ADLG: Northern League Round 4 (Manchester, 21 Sept 2025)

Introduction

This was my third Northern League event in 2025. It was still dark when I got up! Winter is coming. It was also quite cold. After breakfast things had brightened up for my 50 mile trip north on the M6 to Manchester. Thankfully, my journey was trouble free, and I arrived so early that Geoff Pearson hadn't even started putting the tables out.

I learnt here's nothing like a bit of light work to heighten the enjoyment of a pre-event cup of tea. Having said that, I had plenty of time to recover from my labours. The start was delayed; a few people were delayed and then had problems finding a parking space.

Event summary

Event	Northern League Round 4
Date	21 September 2025
Rules Version	ADLG 4
Theme	Dark Age & Feudal 494-1329 AD
Venue	Magdalene Centre, Eccles, M30 8JD
Army	Ilkhanid Mongol with Cilician Armenian Allies
Army list	270.0.08
Army date	1327
Entrants	17 players in 16 teams
My results	13th of 16 teams with 116 points. Two draws & one defeat.
All results	Official grid

By the numbers

The Ilkhanid Mongol list is the 152nd most popular ADLG army (as of 20th July 2025) and the 32nd most popular Late Medieval army. The ADLG database contains 62 games under V4: 15 wins and 28 defeats for a efficacy rating of 35.9%. The average efficacy for all Late Medieval armies is 49.5%, whilst that for all armies is 50.0%. Statistically the Ilkhanids are below par.

I've used this army a lot in competitions (14 games before this event) with an efficacy of 39.28%; slightly above its global efficacy. My efficacy rating for this event was 33.3%: below both the global & my own efficacy ratings. This dropped my competitive efficacy to 38.2% (17 games). I should have done better.

Strategy & review

Competitively, I've only ever one game with this army and over 50% of its games have been drawn. Its biggest advantage is its "unusual" composition. Given it's a Mongol army, the Franks and Armenians often surprise opponents.

I planned to narrow the table with a coast (if I could), keep the four knights close to one another, and use them to break through if given an opportunity. The four heavy cavalry were to advance, shoot, retire & repeat before a final charge. I was prepared to be patient.

None of the three things above happened often enough. I placed only one coast (in the third game). The knights pushed commands back but never made a breakthrough. The heavy cavalry nearly always ended up holding the line out of necessity. So much for advance planning. The game I lost could easily have gone in my favour or ended in a draw. With this in mind, the army played as I expected: difficult to beat, but seldom victorious.

I continue using this army list because I like the variety of troop types it offers. I also use it to test how much my play has improved (if at all). I dream of becoming a good enough player to win consistently with this army.

Game #1

Opposition	Clive Holland (Derby)
Army	Tuareg
Army number	210
Army date	1111 AD
Initiative	Lost
My Posture	Defending
Terrain	Steppe
Game time	02:20
Attrition Scores	17/23 to 21/28
Decisive	No
Points	47 to 47
Result	Draw

A slow game even with lots of impetuous camels. The 28 unit Tuareg army filled the baseline. I deployed to my right leaving some space to my left which I ended up filling with medium and light cavalry from the first command. Didn't go well. Losses mounted but once the impact of the camels was spent they didn't have the punch to break through in melee. A good draw against a difficult army.

Game #2

Opposition	Robin Jackson
Army	Justinian Byzantine
Army number	124
Army date	555 AD
Initiative	Lost
My Posture	Defending
Terrain	Plain
Game time	02:15
Attrition Scores	23/23 to 19/23
Decisive	Yes
Points	26 to 84
Result	Loss

The game of the round. It was always in the balance with all three outcomes possible. Time was called seconds after Robin's victory. The Ilkhanids broke after a round of shooting caused three "hits". Had they survived, my next move was to take the camp which might have won me the game if I survived the final round of shooting. So near yet so far. An excellent, tense, and enjoyable game with well matched armies. Plus, we both learnt lots about the rules on disengaging from combat.

Game #3

Opposition	Mike Bennett
Army	Sogdian
Army number	139
Army date	704 AD
Initiative	Lost
My Posture	Defending
Terrain	Plain
Game time	02:15
Attrition Scores	21/23 to 15/24
Decisive	No
Points	43 to 52
Result	Draw

A fractious game. I sure neither of us enjoyed it. There were lots of complex melees and all sorts of other issues. The high point for the Mongols was getting some heavy cavalry through a line of impact heavy cavalry to within striking distance of the enemy camp.

Closing remarks

Obviously, had I won all my games I'd have been elated and driven home euphoric if tired, but I didn't. Instead I had three long, hard, and tiring games with little respite between them and drove home knackered.

I'll spare you the details, but after allowing for my early arrival and travelling time I only had 45 minutes when I wasn't actually playing. In this time I had to unpack, switch tables twice, have lunch, make a drink between games, and pack everything away at the end. Needless to say I was amongst the very last to leave.

At the Northern League everyone seems to be in a hurry. Rushing doesn't suit me at all. As a consequence, I spent a large part of the drive home wondering why I do this. A question to which I didn't, and don't, have a suitable answer.

This feeling is not new. I've been here before. Some nine years ago I wrote of FOGR competitions:

"I feel I am clearly in the minority in looking for a “quality experience” (to use the current jargon) at a competition. Sometimes I think it's all just a bit "macho": long days, long games, lots of figures, etc. I’m at that stage where I’m looking for a bit of quality rather than quantity. I’m sure I’m not alone but perhaps it’s my age?"

Nine years on and I feel the need for a relaxed, enjoyable environment all the more. After this event, I've decided that 2026 will be different. The one-day ADLG format isn't going to change, so I'll have to. I'm not sure exactly what I'll do, but something's going to change.