Byzantiad - Pecheneg Raid 3

Opening clashes

 Pecheneg Raid 3 - Battle of Heraclea

"Not for nothing was Isaac Salonikos renowned for his determined attacking play in the fashionable game of war, petzia, or skaki, as it was beginning to be called.  Few were his defeats, but on the occasions of defeat, he was ever eager to retrieve his fortunes in another game.

First blood this time to the Byzantines

So it was in warfare. Two successive defeats - both of which might well have been victories - were not enough to discourage this commander. So it was that, at the forest close by the Thracian town of Heraclea, he once again caught up with the raiding Patzinaks. Apart from the hound-like tenacity of the Roman leader, the Patzinaks were by this time heavily laden - encumbered, withal - with booty. Already their thoughts were perhaps leading them towards beginning their homeward journey, that they might enjoy the rewards of their violent emprise.

Placing his peltastoi on the right as most suited to fighting in woodland, he set the skoutatoi on the left, supported by his least reliable cavalry unit, and installed himself at the head of the main body of cavalry in the centre. The onset of the barbarians was met at once by the determined advance of the Romans..."
Michael Psellophanes,  Byzantiad. 

The skoutatoi forced back momentarily; 
the Byzantine centre edging the raiders back

The rout of the Pechneg right wing light horse

The opening clashes to begin with met contrasting fortunes in the three sectors of the field. On the left the skoutatoi were forced back by the horse and foot archers both, though not without serious loss to the light horse (1SP). In the centre, Strategos clashed with Khan - and it seemed that the Roman leader would prevail, driving back his adversary. On the right, the peltastoi, fighting at the wood edge, were being held by the Pecheneg light horse. 

Isaac Salonikos's band overthrown, but the 
Pecheneg leader himself has been forced 
from the field

Returning to the attack on the left, the Romans threw back in rout the light horse before them, and followed up to bring the bowmen into a combat with spear and sword. On the right, the peltastoi also began to assert some dominance, gradually edging back the light horse to their front.  

Total victory on the Byzantine left!

Then, disaster struck in the centre. The impetuosity of the Byzantine charge drove back the Pecheneg leader well enough, but the latter was taking a fearful toll. Salonika's personal command disintegrated, he himself unhorsed in the fray. For the briefest of moments, it seemed yet again, the Byzantines would know defeat.

The Byzantines were not to be denied this time. Despite their own losses, the skoutatoi reduced the enemy bowmen into a crowd of fugitives, and the peltastoi on the right continued their relentless drive. Soon not one Pechneg unit remained upon the field of battle.

Pechenegs driven from the field

At this point, the four surviving Pecheneg units had all been herded into the 'rear reserve' area, a zone permitted under the rules to hold two. So two light horse units had to be eliminated - presumably made off into the countryside, thence to find their way home as best they could. With just two units remaining, the Pechenegs could not hope to recover their fortunes. They fled.

Isaac Salonikos, unhorsed in battle, observes his victory on foot.

The losses to both sides were a deal fewer than they had been in the previous two battles, just 4SP apiece, not counting the elimination of two units from the overcrowded reserve zone.  But it was an undoubted Byzantine victory this time, and brought a term to the Pecheneg raid. There is, I think, no need to depict the Byzantine chivvying the defeated raiders back across the Bulgar border, nor, I dare say, Bulgar light horse escorting the raiders back across the Ister (Danube) River. So ended the Pecheneg raid.

Final victory for the Byzantines!

To be continued: The Fatimid Invasion - Crossing the Orontes.