Great Italian wars 42 Papal States ,Venetian TtS battle

We had the rematch with me commanding the Papal States army and my daughter commanding the Venetian.  She preferred the Venetians because they had the classier camp and their gendarmes (Foundry) were prettier, she had a point!
Still with my slightly less pretty Papal army we set up, the Venetians set up in the same way they had in the last game, with the infantry command, consisting of a deep professional pike block(witha hero), three units of light hand gunners  and in the camp the raw rubbish spearmen you have to take, but at least don't cost much.  On the right flank was the first cavalry command with two units of later knights lance(gendarmes) each with a  hero, a unit of mounted crossbow men and a unit of veteran stradiot.
On the left flank was the army general with two more units of gendarmes, one with a hero and one with two, a unit of mounted crossbow men and another unit of veteran stradiot.
The opposing Papal force had on its right wing  it's infantry command ( complete with new command stand!) A deep professional pike block with two heroes, a crossbow armed unit,two light crossbow units,a light handgun unit ,and the obligatory rubbish spearmen in the less chi chi camp. In the centre was the cavalry command with two units of gendarmes (each with a hero) and a unit of mounted crossbow men . On the left were two more units of gendarmes (each with a hero) and a unit of Turkish light cavalry ( some spare stradiot standing in here)

The Papal and Venetian armies drawn up for battle.  The Venetian force went first with a general advance.

On the Venetian right flank the cavalry crested the hill( the wheat fields are standing in until I can make some smaller hills) On the left flank they didn't quite reach and the Papal pike block took up residence on top of the hill,  nevertheless the Venetian gendarmes charged them straight on and were repulsed, they used up they're lance ( which gives you an extra attack and is then lost although you can resupply as an activation) On the Venetian right flank the stradiot unit is destroyed by missile fire in reply a unit of gendarmes interpenetrated through their mounted crossbow men and into the Papal  mounted crossbow men, who failed to evade and are eliminated. A slugging match began between the opposing gendarmes as later knights lance are difficult to kill! Plus both unit had a general with them to help rally off being demoralised ( lose one save and you are demoralised, lose two and your gone! Light units only have one save and then they're toast, so are a little more fragile. Deep units like the two big pike blocks have three hits and can soak up more damage)

A formed Papal crossbow unit moves up next to the pike block and a light crossbow unit moves into the woods. In the centre one unit of gendarmes attacks the flank of the Venetian mounted generals gendarme unit,  it uses its lance and has an additional card for a  flank attack, it uses its hero the , the Venetians save everything! The other Papal mounted crossbow unit is lost to missile fire, the gendarmes behind charge but the light troop evade! The gendarmes charge after another unit of light shot and succeeded in destroying them but it leaves them dangerously deep in enemy territory, if they could get a flank attack on the main Venetian general perhaps it would be worth it,but the cards fall unkindly and the go ends.

In the Venetian turn on their left flank the tussle on the hill between the pike block and the gendarmes continues and on the right flank the gendarmes are slugging it out.  In the centre the Venetian general is able to turn and charge the Papal gendarmes deep in their territory, causing them to be disordered. The spearmen in the camp attack the gendarmes from the back, the gendarmes are destroyed! Worse news was that the general turned an ace and with another turn he was gone! The Venetians now had 6 victory tokens to the Papal states 2, the remaining gendarmes unit of the centre command was now demoralised and the large pike block moved to attack them in the flank but failed its activation. 

The stradiots on the Venetian left flank throw javelins at the light crossbow men and are unsuccessful this time. 

The Venetian mounted crossbow men are removed by the Turks!

 The demoralised Papal gendarmes have managed to escape being taken in the flank by the pike block, the struggle continues between the gendarmes.

 The Venetian gendarmes are finally on the losing side and are lost.

 The stradiots have removed the light crossbow men. The pike block fails its activation

 The gendarmes grind on.

 The pike block destroys the demoralised gendarmes.

The stradiots eliminate the handgun unit and the Venetians are victorious!

Well, that was fun even if I went off on a wild goose chase after the handgunners and effectively lost 4 of my 10 victory coins in one go. My daughter was very happy that the refight went her way and wants another game and thinks her boyfriend would like one too, which would be good. Got to finish off my Italian wars buildings and then move onto a  parade!

All the best Iain