In the next phase of our Normans in Italy campaign, Robert 'Guiscard' decided to hit the Byzantines again after his disastrous defeat. He regathered his forces, called on reinforcements from Norman freebooters from Normandy and went after the Byzantine province of Rossano again. Another defeat could see him facing serious trouble - ( 3 defeats in a row and I'm out of the game).
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| Robert's Norman psychopaths. |
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| William 'Iron Arm' is the Green pins. Robert is the yellow pin. |
In his first action to begin carving out his new fiefdom, in imitation of William 'Iron Arm', Robert 'Guiscard' sent his rampaging Normans to the south and got into a big fist fight with the armies of the Roman Emperor...the EASTERN Roman Empire.....or the Byzantines if you prefer.
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| The first line of the Guiscard's force.....lots of Norman cavalry..hard charging, hard fighting lunatics!! |
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| The opposing byzantine left flank. |
Lockdowns are finally over..so time for more games!! Ross threw his Byzantines into the path of my rampaging Normans. A good historical match that looked like it might go to the Normans in the early stages, but by mid game the tide had turned......but ended with both armies exhausted and over 50% casualties..so a bloody draw!
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.
