Ha-Lin-Koru, a FOG batrep (again)

Yesterday was my last game from round 1 of the club competition, and I played against Tamsin. Because I follow her blog, I knew she would field a Sarmatian army, full of nasty superior impact cavalry, yurk. So, I reread my Chinese military, especially against the nomadic tribes from the North, and devised a plan accordingly:

Hier, j'ai joue ma derniere partie du round 1, contre Tamsin et ses Sarmates, bourree de cavaliers superieurs. beurk. Je me suis donc inspire de l'histoire chinoise et j'ai mis des pieux et des arbaletes a tout le monde. Bref de quoi faire une version 1415 avant l'heure, avec moi dans le role des Anglais... Pour info, voici ma compo:

- 1 Inspired leader, to get many moral bonus and to get the initiative

- 2 Troop commanders, to bolster my units in the fight

- my Tigers ( I just love them)

- the bulls and the dragons

- 1 big ( 8 bases) unit, yet unfinished

- my ravens, phoenixes, swallows and allied tribal cavalry.

Yep, that's it, only 8 units. But they had a special bonus: portable defenses, which work the same way as stakes... Very useful against cavalry, because they negate their bonuses and give me one...

We rolled for initiative and after many dice rolls, I got it again! We would fight in a developped area, not so good against cavalry armies. So here is the terrain: one small enclosed field on my left, a village and two more enclosed field on my right... but on Tamsin's side. Guess where I deployed... Right, in front of this features because she put her camp there.

Je n'ai certes que 8 unites, mais elles sont de qualite. J'obtiens l'initiative et choisis de combattre sur mon terrain... qui va etre plutot degage, avec quelques champs clos et un village en fond de table. Bof. Si je me deploie en bulle, je prevoie d'etre le plus aggressif possible pour empecher Tamsin de manoeuvrer, en attquant sur la droite

Though it may look like a bubble, I intend to be aggressive on my right, with my cavalry in reserve. What was Tam's plan? Well I don't know, but her shock troops were almost right in front of me.

And here we go. Tamsin moves first and get her Sarmatians in a good position to strike, or so she thinks... On my turn, I move my infantry forward. Can you see the trap unravelling?

Soon she's almost ready to strike. She can't wait because my shooting is bloody efficient and she started to lose bases...

J'avance donc tranquillement, et je commence a arroser les cavaliers de carreaux d'arbalete. Au dernier moment, mes hommes, surs d'eux, posent leurs pieux juste avant la charge... qui comme vous allez le voir, s'empale lamentablement...

And then... poof, my men well-lead, just plant their defense right in front of her cavalry... Yep, she's doomed. As doomed as a French Knight in 1415.

She charges... and here is the result:

Yep, they breaf off, with lots of losses...

I'm feeling so confident that I'm soon sending my infantry forward... to be charged by the last fools Sarmatians brave horsemen.

Tres rapidement, Tamsin recule les restes de sa cavalerie et j'en profite pour avancer et continuer a lui tirer dessus. Elle tente une derniere charge desesperee, mais rien ne fait et Tamsin finit par perdre l'armee, au sens moral et effectif...

This is the end of the Sarmatians army. But what happened on my wings? Well, on my left, my chariots just shot at some light horse and routed them, and on my right, a dimished light horse unit managed to fragment my light horse, Tamsin's only success...

Here is the final picture: where are the Sarmatians?

Aftermatch: with my portable defenses, I knew I couldn't lose badly against Tamsin's cavalry army, sorry Tamsin. The dice were with me, though I managed to get quite a lot of them during my shooting phase and the impact. Did I make any mistakes? I don't know, but I managed the game quite well. Sorry again Tamsin.

So, with this crushing victory, I'm sure to be on the next round. And good luck for Tamsin against Tim. I hope our game was instructive and your experience might serve you against his Han army.

Resultat des courses: victoire on ne peut plus decisive. Les des etaient avec moi, et les bonus aussi, bref, Tamsin n'a rien pu faire, a part me fragmenter un BG de cavalerie legere en fin de partie. Je remerci donc mon general en chef inspire, mes pieux et mes arbaletes. J'ai donc passe le premier round, et j'affronterai donc bientot de nouveaux adversaires. Quelque chose me dit qu'il y aura beaucoup de cataphractes et de chariots dans les prochains adversaires. Je vais donc affuter mes pieux, niark niark.