Post by diades on Apr 10, 2020 16:52:18 GMT
This week's DBA by Skype, 1097. My opponent chose to be Muhammad ibn Tasufin leading the Islamic Berber Almoravids against El CID's Feudal Spanish.
The Christians chose the battle ground, with a wood to their left, a road from their right flank to a distant hamlet and a large gentle hill in the middle of the Almoravid line. Up front a line of Christian spear, with a fast crossbow unit on their left and a cavalry and light horse on the right. Behind, a way behind, a row of knights with a Psiloi at each end.
The Amoravids mirrored the spear line with three units of Psiloi on the right and camels on the left. Two light horse in column on the road in front of the hamlet, the cavalry general and another light horse behind the main line and centre.
The Christians had the better of the early manoeuvring. Spear shuffled right and the crossbow raced around behind to the right, between spear and cavalry; Spanish Psiloi massed on the left with space for knights to charge through the centre. Meanwhile the muslims wheeled to their left off the hill, the general and light horse joining the right hand end. Camels joined the light horse on the left.
Then the initiative switched to the Almoravids. Their Psiloi went for the wood on the Christian Right. The outnumbered Spanish Psiloi backed off and a lone knight came forward to threaten. The sneaky Almoravid Psiloi managed to get around on the right and started to herd the Spanish left in the woods and prevent the Knights from completing the left hand end of their line.
Ultimately El Cid started the charge. From left to right knight on cavalry general, the Cid vs spear, two sets of spear on spear with a Christian overlap on the right due to a spear recoil from crossbow fire. Whilst Spears bounced both ways, the Cid won through, whilst Muhammed stood his ground. A Muslim light horse had found its way out right and closed in on the flank of the Knights opposing their general, pinning the Cid in place. The next two rounds of combat saw no ground given by either side in that combat, whilst the spear continued to to and fro.
The Christians advanced spear and cavalry ahead of their line on the right versus spear and Psiloi, whilst the crossbows moved wide right to support jinetes keeping enemy camelry and light horse in check. Still no decisive combat and the camels and light horse charged. Crossbows and jinetes both crumbled and suddenly the Christian Right flank was exposed. Fortunately for the Christians, Muhammad was finally pushed back, another Muslim spear succumbed for 2-2. The camels hard flanked the cavalry vs Psiloi on the Christian Right, only for another stand. With only one PIP, the Cid trusted his footmen. Another Muslim spear unit went down and the brave cavalry won on the right, whilst Muhammad continued to back off from the Knights. 4-2 victory for the Feudal Spanish.
Bairen safe again! Another great Skype game, with much communication testing with all the threat zone shenanigans between Psiloi in the woods.
The Christians chose the battle ground, with a wood to their left, a road from their right flank to a distant hamlet and a large gentle hill in the middle of the Almoravid line. Up front a line of Christian spear, with a fast crossbow unit on their left and a cavalry and light horse on the right. Behind, a way behind, a row of knights with a Psiloi at each end.
The Amoravids mirrored the spear line with three units of Psiloi on the right and camels on the left. Two light horse in column on the road in front of the hamlet, the cavalry general and another light horse behind the main line and centre.
The Christians had the better of the early manoeuvring. Spear shuffled right and the crossbow raced around behind to the right, between spear and cavalry; Spanish Psiloi massed on the left with space for knights to charge through the centre. Meanwhile the muslims wheeled to their left off the hill, the general and light horse joining the right hand end. Camels joined the light horse on the left.
Then the initiative switched to the Almoravids. Their Psiloi went for the wood on the Christian Right. The outnumbered Spanish Psiloi backed off and a lone knight came forward to threaten. The sneaky Almoravid Psiloi managed to get around on the right and started to herd the Spanish left in the woods and prevent the Knights from completing the left hand end of their line.
Ultimately El Cid started the charge. From left to right knight on cavalry general, the Cid vs spear, two sets of spear on spear with a Christian overlap on the right due to a spear recoil from crossbow fire. Whilst Spears bounced both ways, the Cid won through, whilst Muhammed stood his ground. A Muslim light horse had found its way out right and closed in on the flank of the Knights opposing their general, pinning the Cid in place. The next two rounds of combat saw no ground given by either side in that combat, whilst the spear continued to to and fro.
The Christians advanced spear and cavalry ahead of their line on the right versus spear and Psiloi, whilst the crossbows moved wide right to support jinetes keeping enemy camelry and light horse in check. Still no decisive combat and the camels and light horse charged. Crossbows and jinetes both crumbled and suddenly the Christian Right flank was exposed. Fortunately for the Christians, Muhammad was finally pushed back, another Muslim spear succumbed for 2-2. The camels hard flanked the cavalry vs Psiloi on the Christian Right, only for another stand. With only one PIP, the Cid trusted his footmen. Another Muslim spear unit went down and the brave cavalry won on the right, whilst Muhammad continued to back off from the Knights. 4-2 victory for the Feudal Spanish.
Bairen safe again! Another great Skype game, with much communication testing with all the threat zone shenanigans between Psiloi in the woods.