Played Dbmm game today opening game in Ulster League (1300AD Onwards) using Teutonics (kindly on load from John Brittain again) against Seamus and his mighty Later Swiss.
Swiss as always set up on one corner in defensive box flanked by two woods.
So either I attack this with my tiny army or go for 12-13 non-fighting draw (Swiss were invaders) guess which approach I chose ? :-)
So....... I decided to take large risk and send one of my three commands (with the three Kn wedges) on an outflank on my left (in behind one wood) whilst remaining two commands went up the middle.
This turned into a good game as my flank march managed to arrive on fourth turn just as my other commands got into action.
Flung both sets of knights into combat and then watched as both commands broke in two successive turns. I did have chance with outflanking General to gain an advantage versus Swiss pike line but he failed. Nothing in Swiss army fears anything in mine as Pike can hold Knights and the BdX (Halbardiers) have quick kill versus Kn in both bounds. I had decent Pips (except on one crucial turn) but a bad run of one's in combat did not help my cause.
Very hard to counter Swiss who use this defensive set-up as quite easy to get at least one wood to anchor a flank and usually two.
Its just not in me to play a non-event drawn game as I would rather lose 25-0 which is just as well really as thats what happened to my 'Do or Die'.......er......um......tactic. :-)
Teutonic foot deploy
Teutonic CiC Command deploys
Foot advances (Bombard ArtS was waste as deployed too far back)
Swiss right
Swiss left
Swiss defensive box is formed
Teutonic outflank arrives
Teutons advance against the box
Teutons get ready to charge to doom.........................
You have the right attitude in going to event to game and not just set up your figures and tap your fingers through the turns.
ReplyDeleteChristopher
I agree with Christopher... not to mention that about the LAST thing a Swiss army of tis period would have done was to employ tactics like that! The Swiss were notoriously agressive and headstrong (and successful), and sitting back waiting for the enemy to come to them - not happening unless very heavily outnumbered. Tournament games are definiotely not my thing!
ReplyDeleteNot to toot my own horn *too* much, but try this in Band of Brothers 2nd ed. and watch the Uncontrolled Advance and Uncontrolled Charge, etc. cards make this kind of Fabian plan non-viable! (I know, many other rules sets for this era also have mechanisms to prevent historically impetuous troops from playing with an excess of finesse as well!)
Hi Peter
ReplyDeleteWell I know if I had the Swiss they would not have stayed in situ !
Too many Lull/Dress Lines cards ? :-)
Comp type games are good for variety of opponents (though pool here in NI limited anyhow) and this was still a fun game.
Most important thing is that you enjoyed the game. Cetainly more fun to try break the defense than sit back at your baseline and say "I'll take the winning draw now, and go get a beer if you don't intend to budge from your positions, because I shall not attack you as you stand..."
ReplyDelete