Slitherine

Almost a monotype army. Cavalry with light spears dominate, to give an advantage at impact melee against certain troops types. I had to take some LF bows, but at least they move as fast as the cavalry.

I was surprised how effective this was against the AI when I tested it first, I thought it might take some casualties but came out unscathed winning to zip. But that test did tell me that I needed three commanders as this army can easily disperse itself all over the map.

Well I’m up against CheAhn – another top-leaguer. I’ve not come close to him in our only other two games, and I expect he’ll be able to find the weaknesses in this mono-type army.

I win initiative, since I’ll probably face lancers, spears and missile cavalry, the bottom right looks good but the Byzantines won’t go in, they’ll just sit out and shoot at me.

This is an offensive army, so it needs avenues of attack, top right looks like there maybe some avenues of attack (never played map before) – probably think it’s bit weird choosing crowded map with horsey army, but it goes some way to negate spears and lances.

In hindsight I would have chosen differently if I had of known the enemy composition.

I’m pleased, that we get some steep hills, but that pleasure is short-lived. See why I need three commanders!

I also push my camp to one side to get it out of the way.

Still can only see 30 enemy units out of 42, and not the entire map. My initial plan is to give ground on the right, and attack the enemy bows on the my left – may have to change plan given what gets revealed as I advance.



After a general advance, my byzantines are revealed. I still set all troops to evade, even though this is an offensive army.

The enemy bows on the left look tempting despite being in rough ground, however the Catalan javelin men (highlighted) look very menacing. They could cut through me like a knife through hot butter.



There’s no way I want to take the lancers head on, however the Mongol cavalry on the right are a different proposition, I will charge and scatter them, so I may get to threaten the lancers flanks.



Ordinarily this is very tempting, but the lancers would get me next turn



On the far left, that narrow gap looks inviting, but it’s trap as those MF would murder my horsemen, I will attempt to sneak around the far left.instead.



In the centre I withdraw, I doubt the Byzantines will move their bowmen out of the high ground, but I perceive the need of superior numbers to counter the lancer threat.

The Mongols return, I will have to attack, and keep driving the Mongols away, taking shoots every turn, as I can’t let my troops be constricted – if I tried to defend on the rough hexes to negate the lances, they would just be shot at. The centre however looks more promising.



On the left, the Byzantines advance.



Keep driving Mongols away – safe to do so , because out of enemy charge arc – I also threaten the centre, the Byzantine spearmen are only def spearmen, so they can’t afford to attack me –– also if lancers turn I will have to send more cavalry up to threaten their rear



Begin to infiltrate around left side, plus move commander next to disrupted troops.one of which rallies

One cavalry fragments under missiles



One of units is already below 75% and a potential entrapment could occur



I’m being played by a master here, there are no easy targets, all his flanks are covered.



On the left I get around and set my cavalry to ‘do not evade’ as they have impact combat POA.against any potential combatants.



I attempt to screen my fragmented cavalry and put commander next to it to help in its cohesion test



I mix up some evades and do not evades, making sure none of my cavalry block possible evades – the Byzantine spears charged last turn, may again this turn, but if they do I will have the POA



I can easily be cut-off here because of the lancers behind me, so I have to make one of my cavalry stand to sacrifice themselves for the others. I might even have a slight chance of chasing some of the Mongols off the map?

I’m really struggling with this map, it’s not that beneficial given the numbers of MF I am facing.

No attacking openings here as the Byzantines and their lackeys have the high ground.



I’m going to get chased from the hill



I benefit from some welcome evade moves, and the impact foot leave the hill, I realise my LF would have possibly caused them to anarchy anyway so CheAhn seems to have charged in with them to maintain some semblance of control.

On the far right the spears attack and one of my units is not set to evade and the spears are disrupted, the defensive spears being POA – on impact when charging.



On my right my bocking unit is disrupted, and my c-in-c evades way – damn my cavalry on the right gets disrupted, just when I need it to keep charging.

now my turn...



My cavalry on left head inwards, making sure not to be next to a slope hex



Finally an attacking opportunity, odds are even versus archers as they get to fire before melee.



