The Battle of Carador: Cymria vs. Dalriana, AD 951, turn 1

The Battle of Carador: Cymria vs. Dalriana, AD 951, Turn 1

Background

We played this game at the "Edgewood Bunker" in February, 2008. Bruce Duthie as the Dalrianans (Leinster Irish) and Dan Proctor as the Cymrians (Gynedd Welsh) fought the battle.

The game rules were Warhammer Ancient Battles, with armies from the Shieldwall supplement. The game lasted about two hours. The Dalrianans, having captured the town of Carador at the end of AD 950, were on defense. The Cymrians, attempting to recapture their town, were on attack. The Cymrian army would have 16 turns to kill, destroy, or rout off the table half the point value of the Dalrianans.

The figures were 25mm size. The game was a draw, ending in a negotiated peace after seven turns.

The Forces:

Cymria: The Cymrians advanced with about 700 men:

1 Teryn, hand weapon, throwing spear, javelin, light armour and shield
1 Uchelwyr, Hand weapon, throwing spear, javelin, light armour and Army Battle Standard
1 Uchelwyr, Hand weapon, throwing spear, javelin, light armour and shield
12 Teulu, MCS, Hand weapon, javelin, shield, light armour, throwing spear
16 Priodaur, MCS, Hand weapon, shield, javelins, and throwing spears
16 Priodaur, MCS, Hand weapon, shield, javelins, and throwing spears
11 Bonnedig, Javelins, buckler, and throwing spear
11 Bonnedig, bows
1 Supply wagon
5 siege ladders

Dalriana: King Rory defended on the walls of Carador itself, with several units of slingers outside the walls, and one unit of Fianna axemen on the causeway leading to the town gates. King Rory had recuited many leaderless slingers for the battle. He was counting on fact that slingers can shoot twice per turn at close range. Since he was defending walls and ditches that took a long time to cross, this seemed like an effective defense at low cost in points. King Rory also mustered about 700 men:

King Rory, Ri Ruirech, hand weapon, javelin, lt armor, shield
1 Curadh, hand weapon, javelin, shield
1 Curadh, hand weapon, javelin, shield
40 Kerns with slings, no MCS
15 Fianna 2Hd ax (9), MCS (15)
15 Fianna 2Hd ax (9), MCS (15)
1 supply wagon
Warchest

The Course of the Battle

The Dalrianans, as Irish, got to place one unit in ambush. They chose to place a unit of slingers in the woods on the eastern side of the town, near the gates.

The Cymrians placed their bowmen in the woods southwest of the town. These skirmishers spent the game taking long-range shots at enemy slingers, but only inflicted two hits the entire game. They were too shy to come into close range and face the halistorm of slingstones from the enemy.

The rest of the Cymrian army filtered through the woods south of Carador. As they came within sight of the enemy, the Fianna axemen failed its warband test and surged out into the open.

The Cymrians advanced out of the woods to come to the ditch. Slingstones began taking a heavy toll on one of their Priodaur units, causing nearly 50% losses by the end of the game.

The Dalrianan ambush unit also failed its warband test and rushed out of cover. They took one shot at the enemy and then were routed by a charge of Priodaur spearmen. Despite their low leadership they managed to rally, however.

In the center King Rhodri and his guard of Teulu, despite witnessing the rout of some skirmishing bonnedig janelin-men, withstood the charge of the enemy axemen and routed them. They then got an excellent pursuit roll and destroyed the fleeing Fianna.

The Dalrianan slingers outside the walls also broke and fled inside the fort at this point.

We counted up points but King Rory still had slightly more than half his points in action. He appeared on the walls of the town and offered to withdraw in echange for one year's taxes (200 silver crowns) and two years of sworn peace between the two kingdoms. King Rhodri accepted this offer and the battle ended in a feast of brotherhood, with a few bitten-off noses and broken limbs (due to friendly horseplay among the former enemy fighting men) to add to the entertainment.