Dark Ages - week 5

The scenario we played this week involved lots of movement - the defender was trying to cross from one corner to the opposite one, while the attacker tried to envelope them from the sides. The defender won by getting more than half their points off and the attacker won by routing more than half the defenders points. Following the Pope's ban on crossbows the Flemish have become Norse.

Game 1 - Welsh (defender) vs Anglo-Norman (attacker)

This was likely a good scenario for the fast moving Welsh who might be able to out manoeuvre the Anglo-Normans, and so they set-up to push straight down the middle while the ANs had mounted one side and foot the other.

AN knights try to cut-off the Welsh

True to form the Welsh scuttled up the centre with their horse leading the way. Initially it looked like they might escape with minimal casualties and much of the light horse escaped unscathed. Eventually the  ANs came to grips with them were able to kill enough to mean the Welsh could only get exactly half their units off. Draw.  

Welsh foot in a bind

Game 2 - Arthurian / Roman (Defenders) vs Norse (attacker). 

The Arthurian's hugged the northern side of the table looking to avoid the Norse archers. 

Some slow movement from the defenders allowed the Norse to close the gap and bring them to combat in centre field. 

After the struggle the Arthurian's lost over half their points and so were unable to win the game. Norse win.   

Romans and Norse clash

Game 3 - Franks (defender) vs Irish/Anglo-Norman

The attackers deployed with the Irish to the west and the ANs to the east. After initially moving up the centre the Franks pushed all their troops towards the ANs making it a classic hammer & anvil game.  

Franks swing east to avoid the Irish

With the Irish in hot pursuit the Franks engaged the ANs and were able to destroy their elite horse. Meanwhile the Irish warriors mowed down the Frankish archers and engaged their infantry. As the Frankish horse was whittled away it fell to their infantry to try and win the game.  

In a tense finish the ANs final unit of spearmen managed to hold the Frankish up long enough for the Irish Gallowglass to kill more than half the Franks. Irish / Anglo-Norman win. 

AN spears hold the line

      

Campaign situation