Uighurs vs Early Lombard

Uighurs are an army that I have always liked but never dared to use in a tournament. I did paint all the necessary figures, included tons of low quality foot.

As a change from usual steppe armies, I fielded this turkish host with a lot of infantry, supported by some cavalry and by a Tibetan ally.

This is my list. Riccardo, my opponent, was willing to experiment in third period too, and choosed an early Lombard army. This is his list.

I was the defender. I knew that Lombard had WbO and could dismount their IKnF as WbS. I tried to put down some terrain elements to gain a tactical advantage. I choosed a huge GH and some smaller RH and RF. Riccardo tried to protect a flank, choosing 2 DH. The table is seen from Uighurs side. There were 2 DH on the right, giving protection to the Lombard right wing, and a huge GH dominating the center. I put it there hoping to move first and gain the uphill advantage. Infact I needed to move first and roll 2 pips with the infantry. A slight risk.

My deployment was straightforward: infantry in the center aimed to the hill, with the left flank protected by IBwI, all the mounted behind the infantry and on the wings. The Tibetan ally in column in the center to be aimed where needed.

The Lombard deployed his huge Kn corps in the center, with WbS in two rank facing my supported SpI. On the right there were more Wb ordinary, supported by BwI and PsO. Few BwI protected the rear beacause there was a passage around the DH that I could exploit to outflank the enemy. The bulgar was on the open wing.

I moved first and was able to reach the crest with my phalanx. The Tibetan rolled 2 and was sent towards the open flank to fight the Bulgars. My plan was to use the hill advantage to bleed dry the KnF corps. That was about 50% of the enemy army, Gone the nobles, gone th army I thought.

The Lombard was cautious with the Bulgars due low pips but advanced his infantry in charge reach. The WbO were screened by some PsO.

In the sector where my Sp had no height advantage, I charged with my mounted the enemy PsO to protect the Sp. My infantry acted aggressively too vs enemy BwI beside the right DH. The Tibetan rolled just 1. I was worried because its redeployment was quite slow.

Snapshot of the first charge on right. The enemy Ps were all eliminated.

Second turn and the Lombard charged. Both of us were trembling rolling the dice. at 4S vs 7 I hoped to inflict some 2ME casualties on the dismounted Kn. After the dust settled, I had killed 1 WbS losing a Sp file.

Detail of the hill charge. Low pips exposed my SpI flank and I had to sacrifice a Ps to stop enemy overlapping me. BwI shooting vs IKnF was uneffective.

My countercharge. The Tibetan rolled 1 pip again and it could not join the fight on the right. The Bw killed 1 KnF, but I suffered a disaster, losing in my turn 2 more Sp files.

On the right the Cv fled and exposed the SpI, that joined the fight. I was succesfull versus the BwI, killing a couple and pressing forward.

On his third turn the Lombard charged into the Bw. Low pips slowed again the Bulgars, but my Tibetans where not where they should be.

The situation in the center was dramatic. My LhF plugged the gaps but the corps was mauled. The WbO charge on the right killed three more Sp files.

The mounted again filled the gap. I decided to proceed after the battle to decimatio of the turkish infantry. These guys really needed more fighting spirit.

The Tibetan finally arrived in position, while the Bulgar was ready to deliver a charge vs my mounted on the left.

Here he came, I lost all LhF engaged and a CvS. The situation was hard, with all my three corps suffering appalling casualties and being all 1-2 elements from being disheartened

The Uighurs were still in the game, because I had picked enough Lombard nobles to almost break the central corps and the whole enemy army. My first "match ball" was a Cv charge vs enemy general with two overlaps (the fight on the left slope): 3-2 fast. he survived and I could feel the doom.

On the right the situation was slightly better. The Sp heroes that were chewing enemy BwI were hard flanked, but survived.

My counter charge killing some more Wb. At half element equivalent for each loss the enemy corps was resilient.

The Lombard was very aggressive and disheartened both my left and center command. I was saved by the fact that the enemy noble corps was disheartened and no more impetous, and it rolled just 1 pip. This kept me in the game. I needed one noble kill to win the fame. Again the enemy general is attacked and hard flanked, surviving. I missed all kill opportunities and could feel what was coming...

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The Tibetan charge. I lost all the combats, except the Uighur CiC that dispatched an Lh. To be remembered: pay more gold to the Tibetans.

The end. I lost the central corps and ME loss transmission broke my army. Lombards suffered some casualties for a 5-20 result.

I enjoyed a lot this game, it was tense and hard fought. Furthermore it was a bit different from my usual matches, because I used a quite rigid army that proved interesting to play and solid.

The main disadvantage I suffered was that Wb could kill a whole infantry file, while the SpI at 1/2ME each should usually last longer. The gentle hill position was a good idea, but my infantry could fight better. The LhF are a good reserve but brittle, I think it is better use them as a second line than expose them. I lost too many on my left. Wrong of mine.

The Tibetan are a good complement, but I should have deployed them nearer to the battle line. Doing that perhaps I could have used them one more turn in battle, and this could have proved decisive.

Another issue was that as defender I could not deploy my mixed corps with the right match up. This is not the case with an opponent good at manouvering, but this time Lombard were rigid perhaps even more than my army, so I should play at least another training game to see what will happen as attacker and trying to avoid the mistakes I did.

Riccardo was not happy of his KnF performance, most of the noble losses were mounted, and he thought it would be better dismount all of them. Apart this, he played well and didn't miss any opportunity to make me feel the pain :)