[M2TW AAR] THE BATTLE OF BERGAMO [COMPLETE]

[asoiaf]

Inspired by bomberboy's Battle of The Crossroads AAR I thought I would attempt an AAR of my own. For now at least, I have no desire to write a campaign length AAR so decided to instead focus on a single battle.

I present before you the Battle of Bergamo, a fictional battle set in 15th century Northern Italy and the wars in Lombardy. I hope at least some of you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.
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THE BATTLE OF BERGAMO

PROLOGUE

“They must take us for fools?” spat Gasparo, his voice full of disdain and his mood clearly foul at the prospect of a sleepless night.

“The Milanese have grown bold since the Battle of Zargonara.” replied Lord Federico holding back a yawn, “Your suggestion to send forth outriders has proven well considered.”

“Their numbers my lord?” Gasparo enquired.

“2,000 horse and as many foot if Corsello’s report is accurate.”

Gasparo’s expression turned grim, “It would seem Morello has rallied more troops to his cause.” After a long pause, Gasparo continued, “How are we to withstand this larger host?”

Federico had fought in more battles over the last two years than he cared for in a lifetime, yet not one of them had taken place under the moon and stars. “Morello doesn’t concern me.” he replied, “The young lord is green and impatient, eager for glory and riches for which he has no claim. Our men are strong and well disciplined, our position favourable given the circumstances.”

“Our men may be strong my Lord, but we do not have the strength to withstand a force with numbers near twice our own.” said Gasparo.

Federico’s face showed no sign of what emotions may lie within, “Corsello is riding hard for his cousin Geminiano’s stronghold to the north, requesting all the mounted swords he can spare as reinforcements. Corsello assures me he will return by dawn.”

Removing his sword from its scabbard, Gasparo looked over his blade studying the reflections of the stars that danced across the steel. With a look to the sky, Gasparo sighed, “Then I pray that is soon enough.”



Forget not Doge Mocenigo’s words Gasparo, "Beware of the desire to take what belongs to others, and of making unjust war, for God will destroy you." God is on our side and we will destroy these Milanese snakes.

[bomberboy]

Good start asoiaf, good to see someones been inspired by one of my own AAR's.

[Bla_bla_bla]

looks like it will be an intresting read! Looking forward to the rest.

[asoiaf]

Thanks for the encouragement guys, I now present you with Chapter 1 . . .
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CHAPTER 1: A FIELD OF STARS

The night sky was beginning to clear just as the mist had only an hour ago. While the sliver of a moon remained hidden behind clouds clinging to the peaks of the Orobian Alps, stars burned bright overhead casting Bergamo’s rolling plains in an eerie light. As Federico looked over his troops arrayed in battle formation he saw a field of stars spread before him as pike, spear and lance reflected the sky above.



The main body of the army stretched for over a mile, its beginning and end lost in the early morning gloom. The Milanese army would have to march on a wall of pikes while arrows rained down on them from above, their advance up dew-heavy slopes would not go smoothly. Federico wondered how the morale of Morello’s troops would hold out after marching through the night. His own were in high spirits despite the lack of sleep, quietly jesting among themselves and whispering boasts of their actions in previous battles.



While the west end of the main body was a mass of pikes supported by hard-hitting infantry with warhammers, the centre and east stretched in a long line. Shallow ranks of pikemen protect the elevated position of archers, with heavily armoured spearmen in reserve to fill any gaps that may form in the line during battle.



East of the main body, Gasparo would lead 500 mounted men-at-arms from the left flank. Armed with lance and protected by plate from head to heal, Federico’s greatest strength lay in the hands of his loyal friend.



Shielded by the woods to the west, the right flank consists of a mixed force of infantry supported by archers. Crouched in the shadow of the woods under a night sky, Federico hoped their presence would go unnoticed. It was a risk to have the right flank so far removed from the main body of the army, yet should Morello take the bait, the right flank would close around the Milanese force engaged with the Venetian centre line.



