A Slaughter of Scots*

A Headless Body Production
Venue: Ferrell Fire Hall, Monroeville, NJ. Where 5G goes to die.
Event: Kozcon ADLG organized by Don Manser.
Players: Phil Gardocki running Scots Isles, list 187
              The Biumvirate of Don Manser and Kevin Swanson running MedEvil Scots
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 200 points per side. Round 3
Scale: 25mm 

*You can consider the title as foreshadowing or Chekhov's gun.

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:

The mEvils were commanded by Haggis MacDare, His cousin Dweeb, "Oh what a big flag he has", and their cousin, MacBuggeroff.  Probably they are competent, but you wouldn't ken to look at them.
4 Noblemen of high station and low morals
2 Foot Knights
5 Pikemen, practicing their kaber tossing.
4 Longbowmen?
5 other foot that could be anything
3 Wee lads with sticks and string
Breakpoint of 22, maybe 23, we Scots have difficulty counting over 21*.

The Scots are commanded by MacLeft, MacCenter and MacRight. All are considered Competent, easily replaceable.
14 Islemen, "Eileanaich", Heavy Swordsmen, 2HW, some are Elite, some are Mediocre
4 Highland Archers "Boghadairean Gàidhealach" (no, I'm going to pepper the report with that) Medium Swordsmen, Bow
2 Levy, "Sgum"
2 Irish "Gaisgich Èireannach", Medium Sword, 2HW
2 Light Infantry, Bow, An fheadhainn òga 
Breakpoint of 24

Except those inbred bastards of clan MacGreviousBodilyHarm, who can get to 12 before needing to take their shoes off.

 

Display Conventions: When you see a word bubble like "Ouch!" or "tha sin a' goirteachadh!" or "Auch!"or "Mah poofy culur bahookie", 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.

Any inaccuracies and vagueness as to specific units is to be regarded as fog of war and should be considered as part of the fun.

 

The Board:

The Evil Scots win the initiative and elect to attack in the Mountains!

 

Deployment: 

 

The mEvil Scots deployed their knights to hammer the Islemen's left flank.  Both sides have their shooters deployed on the same side.

Turn 1:

The knights are looking at 7 units with claidheamh-mors, and so advance slowly behind their foot skirmishers.

Their main body of foot double advance.  

While their archers, matching the Scots Archers 1-1, also advance quick march.

MacLeft orders his men forward at a quick march as well.

MacCenter keeps pace.

MacRight advances to cover the flank of MacCenter, and sends his Irish out.

The Scots score their first hit, and respond with an incomprehensible Feegle retort!

Turn 2:

Rob Anybody holds his knights back.

The main body of foot advance 1 UD, filling in the edges with the dregs.

Their Helan archers score again with their bows.

I have to tell the Black Knight that Monty Python references are off the script for this one.  

MacRight and Mac Center

advance to charge reach.  My entire line is 2HW armed.  With some Elites against the mEvil's Mediocre pikes.  It also has the effect of effectively canceling the armor of the foot knights interspersed in the line.

With an overlap advantage, MacRight orders a general charge, but is rebuffed.

Turn 3:
 

The Scot's knights are not going to be showed up by their peasants.

Not much to be said for tactics.  

MacRight suffers some catastrophic losses.  But he has one more Irish warrior in reserve to keep the flank from being totally rolled up.

And a massive charge is called.  The kind of charge you live for with this game.

15 Heavy Swordsmen with 2HW charge.  Ordinary warriors against Mediocre.  Elites on Mediocre!

None of that mattered.  Literally I won two just fights out of 17!  

 

With a score of 2 to 20, of 24, Don and Ken let me off the hook.  There was no need to play this one out.

 

Of course I expected to lose against the 4 knights, maybe holding up against a couple of them.  But I had their flank turned, and maybe would crunch one as well.

 

*The Nac Mac Feegles are creations of Terry Prachett.  Referred to as "Pictsies", a parody of the Victorian concept of refined fairies.  The Nac Mac Feegle were always looking for a fight, in a cheerful sort of way, and when they had no one to fight they fought one another, and if one was all by himself he’d kick his own nose just to keep in practice.”

If you have never read or even heard of Terry Prachett, then you have about 4 or 500 hours of excellent reading in front of you.  Arguably the funniest writer of the last century.  But don't take my word on it.  By the late 80's and 90's, 10% of all Sci-Fi/Fantasy books printed, some 200 million, were his.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Timocracy of Timurids

A Headless Body Production

Venue: Ferrell Fire Hall, Monroeville, NJ. Where 5G goes to die.
Event: Kozcon ADLG organized by Don Manzer.
Players: Phil Gardocki running Scots Isles, list 187
              Mike Kelley running Timurid
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 200 points per side. Round 2
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. 

There has been a lot going on in House G, and I have not spent any time thinking about Kozcon. Until the requirement of a list pre-check came by. What to do? Just use the same list as 18 months ago!

Now to see what went wrong with those games. I know, this is in the wrong order.

The Forces:

Most of the Timurids are just guesswork.  Commanders were probably a Strategist, a Brilliant and a Competent.  Two seem to be Included.

