Despite our latest move to picking armies from the same half of one of the army list volumes we managed to get an even more unlikely pairing than the last one. This time we had the Vikings facing off against the Khmer, that is one long trip halfway around the world. Perhaps we should limit ourselves to a geographic areas? Second book, eastern Europe.... who knows, it's all just silly fun anyways.
The Terrain Gods proved fickle this time around and with neither of us taking much of a mounted arm I ended up outscouting Anton 2:0 so he had to deploy first and here is our initial deployments.
Anton's army is in the foreground and as follows left to right.
18xLight Foot, IRG C, LI, 1/2 S & Sh, 1/2 B & Sh
24xBondi Foot, IRG C, LMI, 1/2 2HCW & Sh, 1/2 JLS & Sh
24x Bondi Archers, IRG C, LMI, B & Sh
Immediately behind the other archers, 24x Bondi Archers, IRG C, LMI, B & Sh
Behind the archer units cowers Anton's CinC, LHI with an IRG B bodyguard and PA standard
both of these last are on horses
48xViking Foot 12-IRG B, LHI 2HCW&Sh, 36-IRG C, LMI, JLS & Sh
48xViking Foot 12-IRG B, LHI 2HCW&Sh, 36-IRG C, LMI, JLS & Sh
9xBerserkers, IRG A, LMI, 2HCW & Sh
48xViking Foot 12-IRG B, LHI 2HCW&Sh, 36-IRG C, LMI, JLS & Sh
in the center rear 9xBerserkers, IRG A, LMI, 2HCW & Sh
My Army is in the rear and as follows from left to right.
20xSkirmishers, IRG C, LI, 18-B, 2-JLS
38xElephants and Escorts, 4-IRG B Elephants with driver and 1 with B & JLS
includes 18- IRG C, LI, JLS
24 Uniformed Infantry, REG B, LHI, JLS & Sh
45 Irregular Infantry, IRG C, LMI, JLS & Sh
45 Irregular Infantry, IRG C, LMI, JLS & Sh
24 Maiden Guard, REG A, LMI, JLS & Sh
In the Rear CinC w/B & JLS and PA standard on IRG B Elephant
Bodyguard of 2xMaiden Guard Cavalry, REG A, EHC, JLS & Sh (elephant proofed)
24 Uniformed Infantry, REG B, LHI, JLS & Sh
On Turn One, most of our armies surged forward. I held my Elephant Unit back to entice Anton into the unfavorable for him scrub terrain which spread from the steep hill over to the woods. I did advance my Uniform Infantry into the scrub as they too were slowed by the terrain and I wanted the fight to take place in the scrabbled mess. On the right Anton sent one warband and both units of Berserkers into the woods, while I sent both of my Irregular units in. Anton inclined his last warband to cover the flank of the woods and I sent my Maiden Guard out to the extreme flank where being out of contact would matter little to the Regular A troops.
On Turn Two the archers on the left began shooting each other. Anton continued advancing in the left center. In anticipation that the woods would prove the decision point in the battle I began advancing my reserve Uniformed Infantry unit toward the woods. Our troops in the woods came into sight of each other resulting in surprise sighting tests for all five units. When these tests were taken Anton's Berserkers on the left went impetuous. Anton's other two units passed, but that was all. Meanwhile my unit on the left in the woods passed its test, but the unit on the right failed refusing to advance.
On turn Three things continued on the left and left center. Anton charged all three of his units into my one poor hapless functional unit in the woods and broke them instantly. On the right my brave Maiden Guard advanced bravely toward Anton's last warband which was literally double their number.
As a small consolation to my own poor dice Rolling Anton's impetuous Berserkers suffered 21 casualties as they helped in breaking my unit. Anton managed to suffer 2 casualties by rolling poorly.
On Turn Four The archers continued shooting at each other on the left. Anton moved his troops into position on the left center to charge next turn. Anton's already impetuous Berserkers surged out of the woods as did his successful Warband. Meanwhile Anton's other Berserker wedge went impetuous after the carnage performed on my first infantry unit and charged into my wavering second infantry unit (closest enemy). Once again my unit just stood and accepted the charge rolling low enough to not allow them to respond. However in this fight Anton's Berserkers failed to do enough casualties to equal the size of my troops so he failed to push them back. On the extreme right My brave Maiden Guard continued their advance resolutely at the Viking warband.