A warhorn sounded from the deep of the woods to the south and a great roar went up in answer. Moments later they began to emerge from the trees, a green sea of pike and lance, sword and spear. Lord Federico’s courage leaked out of him at the sight of them and he offered a silent prayer to the heavens, “God be gracious and let us hold until Corsello’s return.”

[bomberboy]

Great Chapter, your pictures are alot better than mine.

[TzuDevil]

Cool!

[asoiaf]

Thanks for the kind words bomberboy, I try and put a lot of effort into my pictures. However, I wouldn't say mine are better, just different. I find your images very epic, meanwhile I am trying to go for a more personal and up-close approach.
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CHAPTER 2: GASPARO’S CHARGE

The great steel sea continued to surge forward, a rising tide intent on drowning the Venetians with their own life blood. Gasparo cursed, the Milanese force was advancing along the edge of the woods where his cavalry would be of little use. Worse still, the right flank was in an increasingly desperate situation as Morello’s army advanced closer to their position with every heartbeat.



He could not let it happen, would not let it happen. If the right flank fell, the rest of the Venetian army would fall with it. Damn you Federico, why did you insist on splitting our strength. Striking the Milanese force before they arranged themselves in formation was their only hope. Spurring his horse forward, Gasparo looked over the 500 men in his command before shouting, “FORWARD! Lets send these snakes back to their swamps.” A thunderous cheer went up in answer and the entire left flank followed his lead into battle.



Spread out across the Bergamo plains in a long wall, Gasparo’s cavalry charge gathered speed and momentum as it proceeded down the sloping fields towards the disorganised mass of Milanese troops. Closing in on Morello’s right flank, Gasparo avoided the more heavily dense part of woods, yet the scattering of trees and rocks in this part of the field proved just as troublesome. At the critical moment all strength went out of the charge as mounts stumbled over rocks or reined up to avoid trees.



Greeted with steel-tipped spears, the subdued charge threatened to turn into a bloodbath before the battle had really begun. Gasparo rallied his men and ordered a full retreat back towards their own lines, he could only hope the Milanese would follow in numbers and be drawn away from the woods.



And follow they did. Gasparo’s heart lightened at the sight of knights on foot and horse eager to take up the pursuit, but then he was falling. He did not understand why, but the ground rushed up to meet him and the world turned black.

[asoiaf]

Chapter 2 updated and complete.

[warluster]

Good job asoiaf; a enjoyable read!

[vonKrysiak]

Very nice AAR, and amazing Pictures - +rep for AMAZING work !!!

[bomberboy]

Great job.

[Schrödinger]

Awesome pics and Good storyline, do you use the Cinematic Editor?

[asoiaf]

A big thankyou to those who have left comments and/or rep, I truely appreciate your feedback.

@Tweety: Yes, I am using the cinematic editor after a great struggle to get it working.
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CHAPTER 3: A SONG OF SERPENTS

“Hold, hold . . .” Federico instructed the long double line of archers waiting with bows drawn, “LOOSE!”



A great hissing noise filled the air as hundreds of arrows took flight, hundreds of wooden snakes with feathers in their tail and sharp pointed iron for teeth. On the second volley, archers on the right flank emerged from the cover of the woods and also let loose. The world was filled with a song of serpents.



The showering of arrows had greatly diminished the number of mounted knights pursuing Federico’s own mounted units, and where arrows didn’t cause death they caused panic and confusion. Morello showed courage above wisdom and rode forth with his personal guard to curb the panic and rally his troops for a charge on the main body of the Venetian army.



Federico was taken aback by the boldness of the move and even more astonished with how much force was behind the charge. The sheer number of horse at Morello’s command was what drove the charge forward, but they could not break Federico’s wall of pikes. Mounts reared and fell, pointed steel finding flesh of horse or man and watering the Bergamo fields with blood. Morello ordered their withdrawal only to find Federico’s right flank advancing on their rear with spears.



