100 years war English vs Wallachian
This is another game using a shock version of the english, with minimal BwS and more close combat troops. This time I realised how vulnerable this composition can be when facng an eastern style army, with many LhS and some heavy cavalry. Wallachians lead by Dracula.
I was the attacker, and my main concern was to avoid being outflanked by the nimble enemy light horses.
The battlefield was quite good, because my woods landed on both flanks. Deplying second I could also set my mounted bowmen on an open flank to turn around the enemy line.
The Wallachians deployed deep, to engage me frontally. The terrain left them few choices
I stayed quite back with my troops because I wanted to avoid the murderous fire from the couple of enemy bombards, and also because I needed time to bring the mounted bowmen in action in the enemy rear area.
The Wallachians advanced just outside my shooting range, so I had to just one salvo before being charged. The mounted bowmen task was to put pressure on the back of the leftermost enemy corps
The fire was uneffective, and the enemy started to charge. English bowmen proved to be a tough bunch.
Second enemy charge, this time along all my line. In the meantime I attacked on the left and the wallachians, under pressure from two sides, decided to engage immediately their heavy cavalry.
I made a bad mistake with the CiC corps, because I left less than 2cm behind the PkF screening the IKnO. After the welsh recoiled, my Kn line was broken and Dracula immediately declared a feigned flight. Gascon Kn were in a dangerous position now
I had low pips and the CiC corps went spontaneous, just to be attacked from side and rear. A mess. The other corps were both engaged. Wallachians were suffering heavy losses in the center and on the left.
The central Wallachian corps had pip problems, and for two time Dracula had to use a brilliant stroke to double the pips. This put a lot of pressure on me. The fire from the mounted bowmen was very effective in direct killing, also forcing enemy to turn 180° to be charged later in the back. The wallachian left wing broke.
Losses were quickly mounting. I lost the right wing, while the Wallachian center was disheartened
The last desperate Wallachian charge tried to break my center killing the subgeneral, but the attack failed and the steady bowmen and artillery fire killed the needed elements to break the wallachian army.
The fight was bloody: 17-8 for the english.
My mistake could cost me the game, and my opponent immediately exploted to bring ma corps of mine out of position and vulnerable to LhS attacks. English army proved tough and mounted bowmen very useful.
The surprise was the ArtI battery. It was deadly.