We did a Dark Ages skirmish today..
Phil (Norman D landings) and I had Normans, each supported by either Saxons or Vikings.
Phil (Norman D landings) and I had Normans, each supported by either Saxons or Vikings.
Phil's Norman horse deployed behind his crossbowmen, on a hill.
Ian deployed his Saxons, with the rest of the Norman infantry, to his left.
My Normans deployed opposite the hill and wood.
Lawrence deployed his Vikings on my right, intending to outflank the Saxons.
My Norman line advanced, moving behind the wood screening them from Phil's crossbowmen.
Opposite, the Saxons waited.
Lawrence's Vikings began their outflanking move.
My men being in cover...
... Lawrences shield-wall took several crossbow hits!
Norman's Norman infantry advanced towards my men.
My archers were pointlessly peppering the Saxons with arrows!
I moved some infantry to guard against this attack.
Lawrence's Vikings were continuing their outflanking move.
Phil's crossbowmen see some of my infantry..
..despite their armour, one of my men is wounded.
My Knights move to outflank these pesky crossbowmen!
Phil halts in the wood, safe from my bowmen...
..who are now in perfect position to face him.
Lawrence's archers see a gap in the hillocks, and shoot the Saxons.
A small group of Saxons, alerted, turn to face Lawrence's men.
..but their main force is massed against me.
Phil's cavalry leaves the hill. Moving towards the threatened flank.
The flanks are engaged in shooting.
The crossbowmen shoot the outflanking Vikings.
Suddenly, most of the infantry facing my Normans, turns with the cavalry to support the threatened flank!
My archers shoot ineffectually as they go.
The rest of my force moves to follow the enemy Normans move.
Lawrence leads his Vikings in the attack.
The Saxons, reinforced, stand ready to receive them.
The Norman cavalry ride over the Vikings facing them.
..While their infantry attacks the other Viking flank.
At this point, our attack seems like a spent force...the rapid redeployment of the Saxon-Normans forced the Vikings to retreat.
My plan to launch a co-ordinated attack from front and flank had failed.
Fortunately, casualties were light, so we could try again!
I should never have split my force...I had underestimated my opponents!
It turns out that fighting a battle is like making love to a beautiful woman... awkward hesitant foreplay, followed by a rough, hurried conclusion.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, random deployment overturned our plans.
I wanted the clear, open short end of the table (Where Lawrence's Vikings set up, in the pics) for a crossbow killing field.
But the deployment dice found the woodiest, hilliest edge, & put me there as usual.
It was a game of patience for us. Everything depended on NOT being drawn to face the flank attack until it had advanced beyond supporting distance of its Norman allies.
Still, his Lordship got his cavalry charge, in true Norman fashion!