Slitherine

Here are the players and teams:

Kiwiwarlord (Captain, Hungarians)
PeterthePainter
GentlemanRanker
Warrior230


Gdod (Captain Byzantines)
Lascar
Fybyyn
Ahuyton

We will play three games as follows:

1. Skirmish - Byzantine 1042-71 v Hungarian 1050-1154
2. Sirmium scenario
3. Skirmish - Byzantine - 1155-1204 v Hungarian 1155-1199

All games to be played at large or medium scale (large is default unless opponent wants medium), using suitable mediterranean agricultural terrain. Suggest we start with open battles and try out the more exotic options in later events.

Match-ups Round One

Kiwiwarlord v Gdod
PeterthePainter v Lascar
GentlemanRanker v Fybyyn
Warrior230 v ahuyton

Hungarians - please launch games.

As always, the games to be played in a suitably friendly spirit and don't hesitate to use the chat to discuss plans, options and give tactical hints where appropriate, especially where a player is new to the system.
Above all, be bold and attack! Cavalry games are difficult to predict but can be a lot of fun.
Please report results below - we will use this one thread for the entire event, so as not to clog up the forum

As usual, we will not highlight winners and losers but we will give (virtual) prizes and temporary glory for:

a) the best cavalry charge
b) the most notable Knight-bashing success

So keep a lookout for these and post your suggestions below.

Have fun!

I've never seen so many horse archers and knights... I fear the worst!

Hi Alan,
Only just seen the post! Is it too late for me to jump on board?
It looks like there may be room for one more? Doesn't matter if not, just thought i'd ask

GDod wrote: ↑Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:21 pm I've never seen so many horse archers and knights... I fear the worst!

Bigger shields needed I think.png

I detect Brian's hand in play here, he clearly loves horses. Only a few days ago I told him I thought I was an infantry commander; now I find myself in charge of 9,000 horses and a couple of Oxen! Looks spectacular though, can't understand why haven't played this game more often.

warrior230 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 9:25 am Hi Alan,
Only just seen the post! Is it too late for me to jump on board?
It looks like there may be room for one more? Doesn't matter if not, just thought i'd ask

Paul, yes please join in. I have put you down as Hungarian, but please feel free to play as Byzantine if you prefer.

Thank you Alan,
Happy to play as either side. I'll launch the game then and we can get started!
Good luck!

PeterThePainter wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 12:53 pm now I find myself in charge of 9,000 horses and a couple of Oxen!

Careful you don't put the cart before the oxen/horse Peter!

GDod wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 8:36 pm

Careful you don't put the cart before the oxen/horse Peter!

In the front line.jpg

Precisely. Infantry are so much easier just line them up and off they go. No horses, carts or oxen to get in the right order.

At court we remember that when Attila got Hungary he eat a bit of Turkey but slipped on Greece and broke a bit of China. Let's hope Hungary slips also slips on Greece. I hope the teams games are going well.

In our game both sides have finalized their battle-lines but despite taunting them with big rocks, the Hungarian hordes have yet to unleash their arrow storm. We await the inevitable...

That’s what you get playing the Kiwiwarlord, patience and subtle manoeuvre. I, on the other hand lack both patience and subtlety. I decided I had more knights than the Byzantines so rushed forward. The knights did break through in some places; one squadron left the battlefield in pursuit, a couple of turns ago and will be half way to Constantinople by now. But not all went well and there are half a dozen isolated combats scattered across the battlefield, with chaos (and Byzantine Flankers!) triumphing over planning.

GDod wrote: ↑Tue Jan 18, 2022 1:59 am A the Hungarian hordes have yet to unleash their arrow storm. We await the inevitable...

Bit of a fizzer I'm afraid. Your Byzantine horde won't even need their rain coats......

KiwiWarlord wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 7:33 am
Bit of a fizzer I'm afraid. Your Byzantine horde won't even need their rain coats......

And on the flip-side, tin can target practice is so much easier when you're lobbing great hunks of rock

In my game with Warrior230, my Byzantines survived numerous fragmentation dice rolls to come out on top 52-25. We had a lot of action, with Paul's superior knights smashing up my left wing, composed of horse archers and the Byzantine lance wedges. My infantry, the excellent skoutatoi flanked by two elements of Varangians did a lot of damage with their bowfire while my light horse and the excellent 'flanker' units did plenty of harassing on the flanks and behind the lines.

In fact it was a close game but I managed to win it just in time. An enjoyable game as well, and not just beacuse of the result I should add.

Indeed Alan, a very enjoyable game, and congratulations once again on a very well played match. A great start to what will hopefuly become a new series of events.

Tough match.

Gentleman Ranker’s Hungarian 1050-1154 AD defeated fybyyn’s Byzantine 1042-1071 AD by 43 to 13.

The Hungarians fielded an all cavalry force, possibly not the best choice, horse archers not faring so well against massed skoutatoi and archers. With no terrain to anchor upon, the Byzantine general wisely turned his infantry around and withdrew to a defensive formation enclosing his cavalry, to counteract envelopment. The Hungarian right wing had a hard time of it, shot up and pushed back by the Byzantine infantry; but a couple of units of knights managed to get around behind, engaging and holding out against Varangian Guard and a unit of klibanophoroi. On the left wing the Hungarians were able to encircle the Byzantine line to greater effect, and the resulting opportunities to flank were eventually what swung the game in their favour. Thank you Fabian - GG!

GentlemanRanker wrote: ↑Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:22 am Gentleman Ranker’s Hungarian 1050-1154 AD defeated fybyyn’s Byzantine 1042-1071 AD by 43 to 13

Very well done GR. That is a very tough Byzantine army to beat, the Hungarian Team is most grateful of your skills.

KiwiWarlord of the Magyar

To Kiwiwarlord of the Magyar
Peter The Painter (Hungarians) beat Lascar (Byzantines) 51 – 62.
History records this as a tough battle in the mid Eleventh Century on a featureless plain in the Balkans. A Hungarian force of 9,600, largely mounted troops, took on 9,700 Byzantine troops also largely mounted. The Hungarian Knights fancied their chances and charged forward in the centre but skilful use of the Byzantine Cataphracts to bolster the enemy line and exploit flanking opportunities meant little advantage was gained. The Hungarian Knights that did break through then pursued for so long that they had no more impact (I couldn’t let that pass!) on the battle. Meanwhile on the flanks the Hungarians were learning respect for the Byzantine Flankers (awesome light horse) and also the rules of the game (I didn’t expect “noble armoured” cavalry to run at the first sight of a lance, but a quick look at the rule book put me right). The large number of evading cavalry led to chaotic battle. The Hungarians eventually prevailed; but only at great cost to the Heroes of Hungary many of whom with not return to their kinsfolk; and the resolute nature of the two bands of defensive spearmen who valiantly held the enemy cavalry at bay where they did break through. Thanks to Lascar for a fun game which could have gone either way.

Your Great & Heroic Deeds have been noted by the King PtP.

PeterThePainter wrote: ↑Sat Jan 29, 2022 3:22 pm Peter The Painter (Hungarians) beat Lascar (Byzantines) 51 – 62.

Well done team of 5 million less 4,999,994. It just wasn't our day.

Brian's Hungarians have still not broken for dinner. The light is fading and still no clear advantage is had. More to come...