Another Introduction

Duncan came down yesterday for another game, eager to play any period, any army I decided to take him to the other end of the spectrum from WWII skirmish, a Dark Age battle Saxons vs Romano-British.

Duncan duly turned up at 12.30 and I took him through setting up a game and introduced him to the Romano-British, I had organised two forces at 2,000 points and to all intents and purposes each mirrored the other apart from the British having larger shields, a hangover from the Romans, so a typical Dark Age slog was on the cards. It takes a few games to work out how a system plays but these armies are far less complex than Romans or Seleucids to handle and using them is a good way to learn the rules.

On deployment I put my Hearthguard, Duguth and Pict warband in the front line, on the right I put mounted and foot skirmishers with my Ceorls at the end of the line also on the right. My idea was to assail the British left and then close with my main line, I would hold off attacking the hill until victory was assured. Duncan deployed with his cavalry and skirmishers on his right and the main battle line anchored on the foresaid hill, he had quickly grasped that the hill was good for him but I also knew that and would stay away until I felt an attack was warranted.

Saxons on the left, Romano-British on the right.

 With my left in the air I had to advance and also send my cavalry and Ceorls to defend that flank, my archers made an effort on my right and managed to have the British Pedyts chase them which kept them out of the main battle. Duncan struck first and his Welsh and a Milites unit crashed into my line, despite this my boys held and then routed the enemy within a turn or so, the Welsh ran first as my King and his bodyguard cut them down. The British Milites on the hill advanced to take on my Picts, the Jocks held but only just, however as the British leaders Comitatus had not advanced I was able to help the Picts by flanking the Milites and having failed their morale for being attacked in the flank the Milites were routed and dispersed.

The Romano-British cavalry had had to give up their attempt to flank my battle line as my cavalry got within javelin range and my Ceorls also arrived on the scene, both cavalry forces now set about each other with neither winning a victory. In the centre only the Dux and his companions were left almost surrounded on his hill, banner fluttering in the wind and disaster all around.

This game could have went either way with forces of the same ilk, my dice just happened to be better then Duncan's, also I had managed to hit the Welsh warband with my elite Gedriht who were more than a match for the Taff's. Duncan did manage to hit my warband but it held out long enough for support to come to its aid. I have know for some time that my warbands are not large enough and as they have no armour and only a shield they really suffer and do not get their warband advantage, I may have to look at recruiting more men.

What else this week, well I finished my terrain pieces, an oil tank, water tank, railway signal and fountain, I had hoped they would last me a bit longer but they were all simple builds and easy to paint. I do have some simple railway lines and am trying to find a ready made ballast, there is a foam type you can get which would be perfect but it seems to be sold out everywhere. This brings me on to getting a railway station, well if you have a signal you may as well get the station, no?

On the tray for now is one figure, a draught horse and a small Seven Years War limber, probably a couple of hours worth. I am getting a vision, it's coming closer, I can see it now......British Paras!

My followers have dropped from 80 to 79, has someone 'cancelled' me, have I been banished from the platform or whatever the expression is, has the train left without me? I have had a couple of run ins of late on Social Meedja so perhaps the mud slinging of me coveting weapons of destruction have stuck. Or perhaps the guy has just given up with Blogger, and why do I care because I am 67 and lived on a planet far far away........