Two games managed again first against Arab Conquest and the second against late Sassanid, so historical match-ups.
I find the Byzantines rather impotent and difficult to organise effectively but both good games.
The Arabs are a nightmare with the solid line of heavy infantry swordsmen to which I have no real answer. I used a Bedouin Ally which is cheap and did sterling service. I held my Skutatoi and bowmen back in center straddling a hill as no match for Arab foot and tried attacking with my mounted on my left. I had excellent shooting dice it must be said but this just does not do enough damage before my mounted have to fight.
As expected the elite Boukellari held their own but the ordinary Defensorses and Hun lights succumbed too quickly leaving my elites to be flanked and overwhelmed. A couple of poor evades rolls saw me lose some light infantry which are costly hits to army and a deluge of disordering hits saw my army morale plummet and break.
Second game against Sassanids was a completely different affair with lots of ‘micro’ manoeuvring and swirling combats. I did not use the Arabs this time fielding a couple of Optimates (elite lancers) and Cursorses (LC bow) in their stead. I even managed to catch a group of evading Sassanid heavy cavalry in the rear with my own cavalry but failed to kill them off and again my lesser cavalry was mauled by a marauding elephant and my army morale collapsed.
A good effort; you'll have to win one of these games eventually, Gary!
ReplyDeleteAlways the bridesmaid never the bride :-)
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