ADLG: Northern League Round 4 (Manchester, 03 Sep 2023)

Introduction
Eccles is normally the venue for the 5th and final round in November and last year it was absolutely freezing.  Thankfully, this year the second Eccles round was held on a beautiful sunny day in early September.  I even decided to wear shorts!

I arrived nice an early, got a good parking spot and helped set up the tables before making the first of many cups of tea.

Event Summary

Event	Northern League Round 4
Date	03 September 2023
Rules Version	ADLG 4
Theme	Medieval (1330-1500 AD ).
Venue	Magdalene Centre, Eccles, M30 8JD
Army	Muscovite Russians (Novgorod)
Army list	250.1.09
Army date	1450 AD
Entrants	13 players in 12 teams.
My results	11th of 12 with 92 points. 0 wins, 1 draw & 2 losses.
All results	Final placings.

Strategy
The list has two cavalry commands and one large infantry command.  The plan was to hold with two commands and work a flank with one of the cavalry commands.  For this to work I needed the table to be as open as possible and to avoid terrain offering a waterway (the de rigeuer ADLG way of securing a flank and narrowing the table).

The choice of cavalry command to force a flank was to be left until deployment.  The infantry command contained a lot of shooting and I hoped this would weaken any attackers thereby supporting the mediocre spear when combat began.

Given the late medieval theme, I knew I'd have to be patient and not be too adventurous.  The army lacks real punch in this period but has a certain stolidity and would be more mobile than many of the opponents.  It offers the option of quickly threatening the flanks and sometimes this is all that's required to trouble an opponent.

Game #1

Opposition	Paul Carter
Army	Low Countries
Army number	243
Army date	1450
Initiative	Won
My Posture	Defender
Terrain	Steppes
Game time	Timed out
Attrition Scores	24/26 to 15/23
Decisive	No
Points	43 to 52
Result	Draw

I played Paul back in May with a feudal version of this army and I knew what to expect: wall to wall pike.  That's what arrived plus some French knights.  Having the minimum of steppe terrain helped me work a flank or two.  For both of us it was a case of slow and steady. I was able to neutralize the knights but my infantry sustained lots of casualties fighting the pikes.  The game timed out for the expected draw.

Game #2

Opposition	Gareth Jones
Army	French Ordonnance
Army number	245
Army date	1480 AD
Initiative	Won
My Posture	Defender
Terrain	Steppe
Game time	02:00
Attrition Scores	28/26 to 15/23
Decisive	Yes
Points	23 to 87
Result	Loss

I play against Gareth regularly but this was our first competitive game.  Despite choosing steppe, all the terrain fell on one flank closing it to cavalry.  Even so Gareth still had to refuse a flank.  My elite heavy cavalry quickly marched across the table and turned left.  This move worried Gareth but his heavy knights successfully blocked my attempt to get behind their lines.  Right move but a poor outcome for me.  Meanwhile, his pike were chewing through my infantry.  Based on our previous games, I didn't expect to win and I didn't.

Game #3

Opposition	Andy Wallace & Martin Routh
Army	Serbian Empire
Army number	256
Army date	1381 AD
Initiative	Lost
My Posture	Defender
Terrain	Plain
Game time	02:10
Attrition Scores	27/26 to 16/20
Decisive	Yes
Points	26 to 84
Result	Loss

Before I start I'd like to apologise for the photo.  It was the best of the ones I took: honest.

Fun opponents but this game was tough. Two groups of 5 impetuous, elite heavy knights plus bits and a small flank march.  I faced one group with my heavy spear and the other with my elite, impact heavy cavalry.  Neither did particularly well.  However, while the knights were busy I sacked their camp!  If I'd succeeded in rallying a few units in the latter half of the game I may have held for a draw, but it was not to be.

Note to self
Spear who are charged get +1 in the first round against mounted to their front and cancel any impact ability.  This means they are 2-1 up against knights and 2-0 up against cavalry & light horse.

Closing remarks
I enjoyed the tournament.  It was good to give the Russians another try.  Given the theme (knights & pikes) I didn't expect to win many games.  I hoped the Russian's would prove stolid and hard to beat.  I suppose, this was bourne out by the results: there were no easy victories for my opponents.  All the games lasted well over two hours.

On reflection I continue to get into very good tactical situations, seriously threatening my opponent.  Too often they stall or don't come off quickly enough to have any major impact on the game.  Perhaps I'm too subtle?   Who knows?

I've only used three armies under ADLG v4.0: Ilkhanid, Russian & Arab and there are mnay similarities.  They are all fairly vanilla, cavalry based, armies without too many "bells & whistles".  They are all hard to beat but they do not have either the size or punch to win quickly or easily.

If I ever get the hang of these rules, I will know when it happens: I will stop losing so many games and start winning more than one in five of my games.  Here's hoping.