ExCoB II - The Prophecy of Merlin: Concluded

[Karvon]

Army 27 of The West - Karvon defeated Army 19 of The South - RedPossum 41-0.

The armies met on a broad plain with a rather large gentle plateau running along the Southern armies side culminating in a large steep hill. Bits of rough ground and a few trees were scattered across the plateau. A large forest lay behind the steep hill, masking off the South's left flank. A smaller woods lay behind their ridge in about the center. Another small woods covered the far right corner of the Southern side. In about the center of the field offset a little to the left was a small marsh and just to the left of it was a rather large patch of rough ground. They were to play the key part of my plan and the battle.

Given we had a rather larger force and had beaten the Southern army twice already, we fully expected them to stake out a strong defensive position somewhere along the plateau to await our initial advance and then perhaps counterattack if we presented an opening. We brought an almost maximum contingent of lights we could use to soften up a point or two for a follow up assault. With several significant areas of rough or difficult ground to possibly deal with, we brought along a sizeable contingent of medium foot and a matching sized contingent of warbands for work in the open ground. We brought along a few cavalry to support our lights and small division of lancers as our reserve.

As we weren't sure exactly where on the plateau, the Southerns would choose to concentrate, we deployed a little off center to the left initially. Our lights were deployed in a line across the center with infantry in the center and horse in equal number on both wings. A couple of cavalry deployed on each wing to support the lights. Our medium foot deployed opposite the large rough patch and marsh with the warbands to the left. Our lancers formed up to the right and rear of the medium foot as our mobile reserve. Our initial plan was to aggressively advance our lights supported by cavalry to deal with his lights and horse. Our mediums would advance to seize the rough ground and marsh in the center. Our warbands would advance a bit short of the rough ground which would allow for shifting to the right behind that area, should they be better utilized on the right. Our lancers would hold in reserve till we got a better idea of the enemy's deployment and intentions.

The Southerns deployed offset to the right in and behind the plateau, but contrary to my expectations, they advanced quite aggressively all along the front in reaction to our opening probes with our light screen. In response, we held our warbands back on the left while advancing our medium foot into the rough and marsh and deploying to defend and threaten. A couple of cavalry on their right launched a series of charges driving my horse archers back, but we quickly enveloped them and shot them both up with our light foot and horse. The bulk of their horse emerged on their left, a cataphract, a lancer and 3 cavalry. Like on our left, our lights manage to shoot up and distract one or two, then we moved up our cavalry and lancers to counter them with support of one of our medium foot on the flank from the marsh. We flanked and dispatched a couple and slowly begin grinding down the others in a protracted melee.

The main infantry clash occurred along the edge of the rough patch and the open plains to the left. His infantry got a little spread out chasing off our lights initially and did not really slow down to regroup. A lone medium foot attacked into the middle of my line in the marsh with a legion covering it's right which tried to crush a light jav holding the marsh flank on our left. A couple of leading warbands crashed into our waiting line further on and a surviving cavalry tried to run down one warband covering the left flank. He lost a general in that fighting and I think that disrupted a unit or two. We pushed a couple of our medium foot out of the marsh and flanked the embattled Southern foot in several places. We moved up reserve warbands to flank on our left. Our light horse on our left took some flank shots at his engaged foot and added to their growing disorder. Several of his foot broke due to the flanking. We used most of our light horse to chase broken units till they dispersed or were beyond rally strength. The accumulated losses led to the collapse of the Southern army.

[Kashtronomical]

Challenge issued for:
2.2 Army 21 of The South (Portus Ardurni, SpeedyCM, 1540 = 1600 - 60 FP) versus Army 26 of The West (Gobannium, Kashtronomical, 1480 = 1600 - 120 FP). North European Agricultural.

The South chose Anderida as allies and The West chose Magnis.

I just reached out to Aetius39 to confirm any ally section for Battle 2.1. I will issue that challenge once confirmed.

Looking forward to the action!

[Kashtronomical]

Challenge issued for:
2.1 Army 17 of The South (Anderida, Aetius39, 1540 = 1600 - 60 FP) versus Army 26 of The West (Gobannium, Kashtronomical, 1480 = 1600 - 120 FP). North European Agricultural.

