ADLG - Game Report 284

Taifa Kingdom (204) vs Central Asian Turkish (140)

Time to plan ahead and look for an option for Attack 2026 in July. It is always best to do so; especially when one has lots of choices for an army. An option is the Taifa Kingdom, but unfortunately the date range doesn't allow me to deploy El Cid; mores the pity. For the first trial Kevin brought along a classical horse archer army to do battle with the Taifa Kingdom. I was invited to attack in the Steppes. We deployed with a large cavalry wing of on the left and the infantry on the right. The Light Cavalry command had been sent left flanking. The enemy clearly had something hiding behind the hill in ambush.

The plan was to fix the enemy right with my infantry while the cavalry and the flank march took on the enemy centre and right. Even before I had gone too far the enemy decided to intervene and pin the flank of my cavalry wheeling to the left.

At this stage the flank march had yet to put in an appearance, However, we battled on gamely without their presence. The infantry command had been forced to reorientate and detach troops to the rear to engage enemy light cavalry attempting to out flank my right. Meanwhile on the Taifa left and centre the impetuous Knights are starting to do their own thing.

The CinC manages to create a measure of order out of the chaos caused by the Knights and is sending them to engage the enemy in penny packets. This in its own way inflicts as much command and control problems for the enemy as the impetuous Knights are for the Taifa Kingdom! Still no flank march. The infantry have now recovered their poise and capable of holding their own.

The Taifa left, supported by the flank march which finally arrived, seems to have the measure of the enemy. However, overall, the cavalry on both sides are manoeuvring to try and secure and advantage over each other before they try and commit; but in doing so they are all trying to preserve their flanks and rears. On the plus side for the Taifa Kingdom the infantry command is now moving forward in support.

Outcome

We called it a draw.

Lessons Learnt

The CinC needs to be at least Brilliant to control 4 Knights and his cavalry!

In retrospect I need to determine what Plan B is if the flank march arrives late or not at all.