Eastern Armies at Devizes 2024
Ilkhanid Mongol vs Ghaznavid
Game 1 Ilkhanid Mongol vs Samurai
Game 2 Ilkhanid Mongol vs Ghaznavid
Game 3 Ilkhanid Mongol vs Burmese
Game 4 Ilkhanid Mongol vs Timurid
With a somewhat truncated Mongol army securing a quick and dirty victory over a much more truncated Samurai force in the first game of the weekend, a lengthy lunch break enabled me to browse the Bring and Buy, and quickly realise that I needed to pop into the centre of the bustling metropolis that is Devizes to get some cash out of the hole in the wall machine to pick up a 15mm Medieval Russian army that was too tempting to ignore.
Adding in some supermarket sandwich experiences to the journey brightened my mood even further, and after a good rummage round many of the trade stalls it was time to take on Steven and a Ghaznavid army in the second game of the weekend.
Ghaznavids are very much one of the top-tier choices in a period such as this - or indeed in any period really as their decent combinations of top class cavalry, Dailami and Crazed Lunatic infantry plus a scattering of padded elephants makes them a match for pretty much anything.
The fact Gripping Beast do some really nice padded elephants in 28mm (OK, that do look a little like giant shrews wearing duvets as well) and it's is a very solid choice indeed.
The lists for the Ilkhanid Mongol and Ghaznavid from this game, as well as all the other lists from the games at Devizes can be seen here in the ADLG Wiki.
The terrain selection ended up with a pretty open table all things considered, with only one field in an interesting place and the left side of the table (as I looked at it) also rather congested with fields and plantations.
Even so I decided to hurl the little command off on a flank march as, well, why not take advantage of the wide open spaces by keeping some of my most mobile troops out of the way for a while?
As was by now becoming usual I'd set up with the Armenians in the middle of the table, this time with the cavalry command on their right and the mini command flank marching off to the right as well.
This setup was matched by the Ghaznavids throwing a 2-elephant + Bow & Spear (unusual?) Double Death Star down the centre, and looking to push the Dailami/Lunatics combo of 4 units of foot into the field on their left/my right.
Mongol Hygeine Customs
The Ghaznavids also had a tiny command on their left, with a couple of Light Horse Archers and a cavalry general which started cosying on up to the rest of their army.
This friendly and heart-warming display of affection and solidarity with the Ghaznavid Sultan's Causus Belli did not however extend to actually joining in with the battle, as the micro allied command decided to start off Unreliable by rolling a 1 for their first movement pip dice
The Armenians, realising that they would now be at a much lower risk of being outflanked by fast moving cavalry, and probably thinking it would either be fair or just a bit of a laugh, decided to mirror the unreliability too, and likewise refused to come into play.
This was a rather more crippling blow for my army however, with 9 units now becalmed and another 3 off table and missing, leaving me with only 1 command to actually move around the board for the time being at least!
But, as if that wasn't too much excitement already, the flank marching command had clearly also been rushing back to pick up a bargain on the Bring and Buy too, and decided to arrive at the very first opportunity with a 6 for their first pip roll
This imminent arrival put even more pressure on my lone, on-table command to get their asses (and horses) into gear and rush forward, as otherwise the flank march may turn up and be picked apart piecemeal without support from the main body of the Ilkhanid army
Luckily, if there is one thing my armies tend to be quite good at its rushing forward at high speed straight towards the enemy - and that was what was required now.
My cavalry's mighty steeds, noble yet cursed with riders plagued by a diet as merciless as their swords, galloped forward with a grace that only the very best Ilkhanid warriors — flatulent and ferocious — could muster.
With the arrival of the flank march on this flank now a certainty next turn, the Ghaznavid cavalry on the extreme edge of the board were in a bit of a spicy curried pickle, as they now needed to get the hell outta Dodge and put some distance between themselves and the table edge before they were forced to flee away by the arrival of the flankers.
