Siege of Forli, 1500
A Scenario for El Gran Capitàn
This scenario is loosely based on the fighting around Forli during the siege which Ceasare Borgia conducted during his "Impressa" campaigns to cement his control of northern Italy. The city was defended by Caterina Sforza - an alchemist, artillerist, and soldier (and one of history's first-recorded bottle-blondes, according to some sources) - and she was not only defiant and a determined defender, she nearly tricked Ceasare Borgia into an ambush during a parley.
During the course of the siege, the city walls were systematically destroyed, despite accurate and telling counter-battery fire, before the final assaults were thrown in. Ultimately, Sforza's intended final stand was undercut by the ready capitulation of her troops, who (probably rightly) felt they had already endured enough. Uncharacteristically for the Renaissance, Caterina lived out her days, deprived of her domains but peacefully, surrounded by a large family.
This scenario depicts the final stages of the siege, after the city walls have been reduced to rubble and only the citadella remains.
The map below shows the tabletop. The stream is unbfordable and can only be crossed at the bridges. the northern bridge is under construction (see Special Rules, below). The hills and woods are rough for movement and provide soft cover. The dotted line around Forli is a pile of rubble and hasty defences, which will provide hard cover. Within the scope of this game, the citadella can be stormed by one unit at a time and acts as a fortification, although units exposed and firing from it are targets.
Papal forces will set up anywhere at least 12 inches from the remaining wall, or anywhere to the west of the river. The Sforza units must set up within the perimeter, The Citadella can hold a leader and any single other unit, which will have a clear LOS in all directions over anything except the woods and the hill.
Each side has four commanders, all Average, except Caterina Sforza who is a +2. One is the overall commander (Caterina Sforza is one of these) and may command any unit on their side. Units may be divided into battles as desired, but no more than 4 (one per commander). The Papal forces will also have a base camp which they can deploy anywhere within their set-up area.
Franco-Borgian Nobles: 4 bases Gendarmes
Condottieri Cavalry: 4 bases Gendarmes
Condottieri Cavalry: 4 bases Gendarmes
Stradiotti: 4 bases Mounted Crossbows/Arquebusiers
Italian Light Horse: 2 bases Mounted Crossbows
Gascon Crossbowmen: 3 bases Crossbows
Gascon Crossbowmen: 3 bases Crossbows
Gascon Crossbowmen: 3 bases Crossbows
Italian Arquebusiers: 3 bases Arquebusiers
Romagnese Pikemen: 3 bases Italian/French Pikemen
Provisionatti: 4 bases Footmen
Swiss Pikemen: 3 bases Swiss Pikemen
Swiss Halberdiers: 2 bases Forlorn Hope
Swiss Crossbows: 4 bases Skirmishers
Artillery: 1 base Medium Cannon
Artillery: 1 base Medium Cannon
Artillery: 1 base Heavy Cannon
Cernide Crossbowmen: 4 bases Skirmishers
Italian Heavy Cavalry: 4 bases Gendarmes
Italian Light Horse: 4 bases Mounted Arquebus
Spanish Arquebusiers: 3 bases Arquebusiers
Spanish Pikemen: 3 bases Spanish Pikemen
Landsknecht Pikemen: 3 bases Landsknecht Pikemen
Landsknecht Shot: 3 bases Crossbows
Landsknecht Shot: 3 bases Crossbows
Landsknecht Zweihanders: 2 bases Forlorn Hope
Landsknecht Skirmishers: 4 bases Skirmishers
Garrison Infantry: 2 bases Footmen
Artillery: 1 base Light Cannon
Artillery: 1 base Heavy Cannon
Italian Handgunners: 4 bases Skirmishers
Bridging: The Papal forces are constructing a bridge to attack the Sforza's army behind their lines. This will require multiple turns of construction during which an undisordered, undemoralized unit performs a rest action (during which they may not reorder) adjacent to the bridge. Only one unit may perform construction at a time, and (shiftless) gendarmes are not qualified to perform this work. A roll of 6 is required, with a -1 to the roll, but with a cumulative +2 modifier for each prior turn of construction.