Angered by European intrusion into the New World, a Mayan army was transported across the Atlantic and found itself in Northern Italy. It consisted of:

A Demi-God (Hero), 3 groups of Elite Warriors (Blades, including the General), 5 groups of Ordinary Warriors (Warband), 1 group of Slingers (Shooters) and Q - The Winged Serpent (Flyer).

Incensed by this invasion of Christendom, the Pope sent an army to oppose them, aided by inventions of the great engineer Da Vinci. This consisted of:

A Papal Envoy (Cleric General), 3 groups of Knights (Knights), 1 group of Mounted Crossbowmen (Riders), 1 group of Halberdiers (Blades), 2 groups of Arquebusiers (Shooters), an Airship (Airboat) and a Steam Powered Mobile Fortress (Behemoth)

The Italians drew up in front of their castle with the airship and the mounted crossbowmen on the right, the knights and mobile fortress in the centre and the arquebusiers and halberdiers on the left. Facing them the Mayans stood with the elite warriors in the centre with their right flank anchored against a wood, in which the ordinary warriors lurked. The slingers, winged serpent and demi-god covered the left flank.

The Mayans decided to stand their ground and allow the Italians to attack. The Italian army advanced slowly, pushing the airship forward to threaten the Mayan left. The winged serpent was sent forward to engage it, but was rapidly shot down. The slingers and demi-god were then sent forward, but by now the airship was supported by the mounted crossbowmen, and the slingers were also destroyed. This left the demi-god to battle the Italian right alone, a task he was able to easily rise to. Although unable to destroy his opponents he single handedly prevented them from advancing. He stood his ground until the Italians switched the mobile fortress from the centre to their right, at which point he retired on the Mayan centre. There he was able to resist further Italian assaults with the aid of a group of warriors switched from the Mayan right.

On the Mayan right the warriors soon came under fire from the arquebusiers. They stood their ground though and when fire slackened, advanced. One group of arquebusiers was pushed back again and again, whilst the other resisted the onslaught. The halberdiers advanced in support, but were overwhelmed and destroyed. This flank boiled down into a series of inconclusive skirmishes.

In the centre the Italian knights smashed into the elite warriors, but were initially unable to push them back. One group pushed too hard and was overwhelmed. Urged on by the Papal envoy they regrouped and charged again, concentrating their attacks on the Mayan general. With his supporting units pushed back he put up a bold fight but was killed, his army breaking as he fell.

(This game was played on 19th March 1999 and was the first outing of the Renaissance Italians. Unfortunately I played the Mayan army.)

Lessons Learned:

• An unsupported Hero is quite resilient and difficult to kill, but still hasn't got the strength to destroy enemy elements. For that you still need overlap support.
• Don't make futile attacks unless there is a good reason to do so, such as delaying an advance. I threw away the Mayan winged serpent doing this - it was outclassed by the Italian airboat and yet I sent it in unsuppported.
• Mercilessly pick on a Behemoth on the end of a line. You may not get the Behemoth, but if you force it to recoil then generally it's curtains for anything behind it. I tried this against the Italian mobile fortress, but couldn't get the recoil. An Italian knight breathed easier as a result.
• Don't roll four '1's in a row when dicing for PIPs. This was a major influence in my decision to hold the Mayans in a defensive posture. By the time I got any PIPs, the Italians were most of the way across the table anyway.

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