ADLG - Game Report 235

Achaemenid Persian (64) vs Tlaxcalans (290)

Paul requested one more trial for his Tlaxcalans, before he packed them up for the trip to Lisbon. I obliged by putting together another Achaemenid Persian Army for him to fight. This time the army used a Greek ally with a command of armoured Hoplites. In deployment to attack in the plains I placed the allies in the centre flanked by two similar Persian corps.

Our advance precipitated a significant redeployment of the Tlaxcalans to their right after their ambush was tripped. They continued in the centre to loiter on their hill, while the Spanish and pikes moved forward.

On the left we refused to engage in the plantation and decided to refuse that flank. In the centre we wanted to use the Immortals and Sparabara to provide fire support as the Hoplites moved forward to engage.

Instead, it was the Persians who were forced to engage the Pikes and the Spanish. On the left the Persian bows are causing hits on the Tlaxcalans. In the centre the Greeks are going to have to make a decision as to how they fight in two directions at the same time.

In reality there was only one option; that was to engage the Pikes one-on-one and leave the other Greeks to fight and destroy the enemy to their front, and trust in their armour. On the right the Persian cavalry screening the plantation are succeeding in winning the firefight and preventing the right of the Persian line being endangered.

The Persian right has been very successful against the Pikes, whilst the Greeks have traded blow-for-blow with the Tlaxcalans.

The Persian left is fighting to buy time for the centre and the right to win the day. However, the remains of the Tlaxcalans left proves to be increasingly stubborn despite the losses and being attacked in the flank.

This was a battle that went down to the very end, oscillating between a Persian victory, to a mutual destruction, and eventually to a Tlaxcalan victory. The Persian left has failed to hold and has suffered significant losses, but the Persian right has prevailed.

Outcome

A battle that was won on the last turn through some Tlaxcalan good fortune, by inflicting 24 losses to receiving 25 of 26.

Lessons Learnt

A good army that merits being considered for future battles.

ADLG - Game Report 234

Feudal French (182) vs Goryeo Korean (223)

For the next Feudal French army design I had put together a list based on the Northern Feudal French, so out came the Almogavars, to be replaced by Pikes and Polearms. Additionally, the Knights were spread across the three commands, and all the commanders were detached.

Harry decided to throw another curve ball and opted to attack me in the forest. The resulting terrain was certainly not conducive for a defensive battle for the French. The wood certainly cramped the deployment area. The French deployed with the infantry command, and the Pikemen, in the centre flanked by two cavalry commands. The major challenge being that I had no troops capable of defending and fighting in the woods in the centre. However, I decided this time to dismount to face the Korean war wagons.

The line will advance! Herein lies the first mistake. I was at pains to try and keep the Knights on the left from engaging the troops on the hill, although I somewhat expected the inevitability of being unable to train their impetuosity from doing so.

The first mistake is manifest as we have left the protection of the flank protected by the wood, which has allowed Koreans to slip behind the flank of the Pikes. On the left the inevitable march of the Knights against the hill has started. While on the right The French struggle to move forward to engage the Warwagons.

The three commands are now fighting for their existence. On the left the Knights have been defeated attacking the hill, and it is not looking favourable with the dismounted Knights against the enemy polearms; one of which was destroyed on contact. In the centre one of the Pikes has destroyed its opponent, but the impact of being attacked in the front and in the flank is telling. While on the right the casualties caused by the Warwagons has compromised the ability to close with them and destroy them.

The French left has been vanquished, the centre fights on, and the attack against the Warwagons has failed.

Outcome

A crushing Korean victory by 5 to 24.

Lessons Learnt

Once again, the attempt to learn something about this army design has been compromised by poor French tactics and the inability to negotiate the terrain.

The one take away was that the French centre seemed to be more coherent and stable with the Pikemen, albeit that they were mediocre.

ADLG - Game Report 233

Feudal French (182) vs Central Asian Turkish (140)

Another day another trial Feudal French Army. For this army it was again around the southern French, the difference was that I gave the brilliant CinC the infantry command, and the two supporting commands were much smaller with four Knights and one light cavalry unit. Both of these commands had included unreliable commanders. The battle was fought against Kevin's Mongols deployed as Central Asian Turks. I defended in the Plains.

Kevin opted for a coastline, so I deployed the infantry on the left against the secure coastline flank, with both Knight commands to the right. The major challenge was to ensure that the flanks remained as secure as possible and where necessary manoeuvre the Knights to try and chase the Turkic horsemen off the table.

The French were discomforted by the rain of arrows from the horse archers, but they didn't break. Of greater significance is that we have, so far, prevented an encircling move from the Turkic Light Cavalry.

Where we were able to do so we charged the enemy. Fortunately, the impetuous French Knights were kind enough to roll down and hence didn't pursue too far!

By this stage we only had one leaker, a single Turkic Light Cavalrymen who has penetrated the line.

We were able to redeploy one of our own Light Cavalry units a counter, but lacked the ability to close to charge the enemy. The Knights have engaged enemy Cavalry and have destroyed one of the heavier enemy cavalry units.

