Slitherine

LATEST VERSION - NOTE

The link at the end of this message updates the game, a few unit changes, but largely changed as a result of the northern pass being widenend to two hexes in width. Have altered default retreat directions, though folk are free to fiddle with those as they wish. Original message below.

END NOTE

Ok, the last of my trilogy - probably best called the Comnenian recovery trilogy. This ends the Comnenian recovery. The scenario is almost certainly to be played to a draw. If you are playing against the AI as the Byzantines you can win, however, but only because the AI does not play ambushes well. As the Turks, you will have a more difficult time actually beating the AI because of the terrain.

Historically this battle ended in a draw of sorts. The important thing, if you want to reproduce the historical result, is to destroy the Byzantine baggage/siege train if you are the Turks. To thwart history as the Byzantines you need to protect as much of it as you can. This was a strategic defeat for the Byzantines. Losing the baggage and siege train meant they had to turn tail and go home. Following them home was all hope of ever regaining Asia Minor. They had missed their moment. Enjoy,

Tony

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17052915/Myriokephalon.zip

I have downloaded all three of your battles now, Tony. I'll give you some feedback asap. Cheers!

Thanks! Hope they while away an hour or two!

P.S. I live right opposite Lancaster castle, so I play the Wars of the Roses scenarios with interest ....

Again this is a beautifully designed scenario, Tony. There are two issues, I feel. The first one concerns the terrain - I think that the entrance into the middle part of the map where the baggage train is, is far too narrow - it is virtually impossible to come to the aid of the ambushed troops. So I would widen both entrances to the centre (top and bottom) to three hexes (probably) to create a more open focus for the main part of the battle. I would also open up some of the "impassable" terrain so that there were other (very narrow and difficult, certainly) routes for Byzantine units to get into the middle bit.

But the really big problem is the fact that the top group of Byzantines will rout down the map back into the enemy who have just defeated them. They obviously need to rout the other way towards the top edge of the board. In the scenario editor, in the unit description display, there is a category called something like "default retreat direction" which then has a number allocated to it. I am not sure if this can be used to get units to rout in different directions and I don't know what number you would have to put in there to get them to go exactly in the opposite direction to normal. I will have a look at it over the weekend and see if I can help you with this scenario.

Hi Pete,

will have a look at this - good suggestion. The pass was narrow - but I will widen it a little. After all, this is only a representation - the real battle was fought over something like seven miles, so I cannot pretend to be mirroring reality here anyway, so will go for playability. Will let you know when I have got back and will post up a new scenario with a new version number. Best,

Tony

tonymcenery wrote:Hi Pete,

will have a look at this - good suggestion. The pass was narrow - but I will widen it a little. After all, this is only a representation - the real battle was fought over something like seven miles, so I cannot pretend to be mirroring reality here anyway, so will go for playability. Will let you know when I have got back and will post up a new scenario with a new version number. Best,

Tony

That will help a lot, Tony - and it may help to mitigate some of the disruption caused by Byzantine troops routing the wrong way. If the developers do eventually activate the "default retreat direction" functionality then this will be another superb scenario.

Okey dokey - on the to do list!

IMHO, the scenario is great as it is

Playing as the Byzantines against the AI, my vanguard and rearguard got in traffic jams trying to reach the baggage train. However this made the fight at the center much more interesting, desperate and fun - while a single unit of archers holds the right flank, a unit of spearmen collapses, leaving the baggage undefended. Will the Varangians arrive in time to save the carts and, most importantly, the Emperor, who has led his bodyguard on a fierce charge to the left and is now almost surrounded by enemies?



A nice hard scenario, thanks!

PS: The Varagians did not arrive on time...

Just like in reality - the Turks picked their spot well and the Byzantines were oddly negligent. The Emperor even gave up half way through the battle and sort of sat down to await his fate! He was shamed into carrying on and got a sort of draw out of the day. Antioch lost his life. The carts were the prize, though, and he had lost those .... Glad you enjoyed and thanks for the screenshot!

OK - as you can see by the note on the first post in this thread, the updates are now incorporated.