Pike & Shotte

Following vicious prompting from Red I’ve got round to adding a few pictures from our first outing of the new Pike & Shotte rules set from Warlord games.  The game saw a line-up and fight attitude due to our wish to try out the new rules rather than get bogged down in an odd scenario.  Michael joined us, and his (mostly Swedish) troops deployed in the Dutch style (pike blocks with a shotte sleeve on each side) opposite Reds Royalists, who started in the Swedish style (pike blocks in the centre, with an outside covering of musketeers).

To put the battle simply Red advanced down the centre and left, Michael’s troops gave fire, then the arrival of my two regiments on their right flank, combined with some appalling dice rolling by the Swedes, saw them crumble inwards.  On the right the more aggressive Swedish horse went hell for leather, but got caught out due to a lack of space on the 6 by 4 table, and stuck in front of the Royalist guns.  A victory for the Royalists, but really just a chance to try out the rules before serious use on Tuesday.

Initial setup; Swedes to the left, Royalists to the right, my troops not in sight under the table.

The Swedish style.

The Dutch style.

The main battlelines near meeting, horse and dragoons fighting it out at the bottom.

Sir Hugh of Beeston’s (me) regiments arrive, taking the Swedes in the flank.

Swedish pike blocks start to disappear under the relentless pressure of Michaels shocking dice.

A final colourful push of pike on the Swedish right.