ADLG - Game Report 270

Song Chinese (225) vs Classical Indians (79)

With two battles behind them it was time to review the order of battle of the Song Chinese, and not to forget to make sure it has all the troops it is supposed to have. So once again Kevin's Indians offered battle, not least because they wanted to try and get some payback for their last outing. I won the initiative and decided to attack in the plains. No more of those pesky mountains from which all the troops slide off. 

The Song Chinese advanced in line abreast; not the most tactically subtle manoeuvre. On the left the massed bowmen and mixed shooters were deployed to at least cause a speed bump and attrition on the elephants. In the centre the Chinese heavy lacked a meaningful enemy. While on the right the Cavalry were facing off against the Indian chariots.

I felt it prudent to withdraw the Chinese light troops. At the same time the crossbows held their ground while their supporting heavies manoeuvred against the elephants left flank. Mean while the chariots were closed down by the bow armed Cavalry with the impact cavalry held in reserve for a counterattack.

At least the manoeuvring of the Chinese heavies has encouraged the Indians to commit an elephant to the centre; only three elephants for the bowmen in the field to defeat. However, the contact on the centre has not been what we would have wished for. The cavalry have performed well against the chariots. The counterattack has gone in and been successful and the bow armed cavalry were able to regroup and support it.

The bowmen have not been the speed bump to the Indian elephants that I was looking for. However, the elephant that was distracted to deal with the Chinese centre has expired. On the right the Cavalry have secured the upper hand against the chariots.

In the field a sole crossbowman tries to hold the inevitability of the Indian advance. In the centre the Chinese troops are starting to mop up the enemy. While on the right the introduction of India reinforcements has slightly changed the balance of the combat.

Outcome

An Indian victory in which they only lost 12 of their 23 points.

Lessons Learnt

Another game where I was overly and incorrectly pre-occupied with the perceived benefits of the terrain on the left flank.

The collective wisdom is that the Indian heavy chariots are not as flexible and as useful as the heavy impact cavalry.