25 years of minis and counting: Kingdoms in the East: Round 5.

Practicing War

As the fifth round of our campaign started I was holding the third position among our eight players. Jaakko B. (Anglo Danes) and Sami (Teutonic State) were leading me just a bit. I managed to "help" in creating a situation, where Jaakko and Sami are now playing against one another. My game was against my (secret) ally and neigbour Mikko and his Goth horde. Since were allies and all, we agreed that the battle would a mere joint practice with wooden weapons. Read on to learn how it all went down and what were the results of this round all together.

Unit of Byzantine allies I finished for the game (and some Medieval Russians too)

Games on Round 5.

Kievan Rus (me) vs. Goths of Theodore (Mikko) - Clear Rus victory

Taifa Kingdom (Marko) vs. Seljuqs (Jaakko S.) - Clear Taifa victory

Swedish Kingdom (Tommi) vs. Baltic Pagans (Matti) - Minor Swedish victory

Novgorod (Jaakko B.) vs. Teutonic state (Sami) - to be played

My 400 point Hail Caesar Rus -list

Total List Cost: 398

Squad (7#, 114 pts)

1 Rus Division, 0 pts

1 Druzhina Heavy Cavalry, 37 pts

1 Mercenary Horse Archers, 19 pts

1 Slavic Medium Infantry, 27 pts

1 Skirmishers, 12 pts = (base cost 11) + Bow 1

Squad (8#, 139 pts)

1 Rus Division, 0 pts

1 Polk Light Infantry, 14 pts

1 Polk Medium Infantry Warband, 26 pts

1 Varangian Heavy Infantry, 27 pts

1 Varangian Heavy Infantry, 34 pts = (base cost 27 + Include Beserkers 6) + Double-Handed Axes 1

1 Skirmishers, 12 pts = (base cost 11) + Bow 1

Squad (9#, 145 pts)

1 Rus Division, 0 pts

1 Polk Light Infantry, 14 pts

1 Polk Medium Infantry Warband, 26 pts

1 Varangian Heavy Infantry, 33 pts = (base cost 27 + Include Beserkers 6)

1 Varangian Heavy Infantry, 34 pts = (base cost 27 + Include Beserkers 6) + Double-Handed Axes 1

1 Skirmishers, 12 pts = (base cost 11) + Bow 1

MIKKO’s Goths

1st Division:

-1x Bodyguard cavalry/33p

-1x Hun light cavalry/19p

4x Gothic medium warband+stubborn& Wild Fighters /112p

2nd Division:

-1x Gothic light infantry archers/22p

-1x Skirmisher slingers/12p

-3x Gothic WB+stubborn& Wild Fighters 84p

3rd Division:

-1x Gothic light infantry archers/22p

-1x Skirmisher slingers/12p

-3x Gothic WB+stubborn& Wild Fighters 84p

Deployment

Mikko was ready with his forces a bit before me, so we agreed, that I would first draw a map of my deployment and then we would start deploying.

Goths deployed spread out on their entire table edge (we were playing on 8X6 table), while I left my extreme right quadrant empty and deployed both infantry divisions in the middle, one behind the other. My cavalry deployed to my left flank, next to the other divisions. All my infantry were deployed in column formation to ensure movement. Mikko copied this.

Goth left flank and center

Round 1.

I won the start roll off and sent my cavalry forward. If Mikko would fail his command here, my cavalry would be poised to charge them, while they were in column formation!

In the center my front division moved forward and then spread out into a battle line. My rear division continued in columns and started shifting towards my right flank, which was protected by archers only.

Round 2.

By throwing my cavalry towards Goth right flank I managed to trick or pin them to hold their ground there, while the center and left moved forward. One of the Goth -units pushed to the hill in the middle and showed it's flank. This was the opportunity I had waited and with a good command roll my heavy hitting cavalry units flung to the right and managed a flank charge - huzzah!

My cavalry smashed through the first unit and crashed into the flank of Goth noble cavalry!

That woke the Goths and they started swarm towards the centre with only my mercenary

horse archer trying to slow them down, while the rest of my army pushed forward to envelope less than half of the Goth army!

End game

My cavalry couldn't destroy the enemy cavalry, whom retired after two rounds of desperate frighting. While most of my army kept closing to surround the Goths in the left, I sent two feared varjazi units to hold of the rest of the Goths - they would need to buy some time for me to break the enemy!