The Mounted Sergeants, Heavy Impact cavalry, have not manged to gain ground in the centre. However, on the right the Knights are well placed to try and corral the enemy off the table.

At the end the Turkic's command and control problems were growing as they were finding it increasingly difficult to manoeuvre their units and disengage from combat. For their part the French Knights are pursuing as hard as they can, but their movement distance always prevents them fully engaging the enemy.

Outcome

A creditable draw, albeit a winning draw for the Turks by 4 to 12.

Lessons Learnt

It was always going to be difficult for either side to secure a result.

The one positive takeaway for the French was that the balance of commanders to their commands worked much better.

ADLG - Game Report 232

Feudal French (182) vs Goryeo Korean (223)

I wasn't satisfied with the first trial of the Feudal French orbat so I gave this one a further run out against Harry's Koreans. Once again it might be that the terrain was a greater challenge than the Koreans or the order of battle I had chosen, but as always, we can only fight a battle in the terrain we are given! And indeed, I was gifted the opportunity my Harry to defend in the plains, which this terrain represented. The additional challenge for me was that I was up against War-wagons without the necessary troops to defeat them. I decided to split the army with one cavalry command to the left of the marsh and the other two commands to the right, and of course I was hoping and praying for adequate command dice to deploy!

And of course the command and control broke down from the off, with the infantry command conspicuously failing to deploy as required. Meanwhile the Frenck Knights moved forward to engage as best as they could.

On the left the French Knights were obligated through their impetuosity to charge forward regardless and trust to luck against the enemy infantry polearms and the enemy cataphracts. We were less than successful, and certainly not lucky. Meanwhile, on the right a French Knight supported by their Sergeants engaged the enemy infantry. Hopefully to give sufficient time for the French Infantry to complete their deployment.

On the left the French Knights have almost all perished through a combined attack in the front and flanks. Meanwhile the Koreans have deployed their war-wagons as battle-ready to face the French Infantry. Behind them the remaining Knights have manoeuvred to the right to support the Almogavars, who are now somewhat exposed to the threat of the Korean Cataphracts.

Outcome

A battle where one would like to draw a kindly veil over the results, but honesty compels to me recognise that we were soundly beaten by the Koreans!

Lessons Learnt

Always make sure one has the appropriate dismounts available for the Knights if there is any likelihood that one will be confronting an enemy with war-wagons.

This might have been a good scenario to consider a flank march. Especially given the cramped nature of the deployment zone.

Further thought is needed on the Army composition despite the limitations of the terrain and our plan.

ADLG - Game Report 231

Feudal French (182) vs Feudal Spanish (190)

Time is drawing on and the Old Codgers are all readying their Armies for Kegworth! Me, included. For my part I would very much like to take my Feudal French, and despite their notable lack of success on the battlefield, I am confident that there is a capable army in there somewhere just waiting to get out. The only way to find out is to put some variants together and see what happens. So for the first trial I decided to use a Southern French list I had been keeping up my sleeve, for just such an opportunity.

The Army was made up of two wings of medium Knights supported by light and heavy cavalry, with a strong infantry centre including Almughavars. As usual the test of any trial order of battle one puts together for a battle is rather dependent on the terrain and of course the enemy. And here I was lucky enough to be granted the privilege of attacking in the plains. Still for this engagement we deployed with the infantry protecting the left flank, with a heavy overload of Knights on the right deployed in column to save space; even though they were mostly impetuous and therefore difficult to manoeuvre.

Fortunately, the command dice went my way, for once, we managed to allow the Knights to deploy sufficiently before they came into contact. I have pushed the Almughavars forward to hold the field. The question would be, how quickly could the right-hand command manoeuvre around the gully to attack the enemy left flank.

As it happens not quickly at all. However, it has rather forced the Spanish to need to readjust their lines to attack me.

After some careful manoeuvring, albeit with the benefit of a Regimental Sergeant Major with his pace-stick, we have just about positioned our respective lines to face each other.

Contact! The eliteness of the Spanish Knights has had a telling impact on the outcome of the engagement in the centre and off picture on the right as well!

As is often the case with Knights vs Knights we have a split line with the French Knights who were victorious impetuously pursuing while the Spanish Knights hold their ground.

The battle has become piecemeal, with each side taking the advantage of open flanks to try and secure a short-term tactical advantage to win the day.

And more of the same as we continue to try to destroy as many of the enemy as we can. Meanwhile a lone unit of French Knights is tying to at least be true to his noble self and move to sack the Spanish camp.

Which they failed to do being attacked in the rear by the enemy General's unit. On the right the French are trying hard to inflict some wounds on the enemy as they fight to the very end.

Outcome

A Spanish victory by inflicting 22 to receiving 18 of 23. A closer outcome than I thought would have been possible at the mid-point of the game.

Lessons Learnt

The lack of eliteness within the Knights was a contributory factor in their demise. But the far more significant factor is that they remain stubbornly difficult to manoeuvre.

Despite the outcome the Army was more successful than some other Knight-heavy variants I have employed in other battles.