Well I have had another cracker of battle. This time vs David Kinzett's Earlier Crusader army. Although we did not finish the battle I think it is well worth a battle report. I hope you agree. I also have a question about the rules, at the end of battle report, I would appreciate an answer to.
Part 1 - Initial Deployment
I won the initiative so the Early Crusader army placed the first set of battle groups.
The Earlier Crusader army deployed a battle group of four bases of light horse on my left flank, behind a large patch of uneven ground. He deployed to my right of his light horse three battle groups of feudal men-at-arm knights (superior, undrilled, armoured, armed with lances). Two battle groups of knights in front and one following in reserve. Between the knights, and the enclosed field on my right flank, he deployed three battle groups of defensive spearmen, each with six bases. Behind the enclosed field he deployed one battle group of six crossbowmen and one battle group of six bows. On my extreme right flank he a deployed a battle group of four light cavalry.
In response I deployed a battle group of eight poor quality crossbowmen on my left flank behind the uneven ground. Facing his knights I deployed a battle group of mounted crossbowmen (cavalry, armoured, heavily armoured, average, armed with crossbow and swords, but no impact weapon) and a battle group of two battle wagons. Behind them I deployed two battle groups of mercenary men-at-arms (average, drilled, armed with lances). In front of his defensive spearmen I placed my Lighter men-at-arms (Cavalry, armoured, armed with lances), a battle group of four Halberdiers (Heavy infantry, protected, armed with heavy weapons) and battle group of average pike. A battle group of eight light infantry, armed with crossbows, where deployed behind the enclosed field on my right flank and a battle group Hungarians (six light horse) where on my extreme right flank.
The photo below shows the positions of the armies after the 1st turn of movement.
Part 2 - Initial Moves and Combat
His light horse on my left flank moved though the uneven ground in attempt to distract my battle group foot crossbowmen from positioning its self to shoot at his knights. They were initially successful in doing this. My mounted crossbowmen and battle wagons deployed in front of his knights. The mounted crossbowmen disrupted the knights. However, the knight charged. In response the mounted crossbow evaded and avoided being charged in the rear by one inch! His general then bolstered the knights back up to steady. His other battle group of knights charged my two battle wagons and in one turned broke them! His knights rolled five hits in the impact phase and the battle wagons rolled one hit. The battle wagons then failed the cohesion test and became disrupted. A battle wagon was lost as a result of a death roll. In the melee phase the battle wagon battle group again lost the combat and dropped two levels when they took the cohesion test. Being battle wagons it was eliminated, instead of routing. A battle group of my knights on the way to cover the gap left by the routing of the light foot, decided they needed to turn back.
My pikes, Halberdiers and Lighter men-at-arms moved the minimum distance to protect the flanks of the light foot. The light foot went into the enclosed field and were just as quickly kicked out of it. They where shot up by the battle groups of bow and crossbow and became fragmented. The light foot then routed when charged. The crossbow pursued them, while the bow turned to shoot at my pike. His battle group of light horse on my extreme right decided to evade the charge of my six light horse, rather than face superior numbers.
Part 3 - The Titanic Battle with the Defensive Spearmen and Routing Crusader Light Horse
I decided at this point to charge into his battle group of bow and his three battle groups of defensive spearmen. I didn't want this bow to either disorder the pike by shooting or move into a position where they could charge the pike in the flank. This resulted in a titanic back and forth struggle over several turns. My pike, which had been reduced three ranks, because of the need for an additional file to face the bowmen on their flank, became disputed and then were bolstered back up. Later both the pike and the battle group of the defensive spearmen they where facing became fragmented in the same melee phase! The Halberdiers were routed, but the battle group of defensive spearmen they were in combat with could not pursue them, because they were also in combat with the pikes. The lighter men-at-arms disrupted the battle group of defensive spearmen in front of them and destroyed two bases. While all of this was going on the light foot rallied and then charged the crossbowmen, disrupting the crossbowmen.
On my left flank the foot crossbow turned 90 degrees, moved and started shooting into flank of the knights. The mounted crossbow also moved back to shoot at the knight's front. My small battle group of knights positioned it self so it could the charge flank of his other battle group of knights.
On my extreme right my light horse finally routed his light horse. I could have done this earlier, but I forgot to declare the charge two turns in row!
Part 4 - Routing of My Knights, Routing a Battle Group of his Spearmen and Routing his Crossbowmen
The titanic struggle against his defensive spearmen continued. My Lighter men-at-arms managed to rout the battle group of defensive spearmen it was fighting. However, in the same combat he killed my C in C that was with them. Lucky, my battle group Lighter men-at-arms and the nearby battle group of knights both passed their cohesion tests. My pike and his spearmen both being fragmented threw hand bags at each other. My light foot however caused his crossbow to auto-break and then stormed to join the melee to deal with the bowmen that had been supporting this defensive spearmen fighting my pike. My light horse on the extreme right raced back to join in the combat, but did not get back before the end of the battle.
His knights charged my knights and, as with the battle wagons, broke them in one turn! His light horse turned back to threaten my foot. crossbowmen.
Sadly this was the end of the battle. It would have been interesting to see what would have occurred if the battle had continued. I would have charged my foot crossbowmen into his knight’s flank. My mounted cross bowmen would have been free to engage either battle group of his knights. I also had the light horse coming to back assist and the Lighter men-at-arms only need to kill one base to auto-break the defensive spearmen they were pursuing. However, he would have a group knights that would had to decide between continuing to pursue and turning back to assist his army. He also would have had a battle group of six superior knights facing my battle group of four average knights. Finally he had four light horse on my extreme left flank. It was too close to call, so we agreed it was a draw.
Mistakes we made with the Rules
1) We did not remember that we could re-roll die rolls of ones for cohesion tests when battle groups are superior.
2) When I rallied my light infantry I incorrectly assumed they went to steady, they should have been fragmented.
3) My battle wagons should have been making complex move tests every time they moved.
4) His knights that charged my mercenary men-at-arms and routed them could not make this charge, because they where in the restricted area of my other battle group of knights.
Lessons I learned from the Battle
1) I should check I have declared all charges and done all the movement battle group by battle group, before declaring phases over. The light horse where a good example of this.
2) The light infantry needed support. A potentially better deployment would have been to have the battle wagons behind the enclosed field and the light infantry in front of my battle group of six knights.
3) I need to remember about restricted movement and intercepting charges.
Composition of my Army
I will have to re-consider if battle wagons are worth it, now I have found out they have to make a complex test to move.
Suggestions
There several rules specific just to battle wagons in different part of the rules. They should be put all together in the special features section of the rule.
Rules Question
We had a situation a occur were my pike conformed to the larger battle group, his battle group of defensive spearmen, but this resulted in the pike moving out of contact with his bowmen, which the pike had contacted in the impact phase. This situation does not appear to be covered in the rules. Did we handle it correctly? Please see the photo below.
