Nikephorian Byzantine V’s Russ DBMM battle

400pt game on a 5×3 foot table using DBMM V2

31 08 2013

1000ad Nikephorian Byzantine [Stuart]  V’s Russ [Me]

Russ army 21,000

Plus Scout and Ambush

Command A		Type
2	Army Baggage	Irr	Bg(F)
1	CiC    Vladimir Grand Prince of Kiev	Irr	Cv(I)
4	Archers	Irr	Ps(O)
8	Javelinmen	Irr	Ax(S)
1	Druzhina	Irr	Cv(I)
2	Magyar  Scouts	Irr	Lh(F)
Command B		Type
2	Army Baggage	Irr	Bg(F)
1	Sub   Stanislav Prince of Smolensk	Irr	Bd(O)
21	Spearmen	Irr	Sp(O)
8	Archers	Irr	Ps(O)
2	Druzhina	Irr	Cv(I)
Command C		Type
1	Pecheneg Ally    Kuchug	Irr	Cv(O)
11	Horse Archers	Irr	Lh(F)
Command D		Type
2	Army Baggage	Irr	Bg(F)
1	Sub   Yaroslav Prince of Rostov	Irr	Bd(O)
23	Spearmen	Irr	Sp(O)
8	Archers	Irr	Ps(O)
Train Command		Type
6	Army Baggage	Irr	Bg(F)

Nikeporian army  [I think]  3500 mounted, 9,000 foot

CiC Cv(S); Kn(X)/Kn(I) wedge; 4 Cv(S); 1 Lh(F); 3 Bw(X)/Bw(O); 2 Ps(O); 1 Ax(S); 2 Bd(X)

Sub Cv(S); (X)/Kn(I) wedge; 4 Cv(S); 1 Lh(S); 3 Bw(X)/Bw(O);1 Ps(O); 8 Bd(I);

Camp 4 Bg(O) 8 TF; 1 Art(O); 1 Ps(O)

Russ Ally Bd(O);  7 Sp(O); 4 Ps(O)   [Illegal as there is a minimum of 11 Sp, list allows for 0-14 so a4 spear 1 Gen plus 2 Baggage]

As Vladimir had invaded the empire, I selected 1 FE and 1/2 FE of DH and 1/2 FE orchard.     I lost my 1/2 FE Hill

The empire went for 1FE & 1/2 FE DH 2 1/2 CH and a road.

Terrain set up West is to right

Byzantine deployment

Byzantine deploy

Russ Deployment

Pencheneg’s delayed and Javelininmen in Ambush behind right hill

Battle was due to start at 4am but as I had invaded in Spring into warm I could only start an hour before Dawn which was 4.30 with no moon.

I had lost a scout during scouting but did know all his army was encamped with no surprises.

So I went with a night attack, anything to stop lots of regular units moving around my flanks.

I got 3 moves in the dark, which due to variable die meant I did not get into sight of the enemy.

After 3 turns of Night Russ moves

This was my position at 5.30 when it became the Byzant turn as dawn started to break the pitch darkness.

Now we had 400 pace visibility and they could respond.

They threw there foot forward to gain a little

Byz 5.30 Dawn

space and also the right wedge. Starting to form a column with the Russ Ally

 

 

 

 

Byz 5.50

Move 5.40 to 5.50

His Russ column has  come back into a line 6 deep in the middle.

His Art is potting at my Lights on my right and recoiling or fleeing them., this is all that happens all game there.

My sub on the right has been recoiled by archery and some spear on my left have surged forward from shooting.

Russ 6am

6am after Russ move.

Contact with the rebels. My CiC with Lights and mounted is starting to threaten the enemy flank.

 

 

 

 

 

Russ 6.20

6-20 after Russ move

Contact along the whole front.

Byzant wedges have been hit rather than hitting me.

1st Knight wedge goes down to blades.

My Delayed command has arrived.

I am about to hit the enemy left with my CiC.

Russ 6.40

6.40 after Russ  move

The Byzant move die was 1 all along on there last move which allowed me to slam into there flank removing the lights [Ps & Ax]

That along with gaps appearing along the line under the pressure of so many spear and blades, meant the game was going my way.

6.50 End

6.50 start of Byzant turn.

With his right fank command broken the loss takes the Russ ally out as well and that plus the lost units on his left took the army.

A heroic victory for the Russ

Shows what a night attack can do just by limiting there movement