Sung Chinese vs Early Bulgars

Thanks to Ebay I'm the owner of some chinese war wagons. I decided to field them immediately with a Sung army. The list was  quite simple: a center of RWwgO supporting IBwX/O, an attack wing of RCvS and a light infantry corps with IAxS  My opponent used Early Bulgars in an all mounted version.

As defender I had an excellent terrain, with both flanks protected. My plan was to slowly advance with the infantry center, trying to steamroll any opposition, and manouver Cvs and AxS on the left wing to support the attack. One of these corps was the army reserve should the enemy flank march.

The Bulgar player decided to keep all the troops on the table, and imho made the mistake to not use the +3 modifier to set up roll, to deploy and move first. I was able to push forward my line and block his marches

After a copule of turns the Bulgar was caged, and the only possibility was to try to pierce my line with a lucky roll versus a war wagon. Not easy.

The combat was a mess in the center, with many unsuccesfull charges and a slow but costant dripple of casualties suffered by the Bulgars

Sung CvS was able to run around enemy position and threaten the Bulgar rear, but the enemy troops were still too many to attack. By the way the tactical situation was good for Sung, that the more waited, the more logorated the enemy.

Bulgar finally had to make a move, and advanced to engage the small chinese detachment in the rear, charging wherever they coukd to avoid the mounting losses from shooting.

In a sharp fight the elite Sung cavalry made enough casualties to break the Bulgarian wing. All the Bulgar corps were on the verge of collapse due the losses suffered, and the left command demise broke the whole army with the ME losses transmission.

Once again we saw how is important for a steppe army to take the initiative and press the enemy, to have room in its rear to manouver, feign flight and fight a mobile battle. In these cases, it is vital to use the +3 to move first, expecially when the list has few troops type and give no real match up advantage to the opponent