ADLG - Game Report 214

Umayyad Arab (131) vs Arab Conquest(131)

For the final Roll Call Battle it was a déjà vu encounter against Paul’s Arab Conquest army. In this battle I was defending in the Plains. I decided to deploy in classical fashion with the infantry centre and the cavalry on the wings. The left-wing command deployed its medium troops forward in ambush – one of the poorer decisions made over the weekend.

The first unfortunate event was the failure of the right wing to advance quickly enough – a roll of one for a competent commander will do that to you. The left-wing cavalry have moved forward of the infantry while the infantry for their part move left to protect the left.

The ambush failed totally and didn’t even slow the Arab Conquest troops down at all. It would now be up to the infantry line to try and hold the flank on its own. The left-wing cavalry have engaged, and we can see the consequences of the failure to move the right-wing cavalry as they now cannot provide any support.

The infantry is waiting patiently for their turn to fight. While the right wing cavalry has arrived and is now ready to be committed, at the same time the Arab Conquest left wing has decided to come to the battle as well. In the centre the CinC has broken off with a unit while the remaining cavalry in contact fights to the end.

The infantry is holding its own, but with losses and the threat of other troops soon to appear on their left flank. On the right the main clash is yet to be decided.

The gaps are starting to appear in both lines as the combats start to become effective, but not quickly enough for the Umayyad Arabs.

Outcome

A win for the Arab Conquest by inflicting 24 and only receiving 13 in return. The fall to the bottom was completed with this rout.

Lessons Learnt

The ambush failure was due to firstly being fixated with trying to use the terrain and trying to be too clever.

Secondly, it also failed because having faced this army only days before I knew what Arab Conquest Troops would be advancing through the difficult terrain.

I also knew Paul’s general tactics, and if I wanted to do a left wheel to pin them against the coast I should have placed the best general on the flank!

Finally, the camp was much too close to the enemy threat area.

ADLG - Game Report 213

Umayyad Arab (131) vs Mongol Empire (218)

First up on Sunday as a battle against Nigel’s Mongol Horde. It would be interesting to see how his army performed, because all through the previous day he had been bemoaning that fact that none of his horse archers could hit a damn thing!! I was gifted the privilege of attacking in the Steppes. I therefore decided that the first imperative was to have a secure flank and therefore deployed with the infantry on the right, but no sooner than I had achieved this than I was confronted with a potential flank march from the Mongols.

We advanced out to meet the Mongols, and to hell with the flanks they can take care of themselves!

Well rather than allowing the camp to fall by default. The medium troops were sent to confront the marauding Mongols from the flank. It would have been better if I could have at least had enough command points to move the Javelin men as well, or at least placed them closer to the camp. The Mongols managed to source some new arrows and had started to make them count.

The Arab camp falls to the Mongols as the Arab Javelinmen look on from their hill. On the right the Infantry are trying to drive the Mongols away, while the cavalry continues their advance to do likewise. All the time the hits from bow fire are starting to mount.

The medium troops left behind to deal with the Mongol flank march are struggling to finish them off. Whilst the rest of the Mongols prove equally resilient and effective with their bow fire.

Outcome

A win for the Mongols by only suffering 6 and inflicting 24 on the Arabs. The march to the bottom continues.

Lessons Learnt

If there is a likelihood of a flank march deploy the camp in the centre.

Or at least place its protection closer to it to defend it before reserves can arrive.

ADLG - Game Report 212

Umayyad Arab (131) vs Aramaean (74)

For the final game of Day One of Roll Call I was presented with an array of camels from Mark’s Aramaean’s, in which I was invited to attack in the plains. I duly set up with an infantry centre with cavalry wings and for the second game in a row the cavalry command with the medium infantry supports was on the right.

Of course, as has become my norm, in the advance the cavalry led the way. However, I was a little discomfited by having to face both Cataphracts on the enemy right and Camelphracts on the enemy left. All of which were supported by a number of bowmen.

I decided to take the chance and attempted to ride down and through the bowmen and then use the cavalry’s superior mobility to attach the ‘phracts from the rear. Only to be confounded by a number of bowmen who were keen to prove that they were as strong as normal troops!

The infantry were then brought forward to do what the cavalry couldn’t. In fact they managed to defeat and destroy on of the Camelphracts. On the left the included Arab Cavalry general went on a solo crusade to destroy a lone Cataphract but instead the enemy held. On the next turn the Aramaean command was sufficient to see him to turn a cataphract around and take the general in the rear and destroy him.

The final act was the attempt to destroy as many Aramaean’s as possible before we lost the battle. And here again the gods of dice conspired against the Arab forces as they had in part done throughout the game!

Outcome

An Aramaean victory by inflicting 24 and only suffering 13 out of 26.

Lessons Learnt

The loss of the included General was a mistake and miscalculation.

The infantry, despite their mediocrity, acquitted themselves well.

ADLG - Game Report 211

Umayyad Arab (131) vs Ghaznavid (193)

On to the second game against Simon’s Ghaznavid’s and their huge camp! Simon won the initiative and decided to attack me in the mountains. My deployment was as before but with the cavalry wings reversed. However, I had the benefit of being able to place my medium troops in ambush in my gully on the right.

Once again, I refused the centre with the intention, again, of envelopment around the flanks. Especially with the benefit of the forward deployed medium troops in Ambush. On the left I certainly had the benefits of numbers.

Enemy bow fire is starting to inflict pain on the left-wing cavalry; but we are around the enemy flank. While on the right the medium troops are already around the enemy flank. They important question is whether the Arab command and control would allow them to exploit this position.

