Once upon a time... in France

A month ago, on my way to Malta, I dropped by at my former club,the IPO at Levallois, for a chat with my friend, and a game with Gilles, with whom I had never played, until now. We decided to play FOG, the 650 points format. He decided to bring his Ottomans, while he lent me troups to play Free Company. Actually he painted them just before my arrival, so that's why I decided to use his technique ;) Anyway, just before we start with the batrep, some pictures of the camps:

Il y a un mois, avant d epartir pour Malte, je suis passe aux IPO pour revoir mes potes, et surtout jouer une partie avec Gilles, avec qui je n'avais jusqu'a present jamais joue. On a decide de se faire un FOG 650, et Gilles a apporte les deux armees, ayant peint la mienne juste avant. D'ou ma decision de lui prendre sa technique;). Et voici les bagages.

This one is from Bertrand, another talented painter

Because he had lots of cavalry, he got the initiative and I'd play first. Good. The battlefield is open in the center, while the fields are on the wings.

De maniere assez classique, il obtient l'initiative et je jouerai donc en premier. Parfait. Le terrain est assez degage au centre, les champs etant sur les ailes.

Here are the deployments.

And here are our plans of attack:

That's right, nothing too fancy. I wanted to get rid of the janissaries, while holding in the center.

Rien de complique. Je voulais me debarasser des janissaires, tout en tenant le centre.

So, Did my plan worked? Well, as you can see below: the janissaries charged but were soundly beaten and were routed after one round of melee... ttttt But in the center, it's a very different matter. The longbows, failing to their reputation, didn't do squat in the shooting phase, and so consequently were trampled over by the Serbian knights... And on the right... Erm. Lesson learned: even if you're a big shooty battlegroup, never face 4 ennemy shooty battlegroups...

Mon plan a-t-il fonctionne? Voyons, d'apres les images ci-dessous: les janissaires ont charge mais ont recu une rouste telle qu'ils sont repartis manger du kebab chez leur sultan. Pendant ce temps, mes archers se faisaient soit empaler par du chevalier, soit transformer an porc-epic humain...

snifff,

Take that,you kebab eaters!

human hedgehogs?

hey, where are the longbows?

So, time was running against me. Would I be able to still win the day? Wellll... Though my longbows were routing, my Men-at-arms were holding against the armoured cavalry. I had to win before the knights charged me in the back. But then, luck struck! My crossbows had been manoeuvering and then charged the knights and the armoured cavalry in their flank. i know, it might sound foolish, but then: the cavalry routed and the knight were disrupted. While routing, one Ottoman leader was with the cavalry. Thanks to the rout, many Ottoman BG were disrupted. So, if my MAA caught them, I could eventually kill the general on a 10 with 2 D6, and hope for more tests... roll... 10! Yes! Now fore more tests: frag, frag, frag... Yes! again. I did the right thing. After a bit more than 2h, the Ottomans fled and I had lost 2 units. Thanks again Gilles for this great game, full of tension, and crappy  dice for both of us, especially the Janissaries ;)

bouh?

BOUH!

Le temps jouait contre moi. Allais-je remporter la victoire? Mes archers deroutaient, mais mes chevaliers a pied tenaient bon et faisaient des merveilles. Soudain, la chance joua de mon cote. Mes arbalatriers manoeuvraient et attaquerent les cavaliers et chevaliers ennemis sur leur flanc. Pas forcement top comme combat, mais cela suffit pour faire derouter la cavalerie ennemie avant que les chevaliers serbes ne viennent titiller les fondements de mes chevaliers a pied, qui eux ne sont pas grecs ;) dans la deroute, les cavaliers emportent leur general, si je poursuis, je peux tuer le general sur un 10, et gagner la partie grace a tous les tests en cascade. Statistiquement, c'est jouable.... 10! Yes! et pour les tests: fragmentes, fragmentes.... Yes! Cette petite decision me fait gagner la partie alors que franchement c'etait tres tendu. Merci encore a Gilles pour cette super partie et ces supers figs. Ce fut vraiment agreable de jouer avec toi.