Monday, September 30, 2024

Bringing Katanas to a Knight Fight

A Headless Body Production

Venue: Museu de Marinha, Lisbon, Portugal
Event: Day 1, the Lusitania Challenge
Theme: Team Tournament, Feudal Period, Round 2
Players: Phil Gardocki running Kingdom of Sicily, list 188, circa 1300
               Dave Saunders, Team Londonish, Samurai, list 221
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 15mm, 200 points per side.

Questions have been asked about initial pairings and what is the ELO system?  ELO doesn't stand for anything, it is the name of the chess master that came up with it.  For a better explanation see the wikipedia article
 
This is not related to the current battle report, but a plug for a friends wargame site, Bill Molyneaux.  He visits battle fields and museums around the east coast of the US and promotes games you might have heard of.  
 
Each visit generates a small amount of cash dedicated to the Toys for Tots campaign. It costs you noting but time.  Visit  Bills Wargame World .
 
The Forces:
The Kingdom of Sicily are led by King Frederick II a Strategist, Darrel, who is Competent and Darrel (no relation), Ordinary and Unreliable
11 Medium Knights, 8 Impetuous, Elite, 3 Impact
2 Saracen Swordsmen, Medium Swordsmen
4 Saracen Bowmen, Light Infantry, Bow
2 Sicilian Crossbowmen, Light Infantry, Crossbow
2 Saracen, Light Cavalry, Javelin
2 Saracen, Light Cavalry, Bow
Breakpoint of 23
 
Samurai scouting report.
Commanders include the Strategist Yoshitune
2 Heavy Cavalry, Bow, Elite
2 Light Cavalry, Bow, possibly Elite
5 Samurai, Heavy Sword, 2HW, an unknown number is Elite
6 Samurai, Medium Sword, bow, an unknown number is Elite
3 Bowmen, Mediocre
2 Naganinta, Medium sword, Mediocre
3 Light Infantry, Bow
1 Oni, a Japanese Ogre, played as a Scythed Chariot
Breakpoint...23
 
Display Conventions: When you see a word bubble like "Ouch!" or "ああ!", this implies a disorder from missiles. Letters in parenthesis represent some value change for the specific unit. For commanders it is s for strategist, b for Brilliant, c for Competent and o for Ordinary, u for unreliable. For troops it is e for Elite, and m for Mediocre. Other abbreviations, Hvy Heavy, XB Crossbow, LB, Longbow, Jav Javelin, 2HW 2 Handed Weapons, B Bow, Kn Knight, HKn Heavy Knight, HC Heavy Cavalry, Md Medium, Sgt Sergeants, LC Light Cavalry, Chr Chariot, Cat Cataphract, Pa Pavise, LI, Light Infantry, HG Hand Gun, FKn Foot Knight, Hvy Spr, Heavy Spearmen.

Inappropriately capitalized words are used to highlight terms that are specific to the game. For example Brilliant, Competent and Ordinary have specific game values for the commanders.

"XX" implies a unit killed in that location on that turn.

Any inaccuracies and vagueness as to specific units is to be regarded as fog of war and part of the fun.

Touristy Stuff:

Touring the city the day before, I had this sandwich on the riverfront. It is a Lisbon specialty called Francesinha.

The sandwich is stuffed with steak and pork, surrounded by mozzarella, topped by an egg and slathered in au jus!

The Venue

The Museu de Marinha has on display a number of ships from the days of sail. Most seem to have been owned by royalty and nobility. Which explains how they survived. Low usage and money available for upkeep.

Deployment:

The Sicilians win the initiative and elect to attack in the plains.

