{DIK} Sreenshots

[DisloyalHeretic]

Well the combined arms pike square's (Trying to avoid using "tercio" as an appellation - the formation wasn't unique to spain) kinda the main fighting unit of pike and shot warfare - there are reasons behind it, for example, a large block of men is easier to control on a smoke-fogged battlefield as everyone's in one place, and close formations offer best protection against cavalry. I think the 1648 pike tactics thread has some notes on how they functioned against artillery as well. The routing of these formations was a problem, but that was more due to the quality of troops used in this era (usually very poor). Lindybiege has an interesting video on the subject, though I don't agree with the conclusion that pike never fought pike - all the art of the Push of Pike seems to say otherwise. An addendum to these formations vs artillery - I recall reading a block colonel's "manual" from the period that described formations that had spacings of as much as twenty feet! (Sadly I can't provide a source - I'm fairly sure it's in a particular book on period tactics I have... I think. I haven't been able to find it yet :s).
The formations are sadly unsuited to Total War battles but it's an interesting exercise nonetheless. Something akin to Renaissance TW is what my design document is in aid of (A lofty title for what is currently a pile random bits of paper with random bits of info scribbled on them...), when it's done I'll most likely try to approach CA with it - they have a lot of job options open due to their current situation (Let that be a lesson to them - defecate ye not in thine place of dining). I don't have much hopes of them getting their act together though. At least there's plenty of other ways to go about production, that's the nice thing about this modern age.

[Baron von Manteuffel]

Rebel without a cause! The last rebel of Monferrat a moment before he was slain.

[Aneirin]

A nice shot

[Chevalier IX]

Excellent screenshots and brilliant new units. Are the smoke effects on display here being introduced in version 4.0 as well? They are significantly superior to the current stock effects,and seem to add an entire new element of cinematic drama to the battle.

[Aneirin]

Excellent screenshots and brilliant new units. Are the smoke effects on display here being introduced in version 4.0 as well? They are significantly superior to the current stock effects,and seem to add an entire new element of cinematic drama to the battle.

For sure

[Iskar]

Here are some screenies of interesting scenes I chanced upon while testing the latest version. Hope you like them, too. =)


Venetian troops prepare to sally out.


Light Field Cannons are especially effective as counterartillery. Here they just destroyed the conquest ambitions of the tunisian rebellion.


The Venetian Army is marching through the night to face an Ottoman force in battle.


The Ottoman army - from the point of view of a Venetian Navy Archer.


The Artillery has bombarded Jaijce into a state where it's ripe for the taking.

[lodewijk]

aha your pikes should rape the turks!!

[Iskar]

Here's a little episode from my recent campaign with the Republic of Florence:

It is the year 1508 after the birth of our lord. While the other powers are engaging in changing coalitions for the control of Italy the Republic of Florence has used its relative safety south of the Apennine mountains to extend its control over all of Tuscany. More interested in peace and trade than in large scale warfare the Signoria did not dabble in major politics but for two alliances struck with the sister republic of Venice and the Emperor.
However, the pact with the Emperor broke when he signed the Treaty of Blois in 1504 and declared war on Venice. Now with the League of Cambrai and the renewed efforts to crush the Signoria's only remaining ally Venice, the republic of Florence stands more or less isolated.
The Milanese, so far spared by the fires of war see and seize the opportunity - or so they think. They deliver an ultimatum with demands for tribute from Florence. The Signoria outrightly refuses to pay and prepares for war. The only common border with Milan lies in the northern Apennines, where the little town of Fivizanno guards the mountain pass into rich Tuscany. This is surely the place where the first blow will fall. In fact, spies sent out in time report Milanese troops moving in force towards Fivizanno via Parma. But that is not all - another spy within the walls of the Milanese occupied republic of Genova reports that the city's garrison is only a sorry bunch of spearmen and an incompetent nobile - the city would be ripe for the taking, if only it wasn't for the threat to Fivizanno.
The Signoria decides to kill two birds with one stone. Instead of deterring an attack on Fivizanno by stationing a large force there the Signoria sends but some regiments of Artillery to the town and leaves the main force, a day's march away, in the garrison of Lucca.
The Milanese take the bait and lay siege to the seemingly weakly defended mountain town of Fivizanno. Before they can launch their attack the relief force arrives from Lucca and the Florentines sally out:

Towards the north the land rises to a little hill that the Milanese think they can use to their advantage against the Florentines...


... How wrong they are.
The Florentines get their artillery in position below the walls...

... and nail the Milanese to the very hill they retreated to.


Finally the Florentine foot moves out and advances in Pike and Shot formation.


Those Milanese that survived the bombardment are no real match any more and the Florentine Pike and Shot drives them up the hill until they break and rout.


The Milanese force of over 3000 men is dead or routed and now Genova lies basically undefended, ripe for the taking:

[Aneirin]

It is always a great pleasure to read one of your campaign reports!
Especially your sense for tactic is astonishing

[Iskar]

Thanks =) Glad you liked it.

Also:



See why:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Theramines]

Clever ruse and fascinating report, Iskar.

Edit. Tried to rep you, but I have to spread it around first.

