Another sound thrashing

My opponent on Monday had said that he would be using  a post roman british army, so looking around at my collection and the new Extra Impetus books I had recently acquired I decided that my Carolingians could proxy for Ottonians.  Frazer thought that I had misspelt Ottomans so was quite surprised when I turned up with an army consisting of early knightly types and long spear.

The British were led by none other than a charismatic Arthur, which proved a good ploy as this resulted in Frazer keeping the initiative all night.  I deployed with foot in the centre and the knights equally split on either flank.  The British similarly had long spear foot in the centre with their better cavalry on their left flank, a large unit of Irish on the right and Arthur himself being charismatic in the rear.  I was marginally outgunned in the missile troops department.

The British advanced and I responded in the centre, keeping the knights back on both flanks.  They were classed as impetuous, but in Impetus you can automatically place them on opportunity at the start of the game and keep them in place, otherwise they make straight for the enemy.  The plan was to engage with the foot in the centre and then take the knights off opportunity and throw them  in.  It was probably a good plan but I ignored it and charged forward with all 6 units of knights.

This sort of worked on my right where, after a scare when my general’s unit was taken in the flank,  I was able to take out several units.  However a pesky unit of archers held out on a hill for 3 turns which was long enough to make that success irrelevant.  My left flank knights were ground down by the opposing spearmen and my spear foot took too long to get into contact.

However, just as my army was approaching break point Arthur decided to personally deliver the coup de grace and charged into the fray.  His unit took a casualty and on the xxxx Frazer threw a six.  When this happens there can be all sorts of dire consequences including death of the general and the rout of the entire army.  My celebrations were soon cut short when Frazer rolled snakes eyes and Arthur escaped with a flesh wound.  My army crumbled to defeat soon afterward.

All in all a fun game and a good reminder for me on the do’s and don’ts (particularly the don’ts) of Impetus play.  What was also great was the number of games the club had going.  We have recently attracted a few new members and I think this week was the busiest it has ever been in the 10 years I have been a member of the Falkirk club.  Long may it continue.

This was the point where my general was caught in the flank.  He survived, but you can see the 'pesky' archers about to take position on the hill for a heroic last stand.   Note the FDWC mugs!