Lion Rampant - Some Thoughts and an update on the Campaign Game.

After the latest battle of the Campaign of King Hugh III of Rosmia, I felt somewhat cheated and disappointed by the poor showing of the mounted archers and mounted javelins. These units are not designed for close combat, and should be used to charge in, loose their arrows or throw their javelins, then quickly move away. They are best suited to attack already weakened opponents.

However, they are only allowed to make a half move (5 inches) to skirmish. The loosing of the weapons can occur either before or after the half move. The movement rate for these unarmoured light troops is ten inches, exactly the same as the lumbering heavily armoured mounted men at arms.

OK, I can live with that, if you close with an enemy, you should become vulnerable. These light units also have the ability to evade, in this situation, if they successfully roll a 7+, they loose/throw their arrow/javelin at the unit charging them, and then make a half move directly away. If the charging unit fails to make contact, all is well, but if the evade roll is failed, then the unit cannot move, loose its weapons, and its armour is reduced to 1. Needless to say, an attacking unit of mounted men at arms, if at full strength roll twelve dice and hit on 3+, simply roll over and totally destroy their lighter foe.

This is of course exactly what you would expect, but should those heavy horse even get close in the first place?

I have looked at some home grown adaptations of Lion Rampant, namely Manor Rampant and Roses Rampant, to see if they addressed this problem. It appears not, maybe I am the only one who thinks the rule harsh.

I intend to have a practice battle with my Arab units, before they are put away and incorporate some house rules of my own.

* For mounted archers and javelins, I will increase their movement from ten to twelve inches, not a lot of difference, but could be enough to get it out of range of a charge.

* They can now move 6 inches before or after skirmishing.

* Evade, they can choose to make a fighting evade, just as the rules stand, i.e. on a 7+ they skirmish and make a half move away, if they fail to make the roll, then the above penalties come into force.

* Full Evade, this time, they forego the option to skirmish and on a successful movement roll of 5+ they move a full 12 inches away from the charging unit.


I also want to try out a unit or two of Scurrers or Prickers, these are light cavalry, still quite powerful, and can charge and counter-charge, but not as potent as full mounted men at arms.

This unit of twelve figures could also represent mounted archers, in the WotR, archers didn't shoot from horseback, but would have poor quality horses to get them from point A to B faster, they would then dismount and become a unit of foot archers. A precursor to dragoons. Both the previously mentioned supplements for Lion Rampant cover this subject and offer stats as well.

I will make a post on how the revised rules work, or don't work, as the case may be.

Onto the campaign, General Barnardus, as you have read, successfully invaded Ethus and defeated the army of Sheikh al Taif. A roll of the die for the following year, firstly indicated a Rosmian invasion of Uskax, they of course made peace after the death of Baron Charlet, The re roll is a full invasion of Rosmia by Baron Jacobus of Agliuna. That army consists of four mounted men at arms and one unit each of foot knights and spears/bills.

The Battle of Haj Tepe Ridge. Part Two.

TURN THREE.

Heavy cavalry charge, and are counter-charged by mounted men at arms.

One casualty is inflicted on the mounted men at arms, but they lose two themselves,

For you, the battle is over..

They are forced to fall back.

The javelins move in to skirmish the wounded men at arms.

They score a single hit, not enough to bother the knights.

The mounted archers unleash on the mixed foot, and score a kill.

More javelin troops move forward to skirmish a unit of mounted men at arms.

They manage to kill one of the knights.

The latest two figures to join the dead pile.

The activations come to an end when the heavy cavalry on the hill, fail to activate.

The mounted men at arms charge their tormentors. The javelins fail the evade roll, so must remain in position, they cannot fire javelins and armour is reduced to 1. They are now sitting ducks for the heavily armoured knights.

Nine hits is 50% more than is required to totally destroy the javelins.

The whole unit of mounted javelins is removed from the table.

