Collaborative Campaign Year 8

 Year 8 of the Campaign (The Year of the Lizard) witnessed an assassination attempt in Zigura - poison had been secreted in the light lunch (22 courses) of King Xeroz, praised be his name. Agents of the King’s brother, Toshibbaz (who is thought to be hiding somewhere in Inconnu), have been blamed. Fortunately a diligent food-taster (RIP) got to the dish before the King of Kings did.

Picenia consolidated further its grip on Luss, however there has been another rebellion…

We go over to our regular Picenian correspondent, Mark Cordone, who provides the text and photographs.

Events in the North, year of the Lizard.

The previous year had seen an embassy from the new high king of the Thulians, Adawulf, to the Wend king Hedwyn.  Some years ago, A younger Hedwyn had gone north over the mountains to seek adventure, glory and wealth, the things he would need to build a following of his own.  While there he met Adawulf, A prominent Thulian warlord and took service with him.  They became fast friends and comrades in arms, and when Hedwyn departed for home they both made an oath that should either come to power there would be a place for the other in their realm, and should both be so blessed they would make an alliance and together conquer the world.

Now that the gods had so blessed both of them they fulfilled their oath.  Hadwyn offered his sister Ifeielda, who had recently come of age to Adawulf in marriage.  He put his first wife, who was barren, aside and married her.  At the wedding Rionach was revealed to be with child and the following spring she gave birth to a healthy baby boy they named Idamund.  To celebrate these happy events a major raid into Lussatia was planned, to be led by Adawulf's right hand man Annar called Ironhand.

The battle of Dunar

I used the Dominion of the Spear rules along with my initiative, events and new expendable units variants.

The raiders were composed of a loose alliance (designated A for their turns on the pics) of about 500 Luss, 200 of whom were cavalry and the rest unreliable warbands.  200 Wend cavalry and a sizable contingent of Thulians, 200 cavalry, 300 warriors, 300 unreliable warband and about 200 Ulfhednar, berserkers believed to be able to shape shift into wolves.

Their target was the town of Dunar, located near some ancient cyclopean ruins from which it got its name.  The ruins had become something of a tourist attraction since the Picenian conquest.  Nearby was an extensive villa and plantation owned by none other than senator Galenus, architect of the Picenian conquest.

Picenian agents among the Luss nobility learned of the coming raid and it's target and governor Auteus was able to take steps to counter it.  He ordered general Illius Ince, Legate of the sixth Legion to take his command to the town as quickly as possible and destroy the raiders.  By dint of several grueling forced marches he was able to win the race by about half a day, arriving with the 1st - 4th cohorts of 6th legion (1200 men in all), where he met up with the local limitari, 300 archers and 200 unreliable reserves which included all of his 100 cavalry.  He evacuated the villa and prepared to meet the raiders with the town forming the center of his line, occupied by the first cohort.  The second was in the right hand sector and his archers on the left.  The rest of his force in hand formed the reserve.  The reminder of sixth Legion was on the road and was expected by nightfall.

The raiders, led by the Thulian warlord Annar Ironhand, were surprised to find the enemy present in force and deployed for battle when they arrived.  Undeterred, Annar deployed his men as well.  The 300 Thulian warriors quickly occupied the villa while his Thulian horsemen took post in the center.  On the left the fearsome Ulfhednar began to work themselves up into a frenzy as the rest of the raiders formed a second line to act as the reserve.

It was just after noon on the 15th day of the sixth month of the year of the Lizard when the Ulfhednar surged forward to attack the Picenian archers.  The archers let several volleys of arrows fly, but to no effect.  As the screaming Northmen continued their charge the Bowman broke and fled and were pursued off of the field by the berserkers and slaughtered.  Their places taken by the Wend cavalry and 4th cohort. 

Meanwhile on the right the Thulian axemen and the second cohort began a melee that started tentatively as both sides felt each other out, then increased in intensity until both sides were completely spent.  As this was happening the Annar's cavalry quickly routed the exhausted men of the 4th cohort and then did the same to the limitari that replaced them in the battle line.  They then turned on the first cohort in the town, already engaged from the front, and attacked them from the flank.

This sparked an epic defensive stand as the outnumbered defenders held off the barbarian cavalry for several hours allowing the 3rd cohort to claim an even greater share of the glory.  They advanced on the defenders of the villa, routed them and captured it, then advanced to attack Annar's reserves in the rear.  (Since the villa was a strong point that offered defensive advantage and the unreliable Thulian warband failed to activate I decided to allow the Picenians to occupy it and have that flank forward). 

The Thulian warband fled, then the Luss warband was destroyed in turn.  As dusk was just beginning the brave defenders of the town were finally defeated.  Technically, this gave the allies the victory, but with the Picenian reinforcements set to arrive on their turn (the cavalry), I decided to call the game a draw, with the allies withdrawing in the growing twilight.

This was another close battle which featured some enjoyable swings in momentum and was a lot of fun to play.  I liked the way things went when I introduced the 3x3: element by allowing the Picenians to occupy the villa. The Dominion rules, as in 3x3 games, are actually area movement games and by allowing the advance I think I enhanced the narrative.

***

Thanks again to Mark for a splendid game report and some really nice pictures. 

Collaborative Campaign Year 7: Part 2

 Once again attention turns Southward, to ancient and dusty Pylonia, where the expansionist Zigurans are continuing their land grab...

