Dark Ages at Kegworth 2026
Thematic Byzantine vs Khazar
Game 1 Thematic Byzantine vs Khazar
Game 2 Thematic Byzantine vs Khmer
Game 3 Thematic Byzantine vs Alan
Kegworth, the annual East Midlands based gathering for the older wargamer, running in midweek had now made it to three editions and almost 40 attendees!
The venue for 2026 was again be our regular home, The Kegworth Hotel & Conference Centre, scenically located just moments from the M1 Junction 24 in a quaint and historic Leicestershire village with at least 2 decent boozers and a great Indian restaurant where we all end up going to on Tuesday night for a slap up feast.
Each year a team of experts deeply research the extensive history of Kegworth using Wikipedia and at least one other website to try and find a hook on which to precariously hang a theme that somehow relates to the history of Kegworth.
This year our expert team of researchers noticed that the Wikipedia article for Kegworth mentions he date of 874AD right at the start of the "History" section which fits into the timespan covered by ADLG, and doesn't really overlap with either of the timelines for the first or second editions of the Kegworth Codgers event (especially if I didn't allow some of the non-European Arab armies).
The date relates to the name "Kegworth", which apprently comes from two languages, Old English and Danish, meaning that the earliest date at which anyone would have called Kegworth Kegworth is 874AD - leading neatly to a theme of "armies from 874AD", with some restrictions mainly to avoid camel spam. The other advantage of this period was that I could use one more of my recently painted Byzantine armies, in this case the Thematics.
The Thematic Byzantine army of around 874 AD was a flexible combined-arms force based largely on the soldiers of the Empire's provincial Themes, supported by the professional troops of the imperial Tagmata. Its strength lay in combining disciplined infantry, effective cavalry and archers under experienced commanders, allowing it to fight defensively or take the initiative when the opportunity arose.
The army was made up of the following core segments
The great advantage of the Thematic army was its versatility. Byzantine commanders could use infantry to hold a strong defensive position while cavalry threatened the flanks, conducted reconnaissance or delivered a decisive charge. Mounted troops were particularly valuable against the increasingly mobile armies encountered on the eastern frontier.
The system did, however, depend heavily on good leadership and coordination. The provincial troops were not all of equal quality, and a poorly handled army could struggle against a highly mobile opponent. Used well, however, the Thematic army was a sophisticated and adaptable force, combining the traditional strengths of Roman military organisation with the realities of 9th-century warfare.
After a late withdrawal by a Covid-affected player left us on even numbers, I found I now had the opportunity to play in the first round, and so Tuesday morning saw the Thematics taking on a Khazar army from the steppes of Oxfordshire!
The lists for the Thematic Byzantine and Khazar from this game, as well as all the other lists from the games at Kegworth can be seen here in the L'Art de la Guerre Wiki.
The battlefield offered little by way of natural advantage: a vast, empty expanse of flat and unforgiving desert, broken only by a few insignificant patches of rough ground upon my left and a lonely road cutting across the otherwise featureless plain.
The Khazars had massed their cavalry towards my right, whilst deliberately refusing their own right flank, where a thin screen of skirmishing horsemen darted and weaved amongst the scattered terrain like desert spirits.
The Byzantine army now sailed forth upon its first glorious outing, its ranks stretching almost from horizon to horizon as the host deployed across the breadth of the battlefield.
At the head of the advance rode the impetuous Georgian lancers, eager for the clash of steel and apparently possessed of considerably more enthusiasm for battle than patience for the subtleties of reconnaissance or restraint.
L'Art de la Guerre hint - The Thematic army has a limited number of very expensive Tagmatic Cavalry, who are Elite grade, with all of the other late-era Byzantine horsemen being graded as Average or Mediocre.
I'd elected to take the two units of Georgians - Elite Impetuous cavalry - to give me more of a cutting edge, more Elite troops, but mainly as I have some Legio Heroica figures that have Georgian flags (and somewhat anachronistic kite shields) that I really like to get on table as often as I can.