The foot archers loose arrows on the mounted bowmen, enough arrows striking for two kills.

Mounted men at arms charge the heavy cavalry, who fail to counter-charge.

Two kills for one is the result.

The unit falls back, fails its morale and is now battered.

The mounted knights need a 5+ to charge, the javelins a 7+ to evade. Oh dear!

For a second time this turn, heavily armoured knights smash into unarmoured and static javelins. The result is inevitable.

The javelins have gone.

Yet another unit of mounted men at arms attempt to charge, but on this occasion, the enemy loose a volley of arrows, with no result, but do manage to evade.

TURN FOUR.

The unit of heavy cavalry fail to rally and rout from the field.

Sheikh al Taif seeing his army crushed, charges and is counter charged by a unit of knights.

Honours are even.

More dead warriors, al Taif survives the lucky leader roll.

His unit is forced back and fails its morale check, becoming battered.

The heavy cavalry on the hill, seeing what has happened to all the other units, decides it is happier staying just where it is!

The Sheikh's unit is confronted by two units of the enemy, the stronger charges home, causing another casualty.

Forced to retreat off the table, I allowed his unit to stay, but a disastrous morale check resulted in the unit routing from the field anyway.

The sheikh beating a hasty retreat

In the final act, mounted knights charge into mounted bows, who fail to evade.

With the expected result.

At this point, I called a halt to the battle, as you can see from the table, only a single unit of the sheikh's army is still on the field.

They beat a hasty retreat after the sheikh.

General Barnardus is victorious again, another nation's army is destroyed and a further glory point to King Hugh III.

'General Barnardus heard the warning call, announcing a rider approaching. He ducked under the tent flap into the sunlight, A single Arab horseman slowed his mount down to a trot and approached the general. The rider said nothing, he simply opened a sack that was hanging from the saddle. From it he pulled the head of Sheikh al Taif, dropping it at the feet of General Barnardus.'

The Battle of Haj Tepe Ridge. Part One.

Finally, Sheikh al Taif and his army make an appearance. His force was positioned on a ridge above flat scrub land. Barnardus had to acknowledge it was good ground for horses, but was concerned that his foe were totally mounted, no foot units at all. Also, he may have to attack uphill, with all the disadvantages that held. al Taif, had chosen both his force and the ground well.

The left flank has one unit of heavy cavalry (blue) and one unit of javelins.

In the centre, Sheikh al Taif was with a unit of heavy cavalry alongside a unit of archers.

His right flank consisted of javelins and heavy cavalry.

Barnardus placed two units of mounted men at arms on his left flank.

His spears and archers in the centre.

He placed himself on the right flank with one of two units of mounted men at arms.

Looking along the Rosmian lines

The warriors of Ethus.

The two forces prepare for battle.

Looking from the centre of Barnardus' line.

The enemy left flank.

His right too.

The men of Ethus have the high ground.

Barnardus, concerned about his archers in particular, reforms them and the spears into mixed units. this reduces their firing range, but does increase their attack and defence values. However, the units can no longer form Schiltron.

TURN ONE.

Sheikh al Taif moves his archers and javelins forward, being careful to stay just beyond charge range of the mounted men at arms.

Barnardus advances one mixed foot.

The other unit looses its arrows but is ineffective.

The unit of mounted men on the right flank fail their move order. (I forgot that Barnardus could have re-rolled once each turn)

TURN TWO.

A unit of mounted javelins skirmish against one of the mixed bow/spear units, causing one casualty.

The archers too pick on the same unit, also scoring a casualty.

The first losses of the battle.

The Javelins fail a move order.

The second unit of archers/spears advances.

The first unit looses on the javelins, inflicting a casualty.

A unit of mounted men at arms charges at the javelins.

But the javelins safely evade out of charge range.

Barnardus orders all his mounted units to advance.

The field at the end of Turn Two.

This post is already rather long, and as my camera needs a recharge, I will call a halt here.