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Saturday 26 October 2019

Fury of the Normans!

Today, we had (at my instigation I might add!) - a Medieval skirmish game (using my Sword and Dagger rules).
As we hadn't done it since...I can't properly remember! - we did a Norman v Norman game. As we had 4 players (Lawrence, Phil, Rhys and myself) I suggested we use 4 200pt forces.
Unfortunately Phil's Normans turned out to be a bit infantry shy, so he used about 3 times the number of Knights allowed in the list! I thought it would be interesting to see how the points system balanced the game!



I deployed on our right, with bowmen mixed in my shield-wall.
Lawrence, my ally today, had 5 crossbowmen covered by 5 swordsmen, a small spear unit and some axemen. Both of us kept our Knights at the rear. 
Phil, opposite Lawrence, had a small but armoured spear force, flanked by his horsemen and 4 mailed crossbowmen. 
Rhys, opposite me and behind a hill, had 4 archers, 4 crossbowmen and 10 spearmen, and another 8 cavalry. 
Phil paints pretty Normans, to be sure! 

The battlefield, the good guys --Lawrence and I on the right. 
As attackers, I started moving my infantry forward to contest the hill with Rhys. 
Lawrence also moved forward, placing his Crossbowmen on a small hill. 
My archers loosed a few shafts as they advanced, and lightly wounded one of Phil's spearmen!  
They continued to advance, though - as did Rhys on his left.
Rhys occupied the hill facing my spearmen. 
Phil had some peasants - 3 of them with slings, who tried to filter round Lawrence's left. (whoo-scarey!) 
Phil brought his horse forward supporting his spearmen, leaving his crossbowmen to shoot at long range. 
My archers shot at them,and lightly wounded a horse! 
My men could not see Rhys' men yet. 
Both Lawrence and I advanced our Knights, to try and overwhelm Phil's Knights before he could unite them with Rhys's. 
Phil retreated his Knights as our men closed, and summoned Rhys's to join him.
 Lawrence's crossbowmen shot at the advancing enemy...
...Phil's returned their bolts... 
...with interest! One of Lawrence's crossbowmen fell dead. 
My archers, despite outnumbering Rhys's 2:1 only managed to lightly wound one of them! 
Rhys's men had the wind with them, lightly wounding a mailed spearman (!) and one of my archers! 
One of Lawrence's spearmen was light wounded by more long ranged crossbow shooting. 
One of Lawrence's crossbowmen...
 ...found a mark! 
Only a horse!, the dismounted man joined his spear block. 
Finally, my archers had a little luck, killing one and wounding another of Rhys's bowmen. 
 They returned shots and killed one of my spearmen!
More shooting from my men wounded more, but their morale held!
 Rhys now advanced his crossbowmen...
 ...one of my Knights was wounded!
 Another of Rhys's archers died, but still they held!!!!
Finally, both lines clashed,The enemy horse combined with their infantry in a massed charge! - my spears had the worst of it at first. Two enemy knights burst through them! 
A large melee of knights began around a hoar tree. 
Phil's heavier men pushed into Lawrence's spear line. 
 In the cavalry melee, one of Lawrence's knights cast down an enemy knight!...
...but elsewhere, our knights were being overwhelmed. 
 Lawrence's crossbowmen, now without their shielded front line, began to take losses.
Lawrence's spearmen managed to hold Phil's men, but with loss. 
 Rhys's Knights attacked Lawrence's Lord, wounding him and one of his Knights...
 ...but my Lord was disabled and captured for ransom - effectively ending the battle!
Ah, the ignominy!

Fun game though!

4 comments:

  1. Lovely Looking minis, lovely Looking game.

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    1. Thanks Paul!, I always love Medieval skirmishing. You paint lovely minis too!

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  2. Good looking game.
    You can't beat skull for casualty markers!

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    1. Cheers! I dont know what we would do without those GZG SG2 marker packs!!

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