El Cid at Partizan

First of all apologies, the eagle eyes amongst you will have noticed that I managed to press Publish instead of save yesterday on this post. So lots of nice pictures of our game at Partizan with no narrative at all. You may even have preferred it that way, sorry!

So for Partizan we put on a game based around the Spanish Reaconquesta at the time of Rodrigo de Vivar or El Cid. We had played this game a couple of months ago and decided it would look good at the show, so with some minor amends (mainly using terrain of Andy and Rich from Legendary Wargames) we were off.

I did the armies list and lay out etc last time here http://gapagnw.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/hail-cid-aar.html so I wont go through the whole thing again, just give you the briefest of overviews and leave you with the pictures.

With different commanders and last times participants all on different sides I expected things to be a bit different and they were. Chris C commanded the Christian forces and opted to put most of his mounted knights on his right wing under Andy, with heavy foot in the centre and his lighter troops from Asturias on the left supported by a smaller conroi of Knights under Chris Flowers.

The Muslims had the majority of their heavier foot troops in the centre too hoping to close the gaps around the ruined fort and fill the ruins with missile troops, Ru=Richard H was CinC and commanded the centre. The rest of their foot was on their right facing the Asturian lighter troops and hoping to hold a hill flanked by woods and block the Christians. Mark held the left with the light cavalry and a smaller force of heavy cavalry against the massed Knights of the Christians. Neither side had much idea what the other had or where until it was far too late.

I particularly likes Chris C's Berbers with Giraffe Hide shields in the second rank above.

On the Christian left Chris F's Asturians forced the Berbers behind the hill and both sides were then content to sit on their side of the hill hurling insults at the other "Come and have a go if......etc etc"

In the centre Richard seized the ruin but poor command dice prevented him linking his forces up in a solid line and Chris C's heavy foot ground forward towards the tents of Ben Yusuf.

Meanwhile Mark managed to drive back Andy's three units of light Christian Cavalry destroying one in the process but his lights stood little chance against the column of Knights who gradually ground him and back and broke unit after unit.

Even with Ben Yusuf calling the faithful to battle atop a pile of severed heads there was not going to be any stopping the Knights.

As the Christian Knights forced the Muslims back and the Christian heavy foot had success at the right of their line, the Muslim battle line was forced back like a door on the hinge of the Berber right flank. As the battle drew to a close the Moors were almost entirely without horse, although not without teeth as Chris found as he closed with the Black Guard around their commanders tents who drove them off in disarray.

A lovely game with an entirely different outcome to the last one despite the same terrain and forces being involved. Thanks gents, it played well and seemed to be well received by the punters on the day.

Apologies again for my mess up with the Publishing, if you came to the show I hope you enjoyed our game (It was in very good company, there some brilliant games on show) look forward to seeing you again soon.