War of the Strategists at Alicante 2023
Berber vs Ottoman Turks
The Journey to Alicante (via Valencia)
Game 3 Berber vs Maurikian Byzantine
Game 6 Berber vs Feudal English
The Journey back from to Alicante (again via Valencia)
With a somewhat surprising victory under their belts against top flight opposition, I was suddenly starting to worry that there might actually be enough competence hidden deep within the Berber army list to justify me taking this competition vaguely seriously from now on.
But, with Ottomans up next the possibility of simply being outmatched by Serbian Knights loomed large on the horizon - and because I was too sloppy to bother to check whether the Ottoman list is allowed Serbian heavy Knights at the same dateline as they are permitted a Strategist that fear took me past a couple of strong coffees and into the second round
The Ottoman Strategist is Bayezid I Yldirim, who reigned from 1389-1402. He was also known as Bayezid the Thunderbolt, although rumours this was in fact a nickname given to him by a group of ladies in his harem following a series of rather unfortunate accidents ended up taxing the palace laundry are apparently without foundation. Notably, in 1394 Bayezid laid siege to Constantinople (the capital of the Byzantine Empire founded some say on the site of the legendary city of Troy), starting by, erm, building his own fortress nearby some time between 1393 and 1394 as part of a plan to intimidate the besieged Byzantines through sheer architectural superiority.
The Byzantine emperor Manuel II Palaeologus (known as "Eye-eye" after his middle name) then conjured up a crusade to defeat him, but this proved unsuccessful as planning permission was not granted for a 3rd (this time Crusader-built) fortress in the local municipality to up the whole architectural confrontation ante even further. Bayezid also spent much time exchanging insulting and patronising letters with the Mongol Emperor Timur, a story which is arguably more bizzarre and unbelievable than any of the stuff I've made up or embellished for comedic purposes in the rest of this pen profile
Bazza, as he was known to his friends, started his reign when his dad was killed in a battle which saw the Serbs become vassals of the Ottoman state, so I guess he could have used a Serbian ally in this competition. However the really cool Serbian option that now exists in ADLG v4 only kicks in after his death, when up to 4 Serbian Heavy Knights are allowed in the actual Ottoman list, not as an ally. In Bayezids time the allied contingent is basically an unsubtle battering ram of at least 3 Impetuous Knights that requires rather larger cojones to use than if they are in a non-allied contingent later on.
Expecting the Serbs, I had sought to defend and narrow the battlefield with a river (more of that later..), a village and a steep hill, all of which had conspired to pin what turned out to be an all cavalry, Serb-free Ottoman force into a much narrower corridor of combat that they surely would have preferred
The Ottomans: a full, animated history
The Andalusian spearmen stood ready for battle, their spears held high confident in their ability to push away any mounted troops who, it now transpired, clearly did not include any Serbian Knights at all in this enemy army list.
Their speartips gleamed in the sun, reflecting the bravery of their hearts and that +1 they would get for receiving any sort of mounted charge against an enemy who would be at factor zero against Heavy Foot frontally. Their faces were determined, their gazes fixed on the enemy Sipahis who were approaching them at speed for purposes hard to divine, but which presumably would involve a lot of shooting and not much combat if they could help it.
Copying in part the utterly insane but surprisingly successful tactic of the first battle, the Christian commander had again split up his formation of 3 Knights, sending one off on a mission to lurk behind the adjacent Berber command and burst out at an opportune moment to run down the Ottoman Janissaries
The remaining two Knights ploughed forward, intent on causing mayhem amongst the Ottoman cavalry, pinning them back and buying time for the rest of the spearman-heavy formation to catch up and push the Ottomans off the table
L'Art de la Guerre Stats
Elite Medium Knights are pretty scary for non-Impact enemy cavalry in the first round, with a base factor of 2 vs the Cavalry's 1, and of course Impact. That gives Medium Knights sufficient first-round advantage taht they can usually afford to give away an overlap, or go into melee carrying an injury and still expect to get the rub of the green.
