A few photos from my game against Paul Graham at Warlords today. Thanks to Paul for a great game and being a great opponent, helping me out when I wasn't sure how to do certain moves (or tried to do something illegal!).
This time the English were on the defensive against a cavalry-heavy Palmyran list. This gave the English the advantage of lots of rough terrain covering the board (even if it turns out I made a mistake with placement), although strong spring winds and rain slightly favoured the Palmyrans.
The Palmyrans also deployed first, with their light cavalry on both flanks, and a mix of cataphracts and bow in the middle. The English took the bait hill on their right with William Zouche, and placed the weaker command with high pips on the forested left.
After a cagey first few turns the Arabs flanked the English on the hill, causing me to swap that command to high pips, but the English knights and bidowers were able to see off the lights coming around the forest.
The hill proved to be less useful than hoped, as Arab cavalry charged around the hill and up from behind, coordinating their contact with the command of heavy knights. Together they began to cut through the English on the hill, slaying the Archbishop of York early, after goading his knights out with light horse.
The center when far more favourably for the English as longbowmen, even shooting into the wind killed 8 Palmyran bow and a knight to only one loss and forced back and eventually broke the central command.
On the left, there was a long lull in the fighting as the Palmyran superior lights lined up against the reforming English knights while cataphracts moved to flank the English bowmen. Through shear luck of the dice the English punched through and wiped out most of the flank in one turn.
The charge was (unintentially) well timed, as the Palmyran center broke, further demoralizing the command in the forest, causing them to break instead of charging the longbowmen. Giving the English another, highly fortuitous victory.
A few conclusions (from my pov): firstly I really messed up my pip allocation and almost paid for it. I didn't expect the hill command to advance so I gave them the low pips, even though they were facing light horse and the main attacking wing on his army. I should also be more careful with my generals, and shouldn't underestimate light horse! Beyond that (s) troops saved my bacon and paid off, particularly in the shooting phase
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