L'Art De La Guerre - two games (T'Ang Chinese vs Central Asian)

LADG again at Stephens where we managed to get two games completed.

Stephen wanted to try T'Ang Chinese so I brought compatible Central Asian Turkish with option to convert to Sogdian (with Ummayad Arab Ally).

First game was T'Ang vs the Turks and so both 'shooty' armies but with Chinese being better shooters by virtue of their (very nasty and potent) Spearmen with back rank Bowmen.

Their longer range (double mounted range) is a real asset and they are also tough in combat as they cancel mounted Impact (ie Lance) and benefit from bow support at initial contact (2 vs 0 without counting Disruptions etc)

This combo means mounted are usually Disrupted before they get to shoot and are therefore greatly disadvantaged in any contact and additionally with the Foot being Heavy Infantry the mounted really struggle to inflict sufficient damage before suffering themselves.

Stephen had a lot of successful Rally attempts whilst I did not which greatly aided his cause.

Breaking off not really an option as the foot have range to get additional shots before mounted can get back into range or contact.

The Turks had lots of Elite light cavalry but these are pretty useless if faced by the mixed foot (of course this is the historical raison d'etre of this T'Ang troop type).

My mounted were almost exclusively Elite but this just slowed rate of decline rather then increase that of enemy.

Despite gaining initiative and getting to attack into face of T'Ang they had both flanks covered by terrain (despite it being Plains) and the Turks broke themselves on this solid Infantry whilst not being able to inflict any real loss on the T'Ang mounted or other supporting troops.

Second game I tried Sogdians with Impetuous mounted supported by less Light Horse (all Elite) and the Arab Command.

I chose to defend this time and terrain was pretty meaningless for us both (again on Plains) even with one flank closed off by a coast line.

I did have some success on my left against tiny T'Ang command and the Arabs held their own on my right although the Spearmen suffered horribly from some dramatically good shooting from Chinese mounted bow.

But the Lancers still could not deal with the Chinese mixed foot despite inflicting several hits, just never enough to destroy any elements before dying themselves.

T'Ang a tough proposition for Turkish Steppe types armies (no real answer to the foot) as you need to try to attack flanks but seldom enough Pips or opportunities and I find LADG moves too quickly to allow much prevarication.

But once again two excellent games with plenty of action and a lot of tactical decisions to make.