ADLG - Game Report 293

Feudal French (182) vs Tribal Mongols (178)

We are all now planning our armies for Attack 2026. The theme is "Any army dated 1106.” This gives me a wide choice of possible armies, and also brings into the equation for me the Chinese army I built for Beachhead. I have already trialed the Taifa Kingdom, but for this game I reworked my Feudal French list.

Nigel offered combat with his Mongols, which would be an interesting challenge for the French Knights. As predicted I failed the initiative and was invited by the Mongols, all 29 of them, to attack them in the Steppes. The infantry command deployed defensively on the left using the brush to the left and in the middle as defensive points for the lights and mediums. The knightly commands were deployed in the centre, all 12 of them. Oh and I am not the only person who thinks he knows how to flank march, am I Nigel?

The Infantry command moved into position as was soon able to ring effective crossbow fire to bear on the Mongols. Meanwhile the Knights in the centre have shaken out between the terrain features.

The Mongol Flank march arrived and advanced through the brush to engage the light troops screen we had established (just outside of 4UD from the edge) The Mongols at this stage seem content with using their bows. In the centre the two Knight commands have wheeled left and right respectively in order to try and ride the Mongols off the table.

The Mongol mounted archery is at last starting to find its range, but so are the crossbows. With the lack of threat to the right of the brush, two spearmen have been called forward to reinforce the French left. On the right out of picture four Mongols are attempting to move around the flank, hence the swordsmen who have been repositioned on the hill. A minor irritant is the aggressive Mongol pinning the left end of the Knight command on the right.

This irritant became an even bigger issue when he survived first contact with the knights and then went on to six-one the knight in the next round and destroyed it! However, we are closer to driving the remainder from the battle on the right and in the deep left we can almost secure the enemy camp and loot it. The Infantry command has suffered a couple of unfortunate losses to the Mongol bow fire, but is cooperating with the Knights.

The infantry command has decided to withdraw the Light troops from the brush. The remainder of the infantry are moving forward to push the enemy away. On the right the Mongols decided no to leave the battle and decided to die for the Khan, however it looks like the Knights that are doing the dying.

On the left the Knights supported by the Infantry command are slowly pushing the Mongols away. However, on the right another Mongol six-one in combat has done for another Knight.

Outcome

We agreed a draw, with the Mongols losing 20 of 29 and the French 16 of 25. Despite a, potentially, predictable draw this was a very good game, which could have gone either way. As they say the dice even themselves out in the end if you roll enough of them.

Lessons Learnt

I learnt that a Knight heavy army is capable of taking the battle even to a larger army and surviving.

Nigel learnt a lot about how to use and deploy Light Cavalry. I am sure that anyone facing this many aggressively used elite bow armed light cavalry might take a pause of honest reflection before committing themselves to battle.

With this many Light Cavalry in an army you can afford to risk using them in combat if the situation is suitable or necessary, not least because you have so many of them!

ADLG - Game Report 292

Andalusian Arabs (133) vs Three Kingdoms Korean (121)

The final game of the tourney against Andy's Korean's, and a game in which I either forgot everything I have learnt so far, or one in which I had a mental block. Either way it was a timely reminder of what not to do. I lost the initiative and was invited to defend in the plains. On balance the terrain was adequate for our purposes. I deployed with the Infantry command on the left with some nice fields for the lights and mediums to deploy in. The Cavalry Command were on the centre right and once more the Light Cavalry Command was right flanking somewhere in the boonies.

The Koreans managed to get the march on me and advanced rapidly, they were prudent enough to detach a flank guard which reduced their strength in the main body, which in retrospect meant that even without the flank march we were no relatively even numbers where it was going to count. Except that I have, by bringing them forward, unfortunately pinned my own Cavalry Command and can no longer redeploy it.

At this stage recognising what I had done, it was essential that I release the Infantry command into the attack. Here in lies the benefit of the medium troops on the flanks as they were able to threaten the enemy right. However, it looked increasingly like the Cavalry command would be the sacrificial lamb if the Light Cavalry Command failed to arrive.

Quelle sacrifice. I meant to move the Cavalry Command first in order to secure an overlap against the enemy Cataphracts. However, stupidly I moved the Infantry first which prevented the overlap from forming. More significantly the cataphracts and polearms rather pummelled the heavy cavalry. On the left there is better news as the Andalusian infantry seem to be far better placed, that is until their right flank is exposed by the Cavalry. Oh and the Light Cavalry have failed to arrive, again.

