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A first game of DBMM 1.1 for Dave and a chance for both of us to get a lot of rules wrong.
I used my Ottomans and invaded Wallachia in the summer. On my right edge was a medium sized marsh, with another on my left flank. Neither played much part in the battle. The only key piece of terrain was a Wallachian fortified BUA in the centre of the table. Despite invading I had to deploy first.
I deployed with a line of LH(S) on the right in the skirmish zone, with a column of LH(F) on the far right. next in from the LH(S) were 4 Bw(S) Janissaries in column with the sub general and 3 Cv(O) in column behind them. Next was the obligatory 80 pace gap, then 7 Serbian Kn(S) in line including a sub-general. Beyond them was a further 80 pace gap, then a column of 4 Janissary Bw(S) with the C-in-C and 2 Kapikullu Cv(S) in column behind. This was parallel with the near side of the BUAf. Beyond the BUAf I placed 6 Cv(O), some Psiloi and another 4 LH(F) to stop flanking manouvers around the BUAf. This turned out to be a mistake.
The Wallachians deployed with a big mob of LH(S) on my right opposite my LH(S) and LH(F) who were now outnumbered and outclassed. Opposite the Janissary column were deployed two Hd(F) to draw their fire. Next was a mass of Irr Bw(I) up to the flank of the BUAf. In the BUAf was a single Art(S) and beyond it was the C-in-C (Vlad the Impaler) with 4 Crusader Kn(O) and some Bw(O).
On my first turn I advanced my Light Horse wing and expanded the LH(F) out to try and fill the gap to the edge of the table (which I didn't quite manage as I also had to expand out the Janissaries to fill the gap. The Serbs rolled a 1 so just moved straight forward towards the Bw(I). The Janissaries beyond them moved up to the corner of the BUAf, where they discovered an ambush containing another Art(S) and some Bw. Ouch.
On Dave's first turn, Vlad used a brilliant stoke to double the PIPs of the light horse command (illegally it turned out), allowing them to expand to the edge of the board and then march into contact. The Hd(F) marched into the Bw(S). The Kn(O) also advanced but were unable to march into the Cv(O) opposite them. In shooting one Bombard killed a Cv(O) and the other killed a Bw(S). In combat the LH(S) Wallachians started with an overlap on the flank which evened out their -1 for marching into contact and rolled down along the line of 4 LH(F), killing 3 and fleeing 1. They also killed a LH(S). The Hd(F) did nothing against the Bw(S).
In my turn I moved as many of the LH(S) and (F) into contact as possible - you really don't want to be charged by (S) troops now. I let the Serbs go impetuous so they would get into contact faster. The Janissaries couldn't move up without getting back into the arc of the murderous Art(S) so held back. I moved the Cv(O) was far as possible away from the Kn(O), which wasn't very far with only 2 PIPs. Shooting recoiled a bunch of the Kn(S). In combat I killed 4 of the Wallchian LH(S) on the flank and both Hd(F), which disheartened that command.
In Dave's turn the Kn(O) let by Vlad managed to march into the flank of my column of Cv(O) that were trying to get away from them. The disheartened LH(S) tried to mob as many of my LH as possible - things were getting very scrappy on that flank. The Kn(O) killed one Cv(O) despite the -1 for marching into contact. The LH killed a couple more of my LH to dishearten that command.
In my turn I moved as many disheartened LH as possible back into flank and front combats to take out the two LH to break that command, which I managed to do. In the centre the Serbs once again charged impetuously towards the Bw(I). Most were recoiled again by one pressed forward and was promptly killed in close combat double overlapped. The knight on the end started chewing his way down a column of Ps though, while the Janissaries next to him shot and destroyed a Ps further back down the column. I flanked and killed one of the Wallachian knights with a Cv(O).
In Dave's turn Vlad himself charged my Cv(O), along with more of the knights while more of them headed for a column of Ps stranded just outside a marsh. He was able to hold the whole of his broken LH command. More desultory shooting from the Bw(I) but the Art(S) killed another Bw(S). In combat Vlad killed the Cv(O) opposite him which helped his wing-men kill their Cv(O) as well. 2 Ps also died, which left the command hanging by a thread.
In my turn the Serbs finally charged into the Bw. The LH were so close to breaking that I didn't dare get them anywhere near the Bw so they finished off the remnants of the Wallachian LH (being disheartened I couldn't move many of them anyway). The C-in-C and his Cv(S) desperately charged back towards Vlad, not so much to kill him as to try and get far enough away from the LH so that when his command broke it wouldn't take them with it. In combat however Dave killed 2 more Ps and a Cv(O) to finish off that command. At the same time most of the Serbs bounced off the Bw(I). 1 managed to kill the 2 Bw(I) but in a fit of utter incompetance the overlapped Serb Kn(S) general rolled 1-5 down and was killed by the Bw(I). That took the Serb command to its break point and so the -2 from the C-in-C breaking took the whole army.
Points of Interest:
S vs S mounted battles are very see-saw now - whichever side it is does massive casualties but the next bound the other side does massive casualties back again.
BUAf's with PF towers and Art(S) are a right pain. The road network enabled Dave to place the BUAf right in the middle of the table where he wanted it. That then created a 560 pace march interdiction zone around it (which actually wasn't that important). The main problem was that there was no chance of me shooting them out of their towers at factor 7 and I didn't really have anything to assault them. We'll see how well it works when Dave actually has to pay for the PF though rather than just making it up.
I was surprised how resilient the Bw(I) were to the Kn(S). I missed the +1 if scoring less in own bound against foot though, which would have saved the Serb Kn(S) general, so we need to try it again at some point.
I need to deploy the Ottoman's more compactly. The new march rules make depth much more important than width I think.
The 80 pace separation rule was just silly and there seems to be no reason for it at all.
The move order was again irritating. Dave though it was a good thing until I kept pulling him up on it. In the end we ended up with the DBM general movement into contact style convention were we kept saying 'I'll do this move now even though it will actually be later on in the tactical movement sub-phase'.
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