The South chose Aquae Sulis as allies and The West chose Segontium.

[kronenblatt]

Challenge issued for:
2.1 Army 17 of The South (Anderida, Aetius39, 1540 = 1600 - 60 FP) versus Army 26 of The West (Gobannium, Kashtronomical, 1480 = 1600 - 120 FP). North European Agricultural.

The South chose Aquae Sulis as allies and The West chose Segontium.

The South doesn’t currently control Aquae Sulis and thus cannot use it as allies.

Rules state: “Armies within the same kingdom can all (if they want to) use each other's fiefdom army lists as allies, provided that the Stronghold of that fiefdom is controlled by the kingdom.”.

[Kashtronomical]

Ah right. Sorry about that. I have removed the challenge. Let me check if Aetius would like to use Portus Ardurni as allies.

Thanks for catching!

[Kashtronomical]

Challenge re-issued for:
2.1 Army 17 of The South (Anderida, Aetius39, 1540 = 1600 - 60 FP) versus Army 26 of The West (Gobannium, Kashtronomical, 1480 = 1600 - 120 FP). North European Agricultural.

The South chose Portus Ardurni as allies and The West chose Segontium.

[SpeedyCM]

2.2 Army 21 of The South (Portus Ardurni, SpeedyCM, 1540 = 1600 - 60 FP) versus Army 26 of The West (Gobannium, Kashtronomical, 1480 = 1600 - 120 FP). North European Agricultural. Kashtronomical sets up.

SpeedyCM defeats Kashtronomical 41-11.

This was a close fight until the last few turns when several flanking attacks led to a sudden collapse of the Western infantry.
Thanks for the game Kash.

[Kashtronomical]

GG Speedy. Very well played. You neutralized my cav very quickly and efficiently.

I am learning about the high risk low reward nature of mass cavalry armies, as Aetius will also speak to shortly.

[Aetius39]

2.1 Army 17 of The South (Anderida, Aetius39, 1540 = 1600 - 60 FP) versus Army 26 of The West (Gobannium, Kashtronomical, 1480 = 1600 - 120 FP). North European Agricultural. Kashtronomical sets up.


Aetius (Anderida) defeats Kashtronomical (Gobannium) 45-19


My opponent brought a lot of cavalry, which got bogged down on the front lines. Our right side broke through and poked holes here and there, although they gave us trouble until the end.^^ GG!

[kronenblatt]

Battle 1
1.1 Army 19 of The South (Aquae Sulis, RedPossum, 1242 = 1302 - 60 FP) versus Army 27 of The West (Magnis, Karvon, 1527 = 1587 - 60 FP).
=> Karvon wins 41-0.
=> Battle won by The West.

Battle 2
2.1 Army 17 of The South (Anderida, Aetius39, 1540 = 1600 - 60 FP) versus Army 26 of The West (Gobannium, Kashtronomical, 1480 = 1600 - 120 FP).
=> Aetius39 wins 45-19.
2.2 Army 21 of The South (Portus Ardurni, SpeedyCM, 1540 = 1600 - 60 FP) versus Army 26 of The West (Gobannium, Kashtronomical, 1480 = 1600 - 120 FP).
=> SpeedyCM wins 41-11.
=> Battle won by The South.

[kronenblatt]

Karvon: do you want to move into the hex of Durnovaria?
SpeedyCM and Aetius39: who (if any) wants to move into the hex of Aquae Sulis?

[Kashtronomical]

2.1 Army 17 of The South (Anderida, Aetius39, 1540 = 1600 - 60 FP) versus Army 26 of The West (Gobannium, Kashtronomical, 1480 = 1600 - 120 FP). North European Agricultural. Kashtronomical sets up.


Aetius (Anderida) defeats Kashtronomical (Gobannium) 45-19


My opponent brought a lot of cavalry, which got bogged down on the front lines. Our right side broke through and poked holes here and there, although they gave us trouble until the end.^^ GG!

GG! I was lucky to last that long as the battle was well over. Well played. I hope the disorganization of my cavalry will be a little less embarassing next time. And there will definitely be more infantry around to hold some semblance of a line!

[kronenblatt]

• RedPossum's army #19: in which hex adjacent to Aquae Sulis to appear?