The Samurai deployed two nearly identical commands that are a mix of heavy and medium foot.
He went sparingly on the elites to increase his demoralization level to 23. I am not sure, but I think he was running an included commander in a micro command of 2 horse units.
This time, I remembered to keep my terrain picks back for ambush possibilities. But in this case, I needn't had worried, almost all the picks were on my side of the board, and only adjustments gave the Samurai their needed terrain.
This time, my knights are deployed together.
But that plantation is forcing me to face unfavorable terrain. In retrospect, I should have deployed Frederick's knights in the plantation, to emerge and head for the samurai foot on my left.
More Touristy stuff!  Near the Uber drop off point is the world famous, in Portugal, Pasteis de Belem. Which makes these custard filled pastries. Every tourist video we saw, and it was quite a few, raved over these little delights.
The Jeronimos Monastery. Between the Pasteis de Belem, and the venue, The Museu de Marinha

Turn 1:

Darrel's command advances and slides.
Frederick's knights stay in line. He reveals an ambush of two light horse.
The Samurai advance somewhat, but force their lights up to the plantation.
The Samurai inundate the field, their lights in the center distracting the Sicilian knights.
The view from above.

Turn 2:

The remaining ambushes are revealed. Two swordsmen zoc the Japanese lights, preventing them from interfering with the knight advance
Frederick's knights charge and roll long.
Another view from above.
The Samurai prepare to receive next turns charge, and set themselves up for a counter punch
Likewise their left command.
On the medieval table. Al's Hundred Year War english pulls back a command of longbow to a hill. While the rest of his line is redeploying.
On the classic table, Walt's Kushan's haven't quite gotten into charge reach. It looks like the Ostrogoths are holding the flanks

Turn 3:

A thunderous charge! But it does not go well for Darrel's knights. Losing, tying and winning just one. The Samurai will have the first flank charge counter attack. But Darrel also has a knight in position to flank as well.
Frederick's knights charge. In the center, they pursue long and slam into the Oni.
Frederick's lights hug the Feudal/Medieval event horizon and race towards the camp.
Pretty much any fight with "Scythed Chariots" is a die roll. This time the Oni rolled poorly
Samurai make their counter attack, and rout not one, but two knights.
In the center, two Samurai horse line up their shots on Frederick's knights.
The Samurai emerge from the field. One of their foot units is routed.
Bowmen exit the field and zoc Frederick's light horse. Arrows fly, and the bowmen take a hit.

Eye Candy Break. Some models on display:

Turn 4:

Darrel's (no relation) micro command is down to just a bowman.
While Darrel's knights turn the flanks of the Samurai line.
The fight near the field is whirling chaos.

 Near the camp, Samurai horsemen hold the line.

Arrows continue to fly, the Japanese bow takes another hit.
Samurai charge the last of Darrel's (no relation) lights in the plantation. The Samurai roll long, the lights roll short. But amazingly, are not destroyed.
Both the Samurai and the knights are turning the flanks for follow up attacks.
Near the camp, one knight is routed, but so to a Samurai cavalry

Off on the edge, a bowman is totally shot away by light horse!

 Turn 5:

At the top of the fifth.

The score is 19 to 10
I know this one is confusing. One Samurai is charged and destroyed, the knights following into the flank of a Samurai unit, that was also flanking and destroying a knight.
The Samurai camp is in reach, but it is too late. Another knight is destroyed, and the bowmen on the edge resist the light horse charge. Taking the Sicilians to 23 for the loss.

What went wrong?

Dave did a masterful job of setting up flank attacks ahead of time. He would offer his heavy foot to frontal charges, while the medium foot would be angled appropriately. And despite some fortuitous work by the knights, the counter-attacks would dominate the field. 

So strategically he won in splitting my knights into two separate battles, and tactically, he won using the "holding attack" tactic.  

Monday, September 23, 2024

An Italicizing of Italians

A Headless Body Production

Venue: Museu de Marinha, Lisbon, Portugal
Event: Day 1, the Lusitania Challenge
Theme: Team Tournament, Feudal Period, Round 1

Players: Phil Gardocki, team Over the Hill Gang, running Kingdom of Sicily, list 188, circa 1300
              Steve Roper, team Ludius Lusitani, translated as "Portuguese player", running Communal Italian, list 189, circa 1200

Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 15mm, 200 points per side.

I had the Kingdom of Sicily army commissioned back in February for this tourney. Since then I have played 12 or more games with it, winning 2, tying 1. So you cannot say I didn't have enough practice.
 
