Post by diades on May 9, 2020 19:03:52 GMT
The skalds are at the harp. The hearth roars. Fare from the hunt and mead by the goblet are shared around (!) the table between Arthur and his court. In staggers the messenger, "Sire, the Picts are revolting...".
King Arthur mobilises his best troops and marches North to intercept. He catches the rampaging Picts on ground of his choosing. He deploys a battle line of three pedyt (Sp), with a unit of legionari (4Bd) at either end, between a hamlet and a large, steep hill. On their right two units of cohortales (4Ax) in the hamlet, on their left a unit of Psiloi head up the hill. Equites Dalmatiae (LH) secure the far side of the hill, whilst The King and his knights deploy behind the battle line flanked on either side by alares (3Cv).
Facing him the Pictish general (me), deploys six units of spear (3Pk) in two ranks opposite the hamlet and mostly inside a large wood. Wide out to their left two units of light horse and, attached to their right, the general in his light chariot. Opposite the steep hill three units of Psiloi.
A full size board and both sides regularly received way over their anticipated PIPs throughout meaning full advantage of the space could be taken.
Arthur stepped the cohortales to their right, wheeled his battle line right, sent the Psiloi to the hill summit, sent alares behind the hamlet and advanced the Dalmatia. The Pictish spear raced out of the woods and veered to their left. Two Psiloi headed for the hill top in column, whilst the other countered the light horse.
The Pictish spearmen were able to keep going and hit Arthur's cohortales and alares on their fourth move in a row, with a line five wide, with the sixth backing up the central unit against the cohortales out of the hamlet. Meanwhile the Arthurian line continued to wheel supported by more Alares, where one unit of the legionari had trudged up the steep hill to support their outnumbered Psiloi. First blood to Arthur as a Pictish Psiloi was destroyed, caught between blade and Psiloi. The remaining Pictish Psiloi reversed out in quick time.
Back on Arthur's right, the battleline had wheeled a full ninety degrees and were faced by the Pictish mounted contingent. The ruthless Pictish spearmen eventually destroyed Arthur's extreme right to lead 3-1.
Whilst Arthur shored the near end of his infantry with his mounted, to protect his camp and create a gap in front of the hamlet for him to join, the Pictish mounted shuffled and pinned the far end of the infantry battle line with a pending overlap. Arthur countered sending his Dalmatians over to cover the threat. The Picts charged home. No early results. Arthur charged in to the rescue, a unit of Pictish spearmen were duly destroyed, but his pedyt backed off from both Pictish light horse and general, to see the Dalmatians destroyed on the end. 4-2 victory for the Picts. Arthur will have to retreat in order to regroup and fight again another day.
King Arthur mobilises his best troops and marches North to intercept. He catches the rampaging Picts on ground of his choosing. He deploys a battle line of three pedyt (Sp), with a unit of legionari (4Bd) at either end, between a hamlet and a large, steep hill. On their right two units of cohortales (4Ax) in the hamlet, on their left a unit of Psiloi head up the hill. Equites Dalmatiae (LH) secure the far side of the hill, whilst The King and his knights deploy behind the battle line flanked on either side by alares (3Cv).
Facing him the Pictish general (me), deploys six units of spear (3Pk) in two ranks opposite the hamlet and mostly inside a large wood. Wide out to their left two units of light horse and, attached to their right, the general in his light chariot. Opposite the steep hill three units of Psiloi.
A full size board and both sides regularly received way over their anticipated PIPs throughout meaning full advantage of the space could be taken.
Arthur stepped the cohortales to their right, wheeled his battle line right, sent the Psiloi to the hill summit, sent alares behind the hamlet and advanced the Dalmatia. The Pictish spear raced out of the woods and veered to their left. Two Psiloi headed for the hill top in column, whilst the other countered the light horse.
The Pictish spearmen were able to keep going and hit Arthur's cohortales and alares on their fourth move in a row, with a line five wide, with the sixth backing up the central unit against the cohortales out of the hamlet. Meanwhile the Arthurian line continued to wheel supported by more Alares, where one unit of the legionari had trudged up the steep hill to support their outnumbered Psiloi. First blood to Arthur as a Pictish Psiloi was destroyed, caught between blade and Psiloi. The remaining Pictish Psiloi reversed out in quick time.
Back on Arthur's right, the battleline had wheeled a full ninety degrees and were faced by the Pictish mounted contingent. The ruthless Pictish spearmen eventually destroyed Arthur's extreme right to lead 3-1.
Whilst Arthur shored the near end of his infantry with his mounted, to protect his camp and create a gap in front of the hamlet for him to join, the Pictish mounted shuffled and pinned the far end of the infantry battle line with a pending overlap. Arthur countered sending his Dalmatians over to cover the threat. The Picts charged home. No early results. Arthur charged in to the rescue, a unit of Pictish spearmen were duly destroyed, but his pedyt backed off from both Pictish light horse and general, to see the Dalmatians destroyed on the end. 4-2 victory for the Picts. Arthur will have to retreat in order to regroup and fight again another day.
