I took my Feudal Spanish to Westbury Wars as I had finished painting extras to bring them up to strength and refurbishing the rest. Sancho led a big command (making up about half the army) of Sp(I), Cv(O) and lots of Psiloi. Santiago led a moderate command of Kn(F) and Sp(I). Rodrigo Diaz led a small command of Kn(F) and Psiloi. Al-Muktadir led a small command of Andalusian Cv(O) and light horse.
Game 1. Invaded by Later Crusader.All the terrain was on Crusader half of the table, with an orchard in front of my right wing and a low hill on my extreme left. Sancho was deployed on my right so his slingers could enter the orchard with his spears towards the centre and his cavalry in reserve. He faced the mass of Richard the Lionheart's foot (a mix of Sp(I) and Bw(X)), and also faced the threat of being outflanked by the Templars. Santiago was on my left centre with Rodrigo in reserve behind him, and Al-Muktadir on the extreme left. They faced Richard's knights and the Hospitallers.
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A scrappy fight developed in the orchard between Spanish psiloi and Crusaders archers which was fairly inconclusive. Soon after that all the knights (except the Templars) were heavily engaged with the lighter Spanish knights taking more losses but also inflicting some and they had more reserves. Then Sancho led his spearmen into the Crusader foot and broke Richard's command. However, Santiago's command had been severely weakened and it was the next to break, followed by Rodrigo's command. But the Hospitallers in turn had been fatally weakened and in turn broke: this broke the Crusader army, and left the Spanish close to breaking. A hard fought and close contest: much closer than the final score (8:2) suggested.
Game 2. Invaded by Medieval Portuguese.A decent hill on my side of the centre provided a spot where my Sp(I) could hold off massed Portuguese, and English, Bd(S) so Sancho deployed in the centre with his cavalry in reserve. There was a decent sized piece of rough going on the right centre of the Portuguese side of the table so I reconned it would be defended by massed Auxilia with nothing beyond it (their right, my left) - so Al-Muktadir was deployed on my far left to screen the rough. There was a small piece in front of my right wing (closer to the Portuguese), so I flank marched Rodrigo on my right and deployed Sancho on my right - thus aiming to crush the Portuguese left with my knights.
As expected a command of Portuguese auxilia held the rough and only some manoeuvring happened on my left. The Portuguese CinC was on their extreme left with dismounted knights (Bd(S)) and Bw(O) heading for the rough. A micro command was in reserve, and the English ally held the centre facing the hill.
My first PiPs indicated Rodrigo was going to arrive immediately and Al-Muktadir was unreliable. Santiago started forward to support Rodrigo. The Portuguese CinC had poor PiPs so his archers ended up in a thin line facing Rodrigo's knights.
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Rodrigo's knights were defeated by the archers (supported by the micro-command) and his command broke. But he'd inflicted some losses and Santiago managed to finish off the archers and break the Portuguese CinC's command. Santiago's command was badly damaged and he was able to withdraw his remaining knights. Meanwhile the Portuguese micro-command's knights pursued into the rough going and it was broken by Spanish psiloi (sent over by Sancho). A second hard fought game.
Game 3. Invading the domains of the French Ordonnance.The key terrain was two woods on either flank of the French deployment zone, so outflanking them on table wouldn't be possible and Rodrigo was sent on a second flank march - but he never arrived! Sancho had the right as his Psiloi might be able to storm the wood there, Santiago had the left and Al-Muktadir was deployed in the centre to delay the French.
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Sancho pushed forward on the right against French mounted archers (cavalry) and contested the woods with limited success. Al-Muktadir and most of Sancho's cavalry delayed the French centre of poor pikemen. The big fight was on my left between Sancho's knights and French Gendarmes and Sancho's spear and French Reg Bd(I). Sancho took significant loses but managed to break the French command (as his Kn(F) out fought the French Kn(S)). Al-Muktadir's command was then broken, resulting in a 5:5 draw.
Game 4. Invaded by the Gauls.There was a vineyard and orchard on my left wing, so I planned that Sancho would hold my left and I would sweep round with my right. Thus Rodrigo went in the centre with Santiago on my right and Al-Muktadir on my extreme right.
The Gauls didn't like the relatively open table and instead anchored themselves on an orchard on left of their centre and the hill next to it with two big commands of warband plus a few supporting troops while sending off two flank marches, and otherwise waiting. So I started to move Santiago's knights across their front towards my left and sent Al-Muktadir forward to threaten the Gallic flank if the warband advanced.