The Lusitania Challenge was by far, the most organized event I have ever attended. The teams were organized into quarters based on total of the team members ELO Score, then for the first round, countries will not play teams from their countries. First pairings were posted the day before.
 
And I drew, Steve Roper and his Communal Italians. Last seen in at Historicon about 6 weeks ago in A Citadel of Communal Italians. Steve didn't have a team, so the organizers placed him in one of the standby teams of Portuguese players. They had more than one standby team available to line up the matches. These guys were good.
 
On one side, we both flew 3,500 miles to play the same guy we played in Lancaster.
 
On the other side, I can just copy the header information from the Historicon battle report, and make a few adjustments, which I'll use as a template for the next 5 games, while including minorly entertaining story explaining, "how did that happen?" 
 
The Forces:
The Kingdom of Sicily are led by King Frederick II a Strategist, Darrel, who is Competent and Darrel (no relation), Ordinary and Unreliable
11 Medium Knights, 8 Impetuous, Elite, 3 Impact
2 Saracen Swordsmen, Medium Swordsmen
4 Saracen Bowmen, Light Infantry, Bow
2 Sicilian Crossbowmen, Light Infantry, Crossbow
2 Saracen, Light Cavalry, Javelin
2 Saracen, Light Cavalry, Bow
Breakpoint of 23
 
Communal Italian scouting report.
It is the year 1201, the Italian commander's names and qualities are lost to posterity.
8 Communal Medium Knights, Impact
1 Plaustrella, War Wagon with blades
2 Light Horse, Crossbow
4 Heavy Spearmen, half Crossbow
4 Heavy Spearmen
2 Levy
2 Light Infantry, various
Breakpoint...23
 
Display Conventions: When you see a word bubble like "Ouch!" or Ahi!, this implies a disorder from missiles. Letters in parenthesis represent some value change for the specific unit. For commanders it is s for strategist, b for Brilliant, c for Competent and o for Ordinary, u for unreliable. For troops it is e for Elite, and m for Mediocre. Other abbreviations, Hvy Heavy, XB Crossbow, LB, Longbow, Jav Javelin, 2HW 2 Handed Weapons, B Bow, Kn Knight, HKn Heavy Knight, HC Heavy Cavalry, Md Medium, Sgt Sergeants, LC Light Cavalry, Chr Chariot, Cat Cataphract, Pa Pavise, LI, Light Infantry, HG Hand Gun, FKn Foot Knight, Hvy Spr, Heavy Spearmen.

Inappropriately capitalized words are used to highlight terms that are specific to the game. For example Brilliant, Competent and Ordinary have specific game values for the commanders.

"XX" implies a unit killed in that location on that turn.

Any inaccuracies and vagueness as to specific units is to be regarded as fog of war and part of the fun.

The Venue

The Museu de Marinha has on display a number of ships from the days of sail. Most seem to have been owned by royalty and nobility. Which explains how they survived. Low usage and money available for upkeep.

We'll start with the eye-candy first. The Royal Brigantine.
Built for King Jaro VI in 1784. 40 oars, requiring 78 oarsmen, last sailed in 1957 for Queen Elizabeth II.

For better pictures and explanations, go to the actual web site.

Having suffered a number of defeats with the Sicilians, I decided to do a major revamp on how the army was to be played. Gone are the Almughavars. They look nice being spear/impact, option for elite, but the end result of almost all the losses was that 12 points of my demoralization total was from them. They died hard, but operative word there was died. The only way to avoid that is to not provide them as targets.

The Kingdom of Sicily list is broken up into 4 periods, and I selected the Saracen period. This gives me access to the Strategist, a number of light infantry, and a couple of cheap medium swordsmen. From them I created a micro command of 13 points. I also expanded the number of light horse to 4. Raising my initiative rating to 4.

My plan is to deploy as follows. In one ambush, hide the Saracen command. In another ambush, hide a pair of light horse. This gives my opponent the uncertainty that there is a flank march running. The intention is to never reveal the Saracens until necessary, so the flank march will look real.

