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THE ARMIES OF THE POPES

1470-1520
And where is that captain-general. Albeit of
divine virtue, who can fight a war reasonably, given
that the soldiers, on receiving their pay often go
over to the enemy camp, refuse to put up with the
fortunes of war, steal from the supplies, cannot bear
that wine or fresh victuals should be lacking in
camp, and, finally are not ashamed in battle, when
then trumpet sounds and the enemy starts
advancing, to demand their pay before fighting?
Giovio, on the state of the army of the League of
Cognac.

Characters: Up to 25%. All Character options


allowed.

Cavalry: At least 25%. You must take at least one


unit of Armigeri.
Infantry: Up to 50%. May take all Militia and
condotta options and 0-1 Provisionati per 1,000
points. May take 0-1 Papal Guard.
Allies /Mercenaries: Up to 35%, may take
either Venetian, French or Spanish Allies. May
have 0-1 landsknechtes
War occupied a curious role in ecclesiastical
matters; a whole body of theology had evolved to
define the circumstances in which war was
justified, and in what circumstances it was
acceptable for the church to condone and encourage
it. Nonetheless, it would seem that for Calixtus VI,
Alexander IV and Julius X, war was part of an
ongoing policy of extending the ambit of papal
control in the Papal States. To that end, Pope
Calixtus VI, conspired with the Pazzi, in a failed
attempt to overthrow the Medici. This resulted in
the Pazzi war and the establishment of triple
alliances directed at keeping Papal and Venetian
ambitions under control.
In 1508, Pope Julius X was instrumental in
establishing the League of Cambrai against Venice;
but concerned at the success of the French, deserted
their cause and formed the Holy League against the
French. In 1512, Pope Julius X even donned armour
(as portrayed by Rex Hamiltion, in the movie, The
Agony and the Ecstasy) and was present at the
defeat at Ravenna.

The Army of Cesare Borgia 14941504


Characters: Up to 25%. The army is lead by an
experienced Commander, you do not need to roll.
Cavalry: Between 25% and 50%. You must take at
least one unit of Armigeri.
Infantry: Up to 35%. May take all Militia options
and 0-1 Provisionati per 1,000 points. May take 0-1
Romagnol pike per 1,000 points from the Venetian
list.

Allies /Mercenaries: Between 35%-75%. May


take Spanish Infantry options. And allies chosen
from the French Infantry and Cavalry sections. May
take Swiss.

Special: Borgia Leadership:


Cesare Borgia was able to inspire tremendous
loyalty from his mercenaries. To reflect this, Allies
and Mercenaries are not subject to the Allies and
Mercenaries rules.
Cesare Borgia was the illegitimate son of Pope
Alexander VI. Initially, it had been decided that
Cesare would follow in his fathers footsteps, but
the allure of a military command and opportunity to
carve out his own private kingdom from the various
Papal States proved to great. In the wake of the
initial French expedition, Cesare, with the full
support of his father and an alliance with France,
was made Duke of Valentinois in 1498. At the head
of a largely mercenary army, he proceeded to
subjugate much of the Papal States. However, the
unexpected death of his father allowed Cesares
enemies to catch him off guard and he was captured
and sent to Spain, where he died in Navarre in
1509.

The Army of Clement VII, 1520-1534


Characters: Up to 25%. May take all Character
choices

Cavalry: At least 10%, up to a maximum of 35%


Infantry: At least 35%. May take all Militia and
Condotta Options. 0-1 unit of Provisionati per
1,000 points may take Swiss Papal Guard. May not
take more units of Condotta than Militia.

Allies /Mercenaries: At least 35%. May take


Venetian allies and mercenaries from the Swiss
list.
The Imperial victory at Pavia, and subsequent
capture and imprisonment of Francis 1, terrified
Italy. With the French defeated, Charles V was now
in a position to subdue all of Italy. Alarmed by this
development, Pope Clement formed the League of
Cognac, with France, Henry VIII and Venice, in the
hope of launching a new offensive. An ambitious
plan for simultaneously attacking Genoa, Milan and
Sienna was conceived. It was envisioned that this
would be supported by an Anglo-French thrust into
Flanders.
The Anglo-French offensive never materialised and
the League crumbled; weakened by the timid
leadership of the Venetian Captain-General and by
dissension in the army of the League. Enraged, by
the act of aggression, the Lutheran commander
George Frundsburg pawned his estates to raise an
army to punish the Pope. The campaign was to end
with the sickening atrocities of the sack of Rome

and the complete subjugation of the Papacy by


Charles V.
CHARACTERS
The Pope

M WS

BS

W A

4 4

L
d
9

Pts
110

The Pope may ride a horse (free) and wears heavy


armour, he may take partial plate armour (+4) and
may ride a warhorse (+4)
If taken he is the Army General, otherwise your
army must be lead by either the Captain General or
by the Lieutenant General.

Captain General
Nepotistic
appointee
Experienced
Commander

M WS

BS

W A

4 4

Pts

L
d
8

150

150

The Experienced Commander rides a warhorse and


wears full plate armour, he carries a lance. He may
take cloth barding (+4) or plate barding (+6).
The Nepotistic Appointee may ride a horse (free)
and wears heavy armour, he may take partial plate
armour (+4) and may ride a warhorse (+4)
At the start of the game, roll a D6 on the roll of a 13, the Pope has appointed one of his insipid family
members. On the roll of a 4-6 he has appointed an
experienced commander.
The tile of Captain General was often assigned on
a purely nepotistic basis, to the cousins, nephews,
and at times, the sons of the Pope. These men were
of variable quality, but on occasion, the title could
be conferred upon an experienced condottieri such
as Duke DEste of Ferrera (who married Lucretia
Borga; the daughter of Pope Alexander VI) or
Francesco Gonsalvo Marquis of Mantua.

