Journeys through the Eternal Empire - Part Six

[massina_nz]

Welcome to my last AAR for my Eternal Empire battles - I've decided to challenge davouthojo with a Teutonic Order army and he has accepted with Later Ottoman Turks. I don't think much of the Teutons as a fighting force, so any assistance would be greatly appreciated.



I've gone heavy on Turcopoles and all the foot troops I can as I'm a bit dubious about the knights. Given I'll probably be facing plenty of cavalry and MF bows, if I get the chance I'll go for as open a battlefield as possible.

[stockwellpete]

Hmm . . . I have just started a couple of games with TGM using this Ottoman army. I would think the Teutonic knights on an open battlefield could do some serious damage to the Turkish janissaries who are MF. The Turkopolen will still be very useful but I think a lot of the Teutonic foot are very weak. Basically I got to the stage where I was choosing knights, HF and x-bows and hoping for an "open" battlefield. My record with the Teutonics so far - played 8 won 1, lost 7.

[massina_nz]

I lose initiative and get a rather ugly map for me, facing lots of presumably shooty MF Turks, and my MF are useless, oh why did I pick def spear MF, what a complete waste.

Place all my troops in one corner as I have only two commanders and can’t afford to split my army up, or go near middle of map.

[massina_nz]

Davouthojo comments "at least I didn't pick the Catalans, otherwise we wouldn't even fight!"



I see lots of bows – and I have no way of screening them, as the enemy MF will just hide in the forest. My options here seem very limited - what to do? I’ll attempt to use my missile troops to grind down the enemy cavalry and hope to find some MF in the open, fat chance of that happening!



The juggernaut advances – but still a sinking feeling envelopes me – if I’m successful this may be no more than a alternate version of Arsouf, and that was an exciting tactical draw IMHO.

[stockwellpete]

I don't think much of the Teutons as a fighting force, so any assistance would be greatly appreciated.



I've gone heavy on Turcopoles and all the foot troops I can as I'm a bit dubious about the knights. Given I'll probably be facing plenty of cavalry and MF bows, if I get the chance I'll go for as open a battlefield as possible.

Looking in the "Eternal Empire" book, it has everything in that list down to "subject foot archers" as core troops - and then from "mounted crossbowmen" to the bottom are classed as "optional troops". So your MF selection is historically OK, at least. Maybe what can be tried in future is to lose most of the German Town militia and mounted crossbowmen and that would give around 50pts to spend on either Crusader or mercenary men-at-arms.

[massina_nz]

Turks make a bee-line for the trees – whilst I just plod on.

[davouthojo]

Now that I have emerged from my LOEG backlog - thanks to all opponents for their patience....I can start this game....The clash of Napoleon's top marshals is on......

One thing is clear from the army line-ups....I can't meet the Teutonic knights in open battle. The investment in an inspired general pays off, and I can pick a map with some cover for my MF. Right in the middle!

Massina is too experienced a general to split his force, so I expect it will be massed on the open plain to his right. So I put my horse achers in front of it, while my MF get ready to sprint at top speed for the trees and marshes in the centre.

The plan is clear....I need to rain arrows down as much as possible and avoid all contact in the open! So I occupy the rough terrain with my MF....my Janissaries and 2 Iaylar superior impact foot should be enough to handle the wimpy Teutonic MF. Line the edge of the rough with MF archers, and use the horse archers to draw the Teutonic knights across to my camp, hopefully taking a withering fire as they go.

Not sure what his response will be....charge through and take out my levy perched on the hills by the camp? Send his armoured tanks into the wood after me? Stand off and trade bowfire? None particularly attractive...but it will take my bows many turns to damage his heavily armoured knights.....

[massina_nz]

Both sides start trading missiles - the Ottomans may be surprised by how many volleys they recevied as one LH is reduced below >75%. Mostly the Turks target my spearmen, if they are nullified it leaves the archers pretty defenceless.

[davouthojo]

One thing i hadn't counted on was losing the missile war....at only 195 to 117 to in my favour, it is close....but then I suppose I have not got most of my archers into position yet.....

