Lion Rampant Campaign - Week 5 AAR

Campaign Standings

Saracens: 19 Glory Points
Crusaders: 18 Glory Points

Just a single battle this week, featuring the English and the Saracens. We played the Blood feud with the English in defence.

 The Blood feud - English win, 3 points

On paper this scenario really suited the English - the objective was for the Saracens to kill the English commander. With lots of archers / sergeants and a foot men-at-arms leader the English formed a strong defensive position on a hill.  The Saracens set out to clear away the English archers and then use their own missile troops to wear-down the men-at-arms.

The Saracens advance boldly on the English position

Saracen horse flanking the hill

The early exchanges were dominated by the English archers. Poor movement dice meant they could focus on one unit at a time so both Arab spearman units perished in a hail of arrows. So the Saracens focused on the longbow men and a combination of horse archers and mounted charges managed to clear them away, but at some cost to the Arab horse. 

Arab horse position for the charge

At this point the English commander had to leave, something about having a pig roasting at home, so I reverted to solo play. The IGOUGO and random movement made it fairly straight forward and I followed the English plan of a skulking leader but everyone else attacking.

Pesky archers cleared away

Assassins bear-down on the English

The next phase saw a bruising melee in the centre. The Arab fierce-foot surged forward and mauled some English spearmen and the Saracen horse finished-off the last of the archers.  In return the foot men-at-arms caught some Arab horse archers and annihilated them, whilst the English leader attacked some weakened Saracen  horse. Honours reasonably  even

Catch me if you can

Oh - seems you can

Take that archers!

Take that Saracens !

Following punch and counter punch both sides were weakened. The potential battle winner though was that the undamaged Arab foot archers were now in position. Two English units were zeroing-in but they had time to shoot both. Clearly something was amiss with the arrows though, as two rounds of shooting led to no casualties.   I declared the English the winners as the Saracens simply lacked the strength to hurt them with most units below half strength.  

Pincer movement

King of the hill

A fun game to complete and certainly the Saracens had a chance to win until the foot archers failed so badly.

 

Wargaming quiz part II

In the second instalment of our wargaming quiz its time to examine the prickly world of military beards. To keep things simple you merely have to identify the famous face who is a member of the club.

Answer below

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Lion Rampant - refighting Rome's wars

Draco's Rampant

 

These lists are for use with the popular Lion's Rampant rules and allow players to refight the Dacian Wars fought by the early imperial Romans. For this era the lack of flanks may cause a few game-breaking positions so I would also suggest use of the flanking rules suggested by the author on his web site.

 

Flanks and Rears

Models may move in any direction without penalty, but at the end of the unit’s movement, ensure that all models are facing in one direction.

• To change the direction a unit is facing requires a Move activation, even if the models just turn on the spot.
• Units may only Shoot at targets across the 180° arc to their front, measured from the unit’s forward-most model. At least one model from the target unit must be fully within this arc.
• Units may only Attack units within that same arc; the same applies for Wild Charges (they may not be made against units outside of the arc).
• Units shot at or Attacked by a unit beginning its move or shooting from behind its front arc count their Armour as 1 lower than normal (so Armour 2 becomes Armour 1). This is pretty deadly so don’t get flanked!
• Schiltrons cannot be flanked.

   

 

The Romans

Roman Legionaries

Legionaries

  

These are the backbone of the Roman army and provide flexible force in attack and defence. To allow reasonable numbers to be fielded they are modelled on foot sergeants, with discipline and defensive emphasised. The upgrades allow you to field Veteran units with enhanced anti-falx armour.   

 

Legionaries			4 points
Attack	6+	Attk value		5+
Move	5+	Def value		4+
Shoot	7+ (pilum)	Shoot value		6 / 6"
Courage	4+	Move		6"
Armour	3	Shieldwall. Pilum: Shoot on 7+ if attacked.

Figures: 12

Upgrades:  Armour 4 @2 points

 

Auxilia

 

These provide a flexible alternative to the heavier Legionaries but can be just as well armoured if upgraded. They are especially useful in rough terrain and as the period wore-on become more and more predominant. 

 

Auxilia			4 points
Attack	6+	Attk value		5+
Move	5+	Def value		5+
Shoot	-	Shoot value		-
Courage	4+	Move		8"
Armour	2	Fleet footed, Ferocious

Figures: 12

Upgrades:  Armour to 3 but move to 6" @ 1 points

Scorpio

Bolt from the blue

 

These light artillery were integral to the legions and provided much-needed distance shooting capability to back-up the doughty legionaries. No rules are provided in Lion Rampant so some interpretation is needed. So modelling them on Biddowers they are treated as a small unit of 6 figures, shooting at half effect. No attack value is given as they would never launch an assault.    

 

Scorpio			2 points
Attack	-	Attk value		-
Move	7+	Def value		6
Shoot	6+	Shoot value		5+ / 36"
Courage	4+	Move		6"
Armour	3	Counts as 6 models for casualties and shooting.

Figures: 1 model

 

Other Units

 

Equites = mounted sergeants

Skirmishers = Biddowers with Bows or Javelins

Mounted Skirmishers = mounted yeoman

Dacian general and the obligatory shaman

Auxiliary Archers = Bowmen

 

Dacians

Dacian warriors

 

These lightly equipped troops formed the majority of the Dacian armies. They have been modelled as untroubled by rough terrain but lacking much punch. They may have improved armour to depict nobles.  

 

 

Warriors			3 points
Attack	5+	Attk value		5+
Move	5+	Def value		5+
Shoot	-	Shoot value		-
Courage	4+	Move		6"
Armour	2	Fleet footed, Ferocious

Figures: 12

Grr - angry, hairy, Dacians

Upgrades: Armour 3 @ 1 point

Falxman / Bastarane

 

These aggressive troops are perhaps the defining feature of the Dacian army. Up to 3 feet long, these wickedly curved swords could cause havoc amongst the Roman ranks.

 

 

 

 

Falxmen			4 points
Attack	5+	Attk value		3+
Move	5+	Def value		5+
Shoot	-	Shoot value		-
Courage	4+	Move		6"
Armour	2	Ferocious, Fleet footed, Wild Charge

Figures: 12

Charge!

Upgrades: None 

 

Sarmatian Cavalry

These aggressive mounted troops were erstwhile allies of the Dacians and provided real punch in the mounted department. Mounted on Cataphract-style horses they were well protected, charging into contact with their long lances. They are also bow armed but will usually attempt to charge.

 

 

 

Sarmatian Cavalry			6 points
Attack	5+	Attk value		4+
Move	6+	Def value		5+
Shoot	6+	Shoot value		6 / 12"
Courage	4+	Move		8"
Armour	4	Wild Charge, Counter Charge

Figures: 6

 

Other Units

 

Noble Cavalry = mounted sergeants

Skirmishers = Biddowers with Bows or Javelins

Light Cavalry = mounted yeoman

Archers = Bowmen

 

Typical Army Lists

 

Roman (30 points)   Legionary x 2  @8 points Vet Legionary x1 @6 points Auxilia x 2 @ 8 points Equites or Archers @ 4 points Skirmishers @ 2 points Scorpio @ 2 points

Dacian (30 points)   Warriors x 4  @ 12 points Falxmen x 2 @ 8 points Sarmatian cavalry x 1 @ 6 points Noble Cavalry or Falxmen  1 @ 4 points