Normans!

 I didn't go to the club last week so no report from there, I just felt like a night off, which is strange really as it is the only night during the week I make an effort and venture abroad, a bit like saying I am retiring when I only serve at most a dozen people a day. The PO have brought forward my date so I am free from the 31st August.

Mark from Grantham arrived this morning for a game of War and Conquest, Mark was bringing Normans, you know I have no love for Normans, whom I usually fight with my Patrician Romans as they too have good cavalry. This time however I thought I would use my Saxons and fit them into the Anglo-Saxon list, firstly it made for an historical match and secondly early Saxons would simple be a speed bump for a Norman army. I am not keen on either of these armies under WAC lists and believe they are far too top heavy and there is no compunction to take cannon fodder, anyway enough whinging.

I chose to take one complete unit of Thegns and then four combined units with Thegns in the front two ranks and the rear rank made up of said cannon fodder, two further units of Ceorls completed my battle line, some cavalry and skirmishers were in support. The Normans had two units of cavalry and three elite infantry units along with a unit of massed archers, two heavy crossbow units and two large skirmish units. Looking across the battlefield it was obvious the Saxons had more men however the Normans had upgraded everything as far as I could see and these enhancements were not cheap, the Saxons had brought some javelins for the Ceorls.

Saxons on the left, Normans on the right.

Saxon lines.

Norman lines.

The terrain gods were on my side and my right flank was a mass of underbrush, woods and heavy going thus cutting down the chances of the enemy cavalry getting around my flanks, Mark deployed with an infantry centre lined with crossbows and missile troops and cavalry on the flanks. I put my cavalry and slingers on my left and then a solid line of infantry with archers on my extreme right, I hoped to force the flanks and hold my centre until this happened before moving it forward. Mark seemed quite happy to see me advance onto his missile troops while pushing against my right, only I did not move my centre and instead went into shieldwall to help nullify the effect of the crossbows. I also saw that my skirmish cavalry were going to be of no use on the left so sent them to the right.

Saxon right advances.

Saxon left advances.

Saxon king and bodyguard.

The Saxon wings close in.

 

My plan was working and I soon had a powerful right flank which overwhelmed his skirmishers and sent them packing, my cavalry also managed to eventually work their way into the Norman rear and threaten the crossbows. This forced Mark to advance his cavalry and an infantry unit, the cavalry were beat and although his infantry won my men managed to out run the pursuit and survive the fight, they did this twice. A mistake led the second Norman cavalry unit to advance and suffer from javelins which hit them as they ran along the front of the main Saxon battle line to their doom. I had by now began to push my left flank towards the massed archers, these decided to charge and sadly for Mark they failed to move the Thegns to their front, Ceorls now attacked into the melee from the hill and the archers fled.

Norman right about to break.

Doomed Norman cavalry.

Hold, hold......

The end is nigh.

 

Both Norman flanks were now in trouble, I had got enough missile troops into position to start hitting the crossbows and both these units crumbled, my centre slowly advanced, the Normans were in disarray now and one unit ran forward and smashed into my centre while another tried to halt the Saxon tide hitting their right. As the dust settled one unit held while the other was losing, both now had Saxons on their flanks and Mark called it a day.

I was cautious as we fought on an 8x5 foot table therefore it added another 12 inches for my guys to walk through the withering fire of the large number of Norman missile troops, however the hill on my left and my aggressive moves on the right reduced the problem. I had no intention of moving before I had cleared the crossbows and my success on the flanks managed this. Mark did have some terrible melee throws several times causing no casualties as he charged in and my guys fought very well throughout and for once Plan A worked. Big thanks to Mark for traveling all the way from Grantham for a days wargaming.

I have now finished the mid ranks of my fourth pike block, under the command of the Duke of Lorraine, these are Black Band Landsknechts in French service, I have cleaned and primed the rear ranks so the whole pike block, 72 men, should be ready soon. I now have a small lead mountain to work through having received an order from TAG, these are to be actual French troops this time, I also have crossbowmen, arquebusiers, artillery and a general in waiting.

 

I have not managed to see any film worth its salt recently and have just about given up. I was looking forward to the third Season of The Umbrella Academy but it hit a snag in that one of the actresses between seasons turned into an actor and therefore two whole episodes of the series had to be devoted to explain this change, nope, don't care. I have also cooled down on The Boys and the next episode might just cross the line. But wait, there is good news, Stranger Things is still quirky enough to enjoy and Harry Bosch has been resurrected as a private investigator in Bosch Legacy and even though his 'daughter' is a plank of wood, Harry is pure gold. I have caught up with Terminal List which has started well but it is an old plot, have I seen too many of these at my age.

That's it then, back to the club Tuesday for some VBCW with Rob and back to maps tomorrow, a wargame project on the Battle of Leipzig for Helion, looking forward to this one, and it's in colour.