Text and pictures are courtesy (and copyright) of Martin Smith:

The Battle of the Wastelands

Sent west by mighty Xeroz, King of Kings and Favoured One of Taran, General Amukar knew he had a tough task ahead of him. Only two years before a Ziguran force sent on a similar mission had encountered stiff Pylonian opposition on the shores of the Great Sea near Raphan, ending in a rapid retreat and the shaming of Zatrab Balshezbu, commander of the Army of the Magreeb, and, by default, of all Zigura’s nobility.

Now, in the Year of the Petulant Pony, it was Amukar’s chance to take his revenge. Avoiding the coastal route, with its boneyard reminders of a former failure, he chose instead to approach across the wastelands to the south. Desert tribesmen had assured him that water could be found, and that they would remain undetected, raising the possibility of a certain level of surprise, and a greater chance of wrong-footing the godless Pylonians. But water had proven scarce, and the tribesmen, as unreliable as ever, melted away as the days dragged on, thirst and indiscipline soon spreading among the Ziguran soldiery.

In Raphan, Governor Hepu received early warning of the movements of his adversary. Payments to the camel-riders of the desert had secured much useful information, with regular reports on the delayed progress of the Ziguran invaders, buying him time to assemble a force to intervene. Some of the assembled throng, around one third, were of unknown loyalty, being bowmen and spearmen from the southern borders with Maraway, but others were true Pylonians, veterans of the Battle of Raphan and firm supporters of their Governor. God-King Hipohap having given his blessing, Hepu now marched out to meet his foe. 

Approaching the encamped Zigurans from the west with much haste, Governor Hepu aimed to break them before they could fully deploy. The fleet footed Maraway contingent would lead the attack, while Pylonians would support and bolster them. Noting the wheel-clogging sand dunes further south, Hepu also ordered his cavalry and chariots to redeploy towards the left, to form up north of the bow-wielding tribesmen. Staunch Pylonian spearmen would follow on, filling any gaps which might appear, and preventing any rearward movement by their untested allies.

But General Amukar had placed his pickets well, and warnings soon arrived of the Pylonians’ advance. Cursing the fickle men of the desert, Amukar now arrayed his force with admirable professionalism. His dishevelled and demoralised spearmen to the far left rested secure against a large expanse of dunes, avoiding any outflanking risk from the Pylonians’ feared chariotry. To the immediate north of the spears, his centre of archers continued the line, leaving a small patch of rough ground to their rear as they deployed. Issuing last from the army’s camp, Amukar led out his heavy chariots, with them forming a formidable right flank. 

So as the heat of the day increased and the Maraway tribesmen moved into range, a deadly duel commencing with the Ziguran regulars. These latter proved more stalwart than the tribesmen opposite, who were outclassed and soon fell into disarray. Seeing his Maraway contingent in disorder, ruining his plan for a rapid win against an unprepared foe, Governor Hepu faced a dilemma….either to fall back, at the risk of retreat becoming a rout, or to roll the dice and attack. 

Fear of his master the God-King may have driven him on, for as his repositioned cavalry formed up about his chariot squadron he offered a silent prayer, ordered the Battle Standard of Raphan to be waved and, risking all, led them on to death or glory.

Watching from his command chariot at the right of the Ziguran lines, General Amukar and his escort looked on in amazement as, out of the dust and confusion, the Pylonian cavalry and chariots surged forward, the standard of Pylonia at their head in the unmistakable battle-wagon of his opposite number. Despite his plan to hold, and let the decadent Pylonians dash themselves fruitlessly against his forces, he could not let such affrontery go unpunished, and immediately commanded his charioteers to attack, and with all speed. As the lines met, confusion reigned: poorly mounted Pylonian battle cavalry fell to stinging volleys from Ziguran hill men, and the skirmishing horse to Amukar’s front fell back before his charge, drawing him on in pursuit. 

But Governor Hepu’s squadron were less easily dealt with, and his onwards rushing chariots now crashed into the dense but yielding mass of Ziguran bowmen, breaking them and driving them in flight into the rough ground behind. Showing the self-control which had earned him his most trusted position, Hepu halted and turned his squadron, before unleashing them upon the exposed and unprotected right flank of the remaining Ziguran archers. 

Chaos spread, chariot horses trampled Ziguran infantry and the invaders’ centre wavered and then broke in rout. Despite his local success, with the Pylonians before him in retreat, Amukar felt an icy chill as the realisation began to sink in that this battle in the wastelands was lost. More and more of his weary foot soldiers were succumbing to the spreading panic, as pursuing Pylonians rode them down. Despite their initial repulse of the Maraway many Zigurans were now feeling the burning need to be elsewhere, away from Pylonian arrows, away from the shrieking axles of the wheeled bringers of death and destruction.

Defeated once more, the invading host fled with all speed into the desert whence they had come, and set course for the safety of the Ziguran border, preferring to face the wrath of Xeroz, and the feared pronouncements of the High Priests of Taran than the pitiless swords and arrows of their Pylonian enemies. Many of them would not arrive…

***

Many thanks to Martin for another splendiferous (apologies, I'm running out of superlatives) battle report. Ziguran expansion may have reached its high-water mark? Perhaps it's time for Pylonia to strike back...?