Yi Olde Song of Carnage

A Headless Body Production
Venue: A popular Senior Center, across the street from a rowdy bar.
Event: Game Knight
Players: Phil, James and Bruce running Yi Korean, list 282
                Steve, Garth and John running Song, Chinese
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 15mm, 300 points per side.

Steve has been out to sea for most of 2024, and while out, he printed and painted a new army.

The Forces:
Song Chinese
Two Brilliant Commanders, and two Ordinary, Included commanders, one of which is also Allied.
3 Heavy Cavalry, Impact, Elite
1 Heavy Cavalry, Bow, Elite
4 Medium Cavalry, Bow
4 Light Cavalry, Bow
6 Medium Sword, Impetuous
4 Heavy Sword, Polearm
3 Heavy Sword, 2HW
4 Medium Sword, Polearm
3 Bowmen
4 Crossbowmen
1 Heavy Catapult
Breakpoint of 37

Korean 
The Koreans are commanded by the Brilliant Kim-Larry, his Competent brother Kim-Darryl, his his other Competent brother Kim-Darryl, somewhat Competent Cousin, Kim-Darryl.
10 Heavy Cavalry, Impact, 4 Elite
6 Light Cavalry, Bow, 3 Elite
8 Pikemen, Mediocre
2 Guardsmen, Heavy Sword, Polearm, Elite
6 Integrated Artillery
Breakpoint of 32

Display Conventions: When you see a jagged word bubble like "Ouch!" or "哎哟!" or "아야!",  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 Song deploy their "Tribal Auxiliaries" on their right, supported by a goodly number of missile armed troops.

A very impressive mangonel in the center right.

A solid force of swordsmen take the center.  A large force of horse on the left.

So the Song are set up foot heavy on the right and center, with most of their cavalry on their left.

The Yi deploy in a symmetrical pattern.  With equal sized horse commands on the right and left.

And the center with two commands of Pike and Artillery.

Cousin Kim-Darryl is somewhat out numbered, but has a quality advantage.

All of his horse is heavy cavalry, whereas most of the Song is mediums.

Turn 1:

Kim-Larry charges forward.  The Song have the hill, but they are all medium foot.  Also, if he can get close enough to the Mangonel, he can effectively shut it down.

From 4.1-8 UD's the Heavy Artillery has a wider arc of fire, and can pick it's targets.  At .1 to 4, it has to follow normal targeting rules.  Like light horse in it's face.

The line of Korean foot march at the double.

Only one of the Korean artillery is true.  The Hwacha, which fired rocket arrows by the hundreds.

The others represented here are Roman Ballista on mule carts, and a couple of Gallic chariots.

Cousin Kim-Darryl advances just far enough to keep in alignment with the pike.

The first of 300 pound rocks is hurled down range.  

The horde of Tribal Auxiliaries rush over the hill.

The professional foot troops march at the double.

Along with the shooting formations of Song horse and foot.

A view from the other side of the table.

Sometimes it is good to see what your opponent is seeing.

Turn 2:

Yi heavy horse charge up the hill.  One troop plows straight on through, but the others are held.

The Yi artillery score multiple hits on the Song infantry

Like on the right, the Yi heavy horse charge, one with great success.

Things are not looking good for Kim-Larry.  The Song cavalry in the hill serving as a reserve is a full bore Heavy Cavalry, Impact, with a commander.  Just the thing to fill the gaps.

In the center, the Song commander offers smooth words of comfort.  But to no avail as ballista bolts continue to harry the lines.

Another Song horse is routed.  But their numbers are beginning to show.  They bring up their swordsmen, and turn the flank with an unengaged troop.

Turn 3:

Kim-Larry orders a disengage.  But due to command restraints, leaves one troop behind.

The brothers Kim-Darryl order a massive charge down the line.  Mostly winning against the disordered Song swordsmen.

With the help of pike and guardsmen, Cousin Kim-Darryl has a good run.  Routing 4 troops of Song horse.

At the middle of the third, the Song have 23 points towards their break point of 37

To the Yi's 14 of 32.

At the crest of the hill, the Yi Horse is flanked, and destroyed.

The Song pour in their reserve horse and impetuous foot into the main line of battle.  The Yi horse are giving way.  But the Song heavy foot are beginning to fail as well.

The last of the Song cavalry charge the flank of the Yi line.  The Yi manage to avoid being swept away.

Turn 4:

Kim-Larry orders his lights forward to run interference.

The Korean pike push forward into the gaps

On the right, The Yi horse take out a unit of bowmen, turning the Song line.

Taking the Song to 31.

To the Yi's 21

Song tribal auxiliaries flood off the hill

In the main battle, both sides take losses.

The Song manage to take out another Yi horse.

At this point we called it.  The Song were at 34, and the Yi needed only 3 points to win.  Which was considered a given with 4 flank charges and 3 battles where the Song units were just one away from breaking.

All this in just under 3 hours!