The central knight in a block of 3 is of course never giving up an overlap to the enemy, and if like here he is also getting a further +1 for being a Commander then he's going to punch right through any cavalry who try to stop him long before his two wingmen have any chance to become unlucky losers too. As such the enemy cavalry dare not stand - they simply must evade in this scenario, and hope to score some shooting hits to even the odds a little sometime later in the game.
As the road to Tunis echoed to the footsteps of the Libyan coastal plain's Almohad camel jockey underpants, The Black Guard, noblest of the Berbers many and various infantry regiments, were forging ahead in the middle of the Berber army keen to test their monochrome sartoriality against anything and everything the Ottoman army could throw (or more likely shoot) at them.
The Ottomans knew they could be driven back by the advancing wall of spears and Knights, and so pushed on themselves to try and start the seemingly inevitable process of falling back as close to the centre line as possible.
This did however bring the flanks of the tiny Ottoman force remarkably close to two of the Ambush Markers the Berber army had dropped into the building-free (sorry, not enough room in the bag + lack of any actual plan to actually deploy it before this game) Village on their flank
Surely there could only be a smattering of nonsense in these ambushes - if indeed they even existed at all?
And what was that off in the distance across the river? Berber Light Horse?
What's in this nonsense of a Berber army list then?
So, this seems like an opportune time to talk about The Strategist and his enormous command of, erm, "stuff"
1 Christian Crossbow Crossbowmen
1 Berber Archer Bowmen
1 Berber Archer Light Infantry Bow
3 Africans Medium Swordsmen Support
2 Black Guard Heavy Spearmen Support Elite
4 Berber Light Horse Light Cavalry Javelin
1 Berber Horse Medium Cavalry Javelin Elite
2 Berber Spearmen Heavy Spearmen Support
What a mess eh? Of course, the Strategist, and the inclusion of loads of troops under his command is driven by the restrictions set out in the theme of this event, namely that the army has to be commanded by a Strategist, meaning you really want to be giving him loads of things to command and do in order to get the best value out of his greater command and control capabilities. I did consider putting the Impetuous Christian knights under his command as well so he would be able to control them but decided against it as that would lose the opportunity to have an included General with the Knights (giving these essentially expendable troops an even sharper cutting edge).
So, with that decision made it was a question of what else to put under his command - and in this list that really means loading up on the stuff that the Berber army is good at, namely Spearmen and Light Horse. A lot of the army is quite low-cost and frankly not all that good, so I elected to go big and go with the 2 Black Guard Elite Supported spearmen to act as a tough and reliable opponent for enemy Knights, even capable of fighting Legions or other Impact foot to a standstill and also being rather immune to shooting.
The second block of spearmen were also given support (and kept non-mediocre too) as I was expecting to need them to also be absorbent and resilient "blockers", soaking up the enemy's best troops and buying time and space for the rest of the list to work its arcane magic. The LF Bow will probably sit with them and screen these guys from shooting.
4 LH Javelins I hoped would be enough to beat up any opposing "LH" flank-holding force, and having played a few games against big blocks of LH I fancied trying that tactic myself as well. They also could play a secondary role if I faced elephants in that a couple of them could dismount as LF javelin without totally stripping my entire LH force to do so. On a flank, working perhaps with the 2 archers, and the Medium Cavalry javelin they represented a hopefully surprising and puzzlingly effective opponent for anyone trying to play with just a couple of cavalry and a sole LH
The Crossbow/Bow combo puts out a decent amount of shooting, and in theory could combine to choose to shoot with Bow or Crossbow depending on the target, but also it could be split up and half sent to support the "big trick" in the list, the 3 African Swordsmen
The 3 African Swordsmen are a rare troop type (because of their "support", and with Med Sword becoming cheaper in v4 represented good value as they wouldn't fold at the first hint of an enemy cavalry attack. But, my big theory was that the 3 of them plus a Bowman or the Crossbow unit would make a fabulous ambush, especially as part of a pretty large army.
