A game fought last week between myself (Lithuanians circa 1399 or

around then) and Peter Barrett (Antigonas Gonatas). 400 or 410

points. This was a follow on from running massed  LhS last week.

Lithuanians were massed LhO. Peter wanted to test his Successor

against a horse army.

The Lithuanians invaded in summer across a wide plain flanked by a

rough hill on the left and small steep hill on the right, some open

fields, and some other scattered terrain near the Antigonas baseline.

Antigonas deployed with a centre of galatians, flanked by macedonian

pikemen, with two wings of Thureos wielding infantry (AxS)and

skirmishers supported by successor knights (KnF), Greek Cavalry and

light horse, with two elephants on the Antigonid left flank.

Facing the Successors , Grand Duke Vitautas deployed artillery (1

ArtS) in the centre protected by abatis, and supported this with

squadrons of Lithuanian horse (16 LhO). The Duke himself was

protected by Teutonic Knights. On the left wing, he ordered his

Lithuanian foot to deply (AxO, PsO) and supported these with Polish

mercenaries (1 KnO and 1 CvO) and some more horse. On the right wing,

Vitautas deployed another horde of Lithuanian horse (16 LhO), and

then sought his Russian ally Vladimir to deploy behind the lines

(CvO) and wait.

The battle opened not to the grand Duke's liking, with the Antigonids

pushing quickly across the field, a line of infantry from rough hill

to steep hill, with the ferocious galatians in the middle. On the

Duke's left, the Antigonid foor (AxS and Ps - mainly I) pushed off

the rough hill to attack the Lithuanian foot. The Polish adventurers

resopnded, charging forward with the Lith foot in tow. With the

Polish knight breaking through the Antigonid foot (AxS), the Lith

foot swept away the Antigonid skirmishers (PsI) quickly pushing the

Antigonid flank into dangerously demoralising territory. Antigonid

himself, responded by ordering his knights behind the line to ride up

to the crest of the rough hill and prepare to charge down into the

Lith foot.

In the centre, the galatians and pike pushed forward to be met by

gunfire (a bit useless) but moreso, hordes of Lith horse swirling and

throwing javelins and shooting at the front ranks. Several were

chased away (spent) but the rest kept in the face of the Antigonid

foot.  These continued to roll forward where they could, reaching the

abatis and storming passed it (over it). To the centre right,

Vladimir passed through some Lith horse and charged his Russian

nobles and boyars onto the Antigonid Wb, Pike and AxS. There followed

a long struggle of foot verssu cavalry.

On the right wing, the Lith squadrons charged forward into Antigonid

skirmishers, but this time they werent poor javelinment, but men

armed with slings and bows. A long fight occurred between Ps and Lith

horse.

The Duke looked for his opposite number. Antigonid was charging down

the rough hill into the Lith foot of the left wing, along with other

macedonian squadrons. To the Duke's dismay, the Polish adventurers

were slaughtered, and the Lith foot was soon steadily retreating (KnF

in wedge v AxO..) Luckily, the foot had numbers. As the macedonian

knights pushed forward, with Antigonas reaching the Lith subgeneral

(CvO),  the Lith foot began to surround them. With losses mounting,

the Antigonid flank broke, Antigonas with them.

In the centre, the galatians poured over the abatis (but couldnt kill

the guns). The Duke ordered the Teutons to attack them, which they

did in the flank, killing bands of galatians before being taken in

the flank and front by pikemen and the Antigonid SG. The loss of more

Teutons put the seed of flight in the Grand Duke's mind. back on the

right flank, the Antigonid general had thrown in Greek cavalry and

himself to weigh the odds in his skirmishers favour. Lith horse was

ground under greek hooves, but the flexibility of the light horse

allowed them to wrap the Greek horse and route it, eventually

swallowing up the Antigonid general and destroying him.

The Antigonids broke, with the Lith left flank demoralised or near

it, the centre near demoralisation, and the right near

demoralisation. The Russians were untouched. I think I lost about 3

Lh spent and 10 Lh destroyed, plus 3 knights (2 Teutons, 1 Pole)and a

Polish Cv and quite a few Lith Ax and ps.

Comments -

- another enjoyable game. I think we both deployed pretty well though

Peter later said more terrina would have been better.

- Peter had some crap combat dice, but PsI is PsI.

- AxS seems better versus mounted than against foot. That is, their

advantage over AxO really seems to be against mounted.

- LhO in large numbers were pretty resilient. When the lines were

well formed, like at the start of the game, they were pushed back.

When a gap occured (like after the Polish adventurers went through,

or a lucky kill on an AxS, or when the lines had really broken up,

they were nasty with attacks to the rear and flanks, especially with

KnF wedges rolling through

- I kept my LH in large blocks most of the time, say 8x2 deep. It was

easy to move them and didnt cost alot of pips. THe initial fights

were lines of Lith horse charging straight in (I assumed they were

really skirmishing in front of the line). When the fight broke down,

any spare pips were used for opportunistic LH. When i tried some

fireworks LH moves at the start, i later ran out of pips for them, so

I think big blocks of LH works better until the battle breaks down

alot.

- Peter's SBW KnF were killers... but did succumb to overlaps in the

end...

- Peter's elephants didnt get in due to pip starvation.. luckily for

me.

 - The Russian CvO fought well, holding up pikemen, AxS and WbS. I

really like CvO now. means i need to get painting on the LAP.