I am really behind in my AAR posts on the Dark Ages Campaign that club has been playing for the last several months.  This report is from the game played on March 19th. For me it was the first actual battle that my kingdom was fighting and a chance for me to gain a province at the expense of Rick’s kingdom to my South.  It was a complete disaster from top to bottom for me.

I thought I was going to do well as I had been given the Ambush card so could attack from another unseen side with up to three units.  I picked a cavalry heavy army for this reason. The scenario was I would gain points from holding objectives starting on turn 4 lasting through turn 8 when the game would end.  George was sitting in for Rick who would be late and picked a new type of Army to defend with that had a mostly infantry force of soldiers but had extra commanders for the morale and combat bonus of the troops.

So how did this turn into a disaster one might ask.  How can I count the ways.

1. I did not start taking pictures right away so don’t have that many of the game. One could say that is not really a disaster and I agree.
2. I misplayed the Ambush card as I thought I could come in from any side but had too come in from a forested area.  This affected my deployment.
3. I thought I could not spring the Ambush until turn 3. I could have attacked at anytime but attacked on turn 3.
4. After loosing the initiative on the first 2 turns I won it on turn 3 that allowed me to go first and spring the ambush.  This allowed George to go second and react to my cavalry and not be hit from behind. Major mistake on my part and negated the advantage of the ambush card.
5. I got too close to George’s troops on one flank with my infantry with the idea of using range fire to do damage.  George charged those troops and caused them to break and flee without them causing any damage. George charged all my troops in fact.
6. Rolled badly against the charges on the left flank while George rolled better. Not really a disaster just bad luck.
7. Rick arrived and made all the morale rolls forced upon his forces by both myself and Del who was commanding my forces on the right flank.  Again one of those things just the luck of the dice but coming with everything else it caused me to make morale rolls as he passed his.
8. Del and I failed all the morale rolls with my infantry even with are elite infantry troops.   Yes this happens but on turn 3 it had pushed all the infantry back from both objectives as they had all broke.
9. Had taken 50% loses by turn 4.  Not good any way you slice it.    

Now some photographs.   Click to get larger views of photographs.

My left flank infantry and skirmishers breaking on turn 3

Del’s right flank taking hill objective awaiting charge from George

My cav attacking from the trees in George’s rear being stopped by his commanders.

George turns his infantry to face the cav during turn 3.

After taking so many dead by turn four and having all the infantry break I gave up and called the game after turn 4 as I was never going get back to a objective for points.  George played really well all around.  He picked a good army.  He stopped the cavalry charge by sacrificing his leaders.  His leaders in the rear stopped the charge and allowed the form units to turn and face the cavalry not getting hit in rear.  George made a good move with getting two infantry units on one destroying one of my in one turn.  George and Rick rolled well.  Del and I did not as they made the morale rolls we did not.  I made mistakes on my calculations, understanding of rules, cards and rolled badly.  As I was the attacker the only good point was that I did not lose any lands.

Next time I will post about the March 26th game.