GRANDSON 1476

[fogman]

Fm Grandson 1476.zip

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In the mid 1470s Burgundy and the Swiss Confederation were aggressive political entities bent on expansion and consequently set on a collision course. The trial of arms came in early 1476 when the Burgundians led by duke Charles the Bold marched into western Switzerland. Near Grandson on 2 March, the confederates fell on them in what was to be the first of three epoch-defining battles that would extinguish the house of Burgundy and set the stage for the violent rivalry of the next century between the Valois and the Habsburgs, the heirs to Charles' lands.

Designer's notes:

The Swiss large advance guard formed into a square and beat back numerous Burgundian gendarmes' charges. Charles tried to lure it down the slope with a tactical withdrawal but the simultaneous appearance of confederate rear echelons spread panic among the Burgundian foot and the Burgundian army disintegrated.

In game terms, it is essential that the Burgundian player inflicts as much casualties as possible to the Swiss square before running as all his infantry is set to poor. At the same time the preservation of at least 6 Burgundian cavalry units is essential if the Burgundian player is to collect the important victory points at the end of the battle.

This completes the burgundian wars trilogy of Grandson, Murten/Morat, Nancy.
The use of events-based design is crucial since without it the three battles would all be nearly identical except for the map. With it, they became three very distinct, differentiable, historically recognizable narratives.

Sophisticated design elements include the first attempt at representing a large pike square. it was done in a way that would encourage the cavalry to charge in multiple times without it being suicidal.

50 mobile BGs, 20 turns.

[Micha63]

Thank you.