Soon the Gallic flank march arrived on my left, massed Fast Warband - so Santiago's knights charged them. But they were only partly successful and were sandwiched as the main Gallic host advanced to support the flank march. Santiago was left pulling back his tattered forces, while Rodrigo committed his knights into the gap between the two main Gallic masses - but Rodrigo was defeated and his command broke. This left Sancho's cavalry fighting Gauls to the front and flank, but they managed to got the last Fast Warband needed to break the flank march just as the other Gallic flank march arrived. But it was too far away to intervene before time was called and the battle ended as a 5:5 draw (which was a lucky escape for my Feudal Spanish).
Reflection.
My Spanish fought four hard fought games all of which teetered on a knife edge, yet again convincing me that 25/28mm DBM provides a really excellent game.
In terms of their contribution:
- Santiago's command was always in the thick of the fighting.
- Rodrigo's command was always heavily engaged (except when he failed to arrive!) and he was the only general to die in combat (which he did twice).
- Sancho's command was the rock around which the rest of the army operated.
- Al-Muktadir probably contributed least but then he had the smallest command.
Gavin
Sounds like you had fun.
There must be lots of historical battles with the 'Moors' of El Andalus, that you could refight too if you know someone with 25/28mm Islamic armies to stand in for the Moors!
CarlL
PS your army would also be fun to use with DBA, DBMM, Armati and TtS!!
Poor old Rodrigo...
Still, looks like you had absorbing games and good to see an old stalwart set of rules still in use
My games in the same competition are described at https://jglwargames.com/game-reports-2025/
It was held in my house, as every year since 2009 (except 2020). We have two 6'x4' boards in the cellar, two in the dining room (on the dining table and kitchen table), one in the permanent wargames room and one on trestles in the living room. Quite a lot of furniture-moving to do. My wife does the catering, and other players are envious of her supportive attitude - one remarked to me on Sunday that I'd married a treasure.
Absolutely and sounds like a grand enterprise John....with support from the adjutant
The last photo in John's sequence suggests his caroccio has had a bit of an accident. This reminded me that mine had a snapped mast that needed fixing, so it's on the workbench now. I'm going to reinforce the base now I've got it out as it is much flimsier than I'd use for such a heavy model these days.
What caroccio? Richard's standard is carried by a knight whose lance is a bit bent, that's all. His standard wagon is in good shape, back with the baggage.
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Quote from: John GL on May 30, 2025, 01:32 PMWhat caroccio?
That would be the purple one lurking at the back of the Spanish army :)
Ah, so Gavin's sequence of pictures rather than mine.
Quote from: John GL on May 30, 2025, 03:08 PMAh, so Gavin's sequence of pictures rather than mine.
My mistake. Apologies John.
Quote from: Erpingham on May 30, 2025, 01:22 PMThe last photo in John's sequence suggests his caroccio has had a bit of an accident
By coincidence, I happen to be "working" on an Italian Wars scenario. Though not a native speaker (sometimes I find it challenging to communicate in English :-[ ::) :o ), based on my very limited research, I thought it was "carroccio" and not 'caroccio' - unless of course, I have blundered into the British vs American vs Italian English moors. :-[
Anyway, it did afford me the excuse to go back to the reports about Montaperti and the related article about preparing a battle-standard wagon for that express purpose.
Quote from: Chris on May 31, 2025, 01:35 PMI thought it was "carroccio" and not 'caroccio'
Entirely correct. Bad spelling on my part.
Blundering into moors is not recommended as you do tend to end up wet and muddy :)
Or up for ransom if they were Moors!
nice play on words Anthony.
CarlL still mastering hair-her-hare-here among others.....
Quote from: CarlL on May 31, 2025, 05:58 PMCarlL still mastering hair-her-hare-here among others.....
But you've got heir down pat?
Quote from: Erpingham on May 30, 2025, 01:36 PMQuote from: John GL on May 30, 2025, 01:32 PMWhat caroccio?
That would be the purple one lurking at the back of the Spanish army :)
Yep - I managed to give it a rather stiff knock with my army in game 1 or 2...so it needs a little tender loving care.
Excellent right up - I have a soft spot for this army as a former wife is from Leon which is associated with El Cid and am putting it together for both ADLG anf DBMM to see which one works the best.
"Rodrigo's knights were defeated by the archers (supported by the micro-command) and his command broke."
I have found flank marches to not give the return one would think they sound and not worth the risk. I did see Marc Priest use it successfully, however this was with two flank marches of Kn's F that both turned up at first time of asking and was against Ax S.
This chap does superb 3D sculpt for the Reconquista of Spain btw
https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-164020
https://www.myminifactory.com/users/Reconquer%20Designs?show=store&page=1&categories=1463
Great report and well done John (and treasure) for putting on such a fantastic event!
Quote from: CarlL on May 31, 2025, 05:58 PMCarlL still mastering hair-her-hare-here among others.....
Reminds me of the challenge (for some students anyway) of the "there / their / they're" syndrome. ???
I always fell back on the sentence: They're eating their lunch over there. ;)