More of a training game this week for the players to learn how the various troop types work, so it’s Renaissance Poles vs Turks.

The Turks set up with their artillery on the central hill with the cavalry command with the Sipahi of the Port to the left of the hill and the infantry to the right. The other cavalry command is stationed to their right. The Poles are set up with their artillery on the central hill with the infantry and wagons to the left. The command with the elite cavalry is stationed on the far right while the second cavalry command is stationed in the centre to the right of the hill.

The Poles win the initiative and both cavalry commands move forwards, threatening the lone cavalry command on the Turkish left. Their infantry move forward to the right of the wood while the wagon lagers move to block the gap at the rocky hill. In response, the Turks fire their artillery on the advancing Polish foot, inflicting casualties and causing one unit to rout on turn 1 (20 on the morale die). The Turkish right hand cavalry move round the far side of the wood and see the wagon lagers blocking the gap. On their left the second cavalry command moves forward so their light horse can delay the Polish advance.

On the Turkish left the central Polish cavalry command is held up by poor initiative and some difficult terrain and hit by fire from the Turkish artillery. The other Polish cavalry command sweeps round the Turkish flank, forcing them to fall back rather than be surrounded. The Poles charge the Turkish light horse who fall back off table. The Turkish Sipahi charge, chasing off the Polish light cavalry and hitting the Polish cavalry commander as they retire when counter charged by the Polish elite hussars. However, in the following turn the Sipahi is caught by both elite hussars who are no longer under control of a leader charge, hitting them in the front and flank (the combined factors of the two elite heavy cavalry reaching 120 on the casualty table causing 8 hits) The Sipahi rout and the hussars become shaken as they loose contact in the pursuit.

On the Turkish right their cavalry command uses the light cavalry to mask the wagon lagers as they move slowly around the hill to attack the Polish rear. Meanwhile, the Turkish infantry move slowly forward to attack the Polish infantry. Seeing the threat to this left flank, the C-in-C moves the Janissaries to the left in front of the hill to threaten the Polish central cavalry command. The Polish elite cavalry command are held up by the loss of their leader and then, with poor positioning and lack of initiative, they are inactive for several turns. In this time the Turkish left wing cavalry commander manages to rout one unit of hussars threatening the artillery’s flank. A second unit of Sipahi manages to charge the second unit of hussars in the flank when they try to face the advancing Janissaries. The Sipahis force the hussars to retire and then hit a unit of Pancerni in the flank, routing them as the hussars retire through them.

On the Turkish right their cavalry finally appear in the Polish rear, one unit overrunning the Polish artillery and then hitting the remaining hussar unit in the rear. The remaining Sipahi units charge the Polish infantry in the rear as they are held in place by the Turkish infantry to their front. In the ensuing confusing fight the Polish infantry are finaly defeated leaving only the wagon lagers in place.

On the other flank the Sipahis are forced back only to be charged frontally by the Pancerni and in the flank by the elite hussars. The Sipahi rout and the hussars and Pancerni pursue, only to be charged by the remaining Sipahi and Janissaries while still shaken after the pursuit.

At the end of the the game the Turks seem to have salvaged a victory after an inauspicious start.