A Packsack* of Pachyderms

A Headless Body Production
Venue: Ferrell Fire Hall, Monroeville, NJ.  Sometimes referred to as the Riviera of the Pine Barrens.
Event:  Kozcon ADLG organized by Don Manzer.
Players: Phil Gardocki running Medieval Polish (254)
              Mike Kelly running Burmese
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 200 points per side.  Round 3
Scale: 25mm 

KozCon is held in memory of our good friend and avid gamer Dave Kozlow who passed away in 2012.  If you've ever had the opportunity to play in one of his many games at HMGS events you know that he was not only a great person but also a notable credit to our hobby.  In light of Dave's five year battle with cancer ALL proceeds from KozCon are donated to the American Cancer Society.

The Forces:

Medieval Polish: Commanders Larry (Brilliant ), Brother Darryl (Competent), and Other Brother Darryl (Ordinary)
4 Winged Hussars, Medium Knight, Impact, elite
2 Followers, Heavy Cavalry, Impact.
4 Medium Cavalry, Crossbow
2 Tartars, Light Cavalry, Bow elite.
2 Lithuanians, Light Cavalry, Javelin
2 Serbian Hussars, Light Cavalry, Impact, elite
2 War Wagons, Crossbow
1 Heavy Spearmen, 1/2 Crossbow
2 Light Infantry, Firearm, 1 elite
Breakpoint...21

Burmese
6 Elephants, Elite
5 Light Infantry
7 Medium Foot, sword or spear
2 Crossbowmen
2 Medium Cavalry
Breakpoint of...22

Display Conventions: When you see a word bubble like "Ouch!" or "Auć!" or "Jaj!", 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.

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.

The Board:

 

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

Deployment:

On the Burmese right, a strong force of medium sword.

In the center, massed elephantry.

Their left flank anchored against a field.

The Polish left  is held by Other Brother Darryl.  His job is to delay the mass of elephants as long as possible.

The Polish horse will try to eliminate as much of the Burmese foot as possible.

Brother Darryl is on a flank march.

My thoughts are that the Burmese have the terrain they want.  So I put out a flank march.  The uncertainty may keep the elephants from charging across the board.  And it has 6 shooters which I hope will arrive on time, and be able to clear out any defenders in the field.

Turn 1:

Light foot advances to keep the elephants from double marching.

The war wagons advance to cover the flanks of the knights.

Polish horse advance on an oblique. 

The Tatars flank the Burmese cavalry.

With a triumph of trumpeting, the elephantry advances

Splitting into two groups.  One headed for the war wagons, the other for the Polish horse.

The Burmese horse flee across the field.

Turn 2:

Horns are heard in the distance.  Darryl's command will arrive on turn 3.

Other Brother Darryl forms his battle line

For some reason, Burmese bow are sticking out of the field.  Something the Polish horse will take advantage off.

Missiles are exchanged.

Burmese cavalry, in the distance, nearly clear the field.  Their bowmen retreat to the field's depths as well.  Massed (is there any other kind) elephantry advance on the Polish knights Czerwoni i Biali and Czerwoni i Zieloni

Turn 3:

On a far field, Romans and Gauls are having a major dust up.

Darryl's mounted crossbow race across the field.  Larry's knights retreat.

Burmese elephants advance on the war wagons.  The other troop of elephants hold.  Probably due to command point problems.

All six elephants are in the same command.  And elephants are unmaneuverable.  Even a brilliant commander can have problems keeping them all moving.

Burmese archers redeploy to defend the field.

Turn 4:

Polish archery is good.  But the elephants are well screened.

Darryl's horse archery is not so good.

How good are Elephants against War Wagons?  You have your answer here.  One wagon goes up like a Pinto on contact. 

In summary:

+0 in hand to hand except:
    +2 v Mounted except Elephants
    +1 bonus if Battle-Ready

Cancels Impact, Javelin and Furious Charge of all except Elephants

A single disorder caused by Polish Crossbow

Turn 5:

The Polish Militia is trampled.

A note on the photo.  I am keeping the destroyed war wagon, note the smoke, on the board for the sake of the pictures and you the reader.  For game purposes, it does not exist anymore and would be removed if inconvienent to the game play.

A Burmese sword is hanging out of the field.  Polish lancers charge and make him pay.

One elephant trots for the Polish Camp.  Another attacks the other war wagon. It rolls a 1 to the War Wagons 6, and is destroyed.

The remaining herd advance ominously. 

More missile exchange at the field.

Polish knights retreat before the elephantry.

The Elephants are now providing support against the Polish lancers.

A success in the field as one Burmese archer unit is dispersed. 

The Polish camp is being looted.

The Troop of lancers is destroyed, and the elephants continue to put on the pressure.

Turn 6:

An elephant is somewhat isolated.  The Rycerze Żółci i Zieloni and Czerwoni i Biali may try their luck with a flank charge.

Nothing much to see here...

My eyeball is not well calibrated.  The blue elephant was in range and charges.  But lost badly the dice off and is disordered.  The other elephant suffers disorder from missile fire.

Mike is having a bad string of luck.  He could have crushed the second war wagon, but only disordered it.

The Followers had broken off from their fight with the Burmese swordsmen.  But are in charge reach of an elephant.

The game was called on time.  The Polish were at 16 towards their break point of 21.

While the Burmese were at 17 towards their break point of 22.

*Packsack, yes that is a word.

About as close a game as you can get.

What went wrong?  The thought that the massed horse XB units would eventually clear the field  was not a good one.  There simply isn't enough time for the task. 

That flank march was also too packed together.  Units couldn't shoot, couldn't be pulled back to rally.  It was just a poorly run operation.

War Wagon Rules
Protection: 2, not reduced by LB, CB or Firearms
        0 against Incendiaries
Cohesion:   4
Speed:      2, 1 in rough
+0 in hand to hand except:
    +2 v Mounted except Ele
    +1 v LI
    +1 bonus if Battle-Ready
    Counts as supported if engaged on it's side by only one enemy unit
    -1 if in rough.  
+0 shooting.  Can only shoot from it's side.  Range of 4

Move 2UD
WWG are not on the list of Unmanoeuvrable units.  But have their own restrictions.
Wheels are limited to 45 degrees (apologies to all those I have cheated in the past)
When making a quarter turn, a WWG may make a 1 UD move sideways.  See page 32 for a diagram.
Becomes Battle-Ready at a cost of 1 CP
    On the same turn as going Battle-Ready,
    can make a half or quarter turn at a cost of 1 additional CP
Cancels Impact, Javelin and Furious Charge of all except Elephants
Impetuous troops are not required to make an Uncontrolled Charge against WWG
All edges are considered "Front"  
WWG are never subject to "Multiple attack"
Corner to Corner enemy units do NOT provide support.
WWG only provides simple support if in position to do so.  Never Melee support
Enemy LI can contact WWG frontally, only if it can provide support.  Never alone.
WWG cannot be routed as they are destroyed in place, or pursue.  
WWG does not exert a ZOC, but are restricted by ZOC
WWG cannot charge.  Exception for WWG with blades.