French Ordonnance vs Lancastrian English

In this game I used an early French Ordonnance against a Lancastrian army. The english player wanted to test a very defensive tactic, so I had to force a way through a tough enemy line

The English is in a very strong position. My plan was to attack both flanks, weaken enemy position then attack frontally

The english troops are in a complex deployment, ready to exploit the rear support of the mixed formation. RBwS and RBdS have ISpI and IBwO in the rear lines. The center is occupied by the allied corps with entrenched artilley.

Exploiyting better C3 I sent in the RPsS along the flank

The handgunner attack was supported by RArtO fire that raked all battle long enemy RBwS trying to help the wooded hill defence. In the first turns Artillery killed three enemy bowmen

The plan on the left was quite weak. Attack a BuA defended by AxO with bowmen is not a bright plan. The only advantage, I had the middle pip dice and faced a corps with lowest pip out of two. Here the English were plagued all game long by low pips and the need to use 2pip each IAxO move in difficult going

The attack on the right started well, with dead english archers and a couple of rear attacks on the irish PsS that were unwilling to die

The irish defence was spirited, and even with several hard flanks and rear attacks, I slowly lost the PsS and was forced to send in some help. In the confused melee I erisked to lose the general. A dismaying result for the higher pip dice corps

On the left the bowmen, advanceing in the village, and firing single shots with a malus, were successful to crack the opponents

Once the village was freed and the english flank was in danger, the Lancastrian launched a counterattack. French CiC tried to trample some BwS but fled

On the right a succession of poor combat rolls wiped out my skirmishers, so I had to withdraw and regroup, sending in more troops. The english corps was 1 element away from being disheartened, and I kept firing the gun on enemy RBdI hoping to blast the needed element.

The French attack was making good progress on the left with Lancastrian 0,5ME away from being disheartened, when time was called. 13-12 for the French

Too much effort for a small result. My plan was too complex and took too much time in execution. It was not a good one. I should have played in a different way.

This is an army suited to fire and shock action, and not to skirmishing. Better to focus two corps against one, and attack with elan sending in the knights. I was too wavering and didn't play the army in the right way.