Italian Lombard vs Khurasanian

Italian Lombard is an interesting army due the possibility to deploy a great number of knights in two lines. Relying on IKnF it is quite fragile, but the reserves should let deliver a sequence of charges that, hopefully, can inflict a lot of damage on the opponent.

In this game I decided to not use any ally, and organize my army based on the archers supported by 32 knights. This is the army list

I faced a Khurasanian army, so had to fight supported spears and elephants. An interesting match up.

As defender I tried to have a bare plain to let my knights charge unhindered. The battlefield was quite good for this tactic, but the Khurasanian arranged the match ups as best he could. Lombards were irregular, clumsy and with poor pips. The only solution was a charge relying on very high break points.

Lombard had bad pips and had to take a difficult decision: charge the IKnF with overlaps and flanks open, or save the IknF and risk the IBwO on the right. I decided to risk the archers, and took a bad decision.

Khurasanian pushed forward with the infantry center, keeping the wing with ghulams back.

When I charged, I also had some pips to well use the IKnI second line. The IKnI proved an excellente reserve, not being impetous, still being deadly as IKnF. Some CvS were killed, but unfortunately the dailami proved real elite opening a big gap in my front line.

Lombard reckless charge into supported spear wall was heroic, with the general trampling some spearmen followed suit by his troops. The winning action was ruined by the dailami, that started to roll up my lines.

On the left, where Lombards were scared by the Elephants, finally a charge could be organized with lombard psiloi engaging the behemots. This was the decisive moment in the battle. The khurasanian spearwall was weakened and the same left islamic wing had lost several CvS. Few more elements destroyed could have won the day for the italian lombards.

Disaster!!! I lost allo the combats losing a lot of troops. In the same bound, the lombard general commanding the center was killed by spearmen. Now Lombards army was in danger.

The Khurasanian on the right well used the higher pip dice, counterattacking everywhere. The dailami proved unstoppable, killing 7 elements out of 8 lombard IBwO.

In a couple of bounds my army was destroyed. I failed a last ditch desperate attack and once the central leaderless corps broke, all the army run for the hills. 2-23.

It was a bloody close affair, with two khursanian corps 1/2 ME from disheartening and 1 ME away from 20% of losses. By the way, a very tense and nice battle. I was skeptical about this army before to play it, but the second line of IKnI proved useful. The irregular command structure can be a problem, but it let attack the enemy all over the front line, and the IKnF is not just a liability but also a way to keep the pressure over the enemy