• Kashtronomical's army #26: appear in or adjacent to Gobannium or in Great Witcombe?

[kronenblatt]

Time has come for round 6's order giving and movement instructions and the 12 MP each of your armies have.

Please send to me through replying to my PM by February 9 (9 PM, Swedish time) at the latest, and just as a simple sequence of individual moves (e.g., 2 4 2 6 0 6), with no other symbols in between, only blanks (for easy copy-pasting by the administrator). I will not open the PMs from any of the factions other than my own until I've published the movement instructions of the armies of The North.

And please check up on your team members: if needed, please submit moves on their behalf as well, ideally in the same PM.

For details, please check Giving orders and Movement in the RULES.

Any questions? Please ask them in the campaign thread, for everyone else to see question and answer.

Don't worry: we'll all hold each other's hands to get to know and understand the rules, etc., together. So let's be generous and accommodating. This is for fun, after all!

[kronenblatt]

Please note that I've incorrectly reinforced the strength of two Southern armies. Reinforcement requires the structure in question not only to be controlled but also connected to the kingdom's lines of logistics, in turn originating from the kingdom's Court. Since The Kingdom of The South no longer controls its Court (Durnovaria, lost to The Kingdom of The West), its lines of logistics can't originate from anywhere and thus it currently has no lines of logistics active. I've edited the table the posts above, in line with this (but the sent PM can't be edited).

[Aetius39]

Hey, just want to see what other people think, but I think it would be better if there was ALWAYS a way to reinforce/gain FP for your army every turn. Currently, because the South lost it's capital, we cannot ever gain FPs until it's retaken (if I'm not mistaken). I think this looks great on paper, but is not really good in practice. More and more I think losing FPs in general make for slower, defensive/turtled games for the army with the lower FP strength.

I think it would be better if instead of how it is now, you could always regain FPs, but either waste a turn on a structure, or move back the army from the frontlines and 'recuperate', giving the other side the ability to press the advantage more, or something similar.

Anyway was talking to kronenblatt about it and he suggested I post here to see what others say.^^

Aetius

[angusosborne]

It would probably make for better games and help to keep losing players interested

[anderarcos11]

Hey, just want to see what other people think, but I think it would be better if there was ALWAYS a way to reinforce/gain FP for your army every turn. Currently, because the South lost it's capital, we cannot ever gain FPs until it's retaken (if I'm not mistaken). I think this looks great on paper, but is not really good in practice. More and more I think losing FPs in general make for slower, defensive/turtled games for the army with the lower FP strength.

I think it would be better if instead of how it is now, you could always regain FPs, but either waste a turn on a structure, or move back the army from the frontlines and 'recuperate', giving the other side the ability to press the advantage more, or something similar.

Anyway was talking to kronenblatt about it and he suggested I post here to see what others say.^^

Aetius

I think that could decrease the strategic component of the game and also lengthen it a lot.

[Karvon]

Reading and understanding the scenario rules was part of the process of formulating and implementing our team's strategy. TBH, I don't think the costs of losing courts aren't high enough and would be opposed to changing the minimal effects at this point. If players don't want to face the consequences, they should take adequate measures to avoid them in the first place.

Karvon

[Aetius39]

Reading and understanding the scenario rules was part of the process of formulating and implementing our team's strategy. TBH, I don't think the costs of losing courts aren't high enough and would be opposed to changing the minimal effects at this point. If players don't want to face the consequences, they should take adequate measures to avoid them in the first place.

Karvon

I'm not crying over this; you did a good job and those rules are the rules. After a few rounds of going through them, though, it's good to point out what might not be working well for the future. Like I said, on paper this looks good but in reality it just neuters your armies. The point of this is to be playing fun, competitive FoG battles, but that's not the case when your army is 1300 and the other has 300 extra FP to throw against you. Even worse when more than one army goes against you, further reducing the FPs your army has. The numbers don't make it competitive anymore.

Also, there wasn't much we could do here; we had a guy going against you; you beat him several times I recall. Our team is getting double-teamed by two other sides. Again, not much we could be doing besides sending that one guy to try and stop you while holding back the other 6 or whatever armies going at us from both sides.^^

It's just a game, so I don't mind if we keep to the original rules; it just means not much going on for some armies maybe.