The hidden light horse would be revealed almost immediately. The thought there is that most armies in my period range will have only 2 or less light horse, and give me an advantage to overwhelm them and get around the enemy lines.

The Sicilians win the initiative and elect to attack in the plains.

Turn 1:

This game is in progress...

Darrel is facing 4 knights supported by crossbow spearmen. He advances cautiously. Using the gully as an anchor.
Frederick is facing a foot command and a force of 4 knights as well.
The Saracen rolls a 6 for it's command points, and so it is revealed as not a flank march. So much for that plan.
The Italians advance on the double.
Their 2nd and 3rd command link up on the advance.

We both have 23 units, why do I feel so out numbered?

Turn 2:

Darrel holds his knights and advances his skirmishers
Frederick double moves his knights to the right. Something he should have done on turn 1.
His light horse moves far afield to gain the flank.
The Italian light horse charges. The Sicilian rolls short and is slaughtered just before it could have reached safely.
Other Sicilian lights put on their Keds and flee faster
The Italian light horse heads flank-ward to cover his knights.

Eye Candy Break

The Small Barge, 18th Century 52 oarsmen and 2 crew

 Turn 3:

Darrel releases his knights. And roll long, engaging the Italian knights, winning 3 of 4 impacts

Frederick moves as far to the right as he could. Not far enough.

His lights have gotten around the flank of his opposing knights.

The Sicilians and the Italians each rout a knight.
The Italians hold their line.
In the far rear, Italian Levy march to protect a camp looting.
Saracen archers score a lucky disorder on the Italian knights. Another communal knight is routed.
Why did I charge the crossbow/spearmen? I don't recall. Maybe relying on their being mediocre and armor to live for a while.
Frederick's knights get in the face of the Italians. Darrel's (no relation) Saracens advance to support.

Turn 4:

What looked promising on charge has fallen apart. Saracen lights roll short on their evade again and are (again) slaughtered. Italian spear have turned the flank of Darrel's knights and destroy 2 of them.
The Italians advance up Frederick's flank.
One Italian knight takes a cheap shot on the Saracen Medium foot.
And pays for it's impetuousness.

Turn 5:

At the top of the 5th, the Kingdom of Sicily is at 18 of 23. The Italians are at 8.
One Sicilian knight chases off the Italian light horse. Another knight has a favorable roll against a half spear/CB foot.
Frederick's knights finally get their charge in. But winning only 1 of 3 contacts
The Italian light horse proves well skilled in combat. Winning through while their opponents had both flank supports.
A Saracen light foot is pinned, its supporting knight is cut down by the Plaustrella for two more points towards the Sicilians demoralization level.
Frederick's charge has been stalled, and now it's flanked.
King Frederick takes to the front, routing is opposing Italian knight, a second is heavily disordered, bringing the Italian demoralization level to 12. But the Sicilians have hit their number of 23 and sue for terms.

So what went wrong?

First was a mistake in the position of the gully.  I put it too far forward, and so it was not usable as an ambush site. I would have put the micro command in there.  

Second was rolling a 6 for command points of the micro command, forcing it's reveal.  So setting the imaginary flank march as an anxiety in Steve's head was a bust.

Then I deployed too wide.  Giving Steve the opportunity to set up flank shots for when the knights charge.

 

This is a new segment called, "Have you seen me?"

These are photos in my photo roll, of people I do not know and, that I did not take.

It turns out that if someone sends a number of pictures via the "WhatsApp" app, the iPhone will download them to your photo roll.  There was a community group in WhatsApp for this tournament that I was on, but not paying any attention to.  So these pictures only appeared when I was downloading the pics for these battle reports.


I think these are the judges

An excellent looking camp

Top table players



Duncan Richards +3

Who are all these party goers?

I don't know, because I don't get invited to these parties:(






I can put a name to 4 of these jokers. Team "Over the Hill Gang" in white shirts from back to front, Al, "el Capitano" Kaplan, Phil "the Reporter" Gardocki, Walt "Easy Rider" Leach, and Don "Kozcon" Manser.

I'm guessing 100 Years War English camp




These look like the winning team



The calm before the storm.