OK, here is another story for you. I had usually not had a lot of problems dealing with the Golden Horde in the past. However, I fought a very long battle with them on Saturday and barely survived. Granted, I was outnumbered almost 3 to 1. However, I was confident because I had 3 units of Janissary Heavy Infantry that I had managed to crank out and move up to Khazar after I had barely finished building my military academy 4 or 5 years earlier. I did not have the requirements for Janissary archers or infantry yet, however. But, I had plenty of Ghulam cavalry from their bonus province, Armenian Heavy Cav from their bonus province, Turcoman Foot from their bonus province, etc. And, Kwaz heavy cavalry, Turcoman horse, plus my Futuuwas as well and a ton of Saracen infantry. And, 3 units of naptha throwers (more on that later…) I had an 8 star 6 valor general in an old Ghulam Bodyguard unit in Khazar as my general. He was my fleet admiral. All my troops were quality. I placed my 3 JHI in the center of my defense, as I knew that is where the Khan would go.
The Horde had almost 14,000 or so against my 4,777. However, I knew a good percentage of those would be the weak steppe cavalry and decent horde warriors. So, I was not too worried.
Sure enough, wave after wave broke against my lines. The Khan fled off the board, the sole survivor of his unit of 41, chopped by pieces by the JHI. He was too quick for my cavalry to catch him, though. I thought I had them beat and I would still have my 3 original JHI units on the board (though now very tired and down under 50 each). I cycled my depleted archer units in and out like a master, however. But, their next wave seemed to stay way on the other side of the board. However, I placed the cursor over the units, and it seemed to be only two units – one heavy cavalry and one horse archer. They sat there and I waited and waited for them to come, thinking that more reinforcements were coming. None came. Day passed into night and morning. I figured that this was too easy.
Finally, I lost patience and I marched my troops across the board to wipe out what I thought were the last two units.
Boy, was I wrong.
The Horde had all 16 units bunched up as one. So, my troops were very tired or exhausted by the time I noticed that it was not just two units there. Luckily, I had 3 or 4 units of Saracen infantry (and my 3 JHI) to counter the Mongol Heavy Cavalry and my futuuwas, Turcoman horse and foot to rain down on the horse archers. However, it was a bloody mess before I got them to run off the board.
However, much to my surprise, as they ran off the board – all at the same time, as they were on their edge of the map, 16 more Horde units came on the board. I am sitting there thinking I just made a huge mistake. Luckily, I was able to form my defensive lines a bit and have some troops in the forest, and I beat back the second wave. Just in case, I sent several units off the board to get reinforcements back.
However, they had to march, exhausted, or totally exhausted, off the board, and that takes forever. And, my early luck with reinforcement order did not succeed, as Ghazi infantry and Armenian Heavy cavalry are not good at chasing down Mongol Horse Archers.
By the third wave on this side of the board, I was in serious trouble. My JHI units were down to less than half strength each, and they were exhausted. My reinforcements were now Saracen infantry – not good to counter horse archers. My general had to charge into battle to save some men retreating into the woods. He got trapped and boxed in – so I sent my exhausted JHI out to rescue him. Well, he escaped, but only he did. His 19 bodyguards all perished. However, it is not so easy to kill a now 11 valor general. But, one of my JHI units disappeared in the wave of the horde while my general was working his way out of the box. I think the last one made it up to 9 valor.
By the fifth wave, I was down to my last 3 units of reinforcements – 3 naptha thrower units, all very tired by the time they march across the board. My Saracens were being worn down by arrow fire from 3 horse archer units and 5 or 6 units of GH warriors. Luckily, my naptha throwers did well before they used up their grenades. So, I was left with my general, a unit of 1, 3 naptha units was no grenades and 6 saracen infantry units, all well depleted. Nothing else. I was able to perform a few pincer maneuver to trap some warriors, but inevitably, they would slip out of the woods and get arrowed up by the remaining Mongol horse archers.
Finally, I said that this was enough and I would go out in a blaze of glory. I had caused considerably more casualties than I received, so I knew my troops would be able to defeat the Horde next year. I sent my general around the back of the horse archers and they ran into my Saracens, but, they were then flanked by some hidden units of GH warriors on the other side of the woods. All seemed lost when I rushed those 36 naptha throwers into the flank of the GH warriors. Finally, the Horde fled the field. I was left with my general, 86 total Saracen infantry in 6 units and 12 naptha throwers.
My lesson is to be patient next time. To top it off, my general did not even get the “good defender” virtue, or “skilled last stand” which I was hoping for…
