Pre-Samurai Japanese (Kofun 408-500 AD) invaded by Nykephorian

Byzantines [June 9th], trying to test the BwS interaction with

different troop types.

I deployed 4 commands of PSJ - using 4 CvO rather than the 3

suggested by Duncan, the horde, and minimum SpI, with the 4th cmd

consisting only of the 6 baggage.

The left command angled to cover the left flank and the exit from a

large wood; the center CIC in 2 ranks across the center of the

table; the right command mostly in column at the edge of the

deployment zone; and the baggage (I) on a rough hill behind the

center command.

The Byz deployed 5 commands including a Reg Bg cmd, a mostly Bd cmd

and a mostly BwX cmd in their center, and a micro cmd on their right

flank and the Kn & Cav on their left.

Despite my roll of 6 pips on the right and going first, the Nikes

still managed to run a pair of outflankers around my right flank

since the column of bows only expands one at a time, and irregs need

3 pips for the 3rd time .  Without terrain for infantry to rest the

flank on, it is a reasonable outcome for Lh to go around.  The Byz

micro cmd also made it around my left flank, and eventually had 2 Lh

charge up a rough hill into my baggage.  The 2 LhF that came around

my right flank also headed for the baggage, which beat off one

attack [one Lh spent] before his army broke.

The BwS shot up the BwX on their way in, though the BwX had some

success in HtH.

The BwS shot up the CvS and KnX wedges [killed one Kn in shooting

and one in HtH].  They become particularly vulnerable once a

neighbour falls back or is killed and the bows can concentrate fire.

The Bd were a little slow in getting to contact, despite 2nd high

pip [the mounted cmd command had the high pip], since the commander

manoeuvred some Ps in the woods to keep my flank command partially

fixed.  When they did contact the BwS, they started to push them

back, but being Bd I, only killed one Bw before their army

collapsed.

The BwS broke the CvS command and the BwX command to win in 5

complete turns.  The PSJ got to 25% losses on one command just shy

of being Disheartened.

My opponent felt he had thrown all kinds of troops at the BwS

without much success, and that there wasn't anything that could

really take this army on [particularly since the KnX wedges were

treated as S against the Bw shooting and in HtH].

I felt that I could have done better with terrain positioning [one

flank was open and can't be closed no matter how many pips!] and /or

by leaving some bow in the rear to handle the Lh getting around the

flank.  However, it did look to me as if one does have to try and

get on the rear of the PSJ to have a any chance.  My ability to

react to protect my rear was further hampered by the CinC only

getting 5 pips in the last 4 turns, and 8 in the entire game, making

it totally impossible to react with my rear reserve of Hd and SpI.

I used the few cav bases behind my front line to plug any

breakthroughs since the bw can't contact mounted.

The other opponent that I think could take this army frontally will

be a large contingent of KnS since they will kill 2 Bw at once when

they win.  CvS just can't do it by killing only one at a time since

it is then likely double overlapped and likely to die.

 The  game flowed well, but took a lot of time to work through the

grading effects of S troops, particularly with most of the troops

being S or acting as such.