Zallaqah, One More Time

After playing Richard in a one-on-one game (see Zallaqah Round 3) and confirming that the game can be played comfortably in about two hours, I was ready for my next one-on-one opponent.  Next opponent up, Matt!  Being able to eke out a draw against Richard, I reckoned I might have a chance against Matt.  Given my recent thrashing at Freeman's Farm, I should have been less optimistic.

Having offered army choice when I sent out the Battle Briefing, Matt decided upon commanding the Arabs when we joined into the session.  Interesting!  I expected Matt to want to command the Christians and the heavy-hitting cavalry but no.  Recalling Richard's devastating Christian opening attacks, I entertained visions of enjoying similar success.  I am getting ahead of myself, though.  As a reminder, starting army dispositions are as shown in the following two battlefield photos.

Christian Army

Muslim Army

Alfonso VI holds initiative when battle erupts, and the King leads his Christian Army forward as it steps off toward the enemy.  First to strike the Arabs are two bodies of heavy cavalry.  Muslim skirmishers fail to evade and are trampled underfoot as the heavy horsemen plow into the Granada Taifa foot.  The horsemen's momentum overpowers the Granadinos.  The tercio is pushed back.  Alfonso's knights fail to pursue, pausing to catch their breath.

In the center, Alfonso's white knights charge forward against the Sevilla tercio.  This time, the protecting skirmishers evade falling back behind the safety offered by the tercio.  For the knights, the distance is too great to reach the enemy's main body.  Disordered from their efforts, the horsemen's attack stalls.  On the Christian right, a body of heavy cavalry charges forward into a body of enemy cavalry.  The Christian cavalry is repulsed!  Already, Alfonso's plan is falling behind Richard's impressive schedule of success seen in Game #3!

Charge drives the enemy back...

but the attacks stall.

Christian charge repulsed!

Yusuf swings cavalry out to the right wing.

Seeing Christian cavalry charges all but stopped, Yusuf goes over on the offense and takes the fight to the enemy.  Advancing with the Badajoz and Sevilla tercios, Alfonso's white knights and a body of Caballeros Villanos are driven away.  While unable to pursue the fleeing horsemen, Arab spearmen grind forward into the red knights.  These heavy cavalry are, likewise, sent trotting to the rear!  All of the Christian cavalry in the center are on the run!  The only fleeting bright spot for Alfonso is that a Muslim body of camels is repulsed after a failed charge out on the Christian right wing. 

With Christian cavalry stalled...

Yusuf attacks!

A small consolation sees camels repulsed.

Into the red knights...

Christian cavalry on the move...to the rear!

Infantry oblige by leaving a large retreat path!

The situation is not all bad for the Christians.  Having repulsed the camels, Christian horsemen counterattack.  A body of Muslim cavalry is driven away and the Christians follow-up in pursuit.  The camels are caught and scattered.  Now, the cat is among the pigeons but has the cat ventured too far?

Wrecking the Arab Left.

Arab battle line is breached!

While Yusuf's Left is crumbling, he presses on in the center.  With crossbowmen shooting and then falling back out of the way, two large blocks of infantry step forward into their place.  Out on the right, Arab light cavalry drives off a body of enemy light cavalry and lunges forward in pursuit.  The enemy is destroyed!  Facing Christian heavy cavalry blocking their way forward, the Sevilla and Granada tercios strike.  First, the heavy horsemen on the right are driven away and then the black knights retreat.  The pride of Alfonso's Army is in tatters.  Even the knights not put to flight are wavering.  Is Alfonso's Army nearing a breaking point?

Crossbow shoot and retreat as light cavalry charge in.

Muslims advance on the enemy.

Christian cavalry are forced back.

Christian light cavalry scattered in pursuit.

Even the Christian cavalry holding on are wavering.

It seems it is!

First, retreating heavy cavalry are caught from behind and dispatched.  Then, Muslim camelry destroy the black knights.  With most of the Christian cavalry neutered, Yusuf's Army advances with impunity.  Still clinging to hope, the Christian battle line regroups.  As the enemy continues to bear down throwing back his Christian warriors as they advance, Alfonso sees the writing on the wall and disengages.

First, one Christian cavalry destroyed...

and then another.

Noose is tightening around Alfonso...

as infantry push on to take the ground.

Determined to keep on fighting...

until Alfonso orders a retreat.

With Alfonso disengaging and Yusuf holding the field, this battle is over.  Victory to the Almoravids and Matt!

Yusuf holds the field.

Congratulations, Matt, for a battle well-played!

When the Christian Army broke, the Butcher's Bill suggests that losses were not so uneven.  The near parity in units lost is deceiving, however.  The Army Breakpoint Clocks showed a big advantage to Matt's Muslim Army.  The point differential (7 points differential) between the two armies suggests that Zallaqah ends in a major Muslim victory.  The Christian knights and Caballeros Villanos are worth much more than other units when destroyed.  Alfonso cannot play a battle of attrition by trading his heavy cavalry for other units.  This is an exchange Alfonso cannot ultimately win.  And he didn't!

Butcher's Bill

Since this outcome follows the historical account closely, what could Alfonso have done differently?  Facing Matt, perhaps nothing!  I certainly did not see the same level of success that Richard enjoyed against me!  However, once the initial Christian cavalry charges were either blunted, stalled, or turned back, withdrawing some of these valuable heavy cavalry from battle may have been a better solution.  Would deciding victory or defeat by the spearmen offer a more sensible approach?  Christian infantry hardly saw serious action.  A tactic to consider next time the Reconquista armies hit the table.

Thanks again, Matt, for a very fun, entertaining, and challenging game.  We finished off in about two-and-a-half hours.  Very good result for a remote game!  As an added bonus, the recently introduced dice frames and smaller dice are working brilliantly to show unit status.  Yay!