PAWS 2016 Winter DBA Theme

Great choice, Martin. (The absence of camels is more than compensated by the absence, except in Welsh b, of excessive concentrations of Bw.)

We played a bucketload of games today (I played seven games, Richard and Colin played about 4 more).. Yes the LH armies struggled, though Colin had some luck with a nimble early Hungarian force.

The Norman/Frankish armies had mixed success, as you've suggested., and the Russians had dramatic appearances.,(lovely figures in both Colin's and RP's versions) Paul. Both Welsh lists showed up, and had short and 'interesting' games. Even the Middle Anglo-Saxons had a run out, and took down a few Russians before it got messy

Should be an intriguing afternoon.


Polish up yer best dice, I think.........

It may be the brittleness of the Milites knights. A glorious knightly charge can work well if it steamrollers the opposition at first contact, but if an element or two bounce the adjacent Kn elements go down to significantly low factors - thus, a double overlapped Kn fighting a successfully stolid shieldwall can find himself on a paltry +1 vs an opponent with +4...a nasty starting point before the dice roll.
Pursuit is a 'two-edged sword', as well. How many Kn generals have been trounced by the enemy's second line after having punched a hole and become wedged in it ??

When they succeed, the Kn style armies run amock. When they fail it seems to get messy really quick (a bit like warband armies, I suppose).

My two penn'eth

M

Support is probably the answer to the question we're choosing not to ask ourselves. ie Why does it go wrong?
The 4Bd dismounted Milites option is probably the best thing to happen to the Norman list.

M

Seven games of DBA v3, in the run up to next Saturday's PAWS tournament in Portsmouth, based on the later Viking Age (Europe 1001-1100 AD). See the list of permitted armies in the next post.

1/ Using late Norse Leidang vs a Wendish invasion, near to a coastal fortress, on an otherwise featureless plain. Both forces were capable of littoral landings, but chose not to, possibly to avoid the landing troops being cut off and despatched in detail. A head to head clash ensued, in which the Wends fought fiercely, despite a 2 factor differential between the bulk of the infantry (Wends were Ax at +3, Leidang blades being +5). The game changer was the defeat of the Wendish knight contingent in a head to head with the Norse huscarls, after which quality overcame quantity for a 4-3 Norse win.

2/ Defending, using Pre-Feudal Scots, with a Viking ally, against a very knight-heavy Early Russian force, again on the coast, with a large village ('hamlet' in DBA v3)  dominating the battlefield. Russian LH hovered on the far left, while on the right the Vikings landed near the village to support the Scots centre and threaten the Russian foot, who were echeloned back to prevent amphibious Norse interference. The battle was, however, decided in the centre, where the Scots spearmen (3Pk) closed rapidly on the Russian knights. The Russians fought well, and some front rank spearmen were mown down, but a counter-push threw the knights into disarray, leading to a Scots victory, 5-3.

3/ This time I commanded a Middle Anglo-Saxon army, with a few hearth troops (Blades), a swathe of Select Fyrd spearmen and a mob of Great Fyrd 'hordes'. We foolishly invaded Russian territory, and found ourselves on a wide plain, with a gentle hill to our rear left. The Great Fyrd were sent forward to try to draw the Russian mounted into rash pursuit, which worked to some extent, and a knight element fell. However, the rest, with their foot in close support, proceeded to carve their way through the Select Fyrd for a 4-1 (+Hd) loss for the English. Throughout the game the Anglo-Saxon leader was singularly unable to dent the enemy line, even when at a distinct (factorial) advantage (Time for Cnut to take over, methinks...).

4/ My Bretons, mostly cavalry and light horse, faced off an invasion by Early Hungarians. A protracted melee between Breton cavalry and deep blocks of Hungarian horse archers took little toll on either, until simultaneously holes appeared in both lines. Breton mounted from a support line filled the gap, but no reserves were available on the Hungarian side, allowing Breton light horse to flank the enemy mounted from the breach in the line. A 4-2 win for the Bretons soon followed.

5/ My Early warband-dominant Welsh took on Norse Leidang invaders. As in game 2 a large built up area was the focal point, and was soon swarming with agile Welsh and slow moving Norse warriors. No rear support factor for the warbands in the village meant it was a tough struggle, and the northmen stood firm against the Welsh onslaught. Casualties mounted, the game drawing to a close when Viking raider types (3Bd) turned the end of the Welsh line out on the nearby plain. A decisive 0-4 defeat, one for the bards to ignore, perhaps........

6/ Slightly later South Welsh this time, taking on an East Frankish invader, whose deployment was constricted by a steep hill on one flank and a patch of woodland on the other. The Welsh longbowmen formed a line, advanced into range, blocking the exit of the Franks from their defile, and dared anyone to approach. As the Franks charged some very effective (ie lucky) volleys brought down Milites Kn and Frankish footsoldiers (spearmen), so despite a flank charge by Saxon cavalry with crossbow (Ps) support the game went to the Welsh, 4-0.

7/ Lastly, Anglo-Normans faced Feudal French across an open plain, just ploughland and a road breaking up the terrain. The Anglo-Normans chose to deploy dismounted, a la Battle of Lincoln. The fickle French remained on their neddies, and a long slog, swinging to and fro, ensued. An assault by the Normans on the left came to nowt, and then eventually the French gentry got the kills they needed to win the game, English militia spears and dismounted knights being amongst their victims. 4-0 to the French (I think).

A great day of gaming, with an excellent spread of armies.

M

I had this event in my diary, after the good experience and welcome from the PAWS guys at the DBA Open...had been painting up and Early Polish Army, and finished yesterday, to fnd I have to go overseas on work Wednesday this week for a week...aaarrrggghhh. Have fun and will be looking out for some battle results. Thanks peter.

Thanks Menacus. I'm coming over from Brussels by train tomorrow evening - so have a bit of slack in the timetable if I end up spending the night in Woking or wherever.

PS in a last practice game my chosen army, identity yet to be revealed, lost to the pesky Russians only 4-3. Morale is high.