Battle of Ucles 1108

Thursday saw Mark and Tony face off in a large, two-player game refighting the 1108 Battle of Ucles in Spain.  Mark took command of the Almoravid Army while Tony took command of the Christian Spanish Army.  First player activation saw a modification in this contest where the initiative winner no longer received automatic first activation.  Instead, initiative winner added one extra activation die into the activation pool.    

Initial deployments

Almoravids form up in front of Ucles.

Let's get straight into battle!

As the two battle lines begin a cautious advance toward one another to close the distance, Tony's Christian heavy cavalry can contain themselves no longer.  Striking off in a long charge, one body of knights slams into one of the Almoravid large, mixed infantry units comprised of both long spear and archers.  Failing to slow the Christian horsemen with an effective volley of arrows, the impact sends the Muslims reeling back.  The horsemen continue on in pursuit and scatter the enemy as they cut them down from behind.  Tony is quite pleased with this first result, as he should be!

Having dispatched the enemy to its front the cavalry continues on in pursuit.  Next target offers a large body of veteran spearmen.  Here, Tony's cavalry is stopped cold suffering heavy casualties.  The horsemen recoil deep behind enemy lines but not before a large hole opens between the Almoravid Left and Center.

First cavalry charge of the day...

sees the enemy dispatched...

but pursuit is stopped short.

Cutting a hole in the Almoravid line!

Seeing this early success, Sancho Alfonsez, himself, leads two bodies of heavy cavalry forward into the enemy line.  Hitting enemy cavalry with great force, Sancho sees a similar result.  The unfortunate Muslim cavalry to Sancho's front turns and flees.  Even with Sancho leading the charge, his horsemen refuse to pursue.  The second body of Christian heavy cavalry attacks the enemy cavalry to Sancho's left.  In this second attack, the enemy stands firm and the Christians recoil.  To Sancho's right, yet another body of Christian cavalry plunges into the Muslims in front of Ucles.  The Almoravid infantry are driven back to the gates of Ucles!  Neither player can believe the success.  Great start for Tony!  

Sancho leads a cavalry charge...

driving the enemy back...

but the Muslim Center holds.

Almoravid Left in tatters.

While much of the Almoravid Left is gone and the Center is under pressure, these earlier Christian successes leave the Spanish heavy cavalry vulnerable since they are no longer supporting one another and their ranks have been depleted.  Time for a counterattack!

Beginning on the Muslim right, heavy infantry advances down from the high ground to drive away enemy light cavalry.  

Heavy infantry on the move!

Overview as the Muslim counterattack begins.

In front of Ucles, Muslim heavy infantry attacks the now exhausted Spanish cavalry with Ibn Yusef leading the way.  Even with support from Sancho and his knights, the Spanish are scattered.  Sancho falls back.  Ibn Yusef follows up to confront Sancho.  In very heavy fighting, the Spanish horsemen finally succumb.  Sancho is forced to seek shelter within the ranks of Spanish infantry to the rear. 

Ibn Yusef attacks!

Ibn Yusef's heavy infantry destroys two Spanish cavalry
 and sends Sancho searching for safety. 

Seeing two bodies of enemy cavalry dispatched, Arab camelry sets off from the center to engage a body of weakened Spanish cavalry in the center.  The Spanish are driven back with heavy loss.  The camels pursue, catch the Spanish horsemen, and dispatch them.  The Spanish bring up another body of heavy cavalry to intercede but they are driven back!  The camels keep on coming.

Caught from behind, the Spanish horsemen are scattered even though a nearby body of spearmen offers support.  The spearmen fall back in sympathy.  As the Spanish infantry falls back, the camels pursue.  The retreat turns into rout as the camels destroy the routing infantry as well as capture the Spanish baggage.  Oh, the humanity! 

Camels trot forward.

Spanish knights are driven back and then destroyed.

Pursuit and disaster!

Spanish baggage captured!

In only a short time, the battle has been turned on its head.  In the Almoravid counterattack, the Spanish have seen four heavy cavalry and one heavy infantry units destroyed.  Oh my, but Mark is not finished yet!

With the Spanish Center hollowed out, Mark shifts his attention to his Right.  Harassing the enemy with his two bodies of horse archers, the Almoravid heavy infantry move forward.  First body of Spanish encountered is heavy spear.  The Spanish are driven back and then finished off in pursuit as the supporting infantry falls back.  Working around the Spanish Left, a second body of Spanish infantry is contacted.  The Spanish hold!

The Muslim heavy infantry regroups and attacks again.  This time, the enemy is driven off and the Spanish Left has collapsed.  With the Spanish Left turned, the Almoravid Center conducts a sweep to pick off any wavering Spanish still clinging to the field.  The Spanish Army has broken! 

Almoravid attack against Spanish Left.

One Spanish destroyed and the other driven back.

Pursuit!

Repulse!

Success on a second attack.

Mopping up.

Wow!

What an exciting game to watch develop and unfold.  Congratulations to both Tony and Mark for making this contest such a riveting game.  Mark comes away with victory but in the early going, it looked like Tony might run away with it.  In Tony's early cavalry charges, the Spanish laid waste to the Almoravid Left and part of the Center.  Amazing how Mark picked himself off the floor after the first two turns to come roaring back to secure an impressive victory.  The historical outcome was not overturned.

The game was really a tale of two halves.  In the first half, Tony controlled the narrative.  After a brief intermission, Mark came back in a most impressive manner.  Unbelievable turn around in only a couple of turns.

In total, five turns were played and the game lasted just under three hours.

What great fun!  Thanks guys!