Phil on Ancients: An Ordination of Saints

A Headless Body Production

Venue: Wyndham Resort, née Lancaster Host
Event: Fall In, 15mm Open Theme, Round 2
Players: Phil Gardocki running Medieval Anglo-Irish, list 234
Alan Welch running Order of Saint John
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 200 points per side.
Scale: 15mm

Welcome Alan Welch! Who is being dragged into this game by his father, the man whose elephants rampaged through my ranks on the first round.

While scrolling the feeds I found another ADLG blogger, Colin Whittaker, of the UK. The man almost 300 ADLG games documented in the last 5 years. His blog is at https://wargamingwithcolin.blogspot.com/
While googling for Colin, I few other ADLG themed blogs
https://sgtsteiner.blogspot.com
https://bucellarii.blogspot.com/
And this one from 2018 titled "Darryl Ascendant!" https://philonancients.blogspot.com/2018/07/adlg-darryl-ascendant.html
My figures were looking worn out even then.
And no wonder I am tired of typing that phrase, "... have 9 points towards their demoralization level of 20." I have been using that phrase for over 8 years.

The Forces:

The mEvil Anglo-Irish are lead by Larry, the Brilliant, his brother Darrell, the Competent, and his other brother Darrel, the Ordinary.
2 Heavy Cavalry, Impetuous
4 Galloglaich, Heavy swordsmen 2HW
2 Foot Knight, 1 Elite
5 Billmen, Heavy Swordsmen, Polearm
4 Longbow
2 English Longbow, Sword, Stakes
3 Kerns, Light Infantry, Javelin
Breakpoint of 22

The Order of Saint John army listed below are total guesswork from the pictures. The actual list may vary, and change as the narrative continues.
8 Heavy Knights 2 on foot, some elite
2 Sergeants, Heavy Cavalry, Impact
2 Turcopoles, Light Cavalry, Bow
4 Heavy Spearmen
2 Crossbowmen
2 Light Infantry, Crossbow
Breakpoint of 20

Display Conventions: When you see a jagged word bubble reading "Ouch!", 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 mEvils win the initiative and elect to attack in the plains.

Deployment:

As the attacker, I get to see one defending command ahead. Placing two commands of heavy swordsmen first. So I got to see the defenders large heavy foot command along the water's edge and realize that my longbow troops would be just a speed bump. And formed them up with the idea of redeploying them to face the knights.

This is what Darrell's Longbow command was looking at.

While Larry's the mostly unarmored heavy swordsmen were looking at this.

Last to deploy, Darrel's command is ready to march away.

Larry's command will march forward, shifting left to cover them.

His other brother Darrell will keep pace with him.

Larry's command roll was fortunate, allowing for a triple march.

Darrel's command roll was not quite so fortunate, but good enough.

Other brother Darrell's archers perform a quick march.

The Order of St. John's foot are practically stuck on their base line.

Their knights advance fearlessly.

Their Sergeants and light horse swing wide.

No matter what, the game is going to be quick.

Turn 2:

Larry's battle ascends to the top of the hill, and pays for it with crossbow quarrels.

Darrell advances to pin the Sergeants in place.

Darrell's Archers continue to advance.

Knowing that god was on their side, the foot soldiers of St. John rush up the hill. Routing Clan Ramsay on their right, and turning the other flank with their knights.

Their remaining knights and Sergeants also charge forward.

The score is 6 to 5 in favor of the Order of St. John.

Turn 3:

In an attempt to stabilize his left, Larry orders his heavy horse to charge. They are rudely rebuffed.

The Boys from Stafford rout their opponent and pursue. The rest of the hill fight is still in flux.

Brother Darrel trades a Billmen for a Sergeant.

Top of the 3rd, and the score is 12 of 22 for the mEvils

to 10 of 20 for the Order of St. John.

A virtual tie there.

Larry's battle on the hill has both flanks turned.

Clan O'Lyre is routed, traded for another Sergeant.

At the bottom of the 3rd, the score is 16 of 22 for the mEvils.

To 15 of 20 for the Order of Saints.

The race is on to the finish line here.
Turn 4:

Larry's still has 3 elements fighting on the hill.

While Brother Darrel is flanking his knights.

Other Brother Darrel has dispersed the light horse of the Order. And is positioning his Longbow to attack the hanging knights.

The mEvil's score inches up to 17.

The Order passes them at 18.

The Boys from Stafford have been offered terms for their surrender.

With a pair of successful rally's, the Order's score is back down to 16.

But another knight has fallen.

The mEvil's are now just 2 away from breaking.

The Order, just 3.

Turn 5:

There are no Anglo-Irish in this picture.

Other Brother Darrel's archers are in range.

The Order is just 1 away from breaking.

the mEvils, just 2.

One of the most difficult tasks in this game is to organize the victors for the final push.

Turn 6:

The mEvil archery starts to take effect.

While angling in on the flanks of the Orders archers.

The Order's score is back to 19 of 20

The mEvils are back to 20.

We called it here. The mEvils needed to only score one point, and there was 3 places where it could happen, while the Order could only score one with a long range shot. And would not be able to get into hand to hand for two turns against a lot of focused archery.

What went wrong?

Not reading the battle field. The longbow should have been on the right to start with. That is where the horse was going to be. The hill battle was lost mainly because it was double flanked immediately.

Other pictures from the Con.