Phil on Ancients: A Burn of Byzantines

A Headless Body Production

Venue: Undisclosed Basements around the Tri-State-Area
Event: Round 2 of the The Great Semi-Annual-Mini-Tournament-Of-2020/1
Players: Phil Gardocki running Samurai
Dennis Shorthouse running Nikephorian Byzantine
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 15mm, 120 points per side.

Dennis Shorthouse, Proprietor of On Military Matters book service., has organized an impromptu tournament using a battle grid system of his devising. All figures are place on a grid so players can play over a telephone without a video component.

The board is 15 by 20 UD's. The rows are labeled H - A. Each side has their own H-B, and the A row is divided in half. The columns are numbered 1-20. Terrain sizes are 2x3.

The Forces:
Samurai (list 210)
The Samurai are commanded by Rarry and Darryr, both Competent.
6 Samurai, Medium Swordsmen, Bow, Elite
4 Yari, Medium Spearmen, Mediocre
2 Mounted Samurai, Heavy Cavalry, Bow, Elite
Breakpoint of 12

Nikephorian Byzantine(list 128)
2 Commanders of uncertain competency
3 Tagmata, Kataphractoi, Heavy Cavalry Bow, Impact, Elite
2 Prokoursatores, Light Cavalry, Bow
2 Varangians, Heavy Swordsmen, 2HW
3 Skutatoi, ½ Heavy Spearmen ½ Bowmen
2 Psiloi, Light Infantry, Bows
Breakpoint of 14

Special rules for 120 points:

(2) generals
Min and Max divide by two and round up

Normal initiative calculations, command points spent divide by two rounded down, plus
1-2 LH +1 initiative die roll
3+ LH +2 initiative die roll
Strategist +1 initiative die roll

6 zones
Zones 1,3 an 4,6 are 7UD wide
Zones 2 and 5 are 6UD wide

1-3 terrain pieces plus compulsory
Take 1...(2) adjustments
Take 2...(1) adjustments
Take 3...(0) adjustments

Conventions:

When you see a word bubble "Ouch!", or "Heus! or "痛い!", 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 Spear, Heavy Spearmen.

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

Haikus are an attempt for a commander (Japanese) to rally the troops.

The Board:

The Nikephorians win the initiative and elect to defend in the 12 plains. They select two fields. The Samurai a plantation. The board is very white. Consider this a Winter themed event.

I didn't take any overview shots, so this will have to give you an idea of what the board looks like.

Turn 1:

On the Byzantine right is their cavalry command

On their left, an infantry command

On the Samurai left, Rarry and his elite force of sword and bow

Anchored against a farmers field, is Darryr, with his peasant spearmen

Turn1:

The board is not as deep with 120 points. Giving the Samurai an opportunity to advance just a UD and shoot at the enemy lights.

One unit of peasants is advanced to cover the flanks of the Samurai, should the Byzantines get aggressive.

And here they come. The Tagmata advance, giving cover to the Lights.

The Byzantine infantry forces also advance.

Turn 2:

Medium sword is not a good match against cavalry in this game, but with overlaps and a flank charge position, this should work out.

Japanese horsemen advances to a position where it cannot be ignored by the Byzantine foot.

Bernie announces the count with the Byzantines at 3 (of 14) against the Samurai 2 (of 12)

Turn 3:

Fortune favors the brave, the Tagmata win 3 of 3 fights

While the Byzantine foot splits it's forces, 3 to support their outnumbered horse,

2 to run off the Samurai horse

Samurai counter charge. One Tagmata is destroyed, but it is a trade off against another Samurai foot

I am losing the game, time to push the Darryr's spearmen forward

Turn 4:

The training on the practice fields pays off. The Tagmata split two directions. One Samurai holds, but another falls to lance and axe

The Varangians on the left pause for a breather

Bringing the score to 3 (of 14) against 8 (of 12)

Turn 5:

The Samurai are not done yet. Their line reforms perpendicular to the Byzantines in the hope of flank charges. One horsemen unit charges the Varangians in the rear for a fresh disorder.