Suffice to say to say not entirely. Moreover, the better Ghaznavid command dice allowed them to respond to the threat I presented better than I was able to exploit it. In the centre the infantry command is biding its time playing with the elephants.

The infantry command has fallen against the elephants not before one of them was destroyed by the infantry spears, but in doing so the elephant went rampaging over one of the Arab infantry unit’s destroying it! On the right the Arab’s have secured a minor victory and if time and losses permitted would have been decisive.

Outcome

A close fought victory for the Ghaznavid forces by destroying the Arab army and by suffering 17 out of 22 losses. Slightly better combat results may have resulted in a mutual destruction.

Lessons Learnt

The plan almost worked, but “almost” isn’t quite good enough!

ADLG - Game Report 210

Umayyad Arab (131) vs Komnenan Byzantine (184)

Five days later I was at Roll Call for the first battle, against Richard’s Byzantines. In this case I was attacking in the plains. I went for the standard battle formation with an infantry centre with two cavalry wings. The one on the right was supported by the medium troops to negotiate the gully.

We advanced refusing the centre seeking to break through and around the enemy wings. For their part the Byzantine’s have moved out of their ambush in the gully to confront my medium troops. However, the bow fire from the Byzantine mixed troops is already having an impact on the Arab cavalry.

Well, this attack could have gone better the best Arab cavalry including their included general have been destroyed in contact with the Byzantine cavalry! Was this the writing on the wall for the weekend for the Umayyad Arab’s?

With the demise of the best cavalry it was the turn of the worst infantry to try and tip the balance in the favour of the Arabs. On the right the cavalry is behaving as arrow magnets to occupy the time and energy of the Byzantines.

Surprisingly the infantry commands are holding their own against the enemy both in the centre and on the left.

Outcome

In spite of some progress in the centre and on the left flank the battle was never in doubt, with a Byzantine win by 24 to only losing 7.

Lessons Learnt

Perhaps I chose the wrong time in the battle to commit an included commander to battle? His loss turned the battle in favour of the enemy.

ADLG - Game Report 209

Umayyad Arab (131) vs Arab Conquest(131)

The final test outing of the list I had selected was against Paul’s Arab Conquest – a blue-on-blue encounter. The final design had two large cavalry wings with a solid centre of mediocre supported heavy spearmen. A battle we fought out at Entoyment in 28mm. Paul gave me the privilege of attacking him in the desert. I deployed with the infantry command in the centre flanked by the two cavalry commands. The one on the left had the benefit of some medium troops to navigate the rough going on that flank.

We advanced to contact along the line with the cavalry on the right negotiating the rough terrain in an attempt to turn the enemies left. While on my left the cavalry have moved around the brush to engage the weak enemy left flank’s cavalry and descend on their rear – or I hoped they would do so!

The contact in the brush has been less than successful and the medium troops have been outclassed by their conquest peers (this would be a recurring theme for me at Roll Call). The enemy cowmen providing flank support are proving an annoyance.

After a couple of turs of combat the Arab Conquest have broken the most of me infantry line and are now ring to mop up the remains. The attempt to move around the enemies left has been less successful than around the enemy’s right flank, where the camp was not far from being a viable target.

Outcome

A win for the Arab Conquest by 24 to only suffering 23 of 26.

Lessons Learnt

I should have been more dynamic and targeted the camp when it might have made a difference between losing and winning.

At this stage I was relatively confident with the army going into Roll Call; my own hubris was about to defeat me.

ADLG - Game Report 208

Umayyad Arab (131) vs Norman (179)

On return from holiday it was time to think about the next competition, Roll Call. I only had a few days, and in fact less than I thought, to get the army list in! I decided that it was a little premature to take the Mongolish hordes out for an outing so I decided that it would be best to stick with an army that I was likely to be more comfortable with. I decided to opt for Umayyad Arab. Kevin offered the first test of the proposed army design. This would be a tough context because of his Norman Knights, but fortunately I wouldn’t be facing them in the competition as Knights had been banned!

I deployed with both cavalry wings on the left and centre respectively and the infantry on the right. The latter on the right were six mediocre supported heavy spearmen; I was curious to how they useful they would be.

I advanced on the left with more hope than expectation, as I knew the Knights outgunned my Heavy Impact Cavalry. However, and equally I didn’t want to tangle with the Norman heavy armoured spears! At this stage I had decided not to commit the infantry, which in hindsight (which is always valuable) was a less than optimum decision.

I pushed some light horse archers forward to delay the Norman centre, while I manoeuvred the remaining heavy cavalry to the right.. The Arab infantry have started to make a move forward.

Contact! The Cavalry that moved to the right have been damaged and now outflanked without the benefit of infantry support. Meanwhile on the left the clash of Knights vs Cavalry is being fought out, and badly for me.

I decided to try and disengage the Cavalry on the left but they were eventually ridden down by the Knights. As predicted the cavalry on the right were also ridden over and now the Arab spears are trying to stop the Norman’s in their tracks.

The Norman Knights on the Arab left are busy mopping up the remaining Arab resistance. While In the centre, despite the threats to their left flank, the Arab mediocre supported heavy spearmen are in fact holding their own against the Knights.

Outcome

A Norman victory by 24 to 9, but as usual an excellent game (in spite of a number of breakages caused by the lack of suitable transit case! (all of which were healed with the aid of super-glue.

Lessons Learnt

Mediocre supported heavy spearmen are a viable option.

This Army design had no striking power with which one could try and use to force a result, I think it should be based on either Cavalry-heavy or Infantry-heavy.

I decided to go Cavalry-heavy for the competition.