ADLG - Game Report 291

Andalusian Arabs (133) vs Nikephorian Byzantine (127)

Day two, I was fortunate that we were able to start later, and I left home earlier, so I managed to make the start time despite the rush hour traffic. My first game was against Phil's Byzantines and I was fortunate to seize the initiative and immediately decided to attack in the plains. There was a paucity of terrain for this battle, which suited me fine, and we deployed with the Cavalry Command left and the Infantry Command right, the Light Cavalry were outflanking from the left.

The Byzantines surmised that the most logical flank for the flank march to arrive was on the left and decided to detach cavalry to try and protect their flank. Even if the flank march didn't arrive this distraction improved the balance of forces on the main line in our favour.

The Andalusian Infantry command was deployed defensively between the terrain features to protect the camp. This left the combined Cavalry commands to force the enemy right. Aware of the threat to their right the Byzantines have slowed their advance on their left and have reorientate d their remaining cavalry to better protect their flank.

The Byzantines have abandoned their camp and their flank to confront the larger threat of the Andalusian Cavalry, and in this they have managed to inflict damage. On the negative side their flank has been exposed. With the Byzantine left holding the Andalusian Infantry have been ordered to advance to the attack.

The enemy camp has fallen, and their right flank has been broken by the Andalusian Cavalry. While on the right the Andalusian Infantry has held its own on contact, less the elite spearmen who have come off worse facing enemy mounted.

Outcome

A telling victory for the Andalusians only losing 9 cohesion points. The overall score is now a mor respectable two wins, one draw and one loss.

Lessons Learnt

When it works a flank march can work really quite well.

A lesson to self. If I were in the Byzantine's situation, I would have abandoned the camp and gone for broke by aggressively attacking and trying to secure what advantage I could before the flank march arrived and the camp fell.