The downside of using the 2 Georgians is that Impetuous cavalry can't evade, so the shoot-and-scoot ability of the rest of the army's mounted contingent is rather stymied by the Georgians enthusiasm to get into combat as soon as possible. But, hey, nice figures with Georgian flags are pretty cool.
Upon my left, the Khazar skirmishing screen soon discovered that it had strayed into considerably more danger than it had anticipated.
Skoutatoi, Byzantine archers and Thematic cavalry combined their strength, pouring a murderous storm of arrows into the exposed nomad horsemen.
What had begun as an irritating screen of elusive riders rapidly became a collection of increasingly nervous men looking for somewhere—anywhere—to escape the Byzantine arrowstorm.
In the centre, meanwhile, combat was shaping up rather precisely As Barker Intended.
Both armies appeared perfectly content to stand within respectable bowshot of one another and exchange missiles at close range, each apparently awaiting the inevitable moment when patience would expire and the lines would surge forward into the bloody business of actual combat.
The Byzantine Themes
The ragged Khazar screen was soon blown away entirely by the concentrated fury of Byzantine infantry archery.
Their horse archers fled at speed from the advancing storm, leaving the Skoutatoi and bowmen in undisputed possession of the broken ground upon the Byzantine left.
The first stage of the battle had been won: the Khazars had been driven from the terrain, their screening troops scattered, and the Byzantine infantry now stood ready to bring their weight to bear.
L'Art de la Guerre hint - Heavy Infanry are generally rubbish in any sort of terrain, taking big minuses in combat for the disruption to their formation caused by uneven ground. But here, with only Khazar Cavalry facing them, all of whom were fully occupied by the Thematic horsemen to their front, the Skoutatoi were quite happy to march through the fields to outflank the enemy line.
Heavy Infantry are also so rarely seen in rough terrain that it's easy to forget that their movement allowance isn't reduced, and they still move 2MU (80mm in 15mm) per turn - which does mean they will arrive surprisingly quickly on the flank of the enemy in this matchup too.
In the centre of the field the two great lines of cavalry finally crashed together with the violence of opposing thunderclouds. There were, however, rumours of an improved lunchtime menu appearing in the venue bar, and this seemed to instil both armies with an unusual determination to conclude the matter with all possible haste.
The first clash of horsemen proved indecisive, but upon the end of the Khazar line their swordsmen suffered grievously, coming decidedly second-best against the admittedly second-string Skoutatoi who had been sent to oppose them.
As is so often the way when two bodies of cavalry lose all interest in maintaining anything resembling a battle plan, the engagement rapidly dissolved into a swirling horse melee.
Squadrons crashed through one another's lines, riders wheeled and counter-wheeled, and formations became hopelessly intermingled in a confused and dangerous maelstrom of mounted ferocity.
The battlefield ceased to resemble a carefully arranged contest of armies and instead became an enormous and rather alarming argument conducted at full gallop.
With the Khazar skirmishers now long departed, the Byzantines were free to unleash their infantry upon the exposed right-hand end of the enemy line. Skoutatoi and archers piled pressure relentlessly upon the Khazar horsemen, combining weight of numbers with a merciless hail of missiles.
Vastly outnumbered and increasingly conscious that the Byzantine noose was tightening around them, the Khazar cavalry began to withdraw in dribs and drabs, galloping away from the gathering arrowstorm before it could consume them.
At the opposite end of the battlefield matters were, if anything, going even worse for the Khazars. Here the Byzantines combined horse and spear with devastating effect, sweeping aside the battered and increasingly bewildered Khazar foot.
Caught in the open and outflanked, their medium infantry had little hope against the disciplined coordination of the Byzantine host. Where once there had been a coherent battle line, there now remained only isolated pockets of resistance, each rapidly overwhelmed by the relentless advance of Roman arms.
Having stove in the Khazar left flank and with the noose tightening inexorably upon their right, the Byzantine cavalry now swept triumphantly through the centre.
