Swedish Scandinavian DBM Championships:
Or, "how expensive can it be....?"
After a friday lunchtime flight and a 2am finish on Friday night in central Stockholm, graced only by the presence of a kebab I attempted gamely to prove that the early Viking list was not complete and utter pants.
My list was here:
Game 1 saw me facing Abbasquids on a billiard table.
The Abbasids refused a whole flank, which my high speed bd F were of course poised to exploit. They had also widely kept the squishy stuff at the back and set up with an entire line of cavalry, although a good proportion of them were (O) so it was worth a try I felt. In fact, with an impetuous Viking army, there isn't really any other option than "have a try frontally"
The Arabs kept a reserve of cavalry well away from any likely enemy presence
But the Vikings rolled well and sent a column of raiders to introduce themselves as uninvited guests to the Arabic tea party on the baseline.
The rest of my army lumbered forwards...
Until - forgetting the terrain piece was a gully - the Vikings were surprised by 6 warband emerging on their flank. Lucky we had our best troops possible t fight them in place - 2 Cv (I). They astoundingly survived the first round of combat overlapped against infantry in RGo and retreated out of the danger zone!
In the centre the lines clashed as I was unable to come up with anything more clever than "charge!!"
The second line troops were eager - in fact they were quite disappointed not to be fighting !
Oddly enough, my 2 Cv (I) now had a firm grip on the upper hand, and despatched the Wb F command in short order once they had cunningly lured them out of the RGo
Things were not going quite so swimmingly in the middle and I was taking off my Bd F in fistfuls and making no impact on the Cv line at all...even the reserves were now getting nervous
But my line of heavier troops were chugging forwards unopposed, and my CinCs Bd F command were in full Saturday Night Party Mode with a detachment chasing almost unimpeded towards the baggage!
My second line was thinking seriously about becoming committed in the middle - but with no padding, their ability to take casualties would be limited.
But the still eager Cv (I) were now mopping up the last Wb stragglers maybe they would be able to come to the aid of their embattled pedestrian colleagues?
The last remnants of the Blades charged in bravely against the totally undamaged cavalry who stood there in bemusement at the abject folly and incompetence of their opponents..
But on the right it was a different story, and having turned the flank the Vikings were bearing down on some rather concerned lone cavalrymen.
Making full use of the Press Forward rule, the Viking raiding party were flinging back psiloi and making haste towards the baggage. The Arab light horse were now too fragmented to escape as well
But the end was night for my left wing. The entire first line had been stripped away.
Dead and broken, a brave mounted Viking tried to kill off the Arab general.
But it was to no avail as his commander turned and fled from the field
The more solid line of Bd (O) were faring somewhat better, supporting their colleagues on the right
The Arabic noblemen were burning pips to escape - but to where...?
Slowly they were caught in the gears of the Swedish grinding machine
And the Raiders fulfilled their destiny by getting into the baggage !
My left flank was almost totally eliminated by now, leaving the Bd (O) as a bastion against the victorious Arabic right
The battle turned as the Arabs flung troops into the fray. But it was not quite fast enough....
Finally the combination of the outrageous luck against the small command, chewing up the outflanked Arab left wing with my outflankers, and 3 elements of baggage tipped the desert warriors over the abyss and into total defeat
At the end of the game, the Vikings had barreled their way through the lines of scrimmage to score the vital touchdown. 48% losses, our left flank (and largest) command totally eliminated (all killed, none fleeing the field).
The Arabs had been broken with the loss (in combat) of just 14 elements.
But the right 14 ....
(1)
(2)
(1)
(5)