The olfactory challenges of a life in the saddle
The well-equipped Dailami and the more "dhoti and sword" stylings of the Nutters were now vying for space in the field, very keen to try and squeeze inside it and thus avoid the risk of being run down by god knows what nonsense was due to arrive on their flank anytime soon
The Ghaznavids had also now withdrawn as many of their light horse from the flank sector as they cold get away with, leaving the rest to fend for themselves and see what actually turned up to threaten them in my next turn
While all this flank-based excitement was unfolding, the Ghaznavid Death Star was still trundling slowly forward in the middle, debating whether to just rush at the as-yet uncommitted Armenians and try and crush them even if that meant them joining in the battle.
After all, having 9 units uncommitted is great up to a point, but having 9 units you aren't actually trying to kill does rather limit your options to break the entire enemy army.
Suddenly the Ghaznavids flipped the table - the stately Shrew-tastic Death Star was now but a screen behind which a huge blob of now-eager Ghaznavid and allied cavalry had swept left to right, hoping to shore up the Ghaznavid left flank in the face of the arriving Ilkhanid flank march
In other news, the Ilkhanid State Chronicler and Drone Photography Advocate was now wondering to himself as to whether a photograph "not" showing some troops was an especially good way to show that they had moved out of shot?
Anyways, back to simple stuff.
Top quality Ilkhanid cavalry now stormed onto the table like a swarm of angry bees, each rider powered by a stomach churning with yak milk, creating a cloud not only of dust but of gastrointestinal dread, driving back the Ghaznavids and making a bee-line (see what I did there?) for the Afghanis baggage camp along the back of the table.
With the flank march on, the Ilkhanids were now pressing forward across the line into the hastily rearranged Ghaznavid Light Horse screen
The Dailami could do little but watch from the relative safely of the rough ground of the field as horsemen milled and swirled in front of their eyes, too afraid to step out and risk being run down
As they circled their enemies in a perfect formation, the Mongols cavalrymen's guts gurgled ominously, a prelude to the devastation that would follow both in steel and stench.
Those two points scrimped on not providing Rear Support to the Dailami were surely being rued in the streets of Samarkand even as we speak!
The Armenians were now back online - although that didn't really do much to change the basic plan of their body of spearmen, which was simply to sit there and wait to be charged.
It did however mean that the Armenian Commander could saddle up his horses and redeploy himself and his coterie of knights from left to right behind the wall of rather puzzled low grade pedestrians who were his subjects.
The two Massive Shrews, sorry Padded Elephants were now chundering towards the Armenians at a rate of knots
The Death Star was a potent anti-cavalry force, with bowmen, elephants and spears all providing nasty options at long and close range - but against the steady spearmen the anti-cavalry tricks counted for very little, and saw the archers left behind as the main schwerpunkt of the Mighty Shrew Offense geared up to charge home.
Giant Elephant Shrews!
Big Ticket Mongol firepower from the elite horse archers was now starting to drive back the Ghaznavid skirmishers, as the flank march combined with even more Ilkhanid cavalry to really thoroughly envelop the Ghaznavid let flank.
The mass of huddled Ghaznavid infantry had also realised that the field was not quite big enough for them all to squeeze into, leading one of the unfortunate Dailami to take a Mercenary Knight charge full in the face in the open
The Armenians were frankly a mess, as was the Wrong Death Star Shrew Configuration facing them.
Both sides pushed forward units where they could see advantage in initiating combat sooner, and held them back where things looked not quite so good. This could easily go any way at all.
The Ghaznavids
Suddenly Shrew Force One was in!
This would be a riot of colour and fabric samples, with destruction and carnage the inevitable by-product of this clash of two rather extreme and contrasting traditions of high impact haberdashery
It was The Day of the Shrew!
The Armenians, perhaps still not fully committed to the cause following their rather slow start were not in fine fighting fettle, and in the initial impact managed to pick up a stunning collection of hit markers all across the line
The Ilkhanid cavalry on the right were running rings round the befuddled and outnumbered Ghaznavids as in the chaos of close combat, swords clashed, and spears were thrust with precision, while the unfortunate Ghaznavids found themselves gasping not just at the swift attacks but at the pungent air surrounding their foes.
