Post by diades on May 9, 2021 15:48:46 GMT
History is written by the victorious. Oh, how true. Our glorious King Charlemagne certainly put the Avars to rout on the Ybbs field, but at first attempt? I know the truth, I was there.
The year of our Lord 788. We had advanced along the Danube with constant harrying from the retreating Avars, but that is not what is recorded..
“Let my armies be the rocks and the trees and the birds in the sky”. Indeed it felt as if that was true of the enemy, with their swift mounted raids.
“And the river always flows, so if you go, I will know, by the rain, my Charlemagne” or something like that, we sang as we trudged.
Finally, a pitched battle by the River Ybbs on our left came to be. We drew up, four units of levies (Sp), in a line with archers on our right (Ps) and behind our right flank (3Bw). Ahead of us a large gentle hill, with a settlement (hamlet) beyond it. Across the river, a large wood. Behind us in two ranks, our massed caballarii, Charlemagene, Swabian and Bavarian (all 3Kn).
We knew the enemy cavalry were beyond the hill, from the few we could see by the river. More were on the far bank. We advanced onto the slope, my own unit heading straight for the summit. The lighter archers did not join us, but the denser packed archers moved to support our right. Thunder! Over the crest came a line of enemy cavalry, down the slope and crashing into us. Our archers on my right were destroyed, but the rest of us stood firm and pushed the enemy horsemen back up the slope. Cabalarii were despatched to plug the gap on our right, but the enemy charged again before they reached. My unit and that to my left once again recoiled our foes, but further to my left our comrades were destroyed and the far left of our line recoiled with enemy cavalry overlapping both of their flanks. As I looked across, I could see the enemy advancing on the far side of the river too.
More cabalarii were sent forward to plug the gap to our left and to protect our line’s left flank by the river. More combat along the line. Again my unit and those to our left pushed back our adversaries, we would crest the hill soon! In the meantime the enemy on the far bank had wheeled and pinned our left flank protection from across the river. Our light archers attempted to cross the river to reach the woods, but the current was too strong and more enemy moved to face them across the river.
Another enemy charge and our comrades on our left were destroyed, whilst we recoiled down the slope once more. Bless him, Charlemagne personally came to protect our unit’s left. The remaining cabalarii were sent to strengthen our right flank to drive the enemy back around the hill. The enemy general was clearly ahead of us. More cavalry and light horse appeared on that flank to counter. Yet another charge down the hill, whilst our archers faced a charge across the river...
Gradually our cabalarii started to take the upper hand on the right and the unit to Charlemagne’s left destroyed their opponents and followed through towards the enemy’s leader. Our archers stood firm. Then it was our turn to advance. Our right flank routed their opponents and Charlemagne pushed his opponents over the crest helping us push our opponents there too. We still had the summit in our sights. Our archers held firm on the bank once more.
The enemy cavalry charged yet again, their column of light horse destroyed the cabalarii to my right and the enemy crossing the river finally won through the deadlock on our bank against the archers. We had lost and Charlemagne sounded the retreat!
All lockdown, we have played on a full 800x800 board. With the hope of a tournament in a couple of months...we opted for 600x600 this time. We deliberately included a river.
No sweeping cavalry out flanking as the larger board may have seen, but good use of the hill and a lot of fun all the same. 5-2 to the Avars after their early 3-0 start! And a couple of quotes to identify. One from a film; the other musical...
The year of our Lord 788. We had advanced along the Danube with constant harrying from the retreating Avars, but that is not what is recorded..
“Let my armies be the rocks and the trees and the birds in the sky”. Indeed it felt as if that was true of the enemy, with their swift mounted raids.
“And the river always flows, so if you go, I will know, by the rain, my Charlemagne” or something like that, we sang as we trudged.
Finally, a pitched battle by the River Ybbs on our left came to be. We drew up, four units of levies (Sp), in a line with archers on our right (Ps) and behind our right flank (3Bw). Ahead of us a large gentle hill, with a settlement (hamlet) beyond it. Across the river, a large wood. Behind us in two ranks, our massed caballarii, Charlemagene, Swabian and Bavarian (all 3Kn).
We knew the enemy cavalry were beyond the hill, from the few we could see by the river. More were on the far bank. We advanced onto the slope, my own unit heading straight for the summit. The lighter archers did not join us, but the denser packed archers moved to support our right. Thunder! Over the crest came a line of enemy cavalry, down the slope and crashing into us. Our archers on my right were destroyed, but the rest of us stood firm and pushed the enemy horsemen back up the slope. Cabalarii were despatched to plug the gap on our right, but the enemy charged again before they reached. My unit and that to my left once again recoiled our foes, but further to my left our comrades were destroyed and the far left of our line recoiled with enemy cavalry overlapping both of their flanks. As I looked across, I could see the enemy advancing on the far side of the river too.
More cabalarii were sent forward to plug the gap to our left and to protect our line’s left flank by the river. More combat along the line. Again my unit and those to our left pushed back our adversaries, we would crest the hill soon! In the meantime the enemy on the far bank had wheeled and pinned our left flank protection from across the river. Our light archers attempted to cross the river to reach the woods, but the current was too strong and more enemy moved to face them across the river.
Another enemy charge and our comrades on our left were destroyed, whilst we recoiled down the slope once more. Bless him, Charlemagne personally came to protect our unit’s left. The remaining cabalarii were sent to strengthen our right flank to drive the enemy back around the hill. The enemy general was clearly ahead of us. More cavalry and light horse appeared on that flank to counter. Yet another charge down the hill, whilst our archers faced a charge across the river...
Gradually our cabalarii started to take the upper hand on the right and the unit to Charlemagne’s left destroyed their opponents and followed through towards the enemy’s leader. Our archers stood firm. Then it was our turn to advance. Our right flank routed their opponents and Charlemagne pushed his opponents over the crest helping us push our opponents there too. We still had the summit in our sights. Our archers held firm on the bank once more.
The enemy cavalry charged yet again, their column of light horse destroyed the cabalarii to my right and the enemy crossing the river finally won through the deadlock on our bank against the archers. We had lost and Charlemagne sounded the retreat!
All lockdown, we have played on a full 800x800 board. With the hope of a tournament in a couple of months...we opted for 600x600 this time. We deliberately included a river.
No sweeping cavalry out flanking as the larger board may have seen, but good use of the hill and a lot of fun all the same. 5-2 to the Avars after their early 3-0 start! And a couple of quotes to identify. One from a film; the other musical...
