Dain's Gamble. The Battle of Monk's Heath. Part One.

General Barnardus stood at the entrance to his tent, his officers now gone to explain the battle plan to their men, not that any plan would survive first contact with the enemy. He could hear the murmur of voices around the campfires, now and again the sound of laughter could be heard. He lifted his head and peered across the heath, more campfires, but those belonged to an invading army from Iosna. Barnardus knew the enemy force was equal in numbers and composition to his own. It would be a grim battle, and for many this would be the last night they would ever see. Lots of his men and those gathered around the distant fires, would be corpses on the heath by tomorrow evening.


The retinues for this battle, I have had to mix in a lot of neutral mounted knights and light cavalry to make up the numbers for both sides, a total of 48 mounted knights in eight units, four per side.

Spear men and archers.

General Barnardus, after his victory over Baron Charlet, has been upgraded on the Leader Skills chart to Commanding. This allows him to re-roll one failed, move, attack or shoot test for any unit within twelve inches of him, each turn. He has also placed himself with the victorious unit of knights from the battle on the bridge. They are now considered Drilled, and not subject to making Wild Charges.

The retinue of Baron Dain of Iosna, contains a unit each of archers and foot men at arms.

Baron Dain has also placed himself with a unit of mounted knights, (front, right with the white plume)

Due to the tiny table, just a small copse of trees will be placed.

Dawn broke on a cold, damp and overcast morning on the heath. Those that had managed to sleep, were roused from their blankets. On both sides of the heath, men formed up, awaiting orders.

The battlefield has just a small copse of trees at one side, General Barnardus has lined up his forces with the copse directly in front of his infantry units, leaving his left wing exposed.

Baron Dain, has chosen to place his troops in a classic formation of infantry in the centre, with horse on each flank.

General Barnardus has planned for his archers to quickly move forward into the copse, with the spears offering support.

The men of Rosmia, gaze at the invaders from Iosna.

TURN ONE.

The Iosnan men at arms seem reluctant and fail to advance on order.

The Rosmians have no such problems, the archers making a dash for the cover of the copse, ably supported by the Spears.

General Barnardus, holds back the rest of his troops, the enemy can come to him.

TURN TWO.

Baron Dain orders the whole of his right flank to advance, all but one unit of mounted knights obey the command.

The Rosmian archers take up position in the copse.

Whilst one unit of mounted knights trot forward to meet the advancing enemy. They initially failed their advance roll, but being within twelve inches of Barnardus, the re-roll was successful.

However, the generals unit also failed its movement order, and that ability to re-roll can only be used once each turn.

The heath at the end of turn two.

TURN THREE.

A wild charge by the Iosnan mounted knights is met in a counter charge by the Rosmian unit

The fighting is brutal and both sides lose two figures.

As the attacker, the Iosnans fall back.

The previously reluctant unit of mounted knights, maybe seeing the weakened state of the foe, moved up to aid their comrades.

But the attack then fizzled out as the left most unit of mounted knights failed their movement.

The Rosmian archers now happily and safely ensconced in the copse, let fly at maximum range, incredibly they score four hits on only six dice, and a Iosnan knight falls dead.

'Hey up, where did Fred go?'

The left wing unit of mounted knights were ordered to assist the outnumbered unit, but failed not only their movement activation, but also the re-roll.

The positions at the end of turn three.

TURN FOUR.

The Iosnan knights wild charge the weakened unit, who successfully counter charge.

The Rosmians inflict two casualties, for a single on of their own, forcing the enemy to pull back. Both units pass their morale checks.

Sorry for blurred photo, but the other Iosnan mounted knights attempted to wild charge, but failed.

Long range shooting failed to score a single hit, let alone a casualty.

Baron Dain ordered his left flank to advance.

However, his left most flank, was not too keen. (damn notebook is spoiling these shots. Using it to make notes for this report)

Seeing an opportunity to weaken the enemy commander, Barnardus orders his spears to advance.

The tough, but now under half strength unit of Rosmian knights charge and are met with a counter charge.

Even at reduced strength, the Rosmians inflict a kill for one of their own, and fall back. Both pass morale checks.

The archers unleash again, but on this occasion they fail to register a hit.

This time the reluctant mounted knights do advance, going to the aid of their badly beaten up friends.

Positions at the end of turn four.

Spear men prepare to face mounted knights.

Everything still in the balance.

Please join me for part two.