A Krap Ton of Knights

A Headless Body Production

Venue: Virtual Table via Table Top Simulator
Players: Phil Gardocki running Anglo Irish (pre 1300)
               David Ray running Feudal German
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 200 points per side.
Theme: Just passing time.
 

The Forces:

The lily-liver'd Anglo Irish, circa 1299 AD

Led by Larry (Competent), his brother Darryl (Competent) and his other brother Darryl (also Competent)

4 Longbowmen, stakes

2 Javelinmen

4 Galloglaich, Heavy Swordsmen, 2HW, Elite

2 Irish Lords, Heavy Swordsmen, Armor, Elite

5 Kerns, Light Infantry, Javelins

4 Irish Nobles, Heavy Cavalry

2 Irish Cavalry, Light Cavalry, Javelins

Breakpoint of 23

 

The Feudal Germans, led by Heinrich (Brilliant), Wulff (Competent) and Luitpold (Ordinary)
6 Medium Knights, Impact, 2 elite

2 Sergeants, Heavy Cavalry, Impact

2 Hungarians, Light Cavalry, Bow

2 Mounted Crossbowmen, Light Cavalry, Crossbow

2 Low Countries Pike Mediocre

2 Mercenaries, Heavy Swordsmen, Armor, 2HW

2 Heavy Spearmen

2 Crossbowmen

2 Light Infantry, Crossbow

Breakpoint of 22

Deployment:

The Feudal Germans are at the top. The Anglo-Irish Heavy Foot find a comfort zone between two fields, which is invested with their Longbow and Javelinmen. On the far left, is Larry with some horse troops. If the Germans deploy a Knight command over there, then he should be able to tie them up for a while.

I was hoping to be only facing only one knight command on the left, which I can play evade games with for a while, but two is just handing Dave points.

 

From Dave's point of view, he probably was hoping for more things to kill on that side of the board.

 

Turn 1:

It's the von Schlieffen plan all over again The strong German right wing goes through Belgium without delay.

Larry's plan is delay, delay delay. Keep those knights occupied. He pulls out the longbow from the field. They have stakes. His light horse is withdrawn because they are greatly out numbered. He'll need them later for a last ditch sacrifice.

Top of Turn 2:

It looks like the German infantry line is approaching on an angle. That seems to be in Darryl's favor.

I missed a copy/paste. This is the bottom of turn 2 and the top of turn 3.

The Darryl's, both of them, crowd source the hill with their lights. The German lights lose the missile exchanges, and are both disordered, and flee when charge.

Larry's heavy horse make a right face move towards the main infantry battle line, and are charged by German light horse in the rear. And in a surprise move, Larry's heavies evade.

Meanwhile the Knights continue to follow the von Schlieffen, but the troops being surrounded seem to be getting smaller and smaller.

Meanwhile the Knights continue to follow the von Schlieffen, but the troops being surrounded seem to be getting smaller and smaller. Bottom of turn 3:

Javelinmen threaten German lights.  Longbowmen, their initial delaying action complete, now retire to the field.  Darryl's lights take the hill, while Darryl's heavy foot advance.

Lots of minor adjustments by the Germans.  Follow the arrows.

Darryl feels confident to bring out his heavy foot.  Its flanks will be secured by longbowmen in the fields.

While I play the game with the view from above, the view from 20 degree angle is pretty cool!

Top of the 5th.  And more adjustments.  Dave feels, and I agree, that a general scrum between our heavy foot lines is not his favor.  My attempts to turn their left flank need to be dealt with.  He begins a general retreat.

Not that it matters, but the score is 2-1.

The left field is locked down with Irish LMI.  Their heavy foot continues to advance. 

Another nice angle down view.

Turn 6:

First kill of the day, as kerns are peppered with arrows.  A command of knights links up with half their foot, looking prepared for an assault on the Irish main battleline.

The Galloglaich have found their killing field.  Their taunts can be heard from hundreds of yards away, Their longbowmen are solidly holding the flanks, so any German penetration would be contained.

Top of the 8th.  The Germans begin an aggressive approach.

Another side down view.

 

From the German line emerged a lonely figure.  Advancing under a flag of truce he advances majestically across the field. In the tradition of mixing pantheons and metaphors, it's Montjoy!*  20 paces from the banner of Clan Ramsay, he stops, and in a clear, sonorous voice of an great actor that will only get two lines in this whole show, delivers this message:

To the Anglo-Irish Commander.

The fortune of war is changing have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Ourthe near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hompre-Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands.

There is only one possibility to save the encircled Irish troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.

If this proposal should be rejected one German Knight Corps of six heavy knight units are ready to annihilate the Anglo-Irish troops and their Welsh allies.

The order for charge will be given immediately after this two hours' term.

The German Commander.**

"Nuts"***

So, 5 hours into this game, we called it here.  Dave wasn't coming into the death trap, and I wasn't leaving it.  The final score was 3-2.

Sorry Guys, no major conflicts here.  But we actually enjoyed the maneuvering even if there was no conclusion.

* From Henry V

** General von Luettwitz

*** Brig. Gen. Anthony 'Tony' McAuliffe