First attack is a failure, notice how I move unit so it still gets cohesion test +1 if it loses melee, with unit behind it.



I’m banking on routing that unit in one turn.



Attack from the flank routs the spears, and allows another rear attack to fragment another spear.



I move commander to protect from rear attack by the horse archers, but it won’t stop it, but will mean they will be in melee combat next turn with my superior cavalry if they do charge in.



Lots going on here on my right– my blocking unit holds on, my disrupted cavalry on my far right fails its test to charge,

One cavalry unit changes into the Mongols, which stands because it has nowhere to evade to, sneakily I then place my commander behind it for next turn, but have to place another sacrificial blocking unit for the lancers, just off the screen are two of my units poised for rear attack next turn. Finally the Mongols on the far left evades away.

My cavalry on the left is getting hammered – one is down to 65%.



In the centre my two engaged cavalry units break off, one if my cavalry that was attacked form behind only gets disrupted. A lucky break.



Still very confused on the right flank.

Albanian Turn



Cavalry move inwards to the centre.



I get better results versus the Byzantine infantry, but disappointing results against the horse archers.



At last a gap in the Byzantine lines, finally what I needed.



I take some risks that pay off a little, routing one Mongol. One of my blockers gives up, the next will in my opponents turn. I manage to disrupt another Mongol, but my other two units look vulnerable.

Didn’t think it was luck – just good playing, as you'll see – I can’t afford bad luck against CheAhn – I would have no hope at all.



One of my unit routs thru shooting, have to be careful with my skirmishers now as the map edge approaches.



One unit fragments.



My blocking unit routs, the pursuit moves cause another of my units to rout and disrupt one other – things look very grim, being here beaten by weight of numbers – but maybe they have served their purpose.



One Catalan infantry unit holds on, one even rallies a cohesion level. These guys are tough.

Albanian Turn



I make sure the LF bows can’t be charged.



My only hope lies here, I rout one Catalan, but the other continues to hold on at fragmented. The irregular horse archer holds on even when down to 60%,. However u I manage to get three units behind the front-line, one enemy cavalry is now exposed to rear attack.

One of my cavalry routs (it heads in the same route as my steady troops!)– my troops have turned into pin cushions (I’ve lost twice as many casualties so far and our starting force strength is the same)



Camp will be looted and there is nothing I can do.



Almost all my cavalry are gone on the right flank. In cavalry battles numbers do seem to count.



The Horse Archer still holds on! Whilst I survive the impact of the enemy knights – get real weird break off moves by my cavalry, and the one at the top of the map has turned to face my line, then retreats backwards at the end of the turn – Finally the Catalans rout and disrupts two units in the process.



I manage to get three rear attacks and suddenly the centre seems to be mine, and the scores level up.

I kill the knight and it took six units! But the fragmented troops hold on – so the plan is now to swing the bulk of my cavalry to my left to take on the archers, before CheAhn’s cavalry return from destroying my right flank – I just need to drag them over to the centre first – in hind sight it’s a mistake and it losses me the game.

One key principle I’ve learned using horsey armies is that normally the greatest threat to horsey armies is ….. other mounted troops. It’s a only a general principle, sometimes the situation may nullify this.

Outstanding, what a great aar !

Micha wrote:Outstanding, what a great aar !

Thank you, kind sir.

I’m able to rout three fragmented enemy units and a knight with a rear attack, plus isolate LF. My doomed plan is now to head to the lower left of the map. In the ill-conceived premise that there’s enough easy BPs there to win comfortably.

I still head to the bottom left to take on some easy pickings – or so I think, and the BP gap arrows, as more of my units succumb to missiles.

Again I head to bottom left and the BP difference is now nil <sigh>.

More of the same – except some of my units are getting close to 55%, at least I contact one enemy archer

I make a newbie mistake – placing one cavalry behind another in melee, so when it evades, the enemy unit charging will hit mine in the rear!

One last effort leaves me empty handed.

In the enemy turn a couple of my units rout via missile fire – that was my end weakness.



The massacre of bowmen never eventuates the opposite occurs - I have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory