The Battle of Bloody Plain.
Well Troops here is the first post-battle report to grace our site, and wouldn't you know it, it's a battle where your's truly got done over! (Oh the shame, sob sob). The rules used were DBM 2.1, and armies were at 375 Army Points each.
Jim McLean, was my adversary on this occasion (Italian Ostrogoths), and I fielded, for the first time I might add, Feudal Spanish. The report was written by Jim, but I'll interject now and then.
There are no pickies at this point, but I'm working on it. There are maps of the battle, and you can see them by clicking on the Links below.
Read on and enjoy.
The season was Spring, and a very slight breeze had blown away the morning mist to herald a clear warm day. The field of battle was quite open, the only features being a vineyard in my deployment zone on the far left, and a cultivated field on the far right flank, in front of the enemies deployment zone. As the Spanish invaders formed up, the Ostrogothic King turned to his Generals. "Today we fight a Host that will give no quarter, and shall expect the same, let us not disappoint him?".
The deployments were as follows: I had on my left flank 16 elements of Irr Sp(i) backed up by 8 elements of Ps(o)with 1 Irr Kn(f) and the King Irr Kn(f). Next in line were 4 Irr Bw(i) and 4 Irr Kn(f), one of which was a sub Gen.Beside them arrayed 12 Irr Kn(f),(Sub Gen included) and a one Irr Lh(o). Finally on my right flank stood the Burgundian Ally Gen and his 7Irr Cv (o), backed up by 12 Wb(o).
Trailape here. I deployed left to right as follows: 16 Irr Sp(i) backed by 8 Ps(o) with an Irr Kn(s) Sub gen. In the center was the King's command consisting of 11 Kn(s), one of which was the king himself, and 9 Irr Lh(o). The right flank consisted of 1 Irr Kn(s) Sub Gen, 4 Irr Cv(o), 2 Irr Lh(o), 6 Irr Ax(s), 3 Ps(o) and 8 Ps(i).
The Spanish invaders advanced on the my left flank and in the centre, half of the Spanish foot came on but half stayed put, their movement blocked by the rough ground to their front.
Actually I deliberately held half the spear back behind the rough going, with a view of throwing the Psiloi supports through to give the warband some grief in the bad going if they went for the Spearmen. The other half wanted to cover the Centre Commands flank. I figured the 8 Sp(o) and supports would be ample for the task.
I was able to hold all my line from going forward in spontaneous advance, except for the Burgundians, who had a rush of blood and charged straight ahead. (I threw a "2" and wanted to advance my allied horse so the Wb(o) went forward also, looking for his spears). On my left he advanced his Auxilia towards the Vineyard and screened my spearmen with light horse. His General on that flank turned to his left and lead the Spanish Cav dashing from their right flank to their left to confront the Burgundian threat.
TURN 4
It was at this point in the battle that things got nasty. Some light horse had been thrown at me in an attempt to hold up my Burgundians. In the ensuing melee the Spanish lost 3 Light Horse elements. It took the Spanish Sub general in command of the Spears intervention to stabilise the situation. In the centre my archers fired at his Knights and Light horse, and managed to flee some of the lights and recoil a knight or two, but next bound the Knights crashed into the hapless bowmen and dispatched 2/3 of their number and broke my centre-left command!
CHAAARRRGGEE!! My CinC had had enough of these silly archer types. "On to Rome, On to Rome! No pity! No mercy! I will Kill any man who I see pity in him!" The Knights smashed through, and a big hole opened in the centre of the Evil barbarians ranks.
In the centre things went from bad to worst. The other half of the Spanish king's command hit the right-centre command, (Knights (f)), and gradually chewed them up! Now both centre commands were broken! Things looked grim. The centre had given way and my CinC's Command of Spears was pinned by Light horse and Auxilia were soon to enter the Vineyard and all I had to face them was crappy skirmishing archers.
Fortunatly, due to the fact he had to send his right flank Sub General to the left he didn't have the pips to envelope my left with the Bidets(Auxilia (S))
My best chance lay with the Burgundians, but they had gone completely out of control! "May the Gods help us,.." gasped the King,"...the fate of us all rests in the hands of a bunch of looney's!" "And they smell bad Sire!" commented one of his companions."
TURN 7 "It all rest's with me!" Frank the Burgundian thought. "I alone can save the day." The Spanish Light Horse had been seen off, but now a new threat in the shape of Spanish Cavalry and Spearmen appeared. Also, Spanish light archers were seen moving out of the rough ground and threatening the flank of the Warbands. "There!The man on the white horse! Kill him!"
"Count Cabalaros is dead! Cabalaros is dead!" I lost the Commander of the Spears when he was wrapped by Burgundian Cavalry, but the real killer was when a element of my other Subbies Cavalry recoiled into him and sent him crashing down also. Would you believe it, just when victory is in my grasp, BOTH sub generals manage to fall off their horses! Because both Sub Commands had lost 4 elements I needed to roll 5's for both. The dice skidded across the table,...4,4,4.
"All is lost! Save yourselves!" The cry went up."No! It can't be?" Cried the Spanish King. "Come back! Rally once more,... for we have won!?" "Yeah, right,... I'm off you Nutter!" was bellowed fron a nobles lungs as he flew past on his charger.
It ended in a 8-2 Victory for me, but that was not a true indication of my opponents skill. I believe he rolled about twenty 1's or 2's during combats. This is what lead to my Victory more than anything, but I take solace in the fact that I have lost many games due to bad dice rolls I hope this report was interesting, and I believe I should have been beaten quite easily, but managed to hold on and get Lucky
I think Jim is being quite charitable here. The bottom line was he was savvy enough to sieze the chances when they came. Sure, to win by killing Generals may seem a bit like the act of a desperate man, but it sure beats doing it the long, hard way! After all, the Spartans won at Platea (I think that's how it's spelt) by "killing the man on the white horse." I'll admit I was very unlucky with my combat rolls, but that's part of the game. I also think that is one of the strenghts of DBM,... the game aint over 'til the fat lady sings, (or in my case "till all the generals are back in camp, off their horses and divvying up the booty").
I'll attempt to get a couple of pictures from the battle on the site soon.
TRAILAPE
It was an enjoyable battle
Jim
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Maps of the Battle of Bloody Plain!
Jim here.
My troops are at the top of the page. From left to right as you look you will see the Burgundian Allies with the Cav Leading (Gray\blue) followed by their Warband, (Pale Blue). Next is the fast Knights of the 2nd Sub General,(light blue). Next is the first Sub General withe his fast Knights (light blue) and Inferior bow (dark blue). Finally you see the CinC and his Knights (light blue) and the Inferior spears and psiloi supports, (dark blue). The brown square is the Vineyard.
Hi Troops
The Spanish deploy, with (from L to R), Inferior spears and supports (pink), behind and to the left of the rough ground . In the centre is the Light horse, Superior Knights and then more Light Horse (red). The right flank contains the Cavalry & more Light Horse (red) and the Bidets (Ax(s))& Javlinmen (Ps(i)), denoted in pink.
Baggage for both armies is denoted by the coloured disks behind their relevant commands.
TURN 1
TURN 4
As you can see on this map, the Spanish are threatening in the centre, but my Burgundians are turning in on their left flank.
Flank shmank,... Spanish Crusading knights don't give a hoot about flanks. It's up the guts with heaps of smoke for my boys. Besides, My right Sub Gen is coming across to save the day with the Cavarly (the red/brown/red elements in the centre). As you can also see, the skirmishing archers (the thin pink line) are moving through the rough ground to lend a hand also.
TURN 7
As you can see it got quite messy here. My centre left command has broken, as denoted by the fleeing blue dots, and my centre right command is just starting to break up. The Burgundian Warbands are all over the shop (pale blue ovals), and the Burgundian Cav are tied up facing the Spanish spearmen.
Thats right Jim, except for that element or two of Burgundian Cav about to hit my Sub general, (BROWN). You can also see the Bidets, (Ax (s) ) about to enter the vinyard on the Italian Ostrogoth's left. And all the time my Spanish Knights are smashing through the Italian 'Goth's centre. From here I thought Jim was toast, but,...
Yep, saved by the Looney's on horse back.
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