Khurasan Nightmare

A Headless Body Production
Venue:  Barrage, 2019

Event:  L' Art de la Guerre, open(ish) 200 points
Rules Set: L'Art de la Guerre
Theme: Later Periods (that is the "ish" part)
Players: Phil Gardocki playing Nikephorian Byzantine
               Derek Hannan playing Khurasan

Now in it's 25th year, Barrage began as a one-day mini-convention run by the Harford Area Weekly Kriegspielers (HAWKs). For the past few years Barrage has been held at the community center in Havre de Grace, Maryland, about 30 minutes north of Baltimore. This venue is convenient from I-95, has plenty of parking, is well lit, and is comfortable.  Food in the form of excellently cooked hot dogs and other comfort foods are available, and pizza is brought in around 4pm

Barrage is a low-stress event, focusing on having fun with miniatures games of many different genres, scales, and sets of rules.  In the past they've had a half dozen dealers, a few flea market tables, as many as 200 attendees, and thirty or more miniatures games.   In 2014 they added an ancient tournament, significantly raising the stress level of the building.  Beginning in 2016, the HAWKs took the bold step to grow Barrage into a two-day event.  But none of this growth has detracted from the congenial atmosphere of Barrage.

The Forces:

Nikephorian Byzantine

Commanded by the Sneaker brothers, Nikephoros, the Brilliant, Adidasphoros, the Brilliant and Pumaphoros, the ordinary, and somewhat unreliable.

      4 Thematic Kataphractoi, Medium Cavalry Impact

      4 Petchnegs, Light Cavalry, Bow

      1 Turkomons, Light Cavalry, Bow, Elite

      2 Varangians, Heavy Swordsmen 2HW, Armor, Elite

      8 Skutatoi, ½ Heavy Spearmen ½ Bowmen

      4 Light Infantry, Bows and Javelins

Breakpoint of 24

Khurasan

What are Khurasans?  This is what is written in L' Art de la Guerre, "Khurasan was the region in the northeast of Iran, which also encompassed Transoxiana (currently Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan. Several Iranian dynasties took power in this region during the Abbasid Caliphate. In the 9th century a conflict arose between the Arabs and the Iranians in the Abbasid Empire. The Tahirids established an independent State in Khurasan between 821 and 872. Following revolts, the Tahirids were overthrown by the Saffarids (861-1003). They conquered the north of India and almost reached Baghdad. The Caliph then appointed the Samanids to fight them and in 900 they occupied the majority of Khurasan. The dynasty of the Samanids was eliminated by the Turkish Qarakhanids in 1003."

The list consists of a fair amount of Heavy Cavalry Bow, some of them elite, and Heavy Spearmen, some with missile support, some mediocre.  As I recall this list was all Mediocre.  This excellent combined arms group is supported by Medium Swordsmen, some with impact, some impetuous, some elite, some javelinmen. It is way too much for me to keep track of, whatever Derek says it is, goes.  I see foot and horse, I'm good, the nuances are lost to me when my army is mostly missile and a little hammer.  But then, how many times in the past did I pay the price for not paying attention to the details of my opponents army?

Breakpoint of 19 (visible)

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

The Board:
The Khurasans have the luck of the Irish, as there is no terrain for the Byzantines to set ambushes in.

The Khurasan right consists of various qualities of medium foot. will trek through the marshy grass.

Their cavalry command is squeezed between the gully and the left command. 

I have no excuse for getting Derrek's name wrong.

Oh, and an elephant, they get the occasional elephant, teamed with more various quality mediums, and the mandatory Heavy Spearmen.

The Byzantine deployment is almost bereft of terrain.  Nothing to hide in.

Needs must.  As there are no pieces of terrain to anchor the flank to, Pumaphoros will impersonate an "impassable".  His mission is clear.  Don't go anywhere, don't do anything.  Let them take as long as they can to get to you.

Nikephoros takes his customary position in the center.  There is nothing he fears in the mix of troops arrayed against him.

Adidasphoros is on the right.  There was a hope that the Khurasan's would leave the plantation undefended and he was going to race across it and sack their undefended camp. 

So, on to plan 'B'.  Sync up with the Nikephoros, and attack anything that emerges from the plantation.

Turn 1:

The Psiloi observe the advancing horde.

An ambush is revealed, another light infantry with bow.  The Khurasan breakpoint is now 20.

Taking full advantage of their mobility, the Khurasan left slides into the center position, while the cavalry command is now on the left.

The other ambush is revealed.  Impetuous medium swordsmen.

The Khurasan breakpoint is now 22.

Pumaphoros's Psiloi follow their orders and do nothing.

While Pumaphoros himself advances just a tad bit.

Nikephoros advances 2 UD, allowing a supported, but futile shot against the elephant runners.

Adidasphoros hobbles forward, keeping the line with Nikephoros.

Turn 2:

The first shots of the Khurasani Indian allies proves effective.

Khurasani cavalry are moving a lot in the pack field.  What stratagem is this? 

Ghazis come to the fence edge and hurl insults at the Petchnegs.

Their mission complete, it's Miller time for the Psiloi!

