Ottomans and Byzantines

I was sitting in front of the Idiot Box early one Saturday morning when my phone rang. 

Ross hurled insults down the phone. 

I caught the words, 'lazy', 'evil' , 'useless' ' poor dice' , 'lousy generalship' and ' stinking Turk'. 

At first I thought he was describing his new Facebook profile but then I realised he was challenging my Ottomans to a game- I can be a bit slow at times- or his English is so poor that he couldn't make himself understood.

So packing the forces of Osman into my car I headed to the far east to teach him some respect. 

Ross fielded his Nikephorian Byzantines and I was using my early 15th Century Ottomans. Now this anachronistic match up is not to everyone's taste- most gamers like to be 'in period' but occasionally it can be fun. Especially when I have to teach Ross a lesson.

What ensued was a very tough fight against two quite well matched armies.

Ross' left flank (Norman mercenaries and his clibanophoroi) swept away my light cavalry and the two supporting sipahi units. 

In the center, my voynuks and sipahis fought a hard brawl with his skutatoi and kataphractoi, which he eventually won.

On my left flank however , my combination of Janissaries and Sipahis made his flank crumble, but I couldn't get my guys to swing inwards fast enough. A close fought game, but Battle Honours to Ross.

Well done mate...until next time ....when I will kick your a**e.

On the extreme Byzantine left- Ross' light cav

His Norman mercenaries on his left - they cleaned up my right flank.

His skutatoi in the center- they rolled over my center.

Nikephorus's kataphractoi

My left. Sipahis ( one has dropped his flag), Qapikulu to their left and Janissaries on the hill

Janissaries with bow!

The Byzantines..or Eastern Romans close in.

Ottoman skirmishers out in front.

Balkan heavy infantry - voynuks etc.

Crunch time. The infantry put up a good fight, but eventually broke.

Kataphraktoi charge the Janissaries.
The Janissaries, having inflicted casualties with their bow, defeated the charging cavalry.

My Sipahis and Qapikulu sweeping his flank from the table.....but to the right - off picture- my army was fleeing.