A good lesson- A FOG batrep

After my astonishing win, I met Tim and his Chinese army. Great, an historical battle. Tim is a good player so I know it will be a hard time, especially if facing lots of Chinese troups. I win the initiative again, and most terrain pieces are on my side: lots of open fields and one vineyard.

Apres ma belle victoire contre Gordon, j'affronte Tim et ses Chinois Han dans une bataille presque historique. Je remporte l'initiative et tous les terrains arrivent chez moi, ou presque. Bon, c'est du simple champ et un terrain pourri.

Then he deploys his army in a long line. Though he only has 8 BG, they're more numerous than mine ( I had the same compo as last time), and with some fortifications on his left. I decide to deploy around the vineyard, in a central position, with my skirmishers in it, and my light horses on the left, to slow him down. 

Il se deploie en une longue ligne. Ses troupes sont moins nombreuses en termes d'unites mais il remplit la table. De mon cote, je vais m'appuyer sur le terrain et tenter d'attquer a droite. Ma cav legere tentera de le ralentir a gauche.

Then, the real battle began. I redeploy my infantry in a refused flank on my left, while I decide to strike on my right.

Do I feel confident, well, I don't know. He's moving fast, too fast for me. And he's soon on top of me... My light horses slow him down, but they're pinned and soon they'll leave the table, darn... I lost some points in an idiot way...

Bon, si a droite ca se passe plutot bien, malgre la perte de ma cavalerie, ma cavalerie legere a gauche est repoussee hors de table, youpi des points perdus betement. Et Tim continue de se rapprocher dangereusement. Les combats au centre sont furieux, mais mon unite des tortues craque et laisse un trou beant dans ma ligne...

Then we both charge in the center and my right flank... I hold in the center, but my cav on the right disappears too rapidly for my taste...

As you can see, the melee was bloody, but now I have two units against his mob... But in the center, the turtles broke, leaving a huge gap. You won't see many pics too blurry I'm afraid, but the dragons prove to be exceptional: outnumbered, attacked in front and the rear, they held for two rounds of combat!

Mention aux dragons, qui attaques de tous les cotes, vont tenir deux rounds de combat!

Halas, they finally die, and my army breaks... Though I destroyed 3 BG and fragmented another one. Tim was on the verge of collapse too... Damn.

Bon, il n'empeche, je finis par perdre, meme si j'ai detruit 3BG et fragmente un 4e. la double demo n'etait pas loin...

Unit of the match: the dragons, obviously.

Worst units: yes 3 units were worthless: my light horses and my armoured cavalry.

So, what did I learn: Skirmishers can't even hold in crappy terrain, a thing I was used to in Art de la guerre. And then, I was too passive, I should have attacked with more troups on my right instead of waiting for Tim to come. Bah. Tonight, hopefully, I'll play my last game against Tamsin.

Lecon du jour: ne pas etre trop passif, sinon, je me fais avoir. Et les tirailleurs qui ne peuvent meme pas s'accrocher dans un terrain pourri, il faut s'y habituer... Ce soir, derniere partie contre Tamsin.