I am cautious, sending the horse archers scurrying across rather than try to catch the extra shot.....hard experience has taught me to run not shoot when there is any doubt.....

[massina_nz]

The pivot to the right continues to swing, as I concentrate my missile fire on two cavalry units and disrupt both of them. It took some real planning to ensure all my bowmen could engage, but I managed it. I also ensured all my troops are within command range as well.

I had the luxury of all the crossbowmen being able to loose their bolts, because they were outside enemy cavalry arc of charge (yellow dotted line), or protected by spearmen. Be interesting if the Turk decide to commit any of their cavalry – but I doubt davouthojo would be willing to commit his cavalry too soon.

In the casualty stakes it’s still quite even.

[massina_nz]

More missile volleys and adjusting of the line - still managing to keep pace with the Turks. But getting harder to position all my missile troops so they can loose their bolts and arrows.

[massina_nz]

Had to turn the mounted crossbowmen to do not evade. Because if they did they evade they would be blocked by the MF behind them, with my knights in close vicinity I wouldn’t mind it if the Turks charged.



Wasn’t able to move my disrupted Turcopoles out of the way this turn, the spearmen that are moving to fill the gaps are only poor, so they won’t take much punishment. Aat some stage I’m going o have to rely on the knights to protect the bowmen.

I’ve had to withdraw one bother spearmen unit out of the line as it’s casualties got to 65% - it would have routed next turn if left where it was.

I’m beginning to fall significantly behind the Turks in casualties inflicted.

[massina_nz]

More of the same, I'm now down two units that are getttign close to rout levels (55%) as the missile casualties start to mount. The knights are beginning to move to the front to cover some gaps - a general sense of unease begins to percolate. Hey look on the bright side, I only have to play this Army once.

[davouthojo]

With a solid front line of archers in rough terrain, and the Timariots extending the line near his camp I feel more comfortable as I start to pull ahead in missile casualties....720 to 418 now. I have been concentrating my fire on the support units I get no POA disadvantage - armoured crossbow cavalry, spearmen, turkopole. Targeting his knights will be slow as molasses....yes this game can get slower!

Woods are not the best location for archers - the disruption reduces their firepower by a dice. And with their heavy armour, his knights can beat me in melee there....but it will be a close fight for an 18 point knight against a 6 point archer!

I think the teutonic army is a decent one - lots of superb knights and plenty of cheap support troops. I particularly like the 8 poor MF defensive spears. You can park them on a hill, they will hold for long enough for your knights to clobber the attackers. Like any crusader-ish army though, it is weak in rough terrain, and if you can't sweep opposing horse archers off the map, they will eventually wear you down.

[massina_nz]

As start to be flanked I charge in, cavalry in a narrow space who knows what will happen, the LF is probably trapped now, might even bag the LH if it fails to loot the camp – but it does loot camp and escapes.



Almost rout one enemy cavalry – down to 46% and fragmented – odds for my troops charging in to forest are really poor, but at least they won’t anarchy charge in to bad terrain.

[massina_nz]

I hassle a LF into a hole it can’t escape from. My disrupted Turcopole refuses to charge, it’s at 65% and will easily rout next turn.



Fragmented 46% cavalry is protected by two LH. The missile barrage continues – note my troops won’t anarchy charge into forests, but could charge into units in clear terrain next to them – better watch out for that trap!

[massina_nz]

Able to surround LF, it’s a very small victory, and probably my last.



I retreat, there is nothing more to be gained.



I retreat also on my right, no point allowing his archers to ping at me, if they want to they will have to come into the open – all turn I’ve focused on the Timarot cav – they are my danger when my front line starts to dissipate.

[massina_nz]

I retreat again, one of my archers goes AWOL, because I clicked on the wrong icon on the enemy unit.



The knights gather round one of their comrades that was fragmented via shooting in enemy turn – whereas the another one below auto routed via shooting.

[massina_nz]

I threaten the Turkish cavalry; my weak point is my poor spears (which thankfully rallies at end of my turn)

[massina_nz]

One of my crossbowmen survives at 56% and I’m able to withdraw it from the line.