"Sheer ******* Hubris"

 Some of you might recognise the title as a quote from one of the myriad Star Trek franchises this time starring Patrick Stewart, I only caught it because The Critical Drinker, my goto cinema/TV critic, uses it along with some other clips to show his displeasure at modern cinema. You will remember my crowing last post about my victories, what I had forgotten on my online Triumph was the slave at my back continually whispering "remember you are mortal, and don’t forget my reparations”.

I had vanquished the mighty Normans you might recall and chose to get another game of War and Conquest in at the club with Simon. I normally let 'newbies' take the Romano-British as they have a small advantage over the Saxons but this time Simon chose Saxons, so I was quite pleased to be in command once again of my first ever War and Conquest army and one of my favourites, it had been ages since I led them onto the field of battle.

I chose a balanced army with four infantry blocks and a cavalry unit supported by massed archers and skirmishers, once I had done this I checked Simon's list for the evening as I would have to bring his troops, it was a good list but lacked variety with no cavalry or skirmishers, just five large infantry blocks. It would be fair to say I was not unduly worried. On the night I deployed with my cavalry and skirmishers on the left and the other skirmishers and massed archers on my right, stretching between were my infantry, opposite the Saxons were simply lined up in a battle line.

 As we began I moved my cavalry out to threaten the Saxon right, this took care of one of the enemy blocks, so now it was four versus four, I raced two of my Milites to grab a nearby hill before Simon's mercenary Franks could get it. Showers of missiles darkened the sky but as the dust settled no Saxons were lying in the grass, again the light was blotted out as the enemy advanced and again nothing happened. My boys sat on their hill and awaited the Frankish onslaught, it was going to be touch and go but I had faith, wait, two men with headaches and the Milites run for the rear being cut down in the pursuit, their nearby friends deciding to run with them! OK not headaches but I had lost maybe three casualties overall in the two units, this doesn't happen to me, only my enemies. I thought perhaps I could advance and do the same to the Saxons opposite my non routing units, if I did this quickly I could be back in the game.

 My elites failed miserably to go into shield wall and move, my remaining Milites were now attacked and again ran for the rear, what was going on. The Franks were now moving on my hearthguard and Dux, these stalwart men were now surrounded by Saxons and prepared to sell their lives dearly, no, wait, that is not what happened, they were crushed and wiped out. I didn't need to hand over my sword as it was picked up on the field amongst the wreckage of my army.

I think the fight lasted one and a half hours, I was slaughtered, no that's not true as no one had actually fought, I was gutted, a good army with their good dice (a set for everyone) and they had let me down. Were they taking their revenge on me for not being fielded, had the dice lost their edge, who knows. I have had one battle before like this where it took me longer to place the terrain than fight before being whipped. Well done to Simon.

I did not take photographs of this action, not because I did not want it recorded but I plan to leave my larger write ups for games here at home now, I was also expecting to be back to gaming the Smolensk Campaign and have a report for that but I got the dates mixed up so it has now been delayed for a week.

I am watching yet another excellent Korean series, I can recommend 'Vagabond', a thriller with constant action and myriad plots. I have been following the reviews of 'Napoleon' on YouTube and the overwhelming consensus seems to be Merde!