This may seem like a waste of command points, but just by existing, the Psiloi have kept contact of elite, and or impetuous, and or impact foot from contacting my Skutatoi line until turn 4, probably turn 5.  Which means they'll survive until turn 7 at least.  Also, I have been burned too often losing my lights to cavalier placement. The last game specifically which came down to 1 point, and I lost 8 points of lights due to carelessness.

Nikephoros is in bow range, no need to advance further. (sans flash)

(with flash)

He is keeping his lights within 1 UD of the his front lines, safe from being surrounded.

Petchnegs are also in bow range, but safe from encirclement by nearby lancers.

 

The Khurasans have 2 points towards their demoralization level of 22

The Byzantines have 2 points towards their demoralization level of 24

A much more colorful battle is occurring next door.

Mauve cavalry and orange elephantry.  When you fight with elephants, there is no point in camouflage.  Quite the opposite actually.

Turn 3:

A complement is in order for Derek's casualty markers.  Green dice for 1, yellow dice for 2, red dice for 3. Maintaining both the color code and offering a numeric for monitoring damage. 

I might be replacing my casualty chips in the future.  I like my chips, as they are flippable, so hunting them from the pile doesn't need to be repeated more than once per unit.  And they make it easy for me to count the casualties for the advantage of my readers.  But there is something about the subtlety of Derek's markers where they both recede into the background and at the same time readily visible.

Any thoughts from the audience?

Indian archers advance to take a cheap shot at the fleeing Psiloi.  And receive the first volley from several Skutatoi for their trouble.

The Khurasan battleline continues it's advance.  Key units becoming disordered as they march.

Covered by their infantry, the Khurasan begins to "extend" their line.

Volleys continue to work over the Indian Archers.

"Arrows are a penny a sheaf, the dead cost nothing"

The Elephant is covered by it's runners, but 3 out of 5 units of the Khurasan line is disordered.

Due to a line up, even the rear most cavalry is taking hits.

Adidasphoros decided that there was no profit to be had with the Petchnegs in the front any more.  Again being skittish from the last game.

The Khurasans have 5 points towards their demoralization level of 22
The Byzantines have 1 point towards their demoralization level of 24

Turn 4:

The Khurasani infantry cants their line for a mass charge down the line, but after measuring, they are not all within range yet.

In an attempt to be surgical, their elephant force stops just short of the main Byzantine line.  Engaging just the overlapping Skutatoi that would be behind their flank if they just charged in.  Luck to the Khurasani, as only "Missile Support" keeps the Skutatoi from routing on contact.

The Khurasani Cavalry links up with their infantry and challenge the Byzantine lancers.

This may seem like a bad match-up, but the Byzantine horse is all Medium Cavalry, Impact, Ordinary.  Verses Heavy Cavalry and Elites.  My experience with the Thematic Byzantine Cavalry is the longer I can put off the die rolls, the less I lose of them in the game.

The Khurasani gambit may have paid off as the corner Skutatoi fails to hold the line, disordering his friends behind him.  With no troops to support, Pumaphoros joins the nearest solid body of men.

Which belong to Nikephoros.  Oh well, He'll have to command from afar.

In a display of confidence, Nikephoros runs down the line  to rally the other corner.

Adidasphoros takes the initiative and advantage of a nice orderly line and orders a charge.  Uncharacteristically, he wins 3 of 4 battles, only losing the one where he had a +3 advantage in winning.  (Which was characteristic)

The Khurasans have 12 points towards their demoralization level of 22
The Byzantines have 5 point towards their demoralization level of 24

Turn 5:

The lines don't so much clash, but creep.

Jupiter's own lighting highlights the field as the Khurasani line continues to micro manage the impacts

Khurasani cavalry charge Skutatoi, and pay a heavy price.  But it is a price they are willing to pay as they gain the flanks of the Thematic lancers.

Pumaphoros rejoins his troops.  The reunion is not a happy one as he sees what is arrayed against him

For the first time in all the tourney, both Varangians are engaged at the same time.  Nikephoros joins the ranks of one and nearly destroys their enemy on contact.

And lastly, a unit of Psiloi, javelins at the ready, loose their missiles at the penetrating Cavalry.  Their mighty thews tempered by years of practice yield a result only achievable on a practice field.  Horses scream in pain as their riders try vainly to control their thrashing.  Their eyes bulging (the horses, not the Psiloi) ....

Alright, enough of the drivel.  Psiloi score a missile hit on a unit of heavy horse, it happens once in a while.  But it is the final point, bringing the Khurasans up to 22, and their army is demoralized. 

Yes, I know, the missile fire is before the melee results, but for the sake of the narrative, it is the final point. 

"There are a thousand lessons in defeat, and not one in victory."  What went right?  My opponent committed his forces piecemeal and all the time suffering under the bow fire of 8 Skutatoi.  On the far left, he came in straight, and didn't start to turn until he was in bow range. 

But again, the Byzantines, operating under the same principles, did the same.  True, they were doing so to optimize their bow fire, but bow fire is not really the decisive weapon in L' Art de la Guerre.   And while I made a big deal of the Varangians finally fighting together, it was for exactly 1 bound.  When 13% of your army cost is in 2 units you should get more use out of them.