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Author |
File Description |
EnemyofJupitor |
Posted on 05/10/08 @ 02:44 AM
File Details |
Game Version: |
Standard Edition |
Number of Players: |
2 |
Player 1's Name: |
EnemyofJupitor |
Player 2's Name: |
Rheims |
# of Florins: |
10000 |
A rather cavalry-heavy battle. Yes, I realise charging cavalry militia against gerndames and knights of Santiago was folly, but it was to hold them up :p
Rheims is a skilled cavalry player, and this went right down to the wire. I'm looking forward to playing him again :)
PS- I've learnt from past mistakes. Dismounted knights! |
Author | Comments & Reviews ( All | Comments Only | Reviews Only ) |
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el_bandito
Official Reviewer |
Posted on 05/25/08 @ 09:21 PM
(Chivalry at its best.)
Map: Grassy Plain
Denarii: 10000
HG-EoJup (EoJ) : Musketeers, Dismounted Feudal Knights, Feudal Knights, Cavalry Militia, General’s Bodyguard.
Rheims{GrailKnights}: Musketeers, Sword and Buckler Men, Dismounted Conquistadors (1 unit only), Mailed Knights, Chivalric Knights, Knights of Santiago, General's Bodyguard.
The map was true to it’s namesake so the players didn’t have any advantage over each other in terrain. (aside from the slight attack bonus cavalry gets from grassland that is) Although an avid infantry commander, EoJ had correctly picked lots of cavalry in this fight. Since both sides were cavalry heavy, the match was going to be fast and brutal, with split second decisions affecting the balance of the two forces. The two players didn’t disappoint.
Both sides had almost identical mixed forces with EoJ having 3/2 advantage in musketeers, and slightly better quality infantry while Rheims had 4/3 advantage in heavy cavalry. EoJ began with his usual spread formation with cavalry at the sides and infantry in the middle. Rheims on the other hand used his staple formation of muskets in front, infantry behind and cavalry at rear. He almost stacked his cavalry directly on top of the Sword and Buckler Men, perhaps to confuse EoJ to his actual numbers. The first volley was fire by Rheims but EoJ returned fire promptly and with greater numbers.
Although EoJ was winning the missile duel, he was already making his next move by using his cavalry on each wing to encircle the flanks of Rheims, no doubt challenging Rheims?own cavalry forces. Rheims complied, dividing his cavalry forces into 2 groups and rode to intercept with 4/3 advantage in numbers. The knights crashed into each other with a sound of thunder on the right flank of Rheims and soon after similar crash occurred on the left flank.
With cavalry threat now contained, EoJ rushed his dismounted feudal knights towards the center of Rheims?army which was defended by a single unit of Dismounted Conquistadors and augmented by 3 more units of Sword and Buckler Men. Two forces slammed into each other with equal fierceness, but due to the difference in quality, it was clear that EoJ’s infantry will eventually triumph. Rheims was not going to allow that. Not when his cavalry had driven off EoJ’s cavalry in the right flank and was about to roll over the left flank as well. At this critical juncture, EoJ had committed his last card, his General’s Bodyguard to join the battle on the left flank. He also sent some of his musketeers on a suicide mission to delay the knights of Rheims on the right into charging from the back of his infantry. However, cavalry forces of EoJ broke on the left flank, making Eoj?infantry critically vulnerable to envelopment. Rheims?entire cavalry on the left then chased after the broken knights instead of attacking the infantry in the center of the battle field. The delay was going to cost him dearly.
EoJ then made a decision which probably had saved him from defeat. Instead of trying to hold the left flank with his Bodyguard unit, he disengaged and charged into Rheims infantry from leftside. It caused the rout of 2 units of Sword and Buckler Men and pretty much secured the center of the battlefield, before Rheims could make any attempts of relief.
Here is when Rheims had made another mistake. With all 3 units of musketeers of EoJ still somewhat intact, defenseless, AND within grasp, he chose to ignore them commit all of his knights on the right flank into a mass charge into the backs of EoJ’s Dismounted Knights. It would have a dire consequence eventually. Ever the cavalry commander, Rheims made sure his cavalry were in charging formation before he sent them flying towards the Dismounted Knights who were still engaged with the Dismounted Conquistadores. As the result the EoJ’s infantry was greatly reduced on the right. However, his attempt on the left was a bit off beat and EoJ repulsed the initial charge. After a few moments, Rheims finally gathered all his cavalry on the left and charged at the Dismounted Knights. The Dismounted Knights were ready this time, having long dispatched their foot-bound opponents on the left flank. Still, I suspect if the EoJ’s General’s Bodyguard wasn’t close by, they might have routed. EoJ still had a few Feudal Knights that he rallied back, and he sent them after Rheims cavalry, making the flankers, flanked. The battle now degenerated into a messy free for all with no fronts and rears. The exhausted soldiers swung their swords left and right. Clearly only through sheer morale and daring tactics, one side was going to be victorious. The quality advantage of Rheims was offset by the number of EoJ’s units which further swelled when his 3 units of Musketeers joined the melee.
Suddenly Eoj’s and Rheims?generals came face to face. EoJ didn’t engage for long and instead charged at the remaining Spanish musketeers unit, routing them. Not to be outdone, Rheims also charged a units of knights against one of the now meleeing Musketeers of EoJ, and likewise routed them. The two players?cavalry forces began to disengage, reform, and and charge into each other, one after another, more times than I would have thought possible. Such micro managing in the confusion of close quarters battle was simply brilliant and daring, which gives much credit to the two men who are expert on the attack. Rheims?general followed EoJ and they again crossed swords. By now, the superior numbers of EoJ’s Dismounted Knights were gradually swinging the battle in their favor. Rheims?charges were absorbed mostly by EoJ’s Musketeers and the Dismounted Knights simply slashed down any Knights of Rheims standing still. Rheims was not willing to give up and made his general do a last glorious charge in hope of routing the remaining infantry of EoJ. The charge was only of little effect since only 4 men were left in his Bodyguard unit. After the charge they were quickly surrounded from 3 sides, and within moments Rheims?general laid in the dust. The fall of the general also signalled the end of the battle, as the rest of Rheims?army fled. What can I say. A smashing display between two aggressive generals from beginning to the end and the resolution was most satisfying. Congratulations to both.
If this match was an actual battle, it would surely become etched into the annals of history by its fierceness and awesome leadership. Both sides had made virtually fool proof decisions on time and both sides had committed maximum pressure on each others weakest spot. EoJ triumphed in the end only by the skin of his teeth, and as we can see Rheims made a few mistakes which helped to speed up the process. First, he allowed his victorious left flank cavalry to chase after the routers for few moments and it was enough to let EoJ slip his General’s Bodyguard into the sides of the infantry duel and decide its outcome. Second, when Rheims?cavalry on the right flank triumphed over EoJ’s cavalry, instead of assaulting the now defenseless Musketeers, he chose to ignore them and charged at the Dismounted Knights. The Musketeers later absorbed much of the charges of Rheims?knights which were meant for the Dismounted Knights at the last critical phase. Rheims?decision was perfectly rational though. He wanted to take out EoJ’s heavy infantry ASAP, just like how he did it in his another great match vs. Gaius Colinus. However, due to the presence of the General’s Bodyguard, the Dismounted Knights took the charge but didn’t rout. It seems EoJ’s faith in them over other Venetian infantry was well founded. Lastly, the phrase “Luck is also part of success? for when two experts are equally matched, it is Lady Fortuna who picks the winner.
[Edited on 05/27/08 @ 02:05 AM]
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Downloads: | 839 |
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Size: | 38.10 KB |
Added: | 05/10/08 |
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