French Wars of Religion - The Battle of Coutras, 20 October 1587 - Batrep

Four Rejects got together the other weekend for another game of Richard's 2mm French Wars of Religion rules and figures, Surj was in charge of the Catholic army under the Duc de Joyeuse. I was in command of the Huguenot army under Henry of Navarre, ably assisted by Reject Steve who played Tremouille.

Background ( Ruthlessly stolen from Richard's blog) See his version of the battle report here.

The Catholic league had forced the French king, Henry III, to remove all tolerance of Protestants. The leader of the Huguenots, Henry of Navarre, knew that the league would use the resources of the crown to eliminate the Huguenots. However, the king resented the league's influence and launched his own campaign against Henry of Navarre, led by his favourite Ann, Duc de Joyeuse. The royal army consisted of nobles and courtiers unused to the rigours of war.

In moving south, Joyeuse drew closer to Navarre and ordered another Catholic force under the command of Marshal Matignon to join him. Henry of Navarre marched south and crossed the river Dronne at Coutras to put himself between the converging armies. He took up a good defensive position. However, his back was against the river which meant a defeat could be disastrous.

Joyeuse conducted a night march to surprise the Navarre. However, the Huguenot commander was prepared, having sent out a strong reconnaissance.

The Forces

Royal/Catholic - Army Cohesion Level = 8

Right Wing (bataille) Duc de Joyeuse (Surjit)
Verduissant Pike and Shot regiment quality - 3
Cluseau Pike and Shot regiment quality - 3
6 units of gendarme's quality - 2

Left Wing (avant garde) Lavardin
4 units of gendarme's quality - 3
1 company of Stradiots quality - 2
Tiercellin Pike and Shot regiment quality - 4
Picardy Pike and Shot regiment quality - 4

Huguenot Army - Army Cohesion Level = 8

Left Wing (bataille), Henry of Navarre (Ray)
Artillery quality - 3
3 units of Enfants Perdus quality - 3
4 units of sword and pistol cavalry quality - 4
3 units of arquebusiers quality - 3


Right Wing (avant garde), Tremouille (Steve)
2 units of chevaux legers quality - 3
1 unit of reiters quality - 3
1 unit of arquebusiers quality - 2
2 regiments of Pike and Shot quality - 3
Reserve: 2 regiments of Pike and Shot quality - 2

Coutras

Navarre commanded the left of the Huguenot army. I learned a few lessons during our first game, the main one was keep your army together! 

Surj forgot this!

Our plan was very simple, stand and let Surj come forward and attack.

Surj came forward, but in a staggered line?

Steve hadn't played the rules before, so need a little coaching. Steve held the right, which was our week point. This is where I would have attacked.

The Huguenots have great Cavalry, which fight in a column like formation in Richard's rules, to give them the look of deep lines. Facing them are 5 units of Gendarmes.

We had three units of Enfants Perdus (Forlorn hope) to use as skirmishers. I pushed them out into the Pallard Marsh, just to be a nuisance on Surj's flank.

Surj moved forward to attack with his Gendarmes, but......

Rather cunningly we threw down this card, "Seize the Moment"

Basically denying Surj any movement or charges this turn.

I wish I was quick enough to take a photo of Surj's face, he was gutted to say the least.

This gave us a distint advantage, so Steve charged the hapless Gendarmes with his chevaux legers.

And sent them packing! 

But was unable to catch them in the follow up.

As Surj couldn't move, I moved up to him with my Cavalry

If you can move up to an enemy unit within 2 inches, this means you can charge in the next turn.

Which I did, knocking the Catholic Gendarmes back.

Big mistake I pushed my Arqubusiers forward a tad to much, I would pay for that mistake!

More charges 

I started to make a few holes in Surj's lines.

On our right Steve's chevaux legers are charged and knocked back.

But Surj couldn't take advantage. Both sides cohesion was getting very shaky by now.

My Arqubusiers are charged, they certainly didn't like that!

I got caught out in an attack in the  flank which also didn't go our way.

But time had ran out and Richard called an end to the game. I thought we'd done enough damage to Surj and his army to win the battle......

Both sides started the game with a bag of poker chips, these were our cohesion points. We had 8, so I guessed that Surj had 8 also. we gradually lost a chip by one aftet losing a melee or a unit becoming broken. So I knew Surj would be low at this point.

And I was right, we bth did start with 8 and at the end of the game we had lost 4, while Surj had lost 7.

So victory did go to the Huguenots after all.

It was a great game and I look forward to playing the rules again and again!

Nice one Richard!