[Iskar]

Thank you =)

Hungary bravely goes to battle:


Well, maybe to doom, rather:


Here's the situation:
With a steady income of over 20000 florins surplus and coffers of about 800,000 florins the Signoria has largely taken to buying land from its allies rather than conquering it from its enemies. Milan conquered all of northern Italy from Venice, then sold it to us for some meagre 200,000 in total. Hungary did the same, conquering almost all of the Balkans from the Ottomans, but then let us buy everything up to Warasdin and Eszek. The Signoria favoured this border as now the Drava river forms the border to Hungary. When the last of the Hungarian troops had retreated north, the Singoria locked the border by taking control of the bridges and waited patiently for the inevitable. And in fact, the Hungarian assault came soon, fiercely attacking the Florentine forces with huge forces comprising about 5000 to 6000 Hungarian soldiers each... Well, the Florentine artillery has had the best target practice for years.
We're now waiting to bleed the Hungarians out, then our troops will advance right on Budapest to strike at the enemy's heart.

[Aneirin]

It looks more like an florentine empire now

[_Tartaros_]

nice

[Iskar]

Report from the Imperial Campaign
or
How to restore a Holy Roman Empire



Imperial Pikes storming the Adriatic town of Fermo.

The troops are marching again. I can hear the stomping of their feet down on the street as they're leaving Bologna. They'll be moving south to support our Florentine allies in Tuscany or our Venetian allies on the Adriatic coast. The devil knows what drove the Pope to this madness of attacking us, but God knows we shall not rest until this heretic has been removed from the See of Peter.
Did he not see what happened to the Swiss when they refused to pay the common penny? - Their armies destroyed, their towns sacked, their lands put under imperial administration.
Did he ignore the fate of Milan, when it broke the treaty of the Holy League? - Milano and Genova fell under Imperial and Florentine assaults, Venetian armies marching into Lombardy from the east until only historical remarks remained of the duchy.
Was he deaf to the mournings of the French, when they lost Torino, Asti and Casale to Frundsberg and then had to surrender Saluzzo and Genève in the peace treaty? - Now they are bereft of all their Italian ambitions with Imperial artillery ready to turn Lyon into ashes should they break the peace again.

No, he certainly was out of his mind when he ordered the attacks on Mantova and Parma, only to lose Guastalia, Modena and Bologna when our counterattack was launched. At first we thought the Florentines and Venetians would not be able to withstand the numbers of the Pope's armies, but with a bit of help they did unexpectedly well.

The Florentines quickly took back Arezzo, and then laid siege to Siena and Volterra, while the Venetians retook Ravenna and advanced on Rimini. Using our newly gained ports in Nolì and Padova we shipped troops behind the Papal lines and took Rome and Ancona, crippling their supply lines. It was only a small grievance that soon the Neapolitanians joined the war on the Pope's side. Legion after Legion is marching forth from our barracks and foundries and not even the Ottomans were able to withstand our joint advance with the loyal Hungarians.
Spain broke the ties with us, when the last Emperor died, however. What will they do, when we take Naples and Salerno and pose a threat to Sicily? Have they taken notice of our occupation of Corsica? Perhaps they are busy fighting the remaining Ottoman forces in Tunisia. We will find out - by force, if need be.

Heinrich Scherer - Imperial Scribe and Historian
Bologna, March 17, 1540 AD

[Aneirin]

Just one word: epic

Are you planning to write more episodes?

[Iskar]

Well, in the aftermath of what I told above I sent a spy to Tunisia to find it completely occupied by the Ottomans and now I'm planning a large scale invasion that will start with a landing operation to take Tunis in a coup de main, so as to secure a bridgehead from where to weather the Ottoman counterattack. So maybe I'll make some more screenies than usual and make a report out of the entire endeavour

[Aneirin]

Well, I'm looking forward to any report

[CountMRVHS]

Yes, I love seeing people's reports!

[Iskar]

We had been travelling southward for several days, from Bologna past the already occupied Assissi and the troops besieging Spoleto. At times we had to evade scattered groups of retreating and reforming papal or napolitanian troops, but finally made it safely to Rome. There we boarded a ship together with a force of infantry and artillery to launch a seaward attack on Napoli which our spies reported to be only weakly defended. In fact, after our cannons had blasted the gates apart the single unit of Rodeleros holding the city did not put up much resistance. However, a relief force come late has now laid siege to the city and we are enclosed. The commander has ordered a sortie an now I am standing atop one of the towers, overlooking the field in front of the city gates, where the Napolitanians have taken position.

With Arquebusiers and Crossbowmen on the walls providing cover the captain has ordered the artillery, the pikemen and some of the gunners to take position right below the walls. Once everyone is in position he makes a last inspection...

On the other side of the field, the enemy has retreated out of range of our arquebuses and is waiting for us to make a mistake.

The only mistake we make is that we did not kill them earlier. The commander now gives the order to open fire and the serpentines unleash hell on the enemy...

with devastating effects.

As finally our cannons run out of ammunition the pikes and arquebuses are ordered to form up in combined rectangles, such that the arquebusiers can fire to three sides of the block of infantry.

Four of these blocks are formed and jointly advance on the enemy

They hold for a first volley that routs several of the remaining enemies.

Then they advance in staggered formation, those staying back giving covering fire to those advancing.

Under the relentless fire of our arquebusiers the enemy morale breaks and the petty remains of the once great force flee the field, leaving over 2000 dead comrades in the mud and blood below the walls of Napoli.
Soon after more troops come from Rome by ship, laying siege to Salerno. Meanwhile, word has it that Archduke Franz with a huge force is advancing on the adriatic coast and may already have taken Foggia, that troops under Ruprecht von Freiburg have taken Piombino and Orvieto is being besieged by the troops from Assissi. Victory for our threefold alliance and the downfall of the Pope and Naples are near!

Heinrich Scherer, Imperial Scribe and Historian
Napoli, November 26, 1540 AD