London GT Results

[nikgaukroger]

London GT Final Scores

Richard Jeffrey-Cook   Timurid            63
Jason Broomer      Catalan Company in Anatolia   58
Nik Gaukroger      Middle Sasanid Persian      55
Stephen Stead      Northern Song         50
Will Denham      Imperial Roman         48
Laurence Donohoe   Hussite            43
Paul Cummins      Feudal German         40
James Hamilton      Middle Sasanid Persian      33
Adrian Pitfield      Norman         32
Lance Flint      Rouran Khaganate      32
Peter Cross      Alamanni         30
Robin Spence      Mid Republican Roman      29
Roger Pitfield      Champa         23
Peter Entwistle      Medieval Portuguese      22

[nikgaukroger]

Link to a Dropbox folder with the lists used at this weekend's London GT.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ml0661397murc95/AAAQdctdAVMHqmxjGm9e1Bita?dl=0

[nikgaukroger]

Scores in each game.

[mad lemmey]

Thanks Nik

[AntiokosIII]

Mr. Jeffrey-Cook living dangerously with 2 allies. Did you have any refuse to join the battle? I like the Timurids very much. I always think the Timurid cavalry, expensive as it is, is the reason to run the army. You ran the minimum of it and did well. How?

[lionheartrjc]

The army ran an internal ally (competent) and a Kara Koyunlu (Black Sheep Turcoman) ally (Talented).   I took dismounted Timurid cavalry Superior, Experienced Bow and the regular archers  Average, Skilled Bow.  Two TuGs of Timurid cavalry (really tough!  Superior, Protected, Skilled Bow, Short Spear, Melee Expert), two TuGs of Turcomans (Average, Protected, Experienced Bow), a unit of 3 Elephants.  The KK ally was 2 SuGs of cantabrian cavalry, 1 loose Average, Protected, Experienced Bow, Short Spear and 1 Flexible, Protected, Skilled Bow.

First game was against the Champa.  I took a chance by sending in the Timurid cavalry against the Champa foot before the Elephants could intervene.  This minimised the danger from the artillery elephants that were behind,  Meanwhile the Dismounted cavalry took on the Elephants whilst the skilled bow outshot the opposing archers (Unprotected, Experienced Bow - Yellow vs White!).

Second game was against Jason's Catalan Company in Anatolia.  Basically I was able to shoot and weaken the Amulgavars so that by the time they reached my archers they were already weakened.  The Elephants kept Jason's knights and cavalry away just long enough whilst my shooting cavalry could do the damage.  Just had enough time to win 12 - 4.

Third game was against Cid's Hussites.  This was a case of one mistake leading from a great position to losing.  Cid had a gentle hill just beyound his deployment area, so he placed two units of wagons to move onto the hill.  However to move on to the hill it meant he didn't get any shooting until he was charged (I was able to double-move on my first bound).  So the Elephants and Dismounted cavalry were able to charge and break the Wagons.  Here was my mistake, I didn't pursue with the dismounted cavalry over the hill.  So in the next turn Cid charges his Poles over the hill and into them. Being on the wrong side of the hill proves fatal. The Poles goes on to break the foot and then catch and break my cavalry, which had already failed to shoot and break the last war wagon unit.  On the other side my cavalry had left their arrows behind and couldn't beat the remaining Hussite cavalry.  Ended up losing 15 - 6.

Fourth game was against Will's Imperial Romans.  Very hard, Superior and Experienced legionaries but also extremely small.  I think I caught Will out.  He deployed some archers, average legionaries in the forest on the secure flank.  I placed Elephants and dismounted cavalry opposite and was able to break two units.  Meanwhile the cavalry and foot skilled archers shot away one Superior legion.  This allowed me to gang up on the Exceptional legion in front, flank and rear. 

