Scottorum Malleus Playtest #3

Here are a short AAR from playtest game of Dan Mersey, authour of the upcoming Dux Bellorum, latest (under development) wargaming rules "Scottorum Malleus".

The rules are a set of medieval wargaming rules. The size of armies/number of bases is similar to Dux bellorum and the rules are of similar simplicity, but most of the mechanisms are different.

Dan just started a new blogg in support for he´s books and wargaming rules, please make him a visit; merseybooks.

Back to the AAR, This time me and my mate Matts used my 15mm Catalan Company minis, we got us a Duchy of Athens army against a Catalan Company army.

OOB
In the OOB I uses the common DBx classification for the troop types...


Duchy of Athens
1xKn(Gen)
4xKn
2xPs

The army of the Duchy of Athens was made up to a large part of Knights, just with some few skirmishers in support, an real elit force.

Catalan Company
1xWb (Gen)
6xWb ???not realy the same troop type but close enough.
2xPs
1xLH
1xCv

The Catalan Company was a main Almogavar force with some light troops in support and one unit of Cavalry but no Knights...

The unit was made up with several of my bases with a front of 80mm, 2 bases for the Kn, Cv, LH and Ps. 4 bases for the Wb.

We used a 120x120cm gaming area.

The Duke of Athens deployed his knights in two lines in the center, leading from the front, just leting his greek skirmishig archers to secure the right flank.

The Catalan Commander deployed all his Almogavars in a long battle line partly behind a fiels (rought ground for the Knights) and sent his skirmishers to secure the vineyard to the right and the lone cavalry to stretch the main battle line...

The Duke of Athens ordered he´s brave Knight in a ferocious charge across the battlefield...

The Catalan Commander made some more careful manoeuvres...Unfortunally the Knights caught the poor cavalry unit...

Matts moving more Knights to follow up the first wave... 

In the center the Catalan Cavalry make a desperat stand against 2 units of knights... The Catalan ship are ready to take care of any survivors...

The Athenian Knights continue their charge and every one thought this would be an easy victory for them...

Allready removed are one of the Athenian Knights that was left behind... it was were down by persistent shooting by the Catalan Skirmishers:)

The Athenian Knights, regrouping after a short combat with some Catalan Cavalry...

In the center a hard combat for several rounds took place, the Almogavar managed to survive the first storm flood by clever use of the Rally order.

Then they started to fight back !!! with crucial support from the Skirmishers behind the enemys...

After a intence fight 2 units of Almogavar was beaten to the cost of one unit of Knights... 

The Duke of Athens followed up their victory by chargeing the Catalan Commander and beate him in single combat...The Duke feelt that the victory was close...

BUT... like a divine intervention the Catalan skirmishers managed to get some lucky shoots at a unit of Knights, that apperantly had got enought and broke...

This turned the tide and the Duke of Athens admited him self subdued...

Losses:

Duchy of Athens: 3x Knights

Catalan Company:1x Cavalry and 3x Almogavar including the General.

Once again a greate game, as it was the first for Matts, there was some rule explanations, but not much.

The game was all concluded in about 2 houres including set up, rule talk and beer drinking;)