Lieutenant- General
M W
S
4 4

BS

W A

L
d
7

Pts
50

The Lieutenant-General may ride a horse (free) and


wears heavy armour, he may take partial plate
armour (+4) and may ride a warhorse (+4).
If neither the Pope nor a Captain General has been
taken, you may choose for the Lieutenant General
to be the Army General.
The Lieutenant General was a secondary
commander of the Papal Armies. However, civilian
appointees, such as the diplomat-turned-historian
Guicciardini, often occupied the post.

Captains:

Roman Baron:
M WS

BS

W A

Pts

Baron

4 5

d
8

70

Full plate armour, lance and rides a warhorse. May


take cloth barding (+4) or plate barding (+6)
Special: Potentially Disloyal: At the start of the
game roll 1d6 on the roll of a 5 or 6, the Baron, and
any unit he leads, is subject to the rules for Allies
and Mercenaries. The Baron may only lead Men at
Arms

Condottieri Captain
Condottieri

M WS

BS

W A

4 5

L
d
8

Pts
62

The Condottierii Captain wears light armour and


carries a hand weapon. He may have heavy armour
(+2) or full plate armour (+3) he may ride a horse
(free) or a warhorse (+4). If mounted he may carry
a lance (+4). If mounted he may take cloth barding
(+4) or plate barding (+6). If dismounted they may
carry a halberd (+1), pike (+1) or two handed
weapon (+2).

Gonfalionner
Gonfalionie
r

M WS

BS

W A

4 5

L
d
8

Pts
102

Rides a warhorse and wears full plate armour. He


may take cloth barding (+4) or plate barding (+6).
Special: Army Standard Bearer.

CAVALRY
Condottieri Men at Arms::
Armigeri

M WS

BS

W A

L
d
8

Pts
34

Equipment: Full Plate armour, lance, First Charge,


warhorses. May take plate barding (+6) or cloth
barding (+4).
May count a rank bonus of +1.
One unit may be upgraded to Lanze Spezzatta at
(+2). Lanze Spetzatta are veterans

Mounted Crossbow
Crossbow

M W
S
8 2

BS

W A

L
d
6

Pts
14

Equipped with light crossbows. May have light


armour, (+2). Mounted crossbow are Skirmishers.
One unit may be upgraded to Guard status at (+2).
The Guard are veterans and have LD7. The Guard
unit must be the smallest, formed infantry unit, in
the army.

INFANTRY
Provisionati
0-1 per 1,000 points
Provisionati

M WS

BS

W A

L
d

Pts

11

Provisionati are equipped with crossbows and wear


heavy armour. A unit may replace its crossbows for
Arquebuses. One unit may exchange crossbows for
pikes or halbards.

M WS

BS

W A

4
4

3
3

3
3

3
3

4
4

1
1

4
4

At the battle of Soriano in 1496, Italian spearmen,


in the employ of the Orsini, adopted the use of the
Swiss pike. The greater length of the pike, over the
spear used by their Papal adversaries, allowed the
Orsini infantry to rout the Papal army.

Skirmishers

0-1 Papal Guard


Italian
Swiss

Are equipped with spear, large shield and light


armour. May exchange their spears and large
shields for pikes in which case they become a
medieval pike phalanx.

1
1

L
d
8
9

W
S
3

Pts
Skirmish

B
S
3

Condotta Crossbow

Militia Spearmen

Artillery:

Militia

W A

L
d
6

Pts
8

Equipped with spear, large shield and light armour.


May exchange their spears and large shields for
pikes (no cost). Militia with Pike, are a medieval
pike phalanx. Militia pike, may only count a rank
bonus of +2 on the turn in which they charge.

Militia Crossbow
Militia

M WS

BS

W A

L
d
6

Pts
8

Equipped with crossbow and light armour. Militia


equipped with crossbows may be in a combined
formation with Militia Spearmen.

Militia Schioppetto
Militia

M WS

BS

W A

L
d
6

Pts
8

Equipped with handgun, light armour and hand


weapons.

Condotta Spearmen
Militia

M WS

BS

W A

W A

1 1

L
D
6

Pt
s
6

Skirmishers have hand weapons and may take light


crossbows (+2) or handguns (+2).

They have heavy armour and either halberds or


double handed swords. They may only be
taken in armies led by the Pope.
Swiss Guards may have Pikes. As long as the Pope
is alive, the Papal Guard may re-roll all
leadership tests that they are required to take.
Must not outnumber any other formed infantry
unit. Swiss are subject to Bitter Rivalry of
Landsknects.

BS

14
15

The Papal Guard are Veteran and Stubborn.

M WS

L
d
7

Pts
10

Condotta

M WS

BS

W A

L
d
7

Pts
11

Equipped with hand weapons, light armour and


crossbow,
May exchange their crossbow for arquebus (free)
may be designated as Open Order (free) or
skirmishers.

May take 1 artillery piece per 750 points at 50


points. Each gun may have up two extra crewmen
at +10 per crew.

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