ADLG - Game Report 245

Communal Italian (189) vs Ilkhanid Mongol (270)

For my second game I was pitted against Dave's Mongols with their Armenian ally. I was invited to defend in the mountains. We prepared for battle by placing the infantry in the centre with the cavalry on both wings. The wing with the French impetuous mercenary knights were on the right. The Italian Knights were on the left.

On the left, astride the road, the Italian Knights were well placed to drive off the Mongols. In the centre the infantry advanced, while the right wing command was held back.

The left wing drove back the Mongols, and positioned themselves to continue the drive forward or to drive the rest of the Mongols away from the gully. The lone Light Cavalryman was destroyed by Mongol bow fire and now the Italian lights have been brought forward to hold the gully.

The Italian left wing has been forced to engage the Mongol cavalry, and is suffering. In the centre the Infantry line has split to confront the disparate groups of Mongols and Armenians. On the right the combined might of the Italian and French Knights have come forward to engage the Hospitallers and the Armenian Knights.

On the left the Italian Knights are successfully manoeuvring to envelope the Mongol right; unfortunately we were not able to drive the Mongol light cavalry from the battlefield. On the centre left the infantry are suffering from the Mongol bow fire. They are much too clever and experienced to throw their mounts against the Italian spears. On the right we are both positioned for the next contest of arms.

And so it begin, the dice start to mis-behave. The Italian left wing lacked the command and control necessary to exploit their success, and to compound the problems the Mongol Light Cavalry return to the fray. The Italian centre left is now at 50% strength and is in danger of being rolled over. As for the Italian right the greatest danger is the weakness of the Knights against the coastline.

The Italian left wing has been neutralised (aka destroyed) by the greater4 mobility of the Mongols. In the centre the Italian Communal Militia are making a fight of it, and seem capable of overcoming Armenian spearmen. The Italian right wing Knights have recovered from their losses and have prevented the line being flanked – or at least for the moment.

Outcome

A Mongol victory by 14 to 23. Leaving me at one win and one loss for the day – so far

Lessons Learnt

I must have been doing something right as Dave said I gave him some seriously difficult decisions to make.

Perhaps an alternative deployment option with the infantry hard against the coastline might have served me better.

ADLG - Game Report 244

Communal Italian (189) vs Scots Isles and Highlanders (187)

It is October then it must be time for the Old Codgers get together in the middle of England for our Autumnal bash. This time the theme for the event was effectively 1200-1300 CE with in the case of the armies brought, Christians vs the each other and the rest. After much soul-searching on the effectiveness, or perhaps lack of control, of lots of impetuous feudal knights I had decided (following some advice from Paul) to abandon the Feudal French and decided on using the Communal Italian with its more controllable impact knights. The army had been tested and up to this competition had fared tolerably well.

For its test in the first Old Codger game my opponent Philip had brough along a veritable horde of Scots isles and Highlanders and I do mean horde stretching the full width of the battlefield. I was defending in the plains. I anchored my right against the coastline with my infantry and flanked this with the two Knightly commands with their unreliable included generals.

Fortunately, I was rewarded with both of my unreliable generals committing themselves to the cause! We advanced in stately traditional fashion to face the Scottish foe.

The Scots decided to leave their left flank along the coastline exposed which has allowed us to flank their line. On the left the French mercenary (impetuous Knights) have broken through the Scottish line on contact. The centre Knights have been held back to administer the coup de grace.

Both the left and right of the Scottish line have now been flanked and their losses are starting to increase. However, the battle is not entirely one-sided as the two-handed cutting weapons are making short work of the Italian spears.

The Scottish left has fallen to the might of the Italian Communal Militia, while on the Italian left the Scots are continuing to deny the French Knights the fruits of their labour. In the centre the Coup de grace has been administered.

Outcome

A Communal Italian victory by defeating the enemy and only receiving 12 hits in return.

Lessons Learnt

Another salutary lesson for both of us on what happens when you expose your flanks to allow the enemy to move around them.