Burping and farting Ilkhanid horsemen were now hammering into them from all sides as the flank marching force caused merry havok and generated a massive overload of combat power in this strategically important area of the battlefield.
In the field the dhoti-wearing maniacs cowered, unable to risk stepping out and being peppered with Mongol archery that slowly but surely eroded their confidence and resilience with each arrow that struck home
Unable to stand up and halt the charge of Khans Guard and Medium Knights, the Ghaznavid mounted had pretty much vacated the centre of the table and skittered back towards their own baggage in a disorganised rabble
The Death Star had a much easier task, and they had stuck to it by advancing forward and charging the waiting Armenians - a plan both sides seemed satisfied with (worryingly)
But, despite the initial shock and awe of being attacked by enormous duvet-wearing shy and retiring rodents the Armenian infantry had found steely reserves of, well, more men, and by shoving them slowly into the Ghaznavid mincing machine had held up and in some cases started to reverse the tide of battle.
The Armenian commander now found him and his bodyguard of Knights almost alone - what trouble could he get himself into now everyone wondered?
As gaps appeared in the two lines of fighting men and small mole-like mammals classified in the order Eulipotyphla, things started to get really intriguing indeed.
Whoever next lost a unit would find themselves quickly collapsing as the spare units of the opposing lines began to turn flanks are roll up the shorter of the two lines
But this static toe to toe fighting was not really where the actual Ilkhanid army wanted to be - which is why they had presumably delegated it to their Armenian friends.
Instead they were flooding forward in a fearsome storm of Mongol riders, hardened by years in the saddle, who fought with the agility of panthers and the scent of a thousand days without soap, overrunning the increasingly desperate efforts of the Ghaznavid rear guard to form a coherent defensive line in front of their own camp
Shrew Force One was down! The Armenian/Death Star battle resolved suddenly and in a surprising direction with both sides seeing a decisive breakthrough at opposite ends of the line of scrimmage.
The Armenians were first to react, turning about and making a bee-line for the back of the remaining Ghaznavid DeathStar components
Those components were not having it though - they too flipped around and suddenly the carnage restarted as if it had never ended - just with both sides facing the wrong direction!
Off in the near distance, the Armenian Commander and his coterie of bodyguard Knights lined himself up to chase down some Ghaznavid skirmishers.
Medieval Armenia
The Ghaznavid camp was about to fall as Ilkhanid cavalry swept away the defending skin of enemy horse archers, their enemies’ eyes watering from more than just the sting of combat as the whiffy Mongols all raced to be the first to claim the spoils of war
Taking the camp to win the game next turn looked a certainty - the only other possibility was that in destroying everything in their path the Ilkhanids might actually break the GHaznavid army before reaching their baggage
And that was very much on the mind of the Armenian Commander too.
Having not really engaged in any sort of combat with anyone as yet all game, the Commander-led Elite Knights, undeniably the best all round close combat unit in Ilkhanid army, charged towards a pair of Ghaznavid skirmishing foot bowmen and caught them in their evade, removing them from play instantly to break the Ghaznavids and end the game
The Result is a win for the Ilkhanids - and a victory secured by the low-grade heroics of the Armenian Commander !
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 Ilkhanid Mongol Commander
Today, we stand amidst the spoils of victory, having vanquished the proud Ghaznavids from the lush lands of India! Their banners lay torn upon the ground, and their warriors are scattered like leaves in the wind. This triumph is a testament to my unparalleled military genius, for it was I who devised a strategy so cunning that even the mightiest of their elephants could not withstand our resolve!
While they relied on their spicy curries, thick with flavor yet lacking in substance, we feasted upon the pure, rich nourishment of yak cheese! Let them savor their fiery dishes, while we thrive on a diet that fuels our strength and sharpens our minds. Our bodies, fortified by the bounty of the steppe, give us endurance that no amount of curry can rival!