2 Elephants with Armor
7 Cavalry with Bow.  Some Heavy, Some Elite
6 Light Cavalry with Bows
4 Hostages, Levy, Mediocre, Expendable
2 Afghan Spearmen, Medium Spearmen
2 Archers, possibly with stakes 
3 Light Infantry with Bows
Breakpoint of 22

The Scots are commanded by MacLeft, MacCenter and MacRight. All are considered Competent, easily replaceable.
14 Islemen, "Eileanaich", Heavy Swordsmen, 2HW, some are Elite, some are Mediocre
4 Highland Archers "Boghadairean Gàidhealach" (no, I'm going to pepper the report with that) Medium Swordsmen, Bow
2 Levy, "Sgum"
2 Irish "Gaisgich Èireannach", Medium Sword, 2HW
2 Light Infantry, Bow, An fheadhainn òga 
Breakpoint of 24

Display Conventions: When you see a word bubble like "Crivens!" or "Waily, waily, waily!" or "اوه!", 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.

Any inaccuracies and vagueness as to specific units is to be regarded as fog of war and should be considered as part of the fun.

The Board:

Unsurprisingly, the Timurids win the initiative and elect to defend in the Steppes!

Deployment:

I did not know that only one of the Hills in the Steppes can be covered in rough terrain.

On their right, a goodly number of bow armed cavalry.

In the middle, armored Elephants and their runners

A hostile of hostages occupy space next to the elephant command.  And way out in left field, another strong force of horse.

Turn 1:

No matter what, my right flank is going to be hanging.  So all the commands are going to shift left.  MacLeft takes his bowmen into the Brush to set up a fire base to harass the Timurid horse. 

MacCenter moves forward, stopping 4 UD's from the dancing girls on the hill.

With the camp protected by a couple of Levy, MacRight keeps pace with MacCenters battle.

The Timurid Elephants clear the top of the hill.

Their hostages covering their flanks, and their other horse command unenthusiastically advance.

My strategy is to harass the Timurid right with my bow, approach the hill but not attack it until the Levy have been destroyed.  Then attack that hill from the flanks.
Turn 2:

My Highland Archers are still attaching their bow strings and finding their range.  The Timurid archers have no such problems.

That's 4 hits, 3 from lights.  

MacRight advances.  His young men pulled out to cover his battle's flank.

After their initial darkening of the skies, the Timurid archers must now seek for more arrows.

Their lights turn on the exposed MacRight's exposed flank.

Turn 3:

Bows have been strung.  Time to loose arrows!

MacCenter offers an eloquent speech, encouraging his men to stay the course. 

As they watch MacRight begin the assault.

Three of his warbands are assigned to protect his flank.

The Persian commander swears in Farsi while trying to kick and prod his men into some semblance of order.

The Elephant corps advances a bit down the hill.  But their bowmen is recalled, as it was in range of Heavy Swordsmen.  

Lances lowered, the Timurid horse charge.  But the Eileanaich hold their ground.

Turn 4:

I have been luckier than I deserve.  My missile troops were scoring well, and 3 successful rallies, and my Eileanaich on the right standing before a lancer attack. Time to put the pressure on. 

 

MacCenter's Eileanaich advance to charge reach of the hill.

A charge on the Levy routs one, disorders another.  But the third one holds the warband led by Sir Robin and is minstrels.  

The horse skirmishers are called forward again, and are immediately pelted with arrows.

Off the hill come the Afghan spearmen, routing a Eileanaich on contact, where they pursue into another.

One of the Persian horse Disengages to the hill to recover.  Another is brought up for the next charge.

Turn 5:

A skirmisher is routed, taking one of the heavier horse with him.

Clan O'Lyre charges the Afghan flank, routing them.  The Knights that say "Nee" approach to charge reach of the Timurid foot archers.  Sir Robin, facing nought by unmotivated hostages, bravely avoids running away.

Seriously, that stand of Sir Robin and his minstrels never does well in this game.

One of only two Scots light foot archers moves forward and looses arrows.  Actually scoring a hit.

His brother light foot is dispersed before the Timurid light foot.  

One of their elephants turns and charges down the hill, but is stopped in it's tracks.

OK, On looking at the pictures again, that light foot unit is claiming way too much credit for shooting up that mounted unit.  I think there was a successful rally in there, but that unit had two hits when it disengaged.

Sir Robin, however, is setting himself up to bravely run away.
 

Turn 6:  

The Highland Archers shoot away another troop of horse.  MacLeft feels confident enough to call up his Irish.

An Elephant is hammered both front and side.

The Knights that say "Nee" save Sir Robins bacon.

 Taking the score for the Scots to 7 of 24 to the Timurid score of 17 of 22.

The Timurid horse commander orders a charge for his last troop.  While he <ahem> observes from way in the rear.

The remaining heavy horse retreats to the far side of the hill.

Turn 7:

MacLeft exits the rough, and turns the flank of the Timurid line of battle.  And no, the remaining elephant has not be hit in the flank.  The Young Warrior (with the tiny red die signifying Mediocre) missed contact by about 4 mm.

And game was called on time at this point.  With the Scots earning a winning draw.