ADLG - Game Report 310

Viking (155) vs Thematic Byzantines (126)

For my second outing with the Vikings, Kev S offered battle with his Thematic Byzantines. This would be an interesting matchup, with a Cavalry Army fighting an Infantry Army from the far north. We were invited to defend in the plains, but the most significant point as we started the game was that all the difficult terrain ended up on the Viking left and the Byzantine right! Clearly there was nowhere better to deploy the Medium foot command with the heavies to their right defending deep.

With the camp relatively secure the Vikings started the slow deployment through the terrain to threaten the enemy right. Meanwhile the heavies formed up to present a shield wall against the Byzantine cavalry.

And as they closed the enemy bow fire has already started to inflict damage on the Vikings, albeit minor at this stage.

At this point the shield wall is holding firm with no significant gaps to allow the enemy to penetrate. However, as predicted the casualties from missile fire are increasing.

The impetuous Viking troops on the left have manoeuvred them selves into a position where they can start to threaten the enemy flank, while on the right the heavies have now started to slowly advance to threaten the much smaller Byzantine line of Cavalry.

The Byzantine right has recovered its poise and is defending stoutly, while in the centre they have seized the initiative and thrown themselves into contact against the line of heavy infantry, where casualties are broadly even.

Both sides have suffered casualties in the ebb and flow of combat, it is too soon to talk of winners and losers.

Outcome

A respectable draw with both sides losing 12 cohesion points.

Lessons Learnt

I fought the battle as if it was a tournament, or should I say how I ought to fight battles at tournaments, where I should fight not to lose when the odds are not in my favour.

A line of heavy foot can potentially survive against bow armed cavalry, although it helps that the Thematic Byzantines shoot as mediocre.