Nick and I had a great game last night at the club, Early Samurai vs Eastern
Franks, 375AP.

This wasn't what was supposed to happen, as we both did a switch without each
knowing. I was supposed to bring Nikephorians while Nick was supposed to bring
"something Chinese". So in order to be "historical", I switched to Samuarai, and
Nick to Franks!

The Franks were mainly foot (dismounted Kn(I)), Edward as an ally and with a
command of Kn(F). The Samurai were 3 equal commands of Cv/Ax, Ax/Ps and Bd(F),
with 2 herds of cattle.

The Franks invaded and placed a Sea, the Samurai placing a scrubby hill, 2
forest and a paddy field. They ended up on the edges, with a nice clear bit in
the middle to contest. I deployed 2 commands with the third on a short hook (1
brilliant stroke used). The Franks deployed the foot commands from the sea, with
the mounted command on the land flank. Then the cows went down opposite the
Frankish CinC! The weather was fine, starting at dawn.

In the second bound, the Franish CinC got good PIPs and marched into the cows.
We rolled equal. One cow down. The other followed soon after, again with an
equal result. I started to worry about the dice, possibly in response to the
groaning from the game behind me as Doug proceded to roll nothing over 3*!

On the seaward flank, the Samuarai Ax and Bd were on a suicide mission to stall
Edward's command, which they did quite well. The Frankish dismounted knights had
marched across the field to deal with the cattle, and the Samurai horse had
kicked themselves into motion to get into contact. They had been waiting for the
third command to come on to the landward flank, but it was a bit delayed.
Meanwhile the Frankish mounted knights had marched themselves in a column across
the landward flank, effectively ignoring the Bd and Ax that was on _their_
flank. I was wondering why Nick was doing that. This was where Nick realised
he'd got a problem.

Nick had expected to do a "NMDT" (Norman Mounted Display Team) which is the DBM
impetuous version of a KMDT. But the NMDT doesn't work in DBMM**. So he ended up
being stuck in column for a little while, being attacked at the head by some Ax,
while the Bushi advanced past the column to impact the dismounted knights, which
were also attacked by the Samurai Cv.

The third Samurai command came on and started heading towards the Franks. The
Samurai seaward command was disheartened and was taken to _exactly_ the broken
level. Which ment it didn't break! But the Samurai CinC had destroyed enough
Knights to break two commands (with the 2ME for breaking I believe).

So the Franks fled Japan and Yoshitsune never got to use his second briliant
stroke (though I was lining him up for it). The Franks left this odd thing
called "cheese". It wasn't edible.

Overall a very good game. We forgot a couple of things in v2 (such as the Cv
repulse vs foot) but in the end it would possibly not have made much difference.
We will remember them next game. The grading factors were remebered quickly. And
I was doubtful at first, but it _is_ easier for some reason to deal with a +1 or
+2 for you instead of -1 for the enemy.

The battle between the Frankish Bd and Samurai Cv/Ax DBE was fairly equal, but
the Samurai were more manouverable and the Franks were usually taken out by hard
flank contacts, which Nick only managed at the end. The Cv/Ax DBE isn't a
"killer" troop type, has problems (such as moving only 200p), but has just
enough kick to do damange.

Nick's major problem was the column of knights being held up by (basically
expendable) Ax/Ps, who killed Knights and refused to die!!!!! By the time he'd
cleared them out, the Frankish knights looked like becoming the filling for
Samurai oshizushi......

Nick and I have agreed to a re-match where we both use Samurai. I'll borrow some
of the Glory rules from the Clontarf scenario. It should be fun.

Sayonara giajin,
Yoshitsune.
* What is between an elephants toes? Carthaginians.
**Not if the column can spontaneously move as a column you see.....