A wave of panic and confusion flowed through the ranks of Morello’s horse once more, this time he would not rally them. Mounted knights, professional men-at-arms and sellswords alike routed en masse, eager to escape the steel-tipped jaws closing around them. Making west for the woods or north towards the Orobian Alps, those that broke free were graced with a pursuit of their own, wooden snakes eagerly biting at their heals as they fled.

[vonKrysiak]

[bomberboy]

Nice, +rep

[warluster]

Once again great work! +rep again and I encourage and anticpate the next Chapter. Gasparo is the good guy, right? Ferdico is the enemy general... Bit confused there.

[asoiaf]

Thanks again to those offering support and/or rep.

@Warlust: I am sorry to have confused you. I wasn't very imaginative with the names and relied on names from the game itself, some probably proving not to be the wisest choice. If I was to write another AAR like this I would invest more time with the names and try to be more clear about who's who. Another issue was that I didn't want to drag this story out with character details. Now, just to clarify:

Venetians

• Federico - lord and commander of Venetian army
• Gasparo - personal friend of Federico and commander of horse
• Corsello - lead scout, reported approach of enemy in the prologue
• Geminiano - cousin to Corsello, holds a stronghold in the north

Milanese

• Morello - lord and commander of Milanese army

And now I present you with the penultimate chapter . . .
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CHAPTER 4: RED STEEL

The sky seemed lighter, Federico couldn’t say whether it was because dawn might be approaching or the fact that Morello’s cavalry had been beaten back and a great weight lifted from his shoulders. A great part of the Milanese horse had fled, the rest were fighting minor skirmishes with Federico’s own mounted force. The main battle had turned into a clash of infantry, Venetian pikes greeting Milanese knights and men-at-arms with red steel, still wet with the blood of their mounted comrades.



As the full force of the Milanese infantry fell on the Venetian line, heavy infantry rushed forward with shields and warhammers to fill the shallow ranks of pikes.



With Milan’s elite infantry occupied by pikes and warhammers, Federico orders his heavily armoured spears to create a left flank. Morello must have seen the move coming as Milan’s own spears came forward to meet them.



With all his forces committed, Federico watched on as pike, spear, sword, and hammer clashed. His world was full of song, the ring of steel on steel, the drumming of hammer on wooden shields. Dying men added their terrible screams to the song, yet there was a beauty to it. The music spoke to him, not just of mourning, but of the inevitable end. His own end? Perhaps.

Outnumbered and with a weaker force, Federico wondered how he ever thought to hold back Morello and his vastly superior host. If this was truly a song, he wanted to sing. Sword raised to the heavens, Federico put his spurs to his horse and commanded his own personal guard with a roar, “FORWARD MEN . . . TO A GLORIOUS END!”

[bomberboy]

Good cliff hanger ending, I wonder if he'll survive.

[asoiaf]

Thanks again bomberboy, your support throughout has been appreciated. Now for the last chapter . . .
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CHAPTER 5: TO A GLORIOUS END

Wildflowers flashed by in colours of orange, yellow, white and pink, morning light casting a rainbow over the Bergamo plains. However, Corsello would find no treasure at the end of this rainbow, only the dead, the dying and those left fighting desperately for their lives. Five hundred mounted knights had ridden south with him all through the early hours of morning to reinforce Federico’s meagre Venetian host. 1,500 strong they had been he rode north, 500 horse and 1,000 foot. At best guess, a mixed force of barely 500 Venetians remained, fighting off at least 1,000 Milanese infantry and another 200 horse. His mounts and men were tired from the long ride, but Corsello still had a battle to fight.



Federico was deeply involved in his own battle, a beacon of strength against the swarming mass of Milanese steel.



Where Federico was the light for the Venetians, Corsello was the dark for the Milanese, riding forth with death on the tip of five hundred lances.



The Milanese ranks crumbled under the weight of Corsello’s charge. Exhausted from battle and the previous nights march, the Milanese fled the battlefield, their defeat absolute.

[vonKrysiak]

Hmmmm, the only thing there is left to ask is: When can we expect a full campaign AAR from you mate? ;-)