Rocroi, 1643 - Part II

The battle was fought out to a conclusion Tuesday evening. It took another 2-3 hours for 5 more turns. A total of 9 turns in 5 hours. So much longer per turn than I'm used to with the Twilight of the Soldier Kings rules for the 18th century. The game took longer too by an hour or two. Maybe that's because of lack of familiarity with the rules. 

I left off last time with the French gaining the upper hand on the wings. On the French left they had inflicted more losses on the Spanish cavalry to even up the odds, but the French had retired back over the stream to lick their wounds. The Spanish were unable to follow them as their wing had become 'Fatigued', as had the Spanish on the other flank. In the centre the Spanish, led by the veteran tercios, had got slightly the better of things. Here is an account of Part II, with pictures and captions.

End of turn 4 in the centre. Spanish tercios had charged the French.

End of turn 4: Some of the Spanish allies (probably German) had also charged the French

Turn 5: Spanish tercio in the distance had pushed their French opponents back

Turn 5: Right in the middle, the French infantry had fired on the Spanish battery, clearing off the gunners. Unfortunately my gunners are glued to the bases so guns and men have to be removed. A tercio advances to the attack.

Hawk's eye view of Spanish veterans at the charge. These were mostly conversions from musketeers.

On the Spanish right wing, their cavalry was successful in rallying (hence the disappearance of loss/disorder markers). The French cavalry, mostly out of shot, were doing the same thing.

Turn 6: French right. Only 1 battered Spanish brigade remains (circled). One French cavalry unit has gone haring off on an uncontrolled pursuit. They would be off board for several turns.

Turn 6: In the centre a French brigade is about to be attacked from two directions (left of pic). Action became rather confused after this, but the Spanish had the upper hand.

Turn 6: French left. Having rallied the French begin to cross to the Spanish side of the stream again.

Turn 7: In the centre the Spanish have caused the French line to buckle and Condé sent the reserve to help (bottom right crossing the stream). The Spanish veteran tercios are hard to defeat in IDV: they get extra saving dice so unless you inflict several hits in a turn things just seem to bounce off them like 2punders hitting a Tiger.

Turn 7: One of the French brigades has been routed and it bursts through the reserve cavalry disordering them.

Turn 7: further to the left another French brigade has been chased off back across the stream. At least behind the stream they come to a halt - linear obstacles cause routers to stop on the other side.

Turn 7: But over on the French right some relief for the French as they rout the 5th and final enemy brigade. One French brigade is still off table in pursuit.

Turn 7: General situation. Spanish and allies to the right of the line. Off camera to the right the Spanish have begun to refuse their infantry flank ready for the expected onslaught of French cavalry.

Turn 8: Hawk's view again of the general situation with new French cavalry attacks left and right.

Turn 8: An oblique view of the same.

Turn 8: French right. One French cavalry unit has pursued a defeated Spanish brigade off table, whilst another has been bounced by the fresh enemy infantry. 

Meanwhile in the centre, the battered French unit circled manages to hold off and temporarily bounce the Spanish veterans! Behind them another battered unit marches back across the stream to avoid being totally wrecked and to allow French troops to come through. You really need to allow plenty of space between units!

Turn 9: This looked to be the highpoint for the Spanish in the centre. They have inflicted enough losses on the French in the centre to 'Fatigue' the French infantry, meaning they cannot attack any more. But their flanks are vulnerable to French cavalry (see arrows). In addition 2 French cavalry units were due to return in the Spanish rear.

At this point, the Spanish had to dice for 'General Will' (i.e. whether they had the morale to continue). The test was failed and they had to retire. The IDV rules have a provision for calculating if there is a pursuit and if so what the damage caused is. Given the French preponderance in steady cavalry and a fairly involved dicing methodology, the Spanish ended up with a total of 8 wrecked brigades out of an initial 21, plus one captured general. A resounding French victory, but this time, the veteran tercios survived. Not the heroic end for Alatriste envisioned by Perez-Reverte.