As I am re-reading Jack Ludlow's wonderful trilogy of the Normans in Italy, I have been spurred to return to an on-again-off-again project with that campaign in mind set around 1050 AD. I have a draft map that I need to add some additional nodes to and color but here it is below:
I have a draft of the campaign rules for it as well but am still working through the details. Once it gets closer to a finished product, I will add it to the blog.
Accompanying this concept, I had two lists laying around that I have been wanting to try out set in 1070 AD. So here you get an AAR of Italo-Normans vs Muslim N. African & Sicily (Sicilian version). The Italo-Norman list was drawn from the original Oath of Fealty.
Anyway...
The year is 1070 AD. Roger d'Hauteville has been nibbling at the Saracen holdings in Sicily for close to a decade. He has recently been called back to the mainland to assist his brother, Robert, in putting down another one of the incessant rebellions of Robert's troublesome vassals. Danulf, son of Ormott, has been left in command in his absence. The Emir of Troina has heard of Roger's absence and has gathered his host and marched to attack Danulf. Danulf has gathered his forces and awaits the Emir in the hills west of Troina.
The Norman host and list:
The Moslem's in Sicily host and list:
The Normans won the initiative and opted for Hilly. The Moslems chose the compulsory gentle hill, a broken and a steep hill. The Normans took an impassable.
A view of the Moslem host deployed shows a light horse BG on the far right with a cavalry BG on its left. Both of these BGs are armed with javelins and light spears. In the center are two units of heavy foot with supporting archers. On the left, there is another BG of cavalry with javelins and light spears with an armored lancer BG behind.
A view of the Italo-Norman host deployed shows a BG of knights on the right on the back of the gentle hill. A small BG of archers are deployed partly in front of the knights and the heavy foot that stretch to cover the camp. On the left next to the impassable lake, the last BG of knights screened by the BG of Greek javelins.
Another view of the entire table and both armies:
The Italo-Normans rolled to move first and Danulf moves the spear and the archers a double move forwards towards the Moslem line. The Green Knights on the left end of the Norman line move 5" forward and shift 1 base left. The Greek javelins move 5" forward and shift 1 base right. The Blue Knights behind them mirror the move of the Greeks. With no shooting or melee to be resolved, The Norman turn ended.
The Moslem 1st turn has the light horse BG move 7" straight ahead. The Moslem cavalry BG next to it moves short staying outside of 5' of the Blue Knights to their front. The Moslem Emir moves the heavy foot line 3" straight forward. The Moslem cavalry to the right of the heavy foot moves 3" to stay on line with the foot battle line. The Moslem armored cavalry wheel to their right and move 4" and then wheel 1" to their left. As no one has any effective shooting, the Moslem 1st turn ends.
To start the Norman 2nd turn, the Greek skirmishers move to with 2" of the Moslem cavalry to their front. The Blue Knights pass a CMT and expand 2 bases while stationary. The bow BG turn 180 and move 4" to end behind the Italo-Norman spear. The Green Knights pass a CMT to expand 2 bases and remain stationary. In the shooting phase, the Greek javelins and the Moslem cavalry in front of them score a grand total of 1 hit to no effect. The generals both opt to remain where they are and the Norman 2nd turn ends.
To start the Moslem 2nd turn, the Moslem light horse turn 90 to their left, wheel 4.5" to become parallel to the Norman front and move forward half an inch. The Moslem cavalry on their right expand 2 bases while remaining stationary.The Moslem infantry line do a short move and move on line with the cavalry to their left. The Moslem javelin cavalry on the right end of the line expand two bases while remaining stationary. The armored Moslem cavalry pass a CMT to turn 90 to their left and move 3" back towards the center. In the shooting phase, the Greek javelins score 2 hits on the Moslem cavalry to their front who score 0 in return. The Moslem cavalry disrupt on their cohesion test.
To begin the Italo-Norman 3rd turn, the Blue Knights on the Norman right move straight ahead through the Greek javelins to just in front of the disrupted Moslem cavalry (just over 5" away at Beth start of their move). The Greek javelins turn 180 and move 5" straight back (they failed a CMT to withdraw 2"). The Green Knights move 5" straight ahead (again starting just over 5 from the Moslem cavalry). The light foot bows move 5" towards the Italo-Norman camp. In the shooting phase, the disrupted Moslem cavalry scores no hits on the Blue Knights. On the other end, the Green Knights take 2 hits but shrug it off with no ill effects. In the JAP, the Norman leader moves to the last file on the left end of the Norman spear BG. The Emir moves to the disrupted Moslem cavalry and rallies them back to steady to end the Italo-Norman 3rd turn.
To start the Moslem 3rd turn, the Moslem cavalry in front of the Blue Knights on the Moslem left pass a CMT and back up staying at 2" front the knights. The Moslem cavalry on the right end of the line attempt a CMT but fail and remain in place. The Moslem armored cavalry also attempt a CMT but fail and move 3" forward. The Moslem light horse turn 90 and move to within 2" of the Blue Knights. In the shooting phase, the light horse and cavalry on the Moslem left shower there Knights with javelins scoring 3 hits. The Blue Knights, however, pick the javelins out other mail and off their shields taking no losses on the death roll and no loss of cohesion. On the other end of the line, the Green Knights take one hit from shooting to no effect. In the JAP, the Moslem Emir moves back to the center of the Moslem foot line ending the Moslem 3rd turn.
