1st June, Kelham Hall, Newark

PARTIZAN 2014 (in the Park)

Shifted from the main house to three connected marquees, Partizan last weekend felt more like an EH event than a wargames event.

Well done all concerned ... this was much better than a cancellation, and thankfully the rain held off, so it worked.   

The pros ... much better lighting than inside the Hall - and, I gather, a nice barbecue setting for lunch by the Cricket pavillion.  The cons ... it got a bit warm and humid at times, and there was a disastrous shortage of chairs (which is a serious matter for an ageing and infirm team like SoA).

So my thanks to the team for putting in a good shift ... 

(Society stalwart Graham H snapped selling a copy of the latest issue of Slingshot)

In addition to the Society stand, we were giving another run out to the Basic Impetus Montaperti game which I had prepared for 2014 BattleDay ... (now, of course, drawing your attention to next year's battle: the Hydaspes).

The main ancient and medieval games were Simon M's huge Bloody Cremona, our own Montaperti and Lincoln's medieval Big Battle DBA.

(Roman pontoon bridge ... the latest addition to the spectacular Cremona game)

Simon has a host more pictures on his Big Red Bat Cave  blog.

(Big Battle in progress - Reconquista DBA from the Lincoln Miniature Warfare Society)

It was good to see the Wings of War game keeping a good and boisterous crowd entertained ...

That's what caught my eye on a relatively short break, shopping and looking for new things between two full games of Montaperti ... games which again demonstrated how variable the scenario can be …

(for a full look at the rest of the display games, I recommend Grigork's blog from which I have used a couple of images with permission)

Montaperti, Tuscany, 1260

(initial success for the Sienese as Florentine spearmen are driven out of the line)

The first game had a strong home team involvement, engaging members of the SoA team as well as friends who were visiting the show.   We demonstrated the full effects of fortune in battle (the dice outcomes being all over the place) and, despite a plucky opening, the battle tipped further and further against the Sienese.  

(Siena's Imperial cavalry contingent drives the Florentines back on their Carroccio)

The Ghibelline sympathisers in the enemy reserve did not defect and threw themselves into the defence of the Carroccio, the count of Arras’s flank force did not arrive during the decisive phase of the engagement, and the infantry assault on the immobile wall of Florentines failed. 

(the Florentine Carroccio barely hanging on as the Sienese attack stalls)

When the Sienese army reached its breaking point, we accepted that the Florentines had prevailed.

In the second game the count of Arras's flank march turned up mid game and was able to exploit an already collapsing flank.   

(Montaperti: an Italian medieval panorama)

The German knights charged home decisively, driving the Florentines back onto and through the Carroccio.  Consequently the Florentine commander felt compelled to mobilise the Ghibelline sympathisers who immediately defected and charged into the Carroccio melee.

The Carroccio held out for several rounds of combat, and a series of reverses along the infantry battleline actually meant the Sienese hit their demoralisation threshold first.   

(Francesco Troghisio* urges the Sienese centre forward: my thanks to Grigork for permission to use this picture)

In this closer game, we played the variable game end and, with an easy pass achieved, played another turn.

In the following turn, another Sienese unit broke, as did the remaining Florentine knights and the Carroccio, making both armies test.   

This was the first time the Carroccio has fallen.

Both armies failed, but the Florentines failed by more and had had their Carroccio taken, bell flag and regalia, arguably giving the day to Siena (certainly the Communal bragging rights). 

 

*****

*or it might, of course, be one of his Sicilian lieutenants (the heraldry is inconclusive ....

Next outing will be Phalanx in a fortnight (supporting Martin C's annual Dirty DBA participation game) ... See the Spartans on Facebook too