The Battle of Cliffwall - Round 1

[tomcat]

Harizän's army rolled onto the field before Cliffwall, as it was called for generations by the families that had lived in the area. The Easterling rode at the fore of his troops, his great war wagon barbed with spears, wheel spikes, and other nasty blades. On either side of the Sagath army rode its light cavalrymen - able riders atop sturdy, shaggy horses who were skilled with both lance and bow. These riders also carried long, curved sabers.

Thuidmar and his Éothraim forces sat atop their tall horses in great rows. The king had spread his troops out using the beneficial terrain to his advantage - his archers lined the top of Cliffwall. But to maintain this offensive advantage, Thuidmar had to split his line so that he could defend his bowmen. He hoped it was not a decision that he would regret.

"IS THIS THE RABBLE THAT HAS COME FORTH TO FACE ME!" Boomed the great voice of the Easterling. "IS THERE ANY AMONGST YOU WHO WOULD CLAIM RANK ENOUGH TO SPAR WITH ME?"

The king of the Éothraim listened as Harizän shouted his challenge and ignored him. He turned to his right where stood his flag-bearer, and gave the man a nod. Immediately the warrior raised a brightly coloured flag and waved it aggressively back and forth.

"Let the shafts of my archers be answer enough," thought Thuidmar. Around him, the Éothraim host began to surge forward and the a cloud of arrows was loosed to the sky.



ROUND 1

Step 1: Terrain and Situational Modifiers: The terrain offers no benefit in Arena 60 Plains (East); Situational mods have been stated on the Battle Map page and bonuses and penalties have been figured into both armies stats.

Step 2: The Order of Battle: Unit Leadership test for initiative-

Harizän
TN n/a Seige-craft +3, Specialty +2
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Roll(2d6)+5: 3,3,+5 Total:11

Thuidmar
TN n/a Seige-craft +5, Specialty +2
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Roll(2d6)+7: 1,4,+7 Total:12

Step 3: Leader's Position: Thuidmar is on the Outskirts; Harizän is in the Thick of Battle

Step 4: Manoeuvres:

Thuidmar's army:

Manoeuver 1: Commit Archers - archers from Arena Cliffs East commit attack on Easterling Light Cavalry formation in Plains East...
TN 10 RC +10, Manoeuvre Mod -10
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Roll(2d6)+0: 1,4,+0 Total:5 FAILED

Manoeuvre 2: Charge - heavy cavalry from Plains West commit attack on Easterling Light Cavalry formation in Plains East...
TN 10 Movement +12
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Roll(2d6)+12: 5,4,+12 Total:21 SUCCESS

Bonus Manoeuvre 3: Hearten - heavy cavalry in Plains east will support
TN 15 Support +6
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Roll(2d6)+6: 2,4,+6 Total:12 FAILED


Harizän's army:

Manoeuver 1: Commit Archers - archers from Plains East commit attack on  Éothraim  archer formation in Cliffs East...
TN 10 RC +10
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Roll(2d6)+10: 2,4,+10 Total:16 SUCCESS

Manoeuvre 2: Receive Charge - light cavalry from Plains East prepares for attack from  Éothraim  heavy cavalry in Plains West...
TN 15 MC +11
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Roll(2d6)+11: 3,2,+11 Total:16 SUCCESS [negates bonus for Éothraim HC above]

Manoeuvre 3: Stand Firm - heavy cavalry from Plains East prepares for attack...
TN 15 Seige-craft +3, Specialty +2
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Roll(2d6)+5: 2,3,+5 Total:10 FAILED

[tomcat]

Okay... I think I got the manoeuvres right. Kind of hard going back an forth, trying to sort the abstract from the tactical. Anyway, sorry for the delay...

Step 5: Launch Attacks

Thuidmar attacks in Plains East with all available formations, plus the Heavy cavalry that charged in from the west.

Plains West heavy cavalry attacks Easterling Light Cavalry
TN 12 Melee +18
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Roll(2d6)+18: 2,5,+18 Total:25 Extraordinary success [33 units imperilled, but there are only 13 to imperil... so 13   ]

Plains East heavy cavalry attacks Easterling Heavy Wains
TN 19 Melee +18
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Roll(2d6)+18: 4,6,+18 Total:28 Superior Success [14 units imperilled]

Plains East light cavalry attacks Easterling light archers
TN 11 Ranged combat +6
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Roll(2d6)+6: 4,6,+6 Total:16 Complete success [4 units imperilled]

Harizän counterattacks in Plains East with all available formations...

Sagath heavy wains attack Éothraim heavy cavalry
TN 24 Melee +18
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Roll(2d6)+18: 1,5,+18 Total:24 Marginal success [15 units imperilled]

Sagath light cavalry attack Éothraim light cavalry
TN 18 Melee +11
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Roll(2d6)+11: 2,3,+11 Total:16 FAILED

Sagath archers attack Éothraim light archers in Cliffs east
TN 17 Ranged +10
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Roll(2d6)+10: 1,5,+10 Total:16 FAILED


Step 6: Determine Casualties

Thuidmar has 15 Heavy cav units imperiled (Support is 6): 17, 10, 10, 17, 12, 10, 11, 14, 13, 12, 9, 17, 18, 16, 16  - 5 die!! [changed rules to require a TN 12 support test to shake off imperillment]

Harizän 13 light cavalry, 14 heavy wains, and 4 archer units imperilled:

Light cavalry (Support +6): 13, 14, 16, 14, 16, 10, 14, 11, 13, 12, 11, 15, 10 [4 die]
Wains (Support +8): 17, 14, 17, 13, 16, 12, 16, 12, 10, 15, 14, 14, 19, 16 [1 dies]
Light archers (Support +6): 15, 12, 14, 10 [1 dies]

Step 7: Leaders' Fates Both leaders are uninjured


Step 8: Fighting On Of course! I may be changing this mass-combat system to my own home spun stuff we did a year and half ago... the system I put in the Hall of Fire. I will determine and may conduct round 1 over.