Woah... how cool does that look! That is the battle of Fornovo! Over 110 elements on table. Six generals, and much complaining about pip dice. You are looking at the early stages of the Italians swarming across the river (which rises to impassable later in the game) as the French hurriedly get their battle line in order. There are even more Italians out of shot. I had an intent to write this up, as it was a blast, but too much happened, got over excited and forgot to take enough pics so instead you get....
Quantity has a quality all its own. You really want that to be true with the above list. The majority of the list sits around the six/seven point mark. Centre of infantry to hold the line while the flanks are hunted by the mostly mediocre horse. The idea being that your opponent won't be able o hold you off and you get round and flank attack. Seems good in theory... unless....
Your opponent is EVEN bigger! Impetuous troops foot and mounted with a sneaky fast moving light cavalry command that can flank march. Your command and control is crap and the secret to this list is generally to just BELIEVE and send the boys charging in. Its not a fan of knights/heavy chariots but otherwise stands up to everything in period.
The boys getting ready to camel the hell out of the opponent. With a competent commander commanding two groups of impetuous troops you don't do a lot apart of move forward. I do have single stand of controllable medium sword at the end of each line. These two give you 'some' control.
The camels won the roll and almost declared victory when the Arabs announced one of their terrain types as 'Desert'. We can attack INTO the desert?! That never happens. Lets get some sand and dunes down and get this party started.
I attempted three times to write everything that was in the Arab Indian army, never fitted in. Check the list, essentially foot in the centre, cavalry on the wings. The two round things represent a hill, and far more importantly, in the centre a dune! Which the camels love and nothing else. The more observant of you will have notices a missing command... where oh where could it be?
Big turn for the Christian Nubians (CNs) as they send a light camel into the dune, some more lights probing forward, and expand out there line in the East. We got time and we are keen for the flank march to turn up.
Brush is the friend of the CNs. Camels love it, medium foot love it, would have loved for some of it to be in the center of the battlefield.
The Arabs come forward. In the case of two light horse a little too forward. Now a good person would have pointed out to a somewhat rusty player what was about to happen, but I firmly believe you remember a kick in the nuts more than a pat on the head, so a nut kicking it is (this might also explain why I don't get invited out more.)
The Arab light horse have come close to 'tempt' the impetuous camels to come charging forward and leaving their medium sword brothers behind. However, the Arab general didn't check on the CN's light camel that was able to position himself behind the light horse and stop any running away shennagains. Result, two dead light horse and an important lesson in ADLG rules, you can't evade if you are blocked and Zoc'd say it with me "Can't evade if blocked and ZOCed!"
Nut kicking over back to the game.
During the previous CNs turn a four had been rolled for the flank march. An annoying number as it means the flank march is announced as arriving next turn, and due to the four (not a five or a six) the march had to be consisted of all lights. Some quick math (nah only kidding, just told him what was coming) and you could work out that it had to be six light horse due to arrive.
Otherwise the Arabs advanced occurs to me that what is presented in the photo does not match the list. Seems to be no impetuous foot and more bow.... hey I can only load what my opponent sends over.
In the West a light cavalry goes on a wide trip around the dunes. The Arabs will never have the pips to move him again. He is still there to this day, opened a little shop and sells trinkets to passing merchants.
Arabs are keen to get there revenge on the CNs who took their light horse from them oh so early. Generally large armies care less when they lose troops, they can absorb the losses, but 29 units to 32 means you can't trade one for one or in the is case two for zip!
CHARGE! The CNs do not want to die wondering and don't have the pips to stop the charges anyway. The West saw Camel group Beta charge forward, a long charge (5,6 on the die) would have seen them contact the archers, they did not do this. The centre impetuous foot on supported spear was underwhelming even though the advantages were all with the CA's. A rogue camel went off on his own devices chasing some light foot inanely and ended up in a less than advantageous position. You learn to live with this when you command mad camels.
In the East it was all about the CNs. Camel command Alpha wrecking havoc against the mediocre cavalry. The situation looking even worse as a swarm of light horse took out a bowman and almost routed the second! The first kill was a little on the luck side. Light horse was fighting at -1 and still managed to put two hits on (furious charge making it three).
See this, this is my happy place. No markers on my side, just little e cubes of despair on the Arabs side.
This flank is now dusted, its a question of how long it takes to clean up cause....
This flank is not good. Bow fire is hurting the camels, they are about to get flanked, controlling them is hard. Its all not good, but no losses yet so can we die slower on this flank than the Arabs shuffle of on the other.
Arab turn. The light camel in the dune is doing WORK and the only reason the camels don't get flanked this turn. Arab is content to keep shooting the camels and see what happens. Basically the camels charge, end up flanked and die. The centre sees a whole lot of nothing, the fight dragging. In the East more Arabs rout and the CNs prepare to get charging again.
CN's charge in the West remembering that you can stop moving if you are in a support position. By some miracle the general rolls enough pips to hold the last camel, so it can continue to be shot to death, but buys a turn. Remember, its about dying slowly in the West (good name for a movie) . The centre heats up! Both sides see some death, but only one side has to step forward (impetuous troops always pursue routed) and get flanked next turn. In the centre East a lone camel impetuously charges the bow.... it does not go well. I will miss the little guy. Over in the East Camel group alpha continues its fight routing another unit. Flank Force of Filles, light horse fares less well when three of them are stopped by one levy! What?
Hmmm, there are no Generals on the Arab side. That's cause they are all included. Which is not shown on the list. From memory the last horse death this turn from the Arabs included the included general. So the East command is without a general! Will also be speaking to my opponent about trying to confuse me by sending though the wrong list.
Arabs take a look at their East flank and think its time to get moving! Not that there is a lot left to move. The centre see a CNs medium foot flanked and killed.. Arabs were three up on the dice. In the East..... the Arab levy... it won?!
This is not as surprising as it seems. After losing the first round (which was unlucky) the lights dropped two factors (impact bonus gone and disordered) so is now and even fight that if the light horse loose... they die!
This flank held on for long enough and casualties were actually minimal given the size of the army. With only one camel and two medium foot leaving the battlefield.
As the Sun sets in the East so does the Arabs Eastern flank. With one lone, hard flanked levy,that is not dead! Holding the line. The camp is sacked, women and children are crying, and with that the Arabs quit the field! Victory to the Good Guys!
Phew, that was a game. 61 Elements on table, two big armies clashing is always a blast. This was a bit of shaking some cobwebs out to get back into the groove. The hardest part of the CN army is getting as much of it to bear as possible, this actually went pretty well this game. With only one camel going rogue and paying the ultimate price. I like the light horse command and will keep it, I can see many more flank attacks in my future.
This is a bad (not terrible) match up for the Arabs. There is an opportunity if they can get their impact cavalry into the medium foot, and avoid the camels. Between the dune and the brush terrain this was a touch ask. Losing the light horse early was just a mistake due to rust on the brain.