The Meat of the Affair: All Forces Engaged

The Swiss Pike are moving (see below just out of camera shot to the top of the picture) and the remaining Swiss skirmishers are hurled forwards wit reckless abandonment. One succumbs to more "lead" from the Maximilian shot, the other is removed from play by activating the Doppelsoldner (skirmish) unit from its opportunity.and charging down the last remaining Swiss crossbowmen. However it is a Phyric victory as the Doppelsoldners are too removed from play (skirmish in close combat are removed from play). This also means I have not previously been playing the rules quite right!

Victory Point Count:  Maximilian 4 VD to the Swiss 1 VD, so far so good!

The cavalry versus infantry battle on the Maximilian left is bloody as both sides trade blows, but nothing is near to breaking yet (see below):

In an attempt to break the deadlock the Maximilian mounted crossbow (Impact 1 so they are capable of initiating close quarter combat by charging) slide in for a flank attack (see below), however the sucking melee continues. The vulnerable flank of a Swiss Pike Block can be seen tantalizingly close but valiantly protected by the Swiss halberdiers (see below top right). The Swiss infantry are doing a good job!

Those Swiss Pikes are going to hit something soon (see below). Being "A" Class troops they inevitably seem to move three bounds across the table. Frightening to behold and they pack a hell of o punch when they land.

Sure enough the Swiss Pike finally gets to grips with an annoying unit of Maximilian 'shot' (Harquebusiers to be technically correct). Despite being mortally damaged, the 'shot' holds together for a turn which is vital (see below). 

Crash (see below)! Finally the 'big boys' meet head-to-head. Despite the physical size of the Maximilian Pike Bock it is outclassed in quality and number of attack dice (its eight against the Swiss eleven). However it was saved from a much worse fate (six to eleven) by being on 'opportunity' and thus counter-charging and gaining its 'two' Impact attack dice. This upset the Swiss calculations and deferred the immediate break through the Swiss were hoping for. 

This sacrifice of the Landsknects to the Swiss buying time was vital as over on the Maximilian right flank the Swiss Halberdiers had finally succumbed to the inevitable (see below). Note the Maximilian mounted crossbows are now "annoying" the Swiss heavy cavalry (see below top left,  just off camera):   

Victory Point Count:  Maximilian 6 VD to the Swiss 1 VD, on paper excellent, but the Swiss break point is "14" which means until they suffer losses from the Pike Block (where their General also is) their army morale will not falter and they will continue fighting. Another downside is that its Swiss Pike party time next!

Next: Is "Push of Swiss Pike" time ...