Byzantiad - Ambush!

This is a slight diversion from the Byzantiad campaign project, based on a reader's suggestion.  Now, I had no real intention of going into the sort of detail  involving scouts and ambushes and ruses de guerre. But the notion of a FP3x3PW ambush did intrigue me.  So, I set one up.

This one involved a Byzantine column passing through some thick, wooded country. Only somewhat apprehending the presence of an enemy therein, the column was led by a unit of javelinmen (akontistai), followed by the Varangian Guard, a spear/bow unit (skoutatoi) and 3 units of lance/bow cavalry (kavallarioi). The commander, the Strategos of the Thrakesion Theme, accompanied the rearmost unit (probably not the best place for him!).

Lurking within the sylvan shadows lay three units of Bulgar foot - two units of spearmen, and a unit of bowmen. True, they might have found better employment for a unit of javelinmen, but none were then available (I didn't really think of it). The local Boyar, one Zingri, led a band about to enter a tongue of woodland flanking the road to catch the head of the Roman column in a pincer.

The thing did not go well. The bowmen tried to shoot up the column leaders, then the spearmen flanking the road stormed out and were stopped cold. Zingri led his band into the wood flanking the head of the column and attacked the flank of the lead Byzantine units, also without much success. Ones, twos, and the occasional three on the combat dice don't inflict much hurt.

They managed at last to flake off an SP or two, but really the Byzantines, outnumbered three to two up at the sharp end, and surrounded on three sides into the bargain, were more than holding their own. Better than that, they forced the spears to the front to fall back down the road. The javelinmen followed up, whilst the Varangian Guard turned to face the enemy beside the trail.

Meanwhile, the Bulgar archers moved through the woods to engage the rear of the stalled column in a shooting action.

This didn't go especially well, either, the archery proving ineffectual, and the Byzantine horse simply turning to face, and sending their return arrows into the undergrowth.  Neither side received much discomfort.

When the javelinmen scattered the enemy spears to their front (note that I was not using my idea of light troops having 1SP only to begin with), the Bulgars figured that it was time to remove themselves from the scene. The remaining two units faded back into the woods, and the column was allowed to continue their march without further let or hindrance. The Byzantines had successfully fought their way out of the ambush, inflicting the loss of 3SP whilst losing 2SP of their own.

That was an interesting little exercise, but, truth to tell, the Bulgars didn't fight very well, with some indifferent dice rolling. I think this an nice little scenario, but another time I'd leave the ambushers in the flank and reserve zones (concealment), to arrive and engage the column at the appropriate time. But the ambushers have to make the most of flank attacks and of shooting from cover. This proved a bit beyond the Boyar's little band.