Slitherine

Hi chaps, well i have a new project - based on the rather nice Legio Heroica miniatures from Italy - Later Crusader theamed around the Kingdom of Heaven film.

800 point army list goes like this...

1 IC
2 TC
3 bg drilled heavily armoured MO knights (4 bases each)
1 bg undrilled heavily armoured other knights (4 bases)
1 bg drilled armoured MO deffensive spear (8 bases)
1 bg drilled protected MO Xbow (6 bases)
1 bg undrilled armoured other deffensive spear (8 bases)
1 bg undrilled protected other deffensive spear (6 bases)
1 bg undrilled protected other Xbow (6 bases)

I decided not to go for the CV turcopoles / allied / archers making it a more point and charge army with the spear wall on either side of the knights to protect flanks. also the use of steep hills if i can get initive to close down the table. If the opponant goes for steppes which seems very much in vogue at the moment then wheel and fight as a line on the short table width.

any thoughts? although quick to paint - at 9 battle groups its even smaller than my romans *lol*

cheers

john

Why do you need so many drilled knights? If its point and let go undrilled would be more cost effective.

I take your point!
idea being that the drilled can give the flexability especially if there is terrain, and also to supporting bg to sit behind the main line to counter threats to flanks/break throughs etc.

I'm not sure you have enough BGs of other troops even make a stab at supporting the flanks of the Kn, and protected Sp are somehwat vulnerable against most possible oponents.

Can you take more, but smaller (or even LF?) BGs as they are likely to be skulking around at the back anyway..?

My fear would be that the camp and the 5 non-knight battle groups will be swamped while the knights are kept busy by something that can evade

grahambriggs wrote:My fear would be that the camp and the 5 non-knight battle groups will be swamped while the knights are kept busy by something that can evade

That does seem to be the trouble with Late Crusader.

jo77 wrote:Hi chaps, well i have a new project - based on the rather nice Legio Heroica miniatures from Italy - Later Crusader theamed around the Kingdom of Heaven film.

800 point army list goes like this...

1 IC
2 TC
3 bg drilled heavily armoured MO knights (4 bases each)
1 bg undrilled heavily armoured other knights (4 bases)
1 bg drilled armoured MO deffensive spear (8 bases)
1 bg drilled protected MO Xbow (6 bases)
1 bg undrilled armoured other deffensive spear (8 bases)
1 bg undrilled protected other deffensive spear (6 bases)
1 bg undrilled protected other Xbow (6 bases)

I decided not to go for the CV turcopoles / allied / archers making it a more point and charge army with the spear wall on either side of the knights to protect flanks. also the use of steep hills if i can get initive to close down the table. If the opponant goes for steppes which seems very much in vogue at the moment then wheel and fight as a line on the short table width.

any thoughts? although quick to paint - at 9 battle groups its even smaller than my romans *lol*

cheers

john

I would only take the minimum foot and place them at the camp ie 12 base armoured foot and 6 base crossbow drilled.

With the rest of the points take Knights a) as many as you can get depoloy one base deep and keep moving across the table., plan b) Take an Ally something with LH but Knights in middle LH flanks and keep moving forward. Just a thought
Dave

philqw78 wrote:Why do you need so many drilled knights? If its point and let go undrilled would be more cost effective.

I agree. If you put the knights into a single battle line then only the two outside BGs need to be drilled.

yes the drilled knight BGs were to act on the flank or in rear support to pass the CMT and deploy to either exploit gaps or fend off break throughs on my line.

Yes i take the point about the spear not being enough or the risk of being swamped.

an alternative i noted was the use of Bedouin allies (LH with lance and sword), perhaps reducing the number of spear and taking that option would give great flexability and mobility to chase off the stuff that the knights might other wise be sucked into fighting.

john

jo77 wrote:yes the drilled knight BGs were to act on the flank or in rear support to pass the CMT and deploy to either exploit gaps or fend off break throughs on my line.

Yes i take the point about the spear not being enough or the risk of being swamped.

an alternative i noted was the use of Bedouin allies (LH with lance and sword), perhaps reducing the number of spear and taking that option would give great flexability and mobility to chase off the stuff that the knights might other wise be sucked into fighting.

john

Please let us know how it works out. I just got the rule book and am vacillating between Ordnance Burgundian and Later Crusader.

Could always go Syrian with Crusader Allies

Ordonnance Burgundian > Later Crusader. mmmmmm mixed longbow vs mixed crossbow drivel.

Paint the knights as military orders, start the Later Crusader with 1 BG of Templars, 1 BG of Hospitillars, and 1 BG of Teutons, and then play who can be the best *cough* crusader. Don't listen to them , drilled knights are awesome. A Later Crusader army with no Military Orders is like having a Viking army with no beserkers, or a Classical Greek army with no theban back ticklers. Do it, if you don't, you'll be forever cursed with the constant spectator questions......"Is this a norman army? I can't see any REAL knights, ho ho ho" /facepalm.