And let us celebrate the valor of our Armenian mercenaries! With their courage, they stood bravely against the charge of those massive beasts, absorbing the impact and saving the precious lives of our own Mongol warriors. It was their steadfastness that turned the tide of battle, allowing us to strike with unmatched ferocity. The early arrival of my flank march ensured that we caught the Ghaznavids unprepared, their lines crumbling as we swept through their ranks!
So raise your cups high, my brothers! Let us toast to our brilliant strategy, to the strength of our yak milk, and to the fearless hearts of our mercenaries who faced the storm of war without flinching. Together, we have carved our name into the annals of history!
Hannibal's Post Match Analysis
Ah, the Great Khan! A man whose legendary brilliance, if we are to believe his own telling, shines like a beacon across the ages—though I daresay it shines dimly through a haze of fermented yak stench and curdled bravado!
He would have us believe that his victory over the Ghaznavids was a testament to his sheer tactical genius. But oh, my friends, let us not be fooled by this fetid monarch of sour milk and untamed underarms. This ‘brilliance’ reeks more of chance than strategy, of curdled cunning rather than competence. For you see, the true cause of his triumph lies not in his supposed mastery of the battlefield, but in a... most peculiar twist of fortune. It was not the Khan’s strategies that broke the Ghaznavid line, but rather the strange sight that met the eyes of both armies. Instead of the mighty trumpeting of war elephants, what did we behold?
Why, a host of Elephant Shrews!
Yes, my comrades, the mighty Ghaznavid quartermaster, whose brilliance rivals that of our dear Khan, somehow managed to supply their forces not with the towering behemoths of war, but with these—how shall I describe them?—vermin of the veldt! Their brave little trunks twitching in confusion as the Mongol horde bore down upon them. A grand miscalculation indeed! But let us not attribute this to the Khan’s skill, unless he has suddenly become a sorcerer who charms the very gods of absurdity! Can we, in good conscience, praise the Khan’s supposed genius when it was not his might or maneuver that won the day, but the sheer hilarity of watching Ghaznavid soldiers try to rally around creatures more suited to nibbling insects than crushing armies?
This Khan, whose leadership supposedly rivals the gods, would have us believe he outwitted his foes, when in truth, he did little more than charge headlong into an army armed with—what was it again? Ah yes, courageous rodents! The Ghaznavid forces must have been stunned, perhaps more by the absence of elephants than the presence of the Khan's army. Surely, it is hard to fight when you're still trying to figure out if you’re under attack by beasts or beset by…well, rather large mice?
And so, this ‘victory,’ this ‘masterpiece’ of warcraft, is nothing more than a comedy of errors. The Ghaznavid commander’s tragic mix-up, combined with the Khan’s ability to do nothing more than run straight at his confused foe, is hardly worthy of the grandiose praise he heaps upon himself.
Oh, thou foul emperor of unwashed fleece, thou rancid regent of fermented dairy! Art thou so great a leader, or merely a lucky knave who stumbled upon a battlefield of rodent-wranglers and thought himself a god? Thy wit is as fresh as the curds thou dost quaff, and thy breath is as sweet as the wind off a dung heap! Let us not heap false praise upon this Khan, this ‘master of tactics,’ whose only true talent is surviving on a diet that would curdle the soul of any lesser man. For his victory was not earned by skill, but by luck—and by the noble efforts of a misinformed quartermaster, whose genius rivals only the Khan’s in its folly!
So let the Khan take his place among the victors, not as a brilliant general, but as the luckiest fool to ever smell of curdled milk and…inadvertently, the tiny heroes of this farce — the brave and valiant Elephant Shrews who we will surely not see again in the next game?
Click here for the report of the next game in this competition
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Game 1 Ilkhanid Mongol vs Samurai
Game 2 Ilkhanid Mongol vs Ghaznavid
Game 3 Ilkhanid Mongol vs Burmese
Game 4 Ilkhanid Mongol vs Timurid
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