Crisis 2018: the Lance & Longbow game - the Battle of Arcen

The Gentlemen Pensioners had an international 'away day' over the weekend when a group of us attended the 'Crisis' show in Antwerp.  We had been invited by Jan and Peter (the Alde Garde group) to help them with their Arcen 1511 game.  Readers may remember that Jan and Peter visited the Phalanx Show in 2017 with one of their games (link ).  The game at Crisis represented a "what if" from the campaign between the Habsburgs (with English allies) and the forces of the Duke of Guelders (with French allies).

For us, it was a brilliant day; Jan and Peter provided an excellent terrain and plenty of well painted figures and invited us to play the game whilst they chatted to passers by.  The French and Imperial gendarmes battled it out all day with the former eventually gaining the upper hand.  A similar tussle, between the two blocks of landsknechts took place across the stream, with neither being able to make the decisive breakthrough.  However, the English archers under the command of Sir Edward Poynings stormed the fortified manor of Huys and secured a foothold within it's walls.  After a desperate struggle they were forced back at point of pike.

Here are a few photos of the action

The Guelders landsknechts advance towards the river

Habsburg infantry with their English allies

More Habsburg infantry

Preparing to defend Huys

The French gendarmes move forward

The Habsburg gendarmes move forward

Habsburg forces move up to the river

The attack on Huys develops

Sir Edward encourages his troops

Close quarters fighting along the river

The English gain a foothold

The garrison strikes back

The Geulders landsknechts are pushed back over the river

A great game with fortunes ebbing and flowing.  Many thanks to Jan and Peter and also the Gentlemen Pensioners, John, Neil, Steve and Will who played the game and manned the society stand.

In a second post I will feature some more games from this excellent show.  More photos can be found on Will's blog here