Saints in Armor

The Bohemian Revolt of 1618 triggered the Thirty Years War and in the early period of the war the Catholic/Imperial cause enjoyed an almost unbroken string of victories. This game, part of the Musket and Pike Battle Series, simulates six battles of the early Thirty Years War. In the period covered, the armies deployed in more compact formations so each battle fits on half of a standard map.

The battles covered in this game are:

White Mountain - November, 1620

The combined army of the Holy Roman Empire and the Catholic League under Johann Tserclaes, the Count of Tilly, strike a blow directly at the Bohemian capital of Prague. This is a short scenario where the qualitatively superior Catholic forces must crush the strongly positioned Bohemians who are bolstered by a large Transylvanian contingent of questionable reliability.

Wimpfen - May, 1622

Tilly joins forces with the Spanish under Cordoba. Together they pursue the smaller army of the Markgraf of Baden-Durlach. This is a balanced pitched battle. A larger Catholic army tries to defeat a Protestant army that is not only protected by a wagonburg but also possesses a strong cavalry force for counterattacks.

Höchst - June, 1622

The Bavarians under Tilly catch the forces of the zealous Protestant Duke Christian as they try to cross the river Main. This is a rearguard situation, where the Protestants must delay the Catholics while simultaneously trying to retreat the majority of their army to safety. Replayability is further enhanced by optional free setup for both sides.

Fleurus - August, 1622

Defeated and demoralized, the combined forces of the condottiere Mansfeld and Duke Christian try to escape the German theater and enter the service of the United Provinces instead. This is a smaller pitched battle where a large but very unreliable Protestant army attempts to overwhelm the smaller but more experienced Spanish army. This battle is suitable as an introduction to the game system. It contains an optional setup where the Protestants deploy in traditional fashion instead of in the Dutch style.

Stadtlohn - August, 1623

Following the battle of Fleurus, Duke Christian rebuilds his army with raw recruits and reenters Germany. This is a race-against-the-clock rearguard situation where the focus is on the fate of the Protestant baggage train that is slowly moving towards the map edge.

Lutter am Barenberge - August, 1626

The Danish King Christian IV intervenes in the Thirty Years War and pushes Tilly back during the early summer. A large pitched battle where the Danes are hampered by unusual command arrangement better suited to a rearguard battle, as well as a wide Catholic outflanking move. Replayability is enhanced by optional Catholic free setup and off-map flanking options and by additional forces for the Protestants.

In addition to scenario specific special rules that highlight the unique events of each battle, the battles in the game all share a simple set of special rules. These rules show the peculiarities of the early years of the Thirty Years War, such as Croat/Transylvanian style light cavalry.

Even though not all of the battles included were equal contests in military terms, the player victory conditions are balanced. Along with the special rules, that means the battles are interesting for both sides.

Components

Three Maps (two sheets backprinted)

Three Countersheets (840 counters)

Musket and Pike Battles Series Rulebook

The Saints in Armor Playbook

Five Player Aid Cards

One 10-sided die