Well it sort of sounds a bit like an Italian town.

So I popped over to Mike’s today, took my toys to oggle at and discuss various rules sets.

As we had armies painted we decided to have a little try at a battle using Lion Rampant.

My chaps at the top, with his at the bottom. This wasn’t my initial setup. I had just shoved them on the table.  My Condottiere were trying to escort the baggage train across the bridge but were stopped by some dastardly enemy.

My activation dice were, frankly crap! His heavy cavalry thundered across the field and through a lucky roll mine managed to counter charge. We hacked and slashed for a good while and then I luckily managed to shrug him off, he retired, battered. His light cavalry (in the background) sensing victory followed with a charge of their own. I once again managed a lucky countercharge and completely destroyed them, but lost half of my heavies over the two combats.

My skirmishers managed to make it into the woods and completely tied up the mounted crossbows. They however never fired once and eventually died to a man. My troops on the right of the cavalry managed to get into the woods to hold them up even more.

There was some further ArgyBargy on the right flank, with his pole arm wielding crazies charging first the stradiots, who took one look at them, chucked a pile of javelins into their faces and legged it. The pole armed chaps were in turn run down by my other heavy cavalry. In the end my horsemen became a bit of a spent round, but they had secured the flank.

My poor Stradiots got charged by a pike block and somehow won the combat and pushed the pike block back. My pike block was charged by the remains of his heavy cavalry and managed to lose. I charged into him and gave him a good kicking. His cavalry were basically broken, but kept hanging on there.

We had to end it there as I had to shoot off.

Lion Rampant seemed to work. When I got home I realised I had bought the second edition which has rules for piles and handguns in it.

Time for a bit of a read through the rules as they also have rules for holy men, banners etc. basically these give you a plus one to the units courage… Luckily my leader brought his religious entourage with him.

I will let you know how I get on.