A 1560 Rematch - Turks vs Imperialists

A follow-on from the game played earlier in the same month (July 2023). My thanks go to Tom for the following report: -

In this game the Turks and Imperialists have a rematch.

The Turks reorganise their forces to concentrate all their Sipahi on their right Flank for a heavy attack on the Imperialist left. Their two infantry commands are deployed in the centre with their heavy artillery on hold orders. On the left all the Turkish light horse were concentrated with orders to move forward to the hill on the Imperialist right expecting to be opposed by the Imperialist cavalry and to delay their attack while the Sipahi on the far right did their job.

The Imperialist army decides to concentrate its two cavalry commands on their left and their two infantry commands on their right. The cavalry on the far left has orders to advance then swing round to hit the Turkish centre. The second cavalry command has orders to advance to the centre of the table then to turn to the right and move to cover the infantry advance. Both infantry commands have orders to advance to attack the Turkish centre.

The battle divided into three sections. On the Turkish right the Sipahis rush forward to attack the Imperialist left but the attack is piecemeal due to the woods. The Imperialist Reiter initially get the upper hand and push the Sipahis back. After a protracted conflict the Sipahi manage to hold and begin to push back the Reiter.

At the other end of the battlefield the Turkish light horse moves forward and is faced by the Imperialist infantry coming under speculative fire from the two batteries. The Imperialist infantry move through the rough ground heading for the Turkish centre. The irregular cavalry bypasses the Imperialist infantry and heads towards the hill to overrun the first Imperialist artillery battery and Imperialist baggage. The Turkish commander manages to get an order through to the light horse and, after a delay for the new orders and reorganisation, the light horse moves behind the Imperialists to overrun their second artillery battery and baggage.

All the Imperialists move forward heading for the Turkish centre, their right hand Tercio coming under heavy fire from the two Turkish heavy batteries. The fighting for the centre is heavy at one point the attack is delayed as both the Imperialist infantry leaders are hit in the same move. The Dervish fanatics charges the Tercio and routs it after several rounds of combat. Another Tercio breaks from the fire from the Turkish artillery but Janissaries and Tribal foot rout them from the table, leaving the Turkish artillery and baggage open for attack from the Imperialist infantry.

Behind the Imperialist front the Transylvanian Cavalry manage to retake one of their gun batteries and, supported by the Gente d'armes, prevent the light horse from further rampaging.

When the game was called to a halt the Turks had captured one set of guns (+5pts). The Imperialists had lost both sets of baggage (-40 points) but had control of the battlefield (+20points). However, their infantry were on the point of rolling up the Turkish centre and overrunning the Turkish batteries and baggage as the Turks only had a couple of units of skirmishers to hold them up. So Turks won on points but the Imperialist had a moral victory knowing that the battle would finally be theirs.