ADLG - Game Report 317

Arab Indians (135) vs Shatuo Turks (177)

Once more the Arab Indians were challenged to combat, this time by a revised Shatuo Turks list that Kevin had assembled. It is amazing how much effort we are all putting in to build our armies for Kegworth; anyone would think this was the gold standard event for wargaming rather than a meeting of Old Codgers! I was invited to defend in the Plains, and managed to secure a coastline to protect at least one flank. This was likely to be important given that with only two commands deployed Kevin was about to launch a flank attack.

The flank march arrived and we were able through our deployment to meet it with sufficient force. Although the left wing was likely to be under severe pressure, until such time as the foot command was able to wheel to its left!

The Turks decided to mass the wight of their cavalry on our left leaving our four heavy cavalry to face twice that number of medium and heavy horse archers. Away on the left the Indian medium cavalry is trying to force the flank march off the table. While on the right the foot and bows are trying desperately to get into the fight.

In the centre the Elephant and its supports are pinching a hole in the centre of the enemy line. However, their weight is on their right and it continues to greatly outnumber our own horse. At least the bowmen on the right have plenty of targets to engage to cause attrition on the enemy, while the spears try to move to engage, albeit slowly.

The battle has become small engagements with no possibility of either side having meaningful support. The Elephant command is heading for the enemy camp, while the enemy are trying hard to reciprocate the favour on our own camp. The Indian medium cavalry have long since perished on the left flank, destroyed in combat with light horse archers, how degrading for them.

Outcome

A very narrow Indian victory suffering 25 of 26 cohesion hits in the process.

Lessons Learnt

The Indian Medium Cavalry do not offer much benefit other than being cheap!

It would have been better to have the bowmen on the right flank, with their firepower and superior mobility they would have allowed greater pressure to have been applied to the enemy light horse archers.

It was valuable refusing the left flank as it allowed the cavalry to redeploy unhindered.