Burgundian Ordonnance versus The Kingdom of Sicily

Only two hundred years apart... yesterday my Burgundians fought Mark Woods' Kingdom of Sicily army in a close run, exciting game of Impetus.  However it did get off to a slow start.

The Sicilians in three commands, each commanded by fair commander.

The Burgundians in two commands, the one on the left commanded by a so called expert while the CinC claimed to be charismatic.  The dice would decide about that.

Skirmishers and light horse advance on the flanks, but the Burgundians were basically sitting in one spot (did I say we got off to a slow start, my troops didn't really start).

Some Burgundian skirmishers reach the haystacks first, but their success was to be short lived.

The haystacks acted as a wood for terrain effect (Note 1).

The expert seems only fair.

The Sicilians are making a determined advance.

The Burgundians wait for opportunities.

The Sicilians have won the battle of the haystacks, but at a cost.  

That unit of Sicilian light horse on the far left of the photo 

takes a good while before it comes back into the photostream.  

It has a sticky end (see Note 2).

Still plenty of green separating the armies.

F!

Charismatic general not so charismatic.

This was after using his reroll ability in a desperate attempt to go first 

(that might have been the expert's fate - memory plays tricks)

The view from behind the Sicilian lines.

The red magnetic marker signifies disorder.

The Sicilians are a mix of troop types and do not claim to be historically accurate, 

but are wonderfully modelled and painted.

One of the fair Sicilians is poorer for this die roll.

The Burgundian longbow worked hard to halt the Sicilians.

On the left flank they had amazing success.

In the centre.

Did I say the Burgundians have guns?  

Big and small

The once charismatic Burgundian CinC

Sicilian knights, despite the loss of most of their covering force of archers, 

have pushed into the Burgundian left flank.

The Burgundian CinC is itching to charge...

The Burgundian left flank is in danger, 

but never fear when you have Longbow A equipped troops.

(Note 2)

A unit of Sicilian knights is mauled by some crossbowmen who fought magnificently.

The far right where the Burgundians are doing a wide outflanking manoeuvre.

The Burgundian CinC charges!

Sadly the double move to contact resulted in disorder, 

but look at all those dice.

Sadly the enemy knights launched a very successful counter charge.

The Burgundian CinC is captured. 

(PS we failed to consider the loss of a Charismatic commander, 

but as he had been down graded I am assuming it no longer applied)

The Burgundian right seen from the Sicilian side, 

after they had wiped out the Burgundian knights after the CinC's failed charge.

The Sicilian infantry advancing as they now smell victory

The right wing Sicilian knights have closed round the flank.  

It is looking grim for the Burgundians.

Prepare to defend the camp!

The Burgundian right flank fighting for their lives.

The Burgundian left flank fighting for their lives.

The Burgundian camp is lost

The Burgundians triumph on the left.

And survive the onslaught on the right.

The loss chart tells a close story.  The #1 Sicilian command has broken and that counts for 12 points.  Their other two commands have lost a total of 9 points which puts their army at exactly their breakpoint.  The Burgundians have lost a total of 15 points plus 3 for the camp, 2 short of their breakpoint.  Victory snatched from the jaws of defeat.  

Notes:

1. We were surprised to find there is only a penalty modifier for firing at troops at the edge of a wood.  The Burgundian skirmishers who had made it to the haystacks received no protection from the javelins of the enemy light horse who had entered the same area.and were at point blank range.

2. There was a Sicilian light horse unit that was interpenetrated multiple times and moved a significant distance sideways as a result.  It didn't do it any good as it ultimately found itself in the line of fire of one of the Burgundian mighty Longbow A units.