Fifth game was against Nik's Sassanid Persians.   The terrain came out in my favour, with a nice piece of rocky ground right in the centre.  I was able to place another rocky hill in Nik's deployment area, and along with a coastline left the Sassanids with few options but to deploy either side of the rocky ground.  Nik was obviously worried about advancing.  One side turned into a shooting contest which despite my best attempts at dice throwing I eventually won. On the other side a combination of my archers and elephants were able to defeat Nik's elephants. 

So four wins out of five.

One thing that makes the army work is the reluctance of opposing players to take skirmishing foot.  In all five games I can only remember facing two units of skirmishing foot and one of those was poor and unskilled!  In an open competition against shooting cavalry armies I think these are essential to either screen your own foot or to weaken the enemy horse archers.  All my cavalry units were 4 bases.  Shoot one away and they become extremely vulnerable.

As far as army composition, it is having enough shooting to win within the 3 hour time limit.  You must be prepared to commit the TImirid cavalry to a fight if you have to, but timing is critical.  Also, don't allow the cavalry to get caught - even on the 1 in 6 chance, run away if you have to. 

Richard

[nikgaukroger]

One thing that makes the army work is the reluctance of opposing players to take skirmishing foot.  In all five games I can only remember facing two units of skirmishing foot and one of those was poor and unskilled!  In an open competition against shooting cavalry armies I think these are essential to either screen your own foot or to weaken the enemy horse archers.  All my cavalry units were 4 bases.  Shoot one away and they become extremely vulnerable.

As far as army composition, it is having enough shooting to win within the 3 hour time limit.  You must be prepared to commit the TImirid cavalry to a fight if you have to, but timing is critical.  Also, don't allow the cavalry to get caught - even on the 1 in 6 chance, run away if you have to. 

Damned good advice IMO.

By coincidence, whilst not thinking about shooty cavalry armies specifically I've been looking at including some foor skirmishers in armies recently. I think they are a neglected arm.

[lionheartrjc]

To put it into context, one base of Timurid Cavalry 248 pts.  One SuG of 6 skirmishers average, unprotected, experienced bow, combat shy - 240 pts.  If you can shoot away one base of Timurid cavalry, you are points up... 

Richard

[mad lemmey]

Just for the record, Richard beat me 15-8, so not a flawless victory!

[DracoStandard]

I agree on the foot skirmishers - I think that was something the Germans were sorely lacking this weekend

[AntiokosIII]

Thanks for the detailed reply, Richard. I personally think a few foot skirmishers are practically mandatory if one uses elephants, and very useful in any event, just as you say.

That said, 2 allies? Admire your courage, question your judgement.

[nikgaukroger]

2 allies in an army has been quite common over here recently - usually 2 Talented; Richard chanced it a little with a Talented and a Competent 

[lionheartrjc]

Thanks for the detailed reply, Richard. I personally think a few foot skirmishers are practically mandatory if one uses elephants, and very useful in any event, just as you say.

That said, 2 allies? Admire your courage, question your judgement.

Both allies were reliable all weekend. There are 20 white/black cards in a pack of 50. The chances of a talented ally being unreliable are very low.  With a competent ally they are higher, but still only about 1 in 15.  The competent ally commanded only 2 TuGs, so in most games it would have been a set back but not a disaster.

Richard

[AntiokosIII]

Thanks for the detailed reply, Richard. I personally think a few foot skirmishers are practically mandatory if one uses elephants, and very useful in any event, just as you say.

That said, 2 allies? Admire your courage, question your judgement.

Both allies were reliable all weekend. There are 20 white/black cards in a pack of 50. The chances of a talented ally being unreliable are very low.  With a competent ally they are higher, but still only about 1 in 15.  The competent ally commanded only 2 TuGs, so in most games it would have been a set back but not a disaster.

Richard

Intellectually I know the odds, but I still bear the scars of Historicon 2018, where I played 6 games over the weekend and had allies sit out 2 complete games. I won one of them anyway, but still suffer from the trauma.