My thinking was that ambushes are often non-existent in ADLG, or at best are 1-2 Light Foot, so an opponent almost always sends a lone LH or a couple of cheap infantry over to flush them out on the assumption that the presence of a single LH will take whatever is in an ambush out of the game. So, an archer plus 3 supported African Swordsmen is really not what anyone sane would expect to find - and has enough clout to absolutely mug off any typically small force sent to neutralise their ambush. It also then has the clout to actually cause some real trouble when it wheels into the centre of the table to attack the enemy flanks.
Finally, the Medium Cavalry Javelin. It's Elite, which partly counteracts the huge vulnerability of MCv to shooting and in combat, but really it's all about dismounting to give me an mega-effective Anti Elephant unit of Elite Javelinmen. And its also a new troop type in v4 which people seem to think is a bit underwhelming, so why not see if I can find a use for it?
So, lots of stuff that can absorb the worst the enemy can throw at it, the ability to create big problems almost all along the line for any enemy cavalry, a surprise rough terrain force that is also reasonably competent playing in the open, and a mounted wing that can extend all the way out to the edge of the world and has just enough poke to compel the opposition to send something meaningful to deal with it.
(In theory!)
Ta-Dah!! An enormous ambush of 3 units of African infantry and a mercenary Christian Crossbow unit (famous already for its anti flank march heroics in the first game and surely deserving of me coming up with a name for its leader?) appeared out of the town, looking even more imposing because of the presence of 3 LF bases to denote that the Africans had "Rear Support".
This was a nightmare incarnate for the textbook Ottoman LH Ambush flushing-out party (but, of course you already know that having read my explanation of how the Berber list is supposed to work!).
The Ottoman army, deployed between the town, river and some imposing terrain on the opposite flank, had no width to dance its cavalry around in
This narrow frontage was allowing the Berbers to present a solid wall of Andalusian Knights and spearmen of all flavours to the mounted Turkish host, and at the same time peel away from the shooting range of the Janissary Corps plodding up the middle of the table.
The defacto ambush / on table flank march was now boiling out of the village, suddenly bolstered by the rover crossing Berber light horsemen who had driven the Ottomans skirmish screen away with some aplomb
The Turks had no real answer to this huge force appearing out of the alleyways and windows of the small riverside village, and immediately started to fear for their Ottoman lived as the Africans threatened to roll them up like a Turkish carpet in a metaphor so obvious that it's hard to believe I haven't already used it in this report so far
As the Sipahis closed in, the Andalusian spearmen lowered their spears, creating a wall of sharp points and steel.
The Sipahis charged forward, their horses galloping towards the line of spearmen who by now were almost shoulder to shoulder with their Christian brethren .
The Berber army was rapidly assembling a formidable counter to the Ottomans' Sipahi-led assault, with the legendary Black Guard arriving like an oasis of dangerous calm in the heart of the maelstrom as well
The Andalusian Christian mercenary knights had yet again boldly split their small formation, and this madness had again seemingly worked as Impetuous Knights crashed into the loose formation Azab infantry padding out the Ottoman front line.
The Janissaries had failed to find time and space to do their deadly shooting, and now were embroiled in close quarters combat against a resilient and dangerous foe
Unwilling to stand and face the main body of Knights, the Turkish Sipahi's turned and fell back in the face of the Christians fearsome and repeated charges
With the enemy cavalry in full retreat, the Black Guard decided that the next chapter in their book of Legendary Exploits would need to be to take down the Janissaries themselves. Braving the arrow storm they excitedly set off to do their spear-based business at some speed.
The Ottoman right flank was now in all sorts of trouble as the sheer mass of troops on the Berber left started to take effect.
After making a tabbouleh in the style of Al-Andalus' former Liby-Phonecian flatulent goatherder, Berber horsemen were now fully behind the Ottoman lines and poised to sweep into the rear of their infantry to wreak even more havoc
Utter carnage ensured as every single element of the Berber army seemed keen to get involved in the brand new fun game of Otttoman Skittles as the right flank of the Sultan's army started to crumble.
Realising they now needed to gird their loins and do something, the Sipahis on the opposite wing decided to return to the fray.
