Friday, March 11, 2022

The Deuteros Raid - Combat on the Road

Battle lines drawn.  The Bulgars (green die)
with the initiative roll...
'Correctly anticipating that the Bulgar raiders would make their destructive way towards Deuteros, the defeated Commandant of Hapax gathered his small host, intercepted them on the way. Hard by the Forest of April, where the way narrowed, George Pithikos drew up his line, the peltastoi in ambush in the forest itself; the skoutatoi heavy infantry on the left, and himself with the kavallarioi in the centre. The light horse prokoursatores covered the front of the skoutatoi.

The Bulgars matched the Roman deployment: foot and light horse on the wings; heavy cavalry in the centre.  The Tarkhan Tiercel stood with the heavy horse. Having drawn up their battle array, the Bulgars at once surged forward, all along the line...'
Michael Psellophanes, Byzantiad



So fierce was the Bulgar onset that the protection of the forest availed the peltastoi nothing, and the extra weight of their horse (two units to one) drove in the Byzantine centre with loss. The Byzantine left held, but barely.


The Bulgars successful along the whole front. The 
red counter under the Tarkhan actually represents 
an SP lost to the Byzantine prokoursatores beside him

Having reached the Byzantine base line in just two turns, winning the initiative in both, the Bulgars quickly obtained the victory. Pithikos's command had been contemptuously brushed aside.
This action barely lasted ten minutes, and was all one-way traffic.  The Byzantine losses amounted to 3SP; the Bulgars, none.  The Tarkhan could be well pleased.  The next stop would be Deuteros - a large prosperous village, just ripe for the picking.  But there they were to find a formidable opponent, the Strategos, Yannis Zimiskes with a sizeable army...

10 comments:

  1. Looking forward to the next engagement. Every now and then I end up with a very one sided game like that, but with 3x3 they don't take long and its on to the next one!

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  2. Replies
    1. Certain types of army just call for bright colours, don't you reckon? I've never varnished these fellows. Maybe I should...?

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  3. Great report Archduke. I do like your 3x3 set-up and scenery.

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    1. Maudlin Jack -
      It works - if one doesn't expect too much, I think. Bit of a dice rolling game, but that makes it great for solo campaigns.
      Cheers,
      Ion

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  4. A nice couple of battle reports there Ion. I suspect the second one will have taken far less time to play/fight than it took you to write up the AAR. 😂🤣Nevertheless, the campaign is developing in a coherent manner, so we’ll done with the assorted “chrome” you’ve developed. It’s good stuff.
    I bet the Byzantine commanders are hoping for the arrival of reinforcements, to help turn back the tide of the Bulgarian hordes.
    More please.
    Cheers,
    Geoff

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    1. Geoff-
      More to come soon. Yes, this battle took maybe ten minutes, it was over so quickly. But it did lead on to the next action, the battle of Deuteros, in which the Byzantines get one more element - still outnumbered, withal, but not so much.
      Cheers,
      Ion

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  5. Archduke Piccolo,

    Having read both of the battle reports you have so far written, I get the impression that you have had great fun getting the figures together, making your 3 x 3 terrain board and battle box, designing your campaign and map, and actually fighting short, sharp battles that form part of a narrative that hangs together well. If anything justifies the FP3X3PW as a means of adjudication battles during a campaign, your do. They are an inspiration and an example that other can copy.

    All the best (and I can hardly wait for the next instalment!),

    Bob

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    Replies
    1. Bob -
      Thank you for such a kind comment. The repair 'finishing' work on these armies has been long overdue, and it was nice to get them buffed up again. It's a pity they are so delicate!

      It is taking me a long time to get the narrative of the next battle, but I hope readers will find the account worth the wait!
      Cheers,
      Ion

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