I've played a lot of TW-Med and there've been Mongol invasions, but, this was my first time actually facing the Horde.
As Byzantium things had rolled along nicely. The program even announced that I could declare victory (60% conquered) but I had a few things I wanted to do yet.
Anyway, the Mongols invaded and I faced them with a top notch general (8 stars, expert defender, utterly fearless) and 1500 troops of various types, including some new arbalesters. I'd faced many an army with much less and felt confident that with five arbalests and four Trebizond, some on line, some in reserve, that I'd teach the uncultured Mongols a lesson. Well, a lesson WAS learned....
There were a lot of Mongols, I knew that, but I'd never imagined almost thirteen thousand Still, my confidence was unshaken. The field of battle was a flat plain (Khazar) with some wooded areas. My battle line was drawn up with a small woods on my left. The line was made up of 3 spearmen, 3 Byz infantry, and 3 Varangian units, with one depleted (42) Varangian unit, one spear, and a Steppe cav in reserve for the line. With only one Steppe cav, one Allagion (sp?) cav, and the commander's Khataphractoi I was weak in horse but that weakness had never before been demonstrated to me.
The Mongols arrived, many cavalry, archers, steppemen, heavies, and a few foot, as well. They were daunted by the line and played into my hands (so it seemed) by standing at range for a archery duel. My arbalests slew and slew. My catapult gained 2 valor for perfomance of duty. I had my losses but they seemed not too great. The Great Khan, himself, led the Horde and I told my arbalesters, "Kill that man". His 40 companions fell like leaves in fall and, in accordance with my orders, soon fell the Khan, too.
"The Battle is won" This thought came to me. It had always been so before. The Mongols advanced against my line
and were thrown back. Pursuit was given by both foot and horse. Hundreds were slain by my valiants. Yet.... as the pursuit lengthened, the horizon showed more Mongols would soon join battle. The Mongols had NOT broken. The line was recalled, depleted arbalesters were dismissed and reinforcements called upon. The next group of Mongols would be dashed quickly
And thus began the lesson. Indeed, the Mongol heavies and steppemen broke upon the metal wall of the Byzantine line. When they came, they were beaten, every time. Yet, they came, and they came, and, always, they came with archers, on horses. Nothing could be done with these My few horse were savaged if they ventured far from the protection of the line, but, there was little else to be done. My last pursuit with infantry demonstrated, with the loss of two units, that to venture too far was death to men on foot.
My archers did their duty, but, though they killed hundreds, the Mongols had thousands. Ere long the arrows were spent, the horses were spent, and I would face the longest battle I'd ever engaged.
It was time for new strategies. The small wooded plot beckoned with salvation. The line was withdrawn INTO the woods, a line no longer. The defense would be a giant 'U' and the Mongols must bring their horses into the trees, where we would fight at advantage. And, thus it went, hour after hour. Mongol archers sent clouds of arrows and, despite the dense woods, some would eventually find a mark.
Byzantines died, one after another, in a rain not of water. The heavies would come and were thrown back. The Steppemen would advance and be routed. A watchful eye saw that no pursuit was permitted. When the enemy fled, the line was recovered. And, always, the rain of arrows poured down.
Sometimes the press was full, with battle on the entire line. Sometimes, the Horde tried to bash through against a single unit. Throughout, the Mongol rain fell. The line, if it may be called that, became a clump of spears here, 3 dozen Varangians there, scattered remainders of units, all of high, bravely earned, valor.
The Mongols would taunt the line, riding up close enough to clash, then retreat. Over and over they dragged a unit in pursuit and, over and over, I recalled them to the line.
Watch the line Husband endurance Recall Recall Mongols behind
They pressured everywhere and their losses were replaced in a never-ending line of reinforcements. After a few hours, I cursed whenever the horizon showed yet MORE Mongols were coming. And, it always did. I was learning to hate the Mongols. I was learning to fear the Mongols.
I recalled a battle in history, Crassus' last, I think, in which Parthian horse archers picked apart and, finally, destroyed a Roman army. I now knew how that could be.
Did I win? Yes, after a marathon lasting an entire evening and night, I won.... on time limit. The desperate battles near the end ate up the handfuls of men in most of the units. Three Byz infantry, a reserve. 1 Steppe cavalry, sacrificed for a tiny respite from the never-ending rain of arrows.
The Mongols lost over four thousand dead. My losses were almost eleven hundred.
Few of these were archers/arbalesters, who, save for the last one, were sent from battle when depleted. My battle line at the end consisted of a little over 150 troops in 7 units, and only nine Khataphract cavalry. Three units, two spear and a arbalest, held over 80 of the total. One outstanding unit of Varangian foot, with 23 left standing, had an astounding 750+ kills
This is victory, yes, but beyond that, it was a grand lesson. If not for the trees, the battle would have been not just disastrous in losses, but, annihilation. Dread the Horde
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surely was decisive. I can't imagine how my exhausted troops would have held up against Mongol Heavies at their best, in the later stages.
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