ADLG - Game Report 247

Communal Italian (189) vs Kingdom of Sicily (188)

Day two cometh, and cometh the man; or so I was hoping to build on the modest success of the previous day's engagements. First up was another great battle against Steve's Sicilians. This time however, I was attacking in the plains. Once again, we deployed Infantry right with the cavalry to their left. Of course, we were curious as to where the Sicilians might be. They were only showing two thirds of their strength. I wonder what is behind the hill?

Well howdy doody, who would have guessed that the Sicilian Knights were hiding behind the hill. The Italian left had remained refused until the Sicilians had revealed their intentions.

There was nothing subtle or cunning in our battle plans. Well apart from my desire to try and get some of my infantry behind the Sicilian Knights left flank.

And this is where it all starts to fall apart, as it used to when I was using the Feudal French. Battles with Knights can go one of two ways, and in this case when the Sicilian's started to roll a string of fives and sixes to my ones and twos I knew it wasn't going to go well. Steve had the decency to look embarrassed; but he did take a photo of his dice just to remind himself as to how well a game can go!

And thus the holes in the Italian line start to emerge. The one plus for the Italians is that their Communal Militia are conducting themselves with vim and vigour.

And once more there are no Italian Knights left to contest the battle! And I had chosen the Italians because this used to happen to the Feudal French!

Outcome

A Sicilian victory by 10 to 23, leaving me at two and two for the event.

Lessons Learnt

New dice anyone?

ADLG - Game Report 246

Communal Italian (189) vs Cilician Armenian (194)

For the final game of the day I was confronted with more Armenians to do battle with. This time Richard's were 100% Armenians; we were again defending, but this time in the plains. Although I didn't have a coastline to provide flank protection we again deployed with the infantry command right with the two Knightly commands refused to the left.

The Armenians were being canny and cautious by keeping their own Knights back, so we reciprocated. But on the right the Italian Communal Militia drove forward to try and drive the irritating horse archers off the battlefield.

Although the Armenian horse archers have not yet vacated the battlefield, the infantry have moved far enough forward to put them in a position to envelope the Armenian left. The Italian Knights have moved forward in support, but the Impetuous French mercenary Knights have been ordered to stay out of combat range for a while before they can be unleashed.

The battle lines have conducted a slow left wheel. Although the Italian Communal Militia have not entirely enveloped the Armenian left, the enemy camp is in sight.

Contact! And so the casualties now start to mount along the line of contact. However, with the withdrawal of the Armenian horse archers from the left to the centre they have opened and exposed their camp and their left. In the centre the French Knights have successfully engaged and survived first contact.

At this stage the casualties are mounting for both sides at a similar rate, but the Armenians have great numbers. If the Italian's can take the camp that will certainly be a significant bonus!

Oh for better command and control! The battle has become piecemeal with individual units fighting to survive, and looking for friends to provide flank support. Even, if in the Armenian case it is some lowly archer unit that is seen to best a French Knight with the support of horse archers.

Outcome

A win for the Communal Italians by sneaking in with a 21 to 26 victory. Leaving me in the healthy position of two wins and a loss for the day.

Lessons Learnt

When one doesn't have the command and control one needs it certainly focuses one's mind on what is important to win.

ADLG - Game Report 245

Communal Italian (189) vs Ilkhanid Mongol (270)

For my second game I was pitted against Dave's Mongols with their Armenian ally. I was invited to defend in the mountains. We prepared for battle by placing the infantry in the centre with the cavalry on both wings. The wing with the French impetuous mercenary knights were on the right. The Italian Knights were on the left.

On the left, astride the road, the Italian Knights were well placed to drive off the Mongols. In the centre the infantry advanced, while the right wing command was held back.

The left wing drove back the Mongols, and positioned themselves to continue the drive forward or to drive the rest of the Mongols away from the gully. The lone Light Cavalryman was destroyed by Mongol bow fire and now the Italian lights have been brought forward to hold the gully.

The Italian left wing has been forced to engage the Mongol cavalry, and is suffering. In the centre the Infantry line has split to confront the disparate groups of Mongols and Armenians. On the right the combined might of the Italian and French Knights have come forward to engage the Hospitallers and the Armenian Knights.

On the left the Italian Knights are successfully manoeuvring to envelope the Mongol right; unfortunately we were not able to drive the Mongol light cavalry from the battlefield. On the centre left the infantry are suffering from the Mongol bow fire. They are much too clever and experienced to throw their mounts against the Italian spears. On the right we are both positioned for the next contest of arms.

And so it begin, the dice start to mis-behave. The Italian left wing lacked the command and control necessary to exploit their success, and to compound the problems the Mongol Light Cavalry return to the fray. The Italian centre left is now at 50% strength and is in danger of being rolled over. As for the Italian right the greatest danger is the weakness of the Knights against the coastline.

The Italian left wing has been neutralised (aka destroyed) by the greater4 mobility of the Mongols. In the centre the Italian Communal Militia are making a fight of it, and seem capable of overcoming Armenian spearmen. The Italian right wing Knights have recovered from their losses and have prevented the line being flanked – or at least for the moment.

Outcome

A Mongol victory by 14 to 23. Leaving me at one win and one loss for the day – so far

Lessons Learnt

I must have been doing something right as Dave said I gave him some seriously difficult decisions to make.

Perhaps an alternative deployment option with the infantry hard against the coastline might have served me better.

ADLG - Game Report 244

Communal Italian (189) vs Scots Isles and Highlanders (187)

It is October then it must be time for the Old Codgers get together in the middle of England for our Autumnal bash. This time the theme for the event was effectively 1200-1300 CE with in the case of the armies brought, Christians vs the each other and the rest. After much soul-searching on the effectiveness, or perhaps lack of control, of lots of impetuous feudal knights I had decided (following some advice from Paul) to abandon the Feudal French and decided on using the Communal Italian with its more controllable impact knights. The army had been tested and up to this competition had fared tolerably well.

For its test in the first Old Codger game my opponent Philip had brough along a veritable horde of Scots isles and Highlanders and I do mean horde stretching the full width of the battlefield. I was defending in the plains. I anchored my right against the coastline with my infantry and flanked this with the two Knightly commands with their unreliable included generals.

Fortunately, I was rewarded with both of my unreliable generals committing themselves to the cause! We advanced in stately traditional fashion to face the Scottish foe.

The Scots decided to leave their left flank along the coastline exposed which has allowed us to flank their line. On the left the French mercenary (impetuous Knights) have broken through the Scottish line on contact. The centre Knights have been held back to administer the coup de grace.

Both the left and right of the Scottish line have now been flanked and their losses are starting to increase. However, the battle is not entirely one-sided as the two-handed cutting weapons are making short work of the Italian spears.

The Scottish left has fallen to the might of the Italian Communal Militia, while on the Italian left the Scots are continuing to deny the French Knights the fruits of their labour. In the centre the Coup de grace has been administered.

Outcome

A Communal Italian victory by defeating the enemy and only receiving 12 hits in return.

Lessons Learnt

Another salutary lesson for both of us on what happens when you expose your flanks to allow the enemy to move around them.