Prince Axel In The Thick Of Battle Defeats The Bogavanians
Prince Axel, next in line to the throne of Beerstein had sallied forth from Southern Castle and subdued the nearby Bogavanian peasants who, despite being initially rallied by their lord, were in no mode to resist a crusader army n their own. Even their lord saw the folly and offered his allegiance to the Beersteiners.
Turning South/West towards the Bogavanian capital Axel encountered a Bogavanian army under Ivan Kratowski. The armies were slightly different in numbers with the Beersteiner crusader army having 147 men and the Bogavanians 116. The Bogavanian army had been present in the field for two days and so were well established with a strong defensive line and two catapults in place. Their archers were well deployed in line. By contrast, the Beersteiners arrived on the filed without their cannon and five catapults that arrived too late to participate in the battle.
The Bogavanians waited for the Beersteiner's actions, that, initially consisted of moving into position and awaiting the arrival of a unit of mounted crusaders. The light archers moved through the forest on the Beersteiner left with a view to finding a sheltered position to shoot at the Bogavanians who were in the open. However, the Bogavanians anticipated such an action and sent their Hillmen into the forest to hunt down the archers. However, the Hillmen were heard screaming to their hideous gods promising them blood. The Beersteiners then sent a unit of foot crusaders to intercept them. This prevented the further progress of the archers but the crusaders encountered and pushed back the Hillmen and destroyed them utterly.
Meanwhile the Bogavanian catapults and archers (the latter who had moved forward) singled out a unit of foot crusaders that were in the centre of the field and their valiant target suffered horribly as rocks and arrows rained down on them. Of course the crusaders did not flinch and then advanced on their tormentors. The mounted crusaders on the Beersteiner right also charged forward but failed to contact the enemy medium knights. The latter then charged the crusaders but the better armour and skill of the crusaders preserved them and eventually they turned the tables. it was a difficult battle as the Bogavanian hero, Assanov was in the thick of it and dispatched a number of crusaders.
The Bogavanian short bows had done some damage to the foot crusaders but now their aim faltered as the crusaders closed in. The Beersteiner allied horsebowmen potted off two of the Bogavanian bowmen and then the foot crusaders went in, Bogavanian commander Kratowski charged in to the fray and it appeared, at first that he might save the day for Bogavania.
Meanwhile a second unit of mounted crusaders, led by the commander himself ploughed into the enemy medium knights, slaughtering them until a remnant surrendered. Leaving a guard for the prisoners the crusaders charged again, this time into the enemy long bowmen. The bowmen fought back bravely but were all killed, bar two captured.
At the end of the day the Bogavanian army crumbled and the commander, the hero, 15 heavy infantry and two bowmen were captured. The Bogavanian catapults also fell into Beersteiner hands. Only the four Bogavanian supply wagons, well in the rear, escaped to the capital.
The Beersteiner surgeons and wise women tended to the Beersteiner wounded, notably the crusader knights who had born the brunt of the casualties.
Beersteiner forces at the end of the battle after wounds were treated: 20 light archers, 8 mounted crusaders, 6 mounted crusaders, 17 Great Swords (who had not participated in the battle),6 light mounted archers, 16 foot crusaders, 12 foot crusaders, 7 catapults (including 2 captured), 1 cannon, 4 supply wagons, and one siege tower (on wagons). Prince Axel still had a festering wound, although another wound appeared to be destined for quick recovery.
Below: Bogavanian lines
Beersteiner great Swords
View from the Beersteiner centre.
Crusaders close in on the enemy archers.
The Bogavanian archers are doomed.
Towards the end of the battle as the Bogavanians retreat.
View from the Great Swords
A Beersteiner view
Two Bogavanian archers are captured.
The Bogavanian commander and enemy infantry flee, only to be run down. As customary, the commander is kept for ransom.
Beersteiners crusaders take prisoners.
Allied Beersteiner mounted light Mongol archers take pot shots at enemy archers.
Bogavanian archers sowed destruction with their arrows before they were crushed by the charge of Axel and his crusaders.
The Great Swords remained in reserve.
Beersteiner artillery that did not get to fire a shot.
After the Bogavanian army folds the Bogavanian catapults are captured and as usual convention the crews serve their new master. (Not to do so is not good for one's health!).
Bogavanian wagons make their exit.
Crusaders emerge from the forest after defeating the Hillmen.
Turning South/West towards the Bogavanian capital Axel encountered a Bogavanian army under Ivan Kratowski. The armies were slightly different in numbers with the Beersteiner crusader army having 147 men and the Bogavanians 116. The Bogavanian army had been present in the field for two days and so were well established with a strong defensive line and two catapults in place. Their archers were well deployed in line. By contrast, the Beersteiners arrived on the filed without their cannon and five catapults that arrived too late to participate in the battle.
The Bogavanians waited for the Beersteiner's actions, that, initially consisted of moving into position and awaiting the arrival of a unit of mounted crusaders. The light archers moved through the forest on the Beersteiner left with a view to finding a sheltered position to shoot at the Bogavanians who were in the open. However, the Bogavanians anticipated such an action and sent their Hillmen into the forest to hunt down the archers. However, the Hillmen were heard screaming to their hideous gods promising them blood. The Beersteiners then sent a unit of foot crusaders to intercept them. This prevented the further progress of the archers but the crusaders encountered and pushed back the Hillmen and destroyed them utterly.
Meanwhile the Bogavanian catapults and archers (the latter who had moved forward) singled out a unit of foot crusaders that were in the centre of the field and their valiant target suffered horribly as rocks and arrows rained down on them. Of course the crusaders did not flinch and then advanced on their tormentors. The mounted crusaders on the Beersteiner right also charged forward but failed to contact the enemy medium knights. The latter then charged the crusaders but the better armour and skill of the crusaders preserved them and eventually they turned the tables. it was a difficult battle as the Bogavanian hero, Assanov was in the thick of it and dispatched a number of crusaders.
The Bogavanian short bows had done some damage to the foot crusaders but now their aim faltered as the crusaders closed in. The Beersteiner allied horsebowmen potted off two of the Bogavanian bowmen and then the foot crusaders went in, Bogavanian commander Kratowski charged in to the fray and it appeared, at first that he might save the day for Bogavania.
Meanwhile a second unit of mounted crusaders, led by the commander himself ploughed into the enemy medium knights, slaughtering them until a remnant surrendered. Leaving a guard for the prisoners the crusaders charged again, this time into the enemy long bowmen. The bowmen fought back bravely but were all killed, bar two captured.
At the end of the day the Bogavanian army crumbled and the commander, the hero, 15 heavy infantry and two bowmen were captured. The Bogavanian catapults also fell into Beersteiner hands. Only the four Bogavanian supply wagons, well in the rear, escaped to the capital.
The Beersteiner surgeons and wise women tended to the Beersteiner wounded, notably the crusader knights who had born the brunt of the casualties.
Beersteiner forces at the end of the battle after wounds were treated: 20 light archers, 8 mounted crusaders, 6 mounted crusaders, 17 Great Swords (who had not participated in the battle),6 light mounted archers, 16 foot crusaders, 12 foot crusaders, 7 catapults (including 2 captured), 1 cannon, 4 supply wagons, and one siege tower (on wagons). Prince Axel still had a festering wound, although another wound appeared to be destined for quick recovery.
Below: Bogavanian lines
Towards the end of the battle as the Bogavanians retreat.
After a tough and bloody battle the Crusaders prevail.
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