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Introduction
This was my fourth trip to this competition. I'd even designed my own event t-shirt which I wore with pride on both days. As usual The event attracted some very high ranking UK players
This photo shows Paul Dawson and Rob Taylor in their final round, top table clash. Rob wore his 2024 crown throughout the event but you can see that Paul was pushing hard to take his crown (literally).
For the first two events my wife and I stayed in Haxby and last year we stayed just outside York's city walls. My wife had had enough of York's crowded city centre so this year we stayed in the Crowne Plaza in Harrogate. It wasn't that expensive and cheaper than the local Premiere Inn!
It did mean I had a 24 mile drive to Haxby but it was not a problem. However, the return trips were marred by cars leaving the retail parks around the York ring road. Not what you need after a two or three hard games.
Event summary
| Event | King In The North |
| Date | 18th & 19th October 2025 |
| Rules Version | ADLG 4 |
| Theme | “The East” 500 - 1200 AD |
| Venue | Haxby Memorial Hall, York. YO32 3HT |
| Army | Abbasid Arab (134) |
| Army list | 134.0.1 |
| Army date | 818 AD |
| Entrants | 26 players (all singles) |
| My results | 7th of 26 with 314 points. 3 wins & 2 defeats. |
| All results | Official grid | Web version |
By the numbers
The Abbasid Arab list is the 63rd most popular ADLG army (as of 20th July 2025) and the 8th most popular Dark Age army. The ADLG database records 167 games under V4: 53 wins and 79 defeats for a efficacy rating of 42.2%.
The average efficacy for all Dark Age armies is 44.7%, whilst for all armies it is 50.0%. So statistically the Abbasids are a touch below par. My efficacy for the KITN was 60.0% way above my own expectations and the various averages.
Strategy & review
This was my first time using this army, but it was a popular choice. Over a third of the players chose an Arab army. I expected to face an opponent using the same or similar list at some point. Even so, I did not expect to do well; new army, new list, and no practice.
As the results show, the opposite occurred. This was my best competition by a long way with three wins and more than 300 points. I beat a top five UK player for a top ten finish. This was way beyond my expectations.
I planned to narrow the table with a coast (dice permitting) to force my opponent to face the heavy infantry (Spear & Levy). The small mounted command gave me the option to flank march. The final command (cavalry & Dailami) were to harass a flank and occupy terrain respectively.
Of the above, only my use of the spear went according to plan, but three of my opponents placed a coast for me!
This army doesn't appear to be able to draw games. To win the spear have to engage the enemy. If they survive (even in part) the cavalry have time to force a win. Losing the spear invariably lost me the game.
Overall, I think the dice gods were with me this weekend (see the game summaries). Not least with my two unreliable commanders: only once in five games did either of them prove hesitant and then only for three turns.
Game #1
| Opposition | Adrian Steer |
| Army | Sui & Tang Chinese |
| Army number | 95 |
| Army date | 620 (Tang) |
| Initiative | Won |
| My Posture | Attacking |
| Terrain | Plain |
| Game time | 02:30 |
| Attrition Scores | 26/26 to 16/23 |
| Decisive | Yes |
| Points | 23 to 87 |
| Result | Loss |
Just about everything in this Tang army seemed to shoot. Led by a strategist, one command redeployed using a transverse road. My spear engaged a large block of mixed spear & bow to avoid their shooting. The spear crumbled despite their opponents being mediocre in combat. Losses mounted elsewhere. Eventually, I broke and ten seconds later time was called. As one onlooker said "you'd have got a draw if you'd visited the toilet during the game".
Game #2
| Opposition | Kev Ellis |
| Army | Bedouin Dynasties |
| Army number | 138 |
| Army date | 945 |
| Initiative | Lost |
| My Posture | Defending |
| Terrain | Plains |
| Game time | 02:20 |
| Attrition Scores | 11/26 to 21/21 |
| Decisive | Yes |
| Points | 92 to 18 |
| Result | Win |
I don't know what happened with my camera here, but it sums up Kev's weekend. I suspect he wasn't on top form on Saturday. By Sunday he was clearly unwell and sat out the rest of the competition. In the game two very similar armies faced one another. Surprisingly, there was nothing special about the game as we both chipped away at one another. My army was some 25% larger and this told in the end. Nonetheless, always a pleasure playing Kev.
Game #3
| Opposition | Kev Johnson |
| Army | Jurchen-Jin |
| Army number | 227 |
| Army date | 1130 |
| Initiative | Lost |
| My Posture | Defending |
| Terrain | Steppe |
| Game time | 01:55 |
| Attrition Scores | 26/26 to 16/21 |
| Decisive | Yes |
| Points | 25 to 85 |
| Result | Loss |
Lots of cataphracts and elite, half bow heavy cavalry with impact (phew)! One of my commands proved unreliable but only for three turns. Kev's mounted started really well but didn't breakthrough everywhere. My spear and elite heavy cavalry began to fight back until we reached the point where we both needed five points to win. Then the next turn saw my line crumble and Kev gain his five points with ease.
Game #4
| Opposition | Bill Robertson |
| Army | Sassanid Persian |
| Army number | 109 |
| Army date | 614 |
| Initiative | Lost |
| My Posture | Attacking |
| Terrain | Plain |
| Game time | 01:50 |
| Attrition Scores | 17/26 to 19/19 |
| Decisive | Yes |
| Points | 87 to 23 |
| Result | Win |
Almost a historical match up and another "slug-fest". Bill placed a coast and attempted his second flank march of the competition. The Arab shooting did well early on. The massed Sassanid elephants then did well against the Arab spear in the centre. Losses were now even but heavy. The elephant's offensive stalled. Bill's flank march refused to arrive reducing his break point by four points. This proved crucial as the (now far) larger Arab army attacked to break the depleted Sassanids.
Game #5
| Opposition | Marco Baroni |
| Army | Tibetan |
| Army number | 172 |
| Army date | 790 |
| Initiative | Lost |
| My Posture | Defending |
| Terrain | Plains |
| Game time | 01:45 |
| Attrition Scores | 17/26 to 21/21 |
| Decisive | Yes |
| Points | 87 to 23 |
| Result | Win |
Lots of Cataphracts & armoured spear! Marco placed a coast, but left an open right flank. Two LMI bow threatened my left, but they immediately lost to shooting and eventually yielded four points. Marco described the central situation as "messy": the cataphracts got bogged down after initial successes. On my right, one LMI bow withstood three combats at 3-0 down before friends arrived! As the losses mounted the smaller Tibetans broke. A super learning game against a helpful, top player.
Closing remarks
An excellent weekend away. Winning both games on the second day came as a complete surprise. I don't remember doing that before! I was pleased that my "vanilla" army stood up well against all the toys: cataphracts, elephants, elite impact cavalry half bow, you name it.
Performance aside, I have always enjoyed the KITN. The venues have been warm, clean, with lots of parking. The current venue is in the centre of a village surrounded by various shops for drinks, pies and sandwiches. Importantly, the organisers allowed ample time between games for refreshments and lunch.
The KITN players have always been friendly and helpful. There's a genuine relaxed feel throughout. Even the players jostling for the top places don't take it, or themselves, too seriously as amply demonstrated by these photos:
To finish here's a slideshow to give you a feel for the venue and event:
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