The remnants of the Khazar host were scattered before them as the Emperor's forces secured the northern flank against any further Khazarian incursions.
Thus, in a dramatic explosion of mounted efficacy, disciplined infantry and coordinated violence, the Byzantines had transformed an initially featureless battlefield into a resounding demonstration of the military power of the Thematic army.
The Result is a win for the Thematics
Click here for the report of the next game in this competition, or read on for the post match summaries from the Generals involved, as well as another episode of legendary expert analysis from Hannibal
Post Match Summary from the Thematic Byzantine Commander
What a magnificent day for the Empire! What a glorious day for the Themes! And, if I may say so without appearing immodest, what an absolutely splendid day for your commander! From the very first deployment, everything went according to plan—or, more accurately, according to several mutually supporting plans which I had prepared in advance and which all happened to work simultaneously. The Khazars were confronted on every front by a Byzantine army that was confident, disciplined and, most importantly, extremely good at winning.
Our cavalry was magnificent. Our Thematic infantry was magnificent. Our archers were magnificent. Even the Georgians, who displayed their customary enthusiasm for immediately charging towards whatever looked most dangerous, were magnificent. The enemy attempted to confuse us with horse archers, cavalry manoeuvres and various other forms of Khazarian trickery, but we responded with the calm, measured application of overwhelming Byzantine excellence.
Particular praise must go to the Skoutatoi and archers, who demonstrated precisely why the Roman military tradition has survived for so many centuries. They advanced, they shot, they stood their ground and they generally behaved as though they had been personally instructed by the Emperor himself. The cavalry then did what cavalry does best—ride about at great speed and look extremely impressive while the infantry did all the difficult work.
I must also congratulate the newly painted troops. What a magnificent debut! Fresh from the painting table and scarcely dry before being thrown into the furnace of battle, they fought as though they had been campaigning for years. Clearly, the quality of the painting has infused them with additional martial spirit. I shall therefore recommend that all future reinforcements receive their final coat of varnish immediately before battle. It is obviously a secret weapon.
Indeed, I am beginning to suspect that we have discovered a powerful new Byzantine doctrine: beautifully painted troops fight better. It is only logical. The enemy looks upon a perfectly ranked, brightly painted unit advancing towards him and immediately understands that he is dealing with a professional military organisation of extraordinary quality. If the bases are particularly attractive, he may even surrender before contact.
The battle also demonstrated the magnificent flexibility of the Thematic system. Infantry seized the ground, archers destroyed the enemy's skirmish screen, cavalry shattered their flanks and the entire army worked together with the smooth efficiency of a well-oiled imperial machine. There were, of course, moments of uncertainty, but these were merely carefully engineered opportunities for the enemy to make mistakes.
I am so encouraged by today's performance that I believe we should now consider adding one final weapon to the Byzantine arsenal: music. Specifically, I shall compose a stirring theme tune for the army. Something uplifting. Something memorable. Something that captures the majesty, courage and sheer magnificence of the Thematic soldier.
Before every future battle, therefore, I shall assemble the army, mount a suitable platform, raise my arms towards the heavens and sing our new regimental anthem personally. I have already begun work on the chorus. It goes something like: "The Themes are marching, the Themes are grand, Byzantine victory across the land!" There may also be a verse concerning archery, another about cavalry and possibly a rather emotional bridge about the Emperor.
I am confident that once the troops hear this stirring music, their morale will become absolutely unbreakable. The enemy, meanwhile, will either flee immediately or be overwhelmed by the sheer inspirational power of the performance. Either way, I believe we have identified yet another decisive advantage for the Byzantine Empire.
So let us celebrate! The Khazars are defeated, the new troops have proved themselves, the army has covered itself in glory and the future of the Theme is brighter than ever. And tomorrow, I shall begin writing the second verse.
