Collaborative Campaign Year 3: Part 5

 We continue today with Geoff's report of the Barbarian raid into the territory North of the City-State of Sentis (see last blog post). Text and pictures by Geoff follow the map:

Inconnu raid - battle in the central valley

The Sentis forces defending the central valley were led by Antigonadas. He is a mercenary, a professional soldier (who appreciates that one needs to be alive to get paid). Arrayed against them was the raider force led by Uluz, a cousin of Grodd. He wants to “prove himself”, but has previously shown that he can be a bit hot-headed. 

The forces were:

Inconnu = The battle line comprised 2 horse archers (Missile Mounted) on the flanks with 1 warband (Melee Infantry) in the centre. In reserve were 1 warband, 1 foot bowmen (Missile Infantry) and 1 heavy cavalry unit (Melee Mounted).

Sentis = The front line (L to R) consisted of 1 Spearmen (Melee Infantry), 1 Legion (elite, armoured Melee Infantry) & 1 foot bowmen (Missile Infantry). In reserve 1 heavy cavalry (Melee Mounted).

At the start of the battle the situation looked like this:

TURN 1:

The battle began when the horse archers in the left sector launched an attack against the spearmen facing them. The spearmen were clearly determined fellows though and stoically weathered the rain of arrows before advancing to destroy their opponents. However, as the (few) remaining horsemen fled the fight and headed to the rear the Inconnu warband were sent forward from the reserve. The next picture shows the situation at that time:

Next, the Sentis infantry bowmen in the right sector and the opposing horsemen exchanged fire, with the horsemen soon destroyed. Uluz immediately ordered the infantry archers forward into the front line. Things were going badly for Uluz - both his units of horse archers had been defeated and he now had no reserve, other than the unit of heavy cavalry he commands personally. See pic below for the situation at that point:

TURN 2:

In the right sector the Inconnu infantry archers exchanged fire with those facing them but, although both units suffered casualties, they held on. Antigonadas then ordered the Legion in the centre to advance into contact with the enemy warband facing them. The elite armoured troops soon proved their worth and utterly destroyed their opponents. Uluz realised he had little option other than to plug the gap with his own cavalry unit (and still the enemy hasn’t lost a single unit, he thought). Death or glory was his response. The situation now looked like this:

TURN 3:

The opposing units of foot archers continued to exchange bow fire in the right sector, but again to little effect - although casualties were mounting. Antigonadas responded by ordering the Legion to attack the enemy heavy cavalry facing them. Uluz lead his cavalrymen in a wild countercharge, but to little avail and the Legion were victorious. As Uluz watched his troops fall around him his last thoughts were that he hoped someone survived the battle, if only so the bards can sing about my glorious death… The pic below shows the battlefield at this point: 

TURN 4:

The battle seemed lost (was effectively lost). Although the Inconnu warband in the left sector would have been willing to withdraw, it was not to be. The Sentis spearmen attacked and destroyed them. Seeing their comrades fall, the only remaining Inconnu unit (foot bowmen in the right sector) rapidly withdrew to the rear. This pic below shows the positions at the conclusion of the battle.

Antigonadas was content to allow the few remaining invaders to withdraw (he was aware of the tricks of the enemy to try lure opponents into making unwise pursuits, only to subsequently discover it was an ambush). His forces would continue to hold their position - blocking enemy forces from advancing through the central valley - and a despatch rider was sent to report the victory to the commander, Antonatos of Sentis. Five enemy units destroyed with barely a handful retiring in disorder, and all achieved with minimal own losses. A glorious victory (perhaps ensuring the mercenary would command an even higher price for his next contract).

Inconnu raid - battle on the Eastern Plains

Antonatos was (for some inexplicable reason) convinced that the Inconnu horsemen would attack Sentis most directly - either via the Northern pass or through the central valley. He therefore concentrated the bulk of his “forward forces” to defend those routes through the pass and valley. It took considerable persuasion from his advisors before he agreed to send a force to the Eastern Plains. The Eastern Plains are too far away he insisted - perhaps unaware that mounted troops move significantly faster than infantry on foot.

The token Sentis forces tasked with defending the central valley were led by Leonidis Grax (youngest son of Antonatos sister-in-law) who obtained command primarily by virtue of his family connections. The Inconnu forces - almost half of their strength - were led by their Warlord, Grodd. 

The forces were:

Inconnu = The battle line comprised 3 units of horse archers (Missile Mounted). In reserve were 1 heavy cavalry unit (Melee Mounted) and a further 5 horse archers. Note - the huge reserves shown in the attackers reserve sector merely indicates the overwhelming numerical superiority available to Grodd.

Sentis = The front line (L to R) consisted of 1 Militia spearmen (Melee Infantry), 1  light bowmen (Missile Infantry) & 1 light cavalry (Melee Mounted). In reserve is a single unit of Militia spearmen (Melee Infantry).

At the start of the battle the situation looked like this:

TURN 1:

The Inconnu horsemen in the left sector advanced against the militia facing them. The arrow storm fell heavily, as did a fair few militiamen, but the remainder held their ground - albeit they were unwilling to advance into contact with the horsemen. In reply Leonidis Grax instructed his light archers in the centre to shoot their arrows at the Inconnu horse archers opposite, but disaster ensued as the foot bowmen suffered the greater losses and were broken as a fighting unit. Leonidis Grax therefore ordered the militia spearmen forward, from the reserve to plug the gap in the front line. The position at this stage is shown in the following picture:

TURN 2:

The horse archers in the left sector regrouped and again attacked the enemy militia spearmen opposite. This time they were victorious. Not only that, but the enemy had no further reserves available. Leonidis Grax was distraught - his little army was crumbling before his very eyes. In an attempt to “stem the tide” the light cavalry in the right sector was ordered to attack the enemy horse archers facing them, but the outcome was inconclusive. The situation at the end of the second turn looks like this:

TURN 3:

Grodd, Warlord of the Inconnu, was most pleased. The enemy battle line had been broken, and the flank of the militia spearmen in the enemy centre was wide open. The situation then looked like this:

Grodd immediately ordered the horse archers in the left sector to attack the exposed enemy flank. After a short rain of arrows the horsemen charged home - and the militia broke and fled. The battle was won. The situation at the end of the battle looked like this:

Leonidis Grax saw all was lost and fled the battlefield. Any surviving militiamen or bowmen would have to fend for themselves… Grodd sent a couple of units of horse archers to pursue the fleeing enemy to ensure they would not return (unlikely as the defeat had been pretty complete). The prisoners would become slaves - or die, if they opposed Grodd’s demands. There would be loot, but not very much as the enemy were mostly poor militiamen. 

Grodd ordered scouts to be sent to discover the outcomes of the raiding forces he had despatched. Once this was established he could decide specifically how he would continue his attack. The Sentis force was rather meagre and Grodd believes there are likely further troops available. Perhaps protecting Sentis itself?

Thank you Geoff for your gaming and reporting of the barbarian raid. A shock defeat for the City-State of Sentis which is itself now threatened if the tribesmen from Inconnu decide to push on with their attack...