Turn five saw a continuation of the missile fire on the left. Anton's smaller warband charged my elephant unit, who returned the favor. Anton's warband in the scrub went impetuous and charged my Uniformed Infantry unit. In the resultant melee thanks to Anton Rolling Up 4 and my rolling down one, literally as good as he could and as bad as I could, my Uniformed Infantry were shattered and broke on contact. Anton's Berserkers coming out of the woods and warband charged my advancing Uniformed Infantry who were covering for my CinC to join the routing Irregular Infantry. In the resultant melee my Uniformed troops were pushed back by Anton's Warband, but pushed back Antons remaining Berserkers. In the woods my MUCH larger irregular infantry expanded around the flanks of Anton's dwindling Berserkers and pushed them back ending their impetuous state. On the right my Maiden Guard charged into Anton's last warband. However the Maiden Guard was pushed back in the melee. In the rear my CinC successfully rallied the broken Irregular infantry unit.
On Turn Six, the skirmishers continued their unpleasantries. My elephants managed to not only routs Anton's smaller warband, but then caught it as it ran away. Unfortunately Anton's impetuous Warband in the scrub caught my routing Regular infantry causing further carnage before the regulars could outdistance their pursuers. Outside the woods Anton's second warband pursued my retiring Regular Infantry. Still in the woods my irregular infantry completely surrounded Anton's remaining Berserkers and pushed them back once again causing them to surrender as they had no place to retreat to. On the extreme right Anton's warband once again managed to push back my brave Maiden Guard.
On turn Seven, once again my Elephants and Escorts managed to stay in contact with Anton's routing small warband. My CinC joined the routing Uniformed Infantry and rallied them. Outside the woods, my stable uniformed Infantry Unit managed to avoid being pushed back a third time and broken by Anton's Second Warband stabilizing the fight. On the extreme Right Anton pushed back my brave Maiden Guard for a third time.
In the woods I regret to report my Irregular Infantry "failed" their morale test to accept the surrender of the Berserkers and went impetuous themselves slaughtering the Berserkers.
On Eight Anton's Impetuous mob charged into my Rallying Uniformed Infantry. In the resultant fight my regulars pushed back Anton's mob. However, Anton managed to kill my general - and elephant!
Otherwise on Turn Eight, My elephants and Escorts continued to stay in contact with and slaughter Anton's smaller mob. Outside the woods Anton managed to push back my Uniformed Infantry, restarting the three in a row needed to break them. On the extreme Right Anton pushed back my maiden guard for the fourth time in a row breaking them.
Finally on Turn Nine Anton's smaller warband managed to disintegrate to avoid further abuse. This happens when a unit has been routing for longer time periods as each turn a D6 is rolled and a basic factor added to the roll based on the troops in question. For Anton's LMI it is a D6 plus 4. For each turn of routing after the first 2 is deducted from the dice plus factor result, whenever the total is zero or less The routing unit disintegrates as in this case. Pursuers, also getting tired subtract 3 from the dice plus factor result which SHOULD allow the routers to escape in a turn of three, but not always. The reader should note that most of my pursuit was performed by the light infantry portion of my Elephants/Escort unit, thus Anton still had 14 figures out of the 24 original.
On the rest of Turn Nine. My Uniformed Infantry unit in the scrub failed to push back Anton's tired mob. Anton's Mob outside the woods pushed back my other Uniformed Infantry unit. My impetuous Irregular Unit charged into Anton's Viking Mob rear as the Vikings pursued the routing Maiden Guard. In the coup de grace for my army the rallied Irregular unit, upon seeing the CinC and his elephant dead, failed their morale test refused to advance and became shaken, thus ending any chance of getting them into the fight. The unfortunate situation of my Elephants and Escorts left them standing out in the open with two units of archers staring at them and no other visible targets. I conceded the battle as there was no way to fix any of my morale situations and the elephants were doomed.
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