Before I could disengage the heavy cavalry they were destroyed, and the infantry are looking less than healthy although they have achieved a breakthrough sufficient to attempt to flank the enemy. However, the telling issue is that without the arrival of the flank march, due next turn were destroyed.

Outcome

A Korean victory by destroying 19 of my cohesion points on the table the turn before the flank march was due to arrive. I took a meagre 9 of the enemy.

Lessons Learnt

Perhaps a flank march too many, they may have been more useful on the table to provide a screen to prevent the enemy's rapid advance.

I should have not moved the Cavalry command forward en masse. At most one single element forward deployed as a covering force would have been sufficient to allow us to potentially redeploy.

The Infantry could have moved more aggressively from the outset, and forced the Korean's to consider what they might do.

Overall I allowed the enemy to seize the initiative and maintain it, solely because I expected the flank march to arrive.

ADLG - Game Report 291

Andalusian Arabs (133) vs Nikephorian Byzantine (127)

Day two, I was fortunate that we were able to start later, and I left home earlier, so I managed to make the start time despite the rush hour traffic. My first game was against Phil's Byzantines and I was fortunate to seize the initiative and immediately decided to attack in the plains. There was a paucity of terrain for this battle, which suited me fine, and we deployed with the Cavalry Command left and the Infantry Command right, the Light Cavalry were outflanking from the left.

The Byzantines surmised that the most logical flank for the flank march to arrive was on the left and decided to detach cavalry to try and protect their flank. Even if the flank march didn't arrive this distraction improved the balance of forces on the main line in our favour.

The Andalusian Infantry command was deployed defensively between the terrain features to protect the camp. This left the combined Cavalry commands to force the enemy right. Aware of the threat to their right the Byzantines have slowed their advance on their left and have reorientate d their remaining cavalry to better protect their flank.

The Byzantines have abandoned their camp and their flank to confront the larger threat of the Andalusian Cavalry, and in this they have managed to inflict damage. On the negative side their flank has been exposed. With the Byzantine left holding the Andalusian Infantry have been ordered to advance to the attack.

The enemy camp has fallen, and their right flank has been broken by the Andalusian Cavalry. While on the right the Andalusian Infantry has held its own on contact, less the elite spearmen who have come off worse facing enemy mounted.

Outcome

A telling victory for the Andalusians only losing 9 cohesion points. The overall score is now a mor respectable two wins, one draw and one loss.

Lessons Learnt

When it works a flank march can work really quite well.

A lesson to self. If I were in the Byzantine's situation, I would have abandoned the camp and gone for broke by aggressively attacking and trying to secure what advantage I could before the flank march arrived and the camp fell.

ADLG - Game Report 290

Andalusian Arabs (133) vs Fatimid Egyptian (202)

Game three against Dave's Fatimids. I was invited to defend in the plains. In this game again there was an open flank, the right. However, I decided not to use the flank march instead there was a handy gully in which the Light Cavalry Command were hiding in ambush. The remainder of the army was deployed with the infantry on the left to exploit the fields, with the cavalry in the centre.

The Fatimids very quickly exposed the ambush. The Cavalry command advanced refusing their left, while the infantry deployed to cover the fields and to hold the left flank.

There was no time to lose, and the Cavalry command went into the attack against the Fatimid Cavalry, with the Light Cavalry command enveloping the line from the right.

In spite of the initial losses the Cavalry Command has the advantage over the Fatimids. The enemy infantry is content with advancing to within bow range and engaging by fire.

The Andalusian Cavalry have reformed and are now ready to take the battle back to the remaining Fatimids. On the left the enemy continue to engage with fire. While in the centre we have positioned the spearmen to face of against their most likely foe to avoid overlaps.

With that realignment the spearmen were able to engage their opponents with the support of the Light cavalry attacking from the flank, but still the enemy manage to initially prevail in the combat!

The Spears succumbed to the fight but while they were perishing the elite spearmen destroyed their opponents and were then able to support an attack on the enemy cavalry. In the centre the remaining enemy infantry unit was caught in front and flank and destroyed.

Outcome

An Andalusian victory, suffering 21 casualties for the victory; an excellent game with a lot of "too and fro". The day's result was one win, one draw and one loss – a full house

Lessons Learnt

There are alternatives to conducting a flank march.