This month is my Petaudia campaign's turn for wargaming activity, so I started up a campaign I hope to keep ticking along to a logical conclusion - the Iotan War. Simply put, the Count of Ethonia has designs on the East March, over the Trygon Mountains, and has launched an invasion. The Baroness of the East March, though a weaker power, decides to make a fight of it, although outnumbered. The Battle of Adyda Ridge thus took place - I had a few hours to spare to play it in the week - as she tried to keep the invaders away from her capital, Iota. It was a bit one-sided, but was fast and fun, as with nearly all Dragon Rampant games I have played. Although, to be honest, it was more of a Lion Rampant game, as the only fantasy element was a unit of dwarves allied to the Baroness and they did not even move or fight! Anyway, the Count won the battle, although he only made one of his Glory tasks, which was not to commit his reserves, whereas the Baroness got her single Glory task by making the first assault. Now the Ethonians are sitting outside Iota, laying siege to the town, and the Baroness is trying to rally support from the neighbouring South and North March, but her resolve is wavering as she fears that Iota will be stormed and plundered, to her subjects cost.
Here are some pictures of the battle. Rules were Dragon Rampant with a few home tweaks. The small bases with a flag and foot knight are command bases, which fight as Reduced Model Units as well, but mean they are not tied to one unit like the original rules. My newly-rebased units on their round bases helped speed up play a lot and looked okay to me, even if a bit deep! Table top four feet by three feet, with the East March army on the ridge, Ethonian army attacking across open ground. I tried to play it in a balanced way, with the East March having to hold out until Turn 12 and inflict as many losses as they could, while the Ethonians had to break through along the main road before Turn 12. The East March had about 40+ points of units, the Ethonians about 80+ points.
The Baroness' dwarf allies, deployed in the rocky part of the ridge.
My "normal" human figures are nearly all 25mm Essex 14th and 15th Century, just painted for fictional countries: green and red for Ethonia, black and yellow for the East March.
Knightss, men-at-arms and hobilars form the standard cavalry types for all my human countries.
Command bases represent the various dukes, earls, counts, barons, etc. that make up the feudal hierarchies of the various states. Ethonia has a count with barons; the East March has a baroness with lords.
The longbow retainers and pikemen units at the back are the Count's reserve, which he did not have to use in the end.
The Ethonian left is making progress; the right is lagging behind, owing to poor die rolls to move. This element of Dragon Rampant is very useful when playing solo, as it adds an element of uncertainty.
Opposing knights clash head on.
And then the men-at-arms!
The Ethonian centre is plodding forward, the right wing is still dithering, the left wing cavalry has been repulsed.
The cavalry action went on a while on the East March right flank.
The Ethonian infantry are looking rather disjointed and their right wing cavalry still has not got going! However, the East March longbowmen are fleeing at the bottom of the picture. I like to leave them on the table for one turn, just for the photos! The white counter shows they have broken. Green and black counters are used to show Battered units of the respective sides - Ethonia or East March.
An uphill attack gives the defenders an Armour Class bonus un Dragon Rampant. I use casualty markers, as can be seen here.
The Ethonian left wing cavalry have been defeated, their infantry still cannot get coordinated, but their right wing cavalry has finally got moving, but they face the dwarves in rough terrain on that side of the ridge, which, being uphill as well, is probably going to deter them a lot!
One of the East March commanders throws himself into the fray to hold the line.
Another East March unit has given way and fled in the centre, while their right wing cavalry has pulled back out of sight behind the ridge after being shot at by Ethonian missile troops.
The Ethonian right wing cavalry decided to side-step the dwarves and went for the East March crossbowmen, who promptly repulsed the first group of men-at-arms!
The Eat March right wing cavalry, with Ethonian infantry getting ever nearer. decided on some last ditch charges to try and hold the line.
The Ethonian infantry are getting their act together now, ready for a final surge forward, with the Count back amongst his household reserves confident of success.
Repeated cavalry charges by the Ethonian men-at-arms still could not break the East March crossbowmen!
Matters are now critical for the East March as they are pushed off the ridge to the left of the road and the Ethonian weight of numbers begins to tell.
Two opposing commanders fighting it out on the ridge.
A few last valiant charges by the East March cavalry failed to halt the Ethonian infantry on the Baroness' right flank.
The East March spearmen have collapsed in rout and the ridge is lost, but for the dwarves.
The view from behind the dwarves.
The battle almost at an end. The East March crossbowmen form the rearguard, the rest of the army, bar the dwarves, has now left the field.
End of the game, with only the Ethonians left on the table, the East March crossbowmen having retreated and the dwarves marched off unmolested by the weary Ethonians.
I usually work out sieges using die rolls and tables, but there may be a relief force on the way, if the Baroness can raise some support from her neighbours. But the Count has also ordered up reinforcements as well. We shall see!
