Phil on Ancients: A Swatch of Swiss

A Headless Body Production

Venue: Lancaster Convention Center
Event: Historicon 2025
Theme: Saturday's Open Tourney, Round 3
Players: Phil running Hindu Indian, list 170
Tom Welch running Swiss,
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 15mm, 200 points per side.

The Forces:
The Hindus are commanded by Gujara III*, Rashtrakuta II**, and Bharath, all Competent. And as an experiment, all are Included.
4 Elephants, Elite
2 Horsemen, Medium Cavalry
2 Scouts, Light Cavalry, Bow
2 Guardsmen, Medium Sword, Impact, Elite
6 Warriors, Medium Sword, Impetuous
4 Bowmen, 2 are Mediocre
8 Light Infantry, Bows and Javelins
Breakpoint of 28

*Gujara III is the reincarnation of Gujara II, who was killed in a battle with the Germans. See previous battle report. He was reborn, and due to the laziness of the writer, named the same as his past life.

**Rashtrakuta II, see above.

The Swiss commanders are listed as one Brilliant, one Included Ordinary, and one Competent, but Unreliable.

3 Men at Arms, Heavy Knight, Impact, Dismounted
8 Pike, some Ordinary, some Mediocre, some Elite
3 Halberdiers, Medium Sword, Polearm
6 Light Infantry Firearms and Crossbows, one is unseen
2 Light Horse, Crossbow
1 Heavy Bombard
Breakpoint of 23

Display Conventions: When you see a jagged word bubble like "Ouch!" or "ओह बकवास!", this implies a disorder caused by missiles. Letters in parenthesis represent some up or downgrade 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.

Any ambiguity as to what was moved or who is being referred to is to be considered Fog of War and part of the fun.

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

Deployment:

The Swiss right flank has a strong force of pike, dismounted knights, supported by a long range bombard.

Their center with 5 kiels of pike.

Their left, the flank held by a river, are Halberdiers

Bharath's horse are behind a hill. His archers cannot be seen. However they have chosen a very obvious piece of cover.

The Indian center an right have the standard formation of elephant and foot.

Like castle crenelations.

Turn 1:

Just to avoid any confusion, the archers in ambush are revealed.

The Swiss foot knights double march. Lacking CP's to march their Lorrainers as well.

The remainder of the Swiss army advances at the double.

The archers advance over the crest of the hill. Their arrows falling uselessly before the heavy (+3) armor of the foot knights.

The remainder of the Indian line advances just a bit. If the Swiss advance just two UD's, then they will be in charge range.

There is a total lack of imagination in plans on both sides.

Turn 2:

The Lorrainer pike start their march. The foot knights, recognizing the lack of a threat presented by arrows and medium horse, advance upon the main Indian battle line.

The main body of Swiss pike, having traveled in a straighter line, eagerly advance.

Along with the Halberdiers, wielding their cruel axes.

In previous games, Bharath was averaging about 2 command points per game. This game the averages are averaging out.

Rashtrakuta II orders a general charge.

Gujara III follows suit.

It is wonderful to get so much pachydermata* charging at once. But disappointing when only two make head to head contact.

*Yes, that is a real word.

Turn 3:

One troop of dismounted knights face off against Bharath's entire command.

The other two troops go at it with their two handed swords.

The Swiss order a light foot to distract Gujara's command elephant. Even though they are routed, they were successful, and the pike destroyed Gujara's supporting warrior unit.

A fast game. In the middle of the 3rd, the score for the Indians is 9 of 28.

To 11 of 23 for the Swiss.

Bharath orders one of his light horse to attack the bombard. The odds were not in favor of the horse, +zero to +1. But hey, it would have made a better story if they were successful. Bharath marginally heavier horse flanks and fronts the foot knights.

Really. Sometimes I make decisions in these games because it would make a better story. In this case, it devolved down to a cautionary tale. Don't send light troops in at a disadvantage.

Impetuous warriors pursue fleeing pike.

Morgan Freeman comments, "All of which is a distraction from the rampaging elephant in Rashtrakuta II's ranks. And the near isolation of the command elephants. Will the Hindu's lose 4 elephants, again?"

The Hindu's trade another elephant for a Halberdier.

Morgan Freeman interjects, "That makes two elephants lost. Will there be a third?"

The Hindu's have added 7 to their demoralization level

The Swiss, just 2.

Turn 4:

With an amazing feat of dice rolling, a troop of foot knights are routed by the unarmored, under-equipped, but fanatical Hindu warriors.

Another troop of knights turn, heavily disordering a Hindu warrior. The one with a red 3 on the base. Rashtrakuta II routs his opposing pike, but Gujara III's command elephant is taking serious losses.

Due to a packing error, a lot of my casualty markers didn't make it to the tournament. That red 3 being the only 3 to arrive, and is subbing in for a shortage of '2's.

The Halberdiers, regroup from their earlier loss, and begin to roll up Gujara's right flank.

Adding another 4 to the demoralization level of the Hindus.

But the Swiss added 7 to their own.

Bharath organizes a flank and front charge. Possibly the first one of the tournament. The knights armor save them from any real damage.

Hindu fanatical warriors plow into the rear of a foot knight.

Gujara III holds on. What to do with his last warrior? It was in corner to corner contact with the Swiss light horse, so it cannot stay there. If it conforms, it has Halberdiers on its flank, and probably will die. If it advances 3 UD's, it probably still die. But buys another 1/2 turn.