The sound of clashing steel filled the air as the two forces met - but the Andalusian spearmen for now held their ground, the force of the Sipahi charge unable to break their line.
Having failed initially, the Ottomans best troops would soon surely be forced to retreat, their horses struggling against the wall of spears as Taifa Andalusian Arabic lancers arrived to tip the balance even further in the favour of the Berber army.
A once coherent and solid formation of Janissaries had marched all the way through Europe to Southern Spain only to meet the immovable object and undeniable force of the Black Guard
The Janissaries were now scattered to the four winds, resorting to close range knifework to try and salvage something out of the wreckage of their regimental deployment
After making a tabbouleh in the style of Tunisia's semi-Eunuch foul medames, with each strike of their swords and thrust of their spears, the African Spearmen and the rest of the Berber army pushed forward with deadly precision.
The outflanked Ottomans were putting up a brave resistance but in the end they were proving no match for the Berbers skill, strength and flank-based attacking position. One by one the Ottoman forces fell to the ground, defeated.
The centre of the Ottoman army had been blasted apart by the Black Guard, and as they pushed outward the Ottoman cavalry found themselves trapped between the dark-robed infantry spearmen and the multitude of threats embodied by the Taifa contingent in the Berber army.
Everywhere the Ottomans looked a forest of sharp spears and lances faced them with the prospect of future pain.
With the rest of the Ottoman Sipahis bogged down, or chased away by Christian Knights the shattered left wing of the Sultans force was now easy pickings for the Black Guard and the Taifa Andalusian cavalry, who piled in with glee and abandon to finish off the wreckage of the Ottoman army.
The Ottomans were being forced back everywhere, their horses struggling against the wall of spears and their infantry no match for the dense packed solidity of the Berber and Andalusian troops.
Most of all, the African Warriors (and their rather left-field ambush tactic) had proved their worth, their bravery and skill at jumping out and surprising an enemy by hitting them in the flank totally unmatched.
They stood tall, their swords held high in victory, a symbol of their strength, courage and ability to navigate urban areas in total silence.
The Result is another victory for The Berbers!
Click here for the report of the next game in this competition, or read on for the post match summaries from the Generals involved, as well as another episode of legendary expert analysis from Hannibal
Post Match Summary from the Berber Commander
Today, we gather to celebrate a mighty victory, a victory that's been won by the bravery and determination of our Berber army. We've overcome the forces of the Ottoman Turks, and we've done it together, united under the twin banners of Islam and Sheffield United, the Mighty Blades.
I stand here before you as a proud Yorkshireman, proud of the Yorkshire Moorish Soldiery I've led into battle. They've fought with all their might, they've shed their Yorkshire blood, and they've come out on top. They're a true testament to the strength and resilience of our people.
But let's not forget, there's still much work to be done. The challenges ahead are many, and our enemies are relentless. But I've got faith in our army, and I know that with Allah on our side and Yorkshire puddings on the table for Sunday lunch when we get back home from the campaign trail, we'll come out on top of every battle.
So let's keep working together, let's keep standing united in our beliefs, and let's strive for a better future, nay, a Yorkshire Future for all. Allahu Akbar, and Come on You Blades!!
Hannibal's Post Match Analysis
Oh my dear friend, let me tell you a little secret. I am the greatest general in all of history, and I don't mean to brag, but I'm just too good to keep it to myself.
You, with your petty skirmishes and your inadequate leadership skills, could never hope to match my achievements. I have faced the might of Rome and emerged triumphant. I have crossed the Alps with my army and conquered the lands beyond.
Hannibal Reply
Oh, worthy sir, I must say, thou hast made an error in thy leadership. Thy strategies are misguided, and thy tactics lack the foresight of a true general. Perhaps you will win with more style and panache in the next game?
My own 10-minute video run-through of the game
Read on for the next game!
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The Journey to Alicante (via Valencia)
Game 3 Berber vs Maurikian Byzantine
Game 6 Berber vs Feudal English
The Journey back from to Alicante (again via Valencia)
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