Hannibal's Post Match Analysis
Hear me, ye Byzantines of the Painted Theme, ye commanders of the Recently Varnished Legion! I, Hannibal the Nasty—scourge of sensible generalship and patron saint of tactical mockery—do now pronounce judgement upon thy first battle against the Khazars. By Baal’s blistered toenails, never have I seen an army chosen more by paint scheme than by purpose. Thou didst not select a force of war; thou didst select a parade of whatever happened to be dry on the painting table. This is not strategy, O thou brush‑wielding buffoon, it is colour‑coordinated catastrophe.
First, thy army list: assembled not from doctrine, nor from cunning, but from the sacred scroll of “What I Finished Last Week.” O thou palette‑drunk poltroon, thou gesso‑brained goose, war is not a hobby catalogue! To say, “These models are new, therefore they must fight,” is like saying, “This cheese is fresh, therefore it must command the cavalry.” Thy force was a museum of recent effort, not a weapon of deliberate design. The Khazars must have laughed so hard their horses nearly fell over.
Then, thy deployment—oh, how my soul shrivels at the memory. Thou didst line up all thy troops in a single, glorious, idiot’s ribbon across the only open part of the battlefield, with no reserves, no depth, no subtlety. O thou flat‑packed fool, thou shelf‑ready simpleton, thou commander of the One Long Line! A child arranging toy soldiers on a windowsill shows more imagination. The terrain offered flanks, angles, choke points—and thou didst say, “Nay, I shall ignore all that and make a straight line like a drunken surveyor.”
And then, as if the gods themselves demanded comedy, thou didst charge thy cavalry straight into an equal line of enemy horse and trust to the dice. Equal numbers, equal quality, equal stupidity. O thou cube‑kissing clod, thou dice‑worshipping dunderhead, thou gambler in a general’s cloak! When thy plan is “I hope the dice like me,” thou hast ceased to be a commander and become a supplicant at the altar of Random Misfortune. There were other options—flank march, offset deployment, feigned retreat—but thou didst choose “head‑on and pray.” Truly, thy imagination is as barren as a Roman tax ledger.
Consider, O dim Strategos, the very design of thy army: a small command, perfect for a flank march, lurking like a dagger in the cloak. Didst thou use it? Nay! Thou left it welded into the main line like a spoon in cold porridge. A flank march could have wrong‑footed the Khazars, turned their proud horsemen into panicked pin‑cushions, and made their dice cry for mercy. Instead, thou didst stand toe‑to‑toe and say, “Let us see whose luck is better.” By Tanit’s trembling sandals, even the gods grow bored of such laziness.
Worst of all, thou possessed two blocks of infantry and bowmen on either flank—solid, stubborn, and practically invincible to Khazar cavalry. These were thy anvils, thy anchors, thy immovable walls of doom. And what didst thou do? Thou didst rush forward with the cavalry, refusing to give thy infantry time to grind, pin, and slowly devour the enemy. O thou impatience‑ridden radish, thou haste‑addled hedgehog! If thou hadst but held back, let the Khazars flail uselessly against thy unbreakable flanks, the battle would have ripened in thy favour like figs in the Carthaginian sun.
Instead, thou didst sprint into mediocrity, dragging thy army behind thee like a dog tied to a cart. Thy infantry and bowmen, those glorious blocks of Khazar‑proof stubbornness, were denied their moment. They stood ready to become legends, but thou, O commander of squandered potential, turned them into spectators. They watched thy cavalry lose a fair fight that never needed to be fought. This is not defeat by superior enemy; this is defeat by self‑inflicted stupidity.
Thus I, Hannibal the Nasty, declare thee: Lord of the Recently Painted Disaster, Duke of the Single Silly Line, and High Priest of Hoping the Dice Will Fix Everything. May future battles see thee choose armies for purpose, not pigment; deploy with depth, not doodles; and use thy invincible infantry as more than decorative bookends. Until then, remember: the Khazars did not truly beat thee—thou beat thyself, and the dice merely signed the paperwork, so lets hope it stays signed in the
next game too!Click here for the report of the next game in this competition
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Game 1 Thematic Byzantine vs Khazar
