[custom scenario] Rise of the Elephant Kings 2!

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Last attempt went reeeally badly due to a couple dreadful positioning errors, so I'm trying again. This time I keep my right flank's cavalry closer to the center, baiting just a couple charges from enemy's Irregulars. The initial moves of the AI are different this time: it moves his heavy cavalry toward the center, in a reserve position.



The battle DOESN'T start well: while I manage to snag a double charge on a unit of Irregulars on the right, the enemy focus archery fire against one of my infantry blocks, and with a strong frontal charge from his own infantry, it routs it right away!

I patch up the hole with my Rajah's Guard, and my Elephants in the center manage to charge enemy cavalry and inflict decent casualities. The Longbowmen are still kicking: the Northern cavalry have tried to charge them, but one unit has been shot to piecies and fragmented, while on the left flank my Elephants intervened. For now the melee in the middle is still undecided. Enemy heavy cavalry and the Nawab's elite are still in reserve, so I keep two units of Elephants and two of Poligar Cavalry in reserve on my right flank.



By Turn 5 I start to see an opportunity: the enemy is massing infantry on the left flank, and also moving Mysore Guards and Mansabar Horsemen there to outflank me. I don't have much there, but this means that the Northerners are committing too much power in a secondary area. I have to capitalize this in the center! Since another Mysore Guards' unit keeps slamming into my infantry in the middle, I can attack it with my Elephants and whittle it down. Other cavalry is following the Guards, so I will also disorganize them just by being near. Turns out even on the left, the enemy is way weaker than I suspected: combining longbowmen's fire with the Elephants, I'm able to beat back the Mysore Guards and force a Mansabdar Horsemen unit to flee.

In the center-right a difficult situation arises: the Nawab has brought his elite soldiers in the area, along with two Infantry units and cavalry. Enemy infantry has occupied the rough ground facing my Elephants and my own Rajah's Guard, so I can't charge them easily. Even worse, enemy archers have occupied defensible ground around a small town and with many cavalry units still in reserve I can't commit my Elephants or my own heavy cavalry yet.



Turn 6 starts in a good situation: in the center and center-left my Elephants are beating back enemy cavalry left and right, and the infantry is winning the melee. One of their charges routes an infantry block, but then they try to pursue enemy light cavalry, and get carried away leaving my Poligar Cavalry in front of the enemy Mysore Guard (albeit disrupted)...

The Ladakh archers have foolishly abandoned their strong position around the town on the right flank, and my Rajah's Guard have dislodged an enemy infantry from the rough terrain in front of them. I decide to commit my reserves to exploit this moves. The enemy Nawab and my own Rajah are in a sticky situation: they are stuck in a strong position but they can't leverage their strenght freely. I try to lock the Nawab's Guards in place charging with my infantry, but I get beaten back badly. I decide to make my Guard fall back to try and see if I can find a better spot. My Elephants rout a Mysore Guards' unit in the center and smash into enemy infantry's ranks. The same happens in the center-right, and I'm not sure it's a good thing: the infantry blocks, if they survive the Elephants' charge, can soak up a lot of punishment and swarm them with superior numbers. Enemy cavalry in reserve is moving forward, and with them there is one of the feared units of Mysore Guards. I have another unit of Elephants there, but...

In the far right, enemy Irregulars have routed my own Raiders, and one of them has been routed by two of my cavalry units after turns of grueling melee. Until the enemy Irregulars come back, I have the advantage.

[StuccoFresco]

Turn 8: mixed results. The situation on the left flank is controversial: the enemy Mysore Guard has rellied and charged my lone cavalry like a train of bricks, BUT I have the Elephants ready for a counterattack. Another Elephant unit has routed an infantry block BUT it's chasing them away, and if it doesn't stop soon I won't be able to use it in the crucial phase of the battle. I'm still winning the infantry grind, though.

In the center-right the situation is fluid: neither side has a clear advantage, but the Nawab is still stuck in place and my Longbowmen are whittling his numbers down.

On the right flank I tried to sneak a Poligar Raider's unit in the enemy's backfield, but their reserves turned around and my soldiers are saying their prayers. However, if with a single light cavalry I manage to an Heavy Cavalry unit, an Irregular one and a Mysore Guard one, I'll consider it an absolute win.



In Turn 10 what I feared happens: the enemy infantry routs my Elephants, and a big gap appears in the right-centre of my lines. Just like the last time, the enemy has committed enough forces there to push through, but at least this time my line folded instead of breaking. Through the use of clever positioning, the enemy is unable to achieve a full breakthrough, and is being whittled down by my Longbowmen. My Elephant and Poligar Cavalry in the right contribute to the situation with a series of lucky melee and charges that blow open a hole in the enemy formation.

Meanwhile, the lone Poligar Raiders who were being surrounded by three enemy cavalry units managed to flee behind a patch of rough terrain and joined forces with a single Poligar Cavalry unit. The enemy can't charge through the rough terrain, so for now an uneasy truce seems to have fallen in this area.

In the far left the infantry melee goes on, with several amusing back-and-forth, but now I managed to charge one already disrupted infantry block with my Elephants, fragmenting it. If I manage to route it, I could find myself in the back of the enemy main line, with a fair chance of achieving a rear charge that could make their entire flank collapse.

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Turn 12: the enemy keeps pushing in the right-centre, advancing with the Nawab's elite and heavy cavalry; my lines are receding even more. The good news is that I've broken through the right flank and I'm now moving my cavalry and elephants to flank the advancing enemy. IF my infantry resist long enough.

In the left a series of bloody melees have left both mine and the enemy's infantries tired and unconvinced of their efforts. A couple units flee, the rest keep fighting in the meat grinder.

In the far right, the enemy has encircled my Poligar cavalry advancing on both sides of the rough ground patch, and will rout them soon. My Raiders, however, keep fleeing the charging Mysore Guards. Good job!





At the end of Turn 13 I have now routed 50% of the enemy's army while having only 25% of my own routed, so the game awards me a victory. However, I doubt the Nawab of Ladakh would retreat now that is pushing forward with his own personal guard, so I decide to disregard the victory screen and keep fighting.

As it turns out, a mere turn more was enough to secure a couple flank charges and rout whatever was left of Ladakh's army in the center. The rest of its cavalry was too far to help, busy chasing down my own fleeing Poligar or my speedy Raiders. The battle is a resounding success, proving the effectiveness of the elephants, provided they are used in a sensible manner. Careful positioning is key: since the enemy could outmaneuver you with his superior cavalry, you better keep your force in a close formation.