Pechenegs...

I have at last constructed a couple of war wagons for my Pecheneg 'army'. 

Scratch built from matchsticks, wheels cannibalised from some spare Airfix French artillery (a fine source of wheels), and two pair of HO-scale horses bought a zillion years ago to supplement an equine draught deficiency in a whole other army. They are over-scale, sure, especially my first-built taller vehicle. But I imagine these vehicles historically to have been pretty substantial and sturdy - mobile castles, withal.

The question remains concerning what colours to paint them. The first vehicle looks pretty weathered as it stands, and I've given it a fairly minimal(ist) decoration. I'll probably give the second vehicle a similar treatment.

 After some thought, I decided to place the war wagons in 'draught mode'. At first I thought I'd leave the horses off as 'notional', but I like them better this way. At that, probably draught oxen might have been a better choice, but I had horses, and just one long-horn ox. 

Now, these war wagons appear to have been formidable battle assets for the Pechenegs. Story goes that they won every battle in which they were present, and lost every battle they were absent. 

It has occurred to me that for my own 'Portable Byzantiad', special rules have to be devised for war wagons. Readers might recall that I use the following combat system:
Units roll 1xD6 per current Strength Point. 
Hits are achieved depending upon the target:

• 6 = -1 SP on foot
• 5 = -1 SP on foot
• 4 = foot retreats OR -1 SP (optional, or if retreat is not possible)
• 3 = -1 SP on mounted
• 2 = mounted retreats OR -1SP (optional. or if retreat is not possible)
• 1 = -1 SP on artillery or war wagon
  

If playing FP3x3PW, I suggest war wagons ignore retreats, with no SP penalty.

In any rule set, I also suggest that, despite appearances, War Wagons have no 'flank': they offer all round defence to their crews/ defenders, with no penalty dependent upon direction of approach.

A FP3x3PW Pecheneg army with
war wagon

Now, reading Sultan Chor Darrai's recent encounters with Demis Roussos's (Strategos of Antioch?), his Byzantines, about Edessa (see Bob Cordery's blog Wargames Miscellany), it seemed that the light Turkic horse were in combat against heavier horse somewhat at a disadvantage. They ought, given a sizeable enough board, to derive some benefit from their greater mobility, but it is true that at some point (so to speak) they will have to get within range of the sharp stuff. Having got within range, the getting out of range might prove problematic. 

A Pecheneg DBA army, with two war wagons

Note that the WWg base with is DBA standard.
Figures all Tin Soldier, but many with modifications 
(javelins and shields)

I am going to suggest that on a 'Mounted retreats' result, the light horse can draw back more than one grid area. Question is: how much? A number of possibilities suggest themselves, but for a 'first pass', I suggest light horse can 'flee' up to their maximum move allowance of 4 grid areas, and hence out of immediate charge range of the heavies (even if the heavies follow up 1 grid space). I would offer the same suggestion in respect to light infantry as well. Mounted foes in a standard move will still catch up the foot, but heavier are foot less likely to do so.

Of course, much will depend on who has, or wins, the initiative subsequently, and what flexibility the activation roll will permit.

My 9-unit Pecheneg army for larger game boards:
1 HC, 6 LH, 2 WWg

Here I have found a seventh light horse unit
that looks as though they are also Pecheneg. 
Second hand, the 7th stand manufacture unknown to me!

So far I have been thinking that, unless I rope in some proxies - I have plenty of those - or allies (the Bulgars come to mind),  a nine-unit army was all I could field of these guys. But I discover I have at least one other stand - not of the same make - that can also be fielded as Pechenegs,  and a quick squizz at my Essex Bulgar light horse, though rather more gracile in form, can also pass muster... Two more units will yield my 12-unit army.

At the moment I'm thinking 9-unit armies for my 10x10 square battle board; and 12-units for my larger, hex battle board.

H'mmm... Looks as though the northern border regions of the Empire are about to be raided... again...