable to cavalry and protect infantry, much like linear fortifications. The various wooded sections in the park are very light and do not affect movement or combat. The stream may be crossed only at a ford.

The walls surrounding the park may only be crossed normally at the breach locations. Elsewhere they are treated as rough terrain (as are the French redoubts). Use the terrain rules as listed in whichever ruleset is being used, keeping in mind what has been outlined above.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

As this is more or less a meeting engagement, both sides must force a withdrawal or rout of the enemy by 11:00 AM to achieve a victory.

ORDER OF BATTLE - ARMATI

FRENCH

Break Point: 5, Initiative: 4

Commander in Chief: King Francis I

Swiss Division

2-FT 8 (5) 0 +1 (Pikes)
2-SI 2 (1) 1 +2 (X-Bows)

Black Band (lansquenets)

2-FT 7 (4) 0 +1 (Pikes)
2-SI 2 (1) 1 +2 (Arquebus)

Gendarmerie

2-HC 6 (2) 0 +3 (Lances)

Artillery

2-AR: 2 (0) 0 (+1 Medium)
1-AR: 2 (0 )0 (+1 Heavy)

Duc d'Alencon

2-FT: 6 (4) 0 (+1 Pikes)
2-SI: 2 (1) 1 (+2 Arquebus)
1-SI: 2 (1) 1 (+2 X-Bows)

IMPERIALIST

Break Point 5 : Initiative:5

Commander in Chief: Viceroy Lannoy

Vasto's Division

5-SI: 2 (1) 1 +2 (Arquebus) 1-LC: 1 (0) 0 +1 (X-Bows)

Pescara's Division

1-FT: 6 (4) 0 +1 (Pikes)

Lannoy's Division (Lansquenet)

2-FT: 7 (4) 0 +1 (Pikes) 3-SI: 2(1)1 +2 (Arquebus)

Bourbon's Division (Lansquenet)

2-FT: 7 (4) 0 +1 (Pikes) 3-SI: 2 (1) 1 +2 (Arquebus)

Rear Guard

1-FT: 6 (4) 0 +1 (Pikes) 1-SI: 2 (1) 1 +2 (Arquebus)

Artillery

1-AR: 2 (0) 0 +1 (Medium)

Leyva (Lansquenet)

1-FT: 7 (4) 0 +1 (Pikes) 2-SI: 2 (1) 1 +2 (Arquebus)

ORDER OF BATTLE WRG 2ND EDITION

FRENCH: 2658 TOTAL POINTS

Commander in Chief: King Francis I (100 pts)

Swiss Division

72 Pikemen 8 each, 576 pts (HI/B/fan/pike/swd/close)
18 Halberdiers 7 each, 126 pts (MI/B/fan/hal/swd/order)
12 X-Bowmen 3 each, 36 pts (LI/M/x-bow/swd/open)

Black Band

60 Lansquenet Pikemen 6 each, 360 pts (HI/C/pike/swd/close)
12 Lansquenet Halberdiers 5 each, 60 pts (MI/C/hal/swd/order)
12 Lansquenet Arquebusiers 6 each, 72 pts (MI/C/arq/swd/open)

Gendarmerie

30 Mounted Gendarmes 21 each, 630 pts (EHC/A/lance/swd/barding/order)

Artillery

5 guns and 20 crew 70 each, 350pts (Hvy gun, M)

Duc d' Alencon

48 Gascon Pikemen 4 each, 192 pts (MI/D/pike/swd/close)
18 Gascon Halberdiers 4 each, 72 pts (MI/D/hal/swd/order)
12 x-Bow 3 each, 36 pts (LI/Mx-bow/swd/open)
12 Arquebusiers 4 each, 48pts (LI/M/arq./swd.open)

IMPERIALIST: 2364 TOTAL POINTS

Commander in Chief: Viceroy Lannoy (100 pts)

Vasto's Division

30 Spanish Arquebusiers 6 each, 180 pts (MI/C/arq/swd/open)
6 mounted x-Bowmen 8 each, 48 pts

Pescara's Division

36 Spanish Pikemen 5 each, 180 pts (MI/C/pike/swd/close)
8 Spanish men-at-arms 19 each, 152 pts (HC/A/lance/mace/swd/barding/order)

Lannoy's Division

60 Lansquenet Pikemen 6 each, 360 pts (HI/C/pike/swd/close)
12 Lanquenet Halberdiers 5 each, 60 pts (MI/C/hal/swd/order)
20 Arquebusiers 4 each, 80 pts (LI/M/arq/swd/open)

Bourbon's Division

60 Lansquenet Pikemen 6 each, 360 pts (HI/C/pike/swd/close)
20 Lanquenet Arquebusiers 6 each, 120 pts (MI/C/arq/swd/open)
8 Spanish men-at-arms 19 each, 152 pts (HC/A/lance/mace/swd/barding/order)

Rear Guard

24 Italian Pikemen 4 each, 96 pts (MI/M/pike/swd/close)
6 Italian Halberdiers 4 each, 24 pts (MI/M/hal/swd/order)
6 Italian Arquebusiers 4 each, 24 pts (LI/M/arq/swd/open)

Artillery

2 Guns and 6 crew 70 each, 140 pts

Leyva 36 Lansquenet Pikemen 6 each, 216 pts (HI/C/pike/swd/close)
12 Spanish Arquebusiers 6 each, 72 pts (MI/C/arq/swd/open)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Conliffe, Armati 1994
Delbruck, The History of the Art of War Vol.IV 1920
Gush, WRG 2nd edition 1979
Jones, "All is Lost Save Honor" Wargames Illustrated #81, 1994
Phipps, "The Battle of Pavia" Wargames Illustrated #80, 1994

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