ADLG - Game Report 333

Arab Indians (135) vs Arab Indians (135)

What would day two bring, could I turn my fortunes around? Perhaps this battle against Steve's Arab Indians might be the battle to do so. I was i9nvited to defend in the plains – again. We had an ideal defensive position with the hill giving us an admirable vantage point. Additionally with the cavalry on the right and left wing respectively would this decide the battle. The race to the bottom was in our hands.

The enemy spearmen were fixed in position as their forces wheeled out from their left. I decided that it would be sensible to bring the spears forward and allow the bows to shoot over them. The cavalry numbers were in my favour.

The light cavalry screened the heavy cavalry before we contacted the enemy heavy bow armed cavalry. Hence, we were able to avoid casualties. On the left of the cavalry line were less fortunate as the enemy bows wounded us as we made contact.

On our left we moved the impetuous medium swordsmen out to attempt to flank the enemy line, while the elephant closed in from the front supported by bow fire. The spears have been wounded by the charge of the enemy elephant and swords. While the cavalry battle is now a story of two halves. On the left of the cavalry an enemy unit of bowmen has destroyed one of the cavalry while the other is struggling against the enemy bow armed cavalry. The right of the line the fight is going better where we have penetrated the line ready to work down from the flank.

Despite the pressure on the enemy right from the front and flank their cavalry refuse to yield and indeed fight back reducing the heavy cavalry to 50% strength. The enemy elephant has successfully broken the end of the line of spearmen. Although the impetuous troops were unable to hit the enemy flank, they were able to severely wound their opponent supported by the light infantry.

And finally our cavalry managed to defeat the enemy and now must reorientate themselves to take on the remainder of the enemy cavalry; if there is time. However elsewhere the spearmen are not holding up their end of the battle and are now exposed to attacks from the enemy.

Outcome

An Arab Indian victory, but not mine, the enemy lost 19 of 23. We just couldn't quite bring our game face to the battle. This left me on four losses and the raise to the bottom was almost complete.

Lessons Learnt

The ambush was somewhat predictable given that we had the same armies! It might have been or more value to bring it out to fight sooner rather than later.

The tactic of screening the heavy cavalry from enemy bow fire as they advanced to contact was again a sound strategy that worked well.