To begin the Italo-Norman 4th turn, both BGs of knights charge. The Moslem cavalry facing the Green Knights on the Norman left worked the numbers and releasing that they would be caught with their back to the knights because of the steep hill behind them if they evaded and opted to stand. the Moslem cavalry infant of the Blue Knights opted to evade ending up just 1" in front of the knights who pursued 6" to their 5". On impact, the Green Knights scored 10 hits out of 12 to the Moslem 5. The Moslems took 1 base loss automatically, passed the subsequent death roll but rolled snake eyes on the cohesion test to drop to fragmented. In the movement phase, the Greek javelins wheeled 5" towards the Moslem light horse. The Norman bowmen moved 5" towards the javelin men. The Norman heavy foot moved 2" towards the Moslem foot. As there was no shooting to be had this turn, the turn proceeded into the melee phase. In melee, the Green Knights scored 3 hits and took 2 in return. The Moslem cavalry passed their death roll but failed their cohesion test, breaking. The neighboring Moslem foot BG and the armored cavalry BG did not seem to care easily passing their cohesion tests. The broken Moslem cavalry routed 5" towards the table edge. The Green Knights pursued to the edge of the steep hill and stopped. In joint action, the broken Moslem cavalry continued off the table ending the turn.
To begin the Moslem 4th turn, both heavy foot units charge the Norman spear. The generals on both sides join the fight. On impact, the right Moslem spear with the general scored 7 hits to the Normans while the other Moslem spear scored 1. The Normans scored 4 hits on the Moslem spear with the general and 3 on the other. Neither general takes a hit. The Norman spear suffers a base loss and disrupts. The Moslem spear without the general disrupts. In movement, the remaining Moslem javelin cavalry turns 180 to face the Blue Knights. The Moslem light horse moves to within 2" of the Blue Knight's rear. The Moslem armoured cavalry turn 180 to face the Green Knights. In the shooting phase, The Blue Knights take 3 hits from the javelin storm but shrug it ff with no ill effects. In melee, the Moslem spear manage 5 total hits with the Norman spear returning with 3 total split between the two BGs. Neither general suffered a scratch and the Norman spear passed their death roll. Unfortunately, they suffer another cohesion loss and drop to fragmented. With both generals in the fray, there was nothing to do in joint action and the Moslem 4th turn ended.
To begin the Italo-Norman 5th turn, the Blue Knights charged the Moslem cavalry to their front. The Moslem cavalry opt to stand as an evasion would take them off the table. in impact, the Blue Knights scored 5 hits and took 2 in return. The Moslems suffer a 1 base loss from the death roll and disrupt on cohesion. In the maneuver phase, the Green Knights pass a CMT to contract 2 stands and wheel towards the armoured Moslem cavalry. The Greek javelins turn 90 and wheel 3" towards the Moslem light horse. The Norman bowmen move 5" towards the javelin men. There was no shooting to be had so the turn proceeded into the melee phase. In melee, the Blue Knights scored 3 hits and took 1 in return. The Moslem cavalry survived their death roll but double drop on cohesion, routing off the table. The Moslem light horse disrupt for seeing friends break. The Blue Knights pursue to the table edge. The Italo-Norman spear manage zero hits against the Moslem spear but take 5 total in return. The Norman general survives but the spear lose a base to their death roll and break cohesion. In pursuit, the Normans go 3" and both Moslem foot BGs catch them. The Norman leader survives once more as two more bases of Norman spear evaporate. In joint action, the Norman leader moves 7" to the Greek javelins while the broken spear rout 3" towards the table edge. The Moslem spear with the Emir pursue into the broken Norman spear while the other Moslem spear move short. The Italo-Norman Spear BG is picked up at the end of the joint action ending the Italo-Norman 5th turn.
The Moslem 5th turn began with the game in the balance. The armoured Moslem lancers started things off by failing a CMT not to charge plowing into the Green Knights as a result. In the impact phase, the Moslem armoured cavalry managed 0 hits but took 2 in return. Surviving the death roll, the Moslems disrupted on the cohesion test. The disrupted Moslem spear BG rolled, and passed a CMT, to charge to Norman bowmen to their front. The bowmen evade 5" and the spear pursue 4. In movement, the other Moslem spear move 3" forwards towards the undefended Norman camp. The Green Knights expanded a base to cover an existing overlap against the armoured Moslem cavalry. The Moslem light horse turned 90 and moved 5" towards the Greek javelins. In the shooting phase, the Moslem light horse scored 2 hits on the Greeks who shrug off the javelin storm with ease. In melee, the Green Knights scored 6 hits on the Moslem armoured cavalry who managed 0 in return. The Moslem cavalry suffer 1 base loss automatically and then managed to double drop on cohesion. With the breaking of the last Moslem cavalry BG, the Emir called it a day and abandoned the field.
Just after I finished this game yesterday, guess what showed up in the mail? You guessed it: Army Lists Book 3. The new Italo-Norman Ally list is significantly different than the original so I will be having another go at it with the new version at some point.
