A Close Run Thing

I have been very lucky so far this year with War and Conquest, just over two months in and three games under my belt, and all great games despite being hammered in one. This weekend Charlie, who is an occasional visitor to the club came over and brought yet again another Norman army, it was going to be Charlie's introduction to the rules.

I would normally take my Patrician Romans against Normans as they are a fearful army under War and Conquest but this time I took my Saxon Heptarchy army, this army seems to be my default army these days. I took two hearthguard units (Gedriht), two average (Duguth) one of which was mounted as I decided to use them as skirmishers, one unit of young warriors (Geoguth), some Ceorls and skirmishers completed my array. Charlie had a typical Norman army, it was cavalry heavy, four units of knights (Milites), one of light cavalry (Pueri) supported by foot Milites, Coloni, massed archers and some skirmishers. To be successful cavalry in WAC have to be heavily armoured, tooled up and normally elite, apart from annoying skirmish types anyway, so they are more of a nuisance than a threat, although you ignore them at your peril. Also going against them is the normal size of a wargame table at 6x4, there is not a lot of manoeuver room which is why I nearly always play on an 8x5, as it was Charlie's first game I set up a 'normal' WAC game, 2,500 points on a 6x4, I did not realise he would have so much cavalry or I would have made it larger, but at the same time I think 2,500 points is the limit of Charlie's army at the moment.

On deployment the Normans put Milites on their far right, missile troops then a left wing with their infantry supported by three cavalry units. I formed my infantry in a battle line with skirmishers on both flanks and cavalry and Geoguth ready to march and defend my left. Looking across the field of battle my warriors shouted insults at the weak looking Norman infantry line, if I was quick I might swamp these guys, I had forgotten the old adage about plans and contact with the enemy.

Saxons left, Normans Right.

 

Both armies advance.

The opening moves went to plan, my infantry advanced, the right leading while my left flank moved to stop the Milites flanking me, the Norman light cavalry on my right were a pain and I decided to suffer the arrows and javelins of misfortune at the end of my line and send my left flank archers to the right, deja vu. I hoped the large unit of Ceorls hiding behind the hill could hold out from the missile fire and hold the flank. No sooner had the battle started than my Duguth routed a unit of Coloni archers, this caused a panic in the Norman ranks and four units including some Milites ran for the rear, it looked to be all over. Sadly for me the Normans rallied and came back and hit my victorious Duguth and began to win the melee, the archers did not come back and dispersed.

Crash of horse on steel.

I did not panic and sent one of my elite Gedright units into the fight, they were up against Coloni scum and I expected this time to sweep away both Milites and Coloni, to my horror I lost the melee, the Duguth held on but the White Horses fled (my elites both have white horses on their banners), I hurled abuse under my breath, levy for god's sake guys! They must have heard as they immediately rallied, but the Duguth had to hold on, the same was true on my left as both units of Milites crashed into the Geoguth. Once again I expected to stop then rout these haughty horsemen, but no, the Geoguth began to lose, holding on by the skin of their teeth as they made their morale throws, a battle royal.

The Normans weather the storm.

 

Huge melee in the centre.

  Now Charlie threw his dismounted Milites into my second White Horse unit led by the King, these lads were in shieldwall and withstood the first assault and settled in to a desperate melee with the Normans which they eventually won but soon found themselves bracing for a cavalry charge as Charlie threw mounted Milites at them this time. On the left my brave Geoguth had had enough and ran, the Norman cavalry rode them down and were now poised to attack my rear, to get some distance from them I had now advanced my Ceorls against some annoying archers and my Duguth cavalry charged the javelinmen, doing no good whatsoever. A crises was approaching.

The beginning of the end.

 My White Horses routed the cavalry and my long suffering foot Duguth in an outstanding round of combat destroyed the cavalry fighting them and at last routed the Coloni, in the ensuing mess the returning foot Milites also ran in sympathy with the rest of the army in that sector, we were looking at a Saxon victory in the dying moments of the battle. We used objective cards again and I had achieved mine but the writing was already on the wall as we looked over the battlefield.

What a great game and just goes to show what do I know, it turned into a superb fight which I could have lost at any turn. The stands of the Geoguth and Duguth saved me albeit the former eventually ran they held up the flanking Norman cavalry for so long they could not interfere with the main battle, the tremendous fight back by the Duguth ensured the Saxon victory. The Norman Coloni also deserve mention for routing my useless Gedriht, but we got them in the end. Charlie fought well and was unlucky that my guys morale held up while in several turns his did not. I look forward to meeting this army again.