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.