In today’s game the Imperialists faced the Turkish hoards. They deployed their strongest cavalry on the left to hold the gap between the central woods and the marsh to protect the flanks of the infantry. The C-in-C deployed all the infantry and artillery in two lines planning to move up the centre of the table to take the central objective. The weaker cavalry was deployed on the right between the woods and the table edge with orders to move towards the marsh on the Turkish left in order to threaten the Turkish centre.

The Turks deployed their Sipahi of the port on their right to attack the Imperialist left flank then threaten the rear of the Imperialist centre. The Sultan deployed his heavy gun batteries between the central wood and the marsh supported by the skirmishers while his other foot deployed on the left of the marsh with orders to advance on the central objective. The Turkish Feudal Sipahi were deployed on the left with orders to move forward and protect the flank of the Turkish infantry as it moved forward.

On the Imperialist left the Turkish Sipahi of the port moves forward and attacks the Imperialist Reiter through the gap between the wood and marsh. The firepower of the massed Reiter units forces the Turkish cavalry to fall back, but one unit of Reiter gets carried away and pursued their defeated opponents only to get attacked in the flank and routed before they manage to rally. After a further couple of failed charges from the Turks this flank dissolves into a standoff.

In the centre the Imperialists advance in two lines with one Tercio and two pike blocks in the front line and another two Tercios in support. The Turkish infantry advance against the seemingly overwhelming numbers of imperialist infantry. The fanatical Dervish unit charges one of the Bohemian pike blocks who try to retire but are blocked by the Tercio behind them. They manage to hold the Dervishes for one turn before they are cut to pieces. The fanatical Dervish then repeatedly try to charge the supporting Tercio but flanking fire from a second Tercio holds them off. When they finally manage to charge home they force the Tercio back before the Dervishes are destroyed. The Turkish tribal foot attack the other Bohemian pike block and are routed, leaving the Janissaries on their own to hold off the Imperialist infantry.

On the Imperialist right their cavalry move forward and run into the Feudal Sipahi. After several charges the Sipahi rout the Reiter and force the Imperialists back. At this point the Sultan rushes through a change of orders to bring the cavalry over in support of his lone Janissary unit. In the following turns the fire of the Janissaries, skirmish horse and artillery manages to shake the Imperialist infantry, allowing the Sipahi to charge the Bohemian Pike, who then roll a ‘1’ morale and rally, forcing the cavalry to retire. However, in the following turn the Pike break under Turkish artillery fire.

At the end of the game all the Imperial infantry had routed or were shaken so the Turks with the only steady troops were holding the objective. The Imperialists only had 45% of their army strength remaining whereas the Turks had 60% remaining.

So a convincing victory for the Turks.