So I had a few beers Saturday night... then a few more, then a glass of win (fine bottle, whatever). Suffice to say when I woke up Sunday morning I was not my best self. With two games of ADLG planned I hurriedly put together a list. Knights and Pike. Boo Yah! Turns out that it was illegal. If you look closely at the above you will notice a cavalry miniature on the end of the line that is somewhat Napoleonic. That is a well dressed medium cavalry firearm.
The bad guys. Everything Shoots! Everything. The shooting phase of this game are going to be long. Two commands of shoot and scooters. The middle command is more interesting. 10 troops, seven of them lights, five of them light foot. Am not really sure what to make of it. Artillery is not something you often see in ADLG and that sits there as well. Should have asked more questions about the thought process of that command.
So the original version of this list had a war wagon, which I forgot to pack, and didn't have the cavalry firearm, which is compulsory. So the war wagon got dropped while I wondered over to the Napoleonic's table to see if there was a miniature I could use. Excellent planning on my behalf. Nothing clever about this list. Six heavy knights with some lights to keep the bow away and maybe put a hit on something before the knights do knighty things. Mediocre pike to hold. A medium foot command to get some terrain control. The medium spearmen stand up a little better in the open to cavalry if no terrain is forthcoming.
The Germans defend. Don't get a coast, but do get a village and sexy rough covered (horse hating) hill. Both flanks secured by terrain! There is even a field in my opponents deployment zone for my medium foot command to go call home.
The baddies with their cowardly bows! Shoot and scooters the lot of them. For those not in the know. "Shoot and scoot" refers to troop types that primarily fight by throwing pointy things from a distance then 'scooting' away from reprisals. There is not a lot in the German army the Russians want to take on frontally. After some bow shots to soften things up, this may change. They will also be trying to get round the flanks and isolate German units.
Everything moves forward. I have not taken the time to mark all the arrow fire, cause there is so much of it. Russians were not surprised to find the village guarded by some light foot.
We are not up to peak bow fire yet, but it is coming. The whole Russian strategy involves as much bowing before they run out of board.
"Good, then we shall have our battle in the shade."- Some Spartan... supposedly. The Russians unleash! With the twanging of bow strings arrows zing into German lines, and woah, do the Germans take some hits. The entire light foot screen (five of them) all sporting little green markers, which are not that scary normally, but for light troops there is no second marker, just the cold embrace of death and being returned to the tool box of transportation.
This was annoying. The light shield is supposed to hold for more than one turn. They could have least done something back!
Everything that is not light in the German army charges (okay, not true the damaged cavalry in the East rallied, but I didn't want to spoil the sentence). The Russians scoot. The Germans realise that they didn't leave enough space for a line of six knights even though THEY PUT THEY TERRAIN THERE and one drops back to become a strategic reserve. Russian artillery takes a shot and dings a knight. Mounted bow fire is a long war against heavy knights with their 2 protection, artillery solve that by turning that protection to 0.
The retreating Russians allow some free rallies. All three lights rally and are ready to be a human shield again! errr... I mean fight the good fight.
So... that is a dead light German. He has protection 1, cover +1 and is being shot by a light horse +1 (technically the light horse is at -1) for +3 up on the die and the light horse has to win the die roll to hurt the little blighter.
Oh well. He died defending his home village Welthauptstadt.
Oh look, the Russians are back. The artillery pings the knight again. I can't complain here. The artillery is being supported by two shooters so is +2 on the die. More markers spring up on the pike.
I realise the picture spoils the surprise. With a slight wheel and Rolling Long on the pursuit move the damaged knight could contact the artillery that was pounding the bratwurst out of him. 33% chance and a five on the die. The knight slammed home and well, payback a biacth. In the centre the Russian light infantry ran, but the light horse held. They had a fair chance to flee off table. They were out matched, but were elite and as long as they didn't die, could withdraw and not go off table. Withdrawal move is four UD for lights. The German general was having none of that and joined in the fighting and both light horse die. (Getting both was lucky, was only up +1 in non-general fight).
Is there anything prettier than the pile of skulls where your opponents artillery used to be?
Russians charge! Wait... what?! In the West the Russian cavalry charges the German knights. This seems....brave. Though I know get why. The next 'scoot' roll could see the cavalry off the table. The four Russian heavy cavalry and light horse could spend one more turn shooting hoping to put a hit on the protection 2 knights OR they charge in now when they can get overlaps on each end. If they elect to shoot all six knights get to fight at once.
There was no 'good' choice in this situation, just weighing up do I jump in with the piranhas or the shark?
The same decision, though not as bad, was made for the bow in the field. If they stayed in the open, well the knights love bow in the open, move forward into the field and get flank charged next turn. Or slide and charge and put it in the dice gods hands. This fight was even money, so losing by 3 stings the Russians.
Given the knights are up in every combat this really does not go to badly for the heavy cavalry. I mean they are not winning, but neither are they losing and they have survived the all important knight impact round.
I am in no way complaining about my dice, this was more just for narrative amusement than anything else. Heavily armoured knights, cream of German Nobility, pride of the Germanic forces. Put in their place by Ivon and Igor the work experience horsemen. The ONLY way for the light horse to hurt the armoured knights is a one to six result. (Knights are +3 up and +1 more if they lose due to armour, lowest result 5).
Germans charge. Russians hold on the flanks, and the lights in the centre scoot. In the West the combats started okay for the Russians, but the elite Knight general with support routs straight through his opponent. The rest of the fights don't really matter, the flank is turned and the lady with the banjo and diabetes II is warming up.
Over in the East the Russian cavalry holds and receives the charge. All bar one of the pike is spotting a hit, twp of them are spotting three (one of routing). The pike are mediocre, the cavalry are armoured, there is not much in this fight and the Russians just need one hit in the right place. It does not go well for the Russians.
Almost no shooting in the Russians turn. Combat goes almost all the way of the Germans, with either draws or dead Russians. While the Russian army is not broken they are about to have more than one flank turned and the Germans have only lost the one light unit. We called it and grabbed a pint.
Apart from so initial shooting hits and the one six knight light horse thing, the dice really did love me this game. The knights rolled long twice to pursue so really gained ground on the cavalry. The even money dice roll in the centre with bow on bow action could have easily gone either way, and went mine without a hit. In the dying moments of the game a heavy cavalry with support charged my medium cavalry and took two hits for his trouble.
Don't get me wrong, am happy with how I played, but on top of that the terrain and dice really worked in my favour. Oh how did i play? I charged for the whole game... was there something else I could have done? I mean apart of brought more bow?
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