Through the Ages, Series 1 Round 7, 6 December 2022

Through the Ages, Series 1, Round 7

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Double Deviousness

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No surprise early doors when the Arabs (Ag 4) invaded Sogdia (Ag 0). However, both sides were a bit sneaky in not putting all their armies on the table.

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The Sogdians (Bob) had plenty of room to manoeuvre on a normal-sized table, but the Arabs (Anthony) did get an orchard and gully to screen off one edge, but in a step up from sneaky to deviousness, the Sogdians put a BUA on the opposite side.

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Gentle hills either side of the BUA and another hill of no consequence top right in the pic.

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The Sogdians deployed Ps and Lh on the ridge, then lots of Cv (mostly O, but I think a few S somewhere in there). Then a Turkish ally - mostly LhS but with more Cv as well.

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So, where were the KnF?

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The Arabs had a few PsS outside the BUA, then masses of BdO with some BwO both ends and Dailami (rBdF) far end and a few CvO and LhO and I set back behind the orchard.

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That's only about 30 blade and the Conquest can field a lot more, especially at 450AP, so where are the rest of them?

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Shenanigans on both sides me thinks.

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The Turks swooped down their flank and the Arab mounted moved smartly to block passage around the orchard while their line advanced as well as it could (PIP shortage for one Bd command, surplus for the other). Sogdians dithered on the hill (Ps expanding their line - whoo-hoo).

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So, what are you thinking?

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The Arabs got to spring their surprise first, bringing on a command of camel mounted foot (and a few LhO) behind the BUA. The Ps that had expanded were now within 400 paces and fled, causing much disarray to the others in their line. And a bunch of bow in ambush behind the ridge decided it was best to get out of the way of the advancing camels (BdI).

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In the centre, the Bd ground forward with Bw and Dailami in support.

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On the other side, the Turks had a bit of PIP trouble, but outnumbered (and a KnF command anticipated), the Arab mounted were reluctant to engage and eventually the Lh 'fell back' (no Bob, they didn't run away) towards their camp. Sensing blood, the LhS charged after them (breaking up their line).

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Next move, the Turks got really close, but then the Arabs turned around and bop! Five Turks became two. Then zero.

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Over by the orchard, there was a swirling mess - the Turks have light green bases and the Arabs sandy bases. I forgot to mention that two of the Arab cav were iCvS, one of which was forced into the orchard and died there when forced to flee with no recoil.

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Anyhow, the Turks were a busted flush.

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Back in the centre, the Sogdian cav did a bit of 'falling back' of their own, but the left lot of Arab Bd kept getting great PIPs and finally caught up.

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However, the real bit of Sogdian cunning was not sending the knights on a flank march, but delaying them (hence the desire to draw the Arab blade forward). Fortuitously for them, the Arab flank march came on just before the knights, who were then able to reinforce that flank.

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They made short work of the Lh, then set about the BdI.

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Eventually, the Arab command broke and fled back off the table pursued by the KnF. However, the mixed command on the ridge had taken enough losses to become disheartened and on the verge of collapse.

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In the centre, a Sogdian general threw himself into the fray and was lucky to escape, while the Sogdian Cv did remarkably well and even killed two Arab Bd. Unfortunately for the Arabs, two in one column, creating a gap in the line.

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Despite being two commands down (40% losses), the Sogdians still had two effective commands, although the KnF would take a few turns to turn around and come back along the ridge.

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Of more immediate concern for the Arabs was the gap in their line that was going to be hard to plug, their mounted being some way away. The Arabs had lost 20%, making for 14-11 in their favour - a fair reflection of the state of play when time was called.

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Final positions

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I really like the pre-jund version of the Arab Conquest - lots of blade and very difficult to beat. But it is quite immobile and ponderous, so takes time to get a result.

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Bob

Nice write up. Game was still in the balance when we called it, as it had already taken 6 hours

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