Kingdoms in the East Campaign - Round 3. Summary

Challenging the leading player

After two rounds and two victories I continued my course of action and challenged Jaakko, whom was leading our campaign. So a second round of challenging a Jaakko, whom is leading...

Battles and results on Round 3. 

Marko's Arabs vs. Jaakko's Seljuqs - Victory for Seljuqs (Game played by Kalle)
Sami's Teutons vs. Mikko's Goths - Victory for Teutons
Tommi's Swedish KD vs. Matti's Baltic Pagans - yet to be played
My Rus vs. Jaakko B's Novgorod Anglo Danes - Minor victory to Anglo Danes, see report below

Campaign Status in the end of Round 3.

My battle 

Armies

Against Jaakko’s Anglo Saxon 1000p. army I decided to go with Rus army from the Dark Age armies (since his army is from that book as well) and to field a small Byzantine allied contingent.

Kuva bysanteista

My army included (number indicates the number of bases)

•  General and 3 RUS commanders and 2 Byzantine commanders
• 6 Druzhina heavy cav
• 6 Varjazi, with Dane axes
• 3 X 6 Militia
• 5 slav skirmishers with bows
• 5 Steppe cav mercenaries
• 4 Byzantine cataphract
• 6 Byzantine elite themata infantry

Jaakko’s army

Scenario

Once again we played the hidden deployment scenario. Jaakko drew a map and I just placed my army on the battlefield, followed  by Jaakko doing it, based on his "Top Secret Perfect Plan". 

Deployment

Jaakko's gorgeous army deployed for battle

My force deployed... my battle plan was to start with missile skirmishing, get in the first charges,  and then try to break through from both flanks, while avoiding contact with the enemy in the middle. And by gaining superiority in momentum token, since I knew, that my inferior militia units wouldn't last long against combined Anglo-Danish units, with a dreadful combination of shieldwall, great weapons, superior fighters and veteran -skills

Trops from left to right: Byzantines, Varjazuí (screened by skirmishers), militia units, tribal warriors, Druzhina, Steppe Horse Archers

My small Byzantine allied contingent in my left flank

One of my best units: Steppe Horse Archers

Slav skirmishers

Early phases 

As planned my forces advanced in both flanks, while my center was more cautious. Anglo Danes pushed forward  in a steady battle lines. Both sides maintained shieldwalls. Momentum was slowly gained by both sides.

Push in the right flank, Horse archers harassing the enemy

In the left flank my Cataphracts got a bit too exited and charged at the 

enemy slingers, whom evaded. This left the cataphract flank open...

In my right flank my horse archers tried to get rid of the 

enemy skirmishers, should have brought the spears...

Druzhina were threatening the enemy left flank 

Some refreshments were also needed...

Midgame situation

Anglo Dane Fyrd charges into my Catapharcts

Byzantine infantry is drilled and turns swiftly towards their beleaguered comrades, while my skirmishers screen their flank 

Cataphracts disengaged and Byzantine infantry charged in

Perspective from the AD side

End Game

In order to support my push in the right flank (mine) my horse archers moved in again and poured arrows to finally finish off enemy skirmishers, whom routed and were then caught by them. This earned me my first break point.

Fighting in my right flank got intense as tribal warriors also

Charged in throwing a hand full of dice (throwing spears and a commander)

As I had expected, Anglo Danes were too much for my infantry in most of the engagements, only my Byzantine allies and Druzhinas seemed to hold their own and my battle line in the middle was pushed back. 

This gave a one AD unit the angle to charge one of my militia units into flank of one the militia units (I hadn't realized this). This lead to them breaking and (successfully) fleeing from the combat. Luckily, only one to panic from this was the tribal warriors unit next to them, whom were destroyed by pursuers (losing me 3 break points)

Pursuit scattered AD battle line and now my Druzhinas (whom had disengaged from the Vikings) were finally poised to charge the enemy in the flank... 

It was time to roll, whether the game would continue for the 7th round... and it didn't.

End of the game situation

Conclusion: minor victory for Anglo Danes (3-1 breaking points). I think I was "saved by the bell" as my situation would probably have gone from bad to worse as Jaakko now mad a clear advantage in momentum points. I think it's quite hard to "come back" in SP, once the other player gets an addvantage in momentum tokens.  

Video summary of the game

Muslim Civil War

Pictures from the Game by Marko and Kalle