ADLG - Game Report 293

Feudal French (182) vs Tribal Mongols (178)

We are all now planning our armies for Attack 2026. The theme is "Any army dated 1106.” This gives me a wide choice of possible armies, and also brings into the equation for me the Chinese army I built for Beachhead. I have already trialed the Taifa Kingdom, but for this game I reworked my Feudal French list.

Nigel offered combat with his Mongols, which would be an interesting challenge for the French Knights. As predicted I failed the initiative and was invited by the Mongols, all 29 of them, to attack them in the Steppes. The infantry command deployed defensively on the left using the brush to the left and in the middle as defensive points for the lights and mediums. The knightly commands were deployed in the centre, all 12 of them. Oh and I am not the only person who thinks he knows how to flank march, am I Nigel?

The Infantry command moved into position as was soon able to ring effective crossbow fire to bear on the Mongols. Meanwhile the Knights in the centre have shaken out between the terrain features.

The Mongol Flank march arrived and advanced through the brush to engage the light troops screen we had established (just outside of 4UD from the edge) The Mongols at this stage seem content with using their bows. In the centre the two Knight commands have wheeled left and right respectively in order to try and ride the Mongols off the table.

The Mongol mounted archery is at last starting to find its range, but so are the crossbows. With the lack of threat to the right of the brush, two spearmen have been called forward to reinforce the French left. On the right out of picture four Mongols are attempting to move around the flank, hence the swordsmen who have been repositioned on the hill. A minor irritant is the aggressive Mongol pinning the left end of the Knight command on the right.

This irritant became an even bigger issue when he survived first contact with the knights and then went on to six-one the knight in the next round and destroyed it! However, we are closer to driving the remainder from the battle on the right and in the deep left we can almost secure the enemy camp and loot it. The Infantry command has suffered a couple of unfortunate losses to the Mongol bow fire, but is cooperating with the Knights.

The infantry command has decided to withdraw the Light troops from the brush. The remainder of the infantry are moving forward to push the enemy away. On the right the Mongols decided no to leave the battle and decided to die for the Khan, however it looks like the Knights that are doing the dying.

On the left the Knights supported by the Infantry command are slowly pushing the Mongols away. However, on the right another Mongol six-one in combat has done for another Knight.

Outcome

We agreed a draw, with the Mongols losing 20 of 29 and the French 16 of 25. Despite a, potentially, predictable draw this was a very good game, which could have gone either way. As they say the dice even themselves out in the end if you roll enough of them.

Lessons Learnt

I learnt that a Knight heavy army is capable of taking the battle even to a larger army and surviving.

Nigel learnt a lot about how to use and deploy Light Cavalry. I am sure that anyone facing this many aggressively used elite bow armed light cavalry might take a pause of honest reflection before committing themselves to battle.

With this many Light Cavalry in an army you can afford to risk using them in combat if the situation is suitable or necessary, not least because you have so many of them!