BTGG2 - Khazars vs Arab Conquest

We're back! So here we go Beyond the Golden Gate game 2. Khazars (Jack) versus the Arab Conquest (me). Both very heavy on the horsemen, Jack's plan was to have a big left flank of Cavalry & Light Horse. Whilst he centre had the Khazar Hordes, Arty & The 'Beg' in his War Wagon. I matched the Khazars with Cavalry & Warband. My left would comprise Light Horse, Bow & Warband.

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Da Battle Plan

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The Armies on the start line.

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Arab Cavalry ready to pounce.

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The 'Beg' & his War Wagon, Artillery and Hordes.

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Khazar Light Horse race along the flank.

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Arab slingers race for the rough.

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Khazar Light Horse clash with Arab Cavalry, advantage to the Khazars.

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The foot troops are far, far behind...

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It's one - nil to the Khazars....

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Plan of attacks at this stage.

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The Arab Cavalry now match the Khazar Light Horse.

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Now the Arabs press the advantage.

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New round and again the Khazars are forced back.

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Big Scrap coming up on this flank...

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The Khazar foot are slow to advance.

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I commit the Arab General & his bodyguard, hopefully they'll outflank the Khazar attack.

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The 'Faithful' get ready to engage....

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One day they'll arrive...

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Ha! Advantage to Jack, he manages to get the Khazar Cavalry to attack the Arab flank.

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Elsewhere it's an even match up.

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After many rounds of combat, finally some casualties.

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The Arab Warband get stuck in...

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Jacks die rolling is spot on, another Arab Casualty.

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The Arab line starts to 'bulge', will Jack be successful?

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At last a turning point, the Arab Horse fight back.

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No No Jack, Arab Cavalry versus Khazar Psiloi, a poor match up for him.

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On the extreme Arab Right Flank, I finally get the advantage.

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The foot troops are about to clash... Hoorar!

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Jack presses again, another Arab casualty.

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2 Arab Cavalry versus 1 Khazar Light Horse, come on!

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Arab Warband swamp the Khazar Cavalry.

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On the Arab left flank, Jack finally mobilizes his Light Horse, I just give ground.

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Yes, the Arabs are winning, Jack gives ground now.

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Lucky, Jack's Khazar Light Horse escapes....

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The Arabs close in for the kill....

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Whoops, I'd better get the Arab Light Horse back.

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Oh... It's looking good for the Arabs!

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No, Jack won't get through there...

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The Khazar Hordes launch an attack...

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The whole Khazar Cavalry are recoiled, victory must come soon!

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The Arab Warband take out a Khazar Horde!

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Jack's had enough, on his turn high PiP dice and everyone is piled in!

BISH! Down goes a Arab Light Horse....

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BOSH! The Khazar Hordes gang up on a poor Arab Psiloi.

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BASH! Khazar Psiloi wipe out some Arab Cavalry.

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However most of the Cavalry are forced back!

Jack deliberately leaves the Cavalry on the end of the line for the last combat....

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It's a bad position for him, if he's forced back it's game over....

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NO NO NO NO NOOOOOO! The dice are rolled, Jack doubles my score....

Off he goes arms aloft, running round the room, uttering victory chants.

My die reaches the stratosphere as I throw it out of the window. boo hoo

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Final positions......

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He's pulled off another victory, but that was very very close! That final round was a corker.

A good Cavalry scrap, however we both should of waited for the foot troops to get involved. If I get to play the Khazars next, then everyone is staying in line with the 'Beg'.

HITT WW1 British vs Turks - Attack on Beni Baloo

Right, straight after our Byzantine vs Sassanids game (click on the link below for a peek),
http://mrfarrow2udba.blogspot.com/2009/06/btgg1-byzantines-vs-sassanids.html
we re-arranged the table, threw on some scenary & came up with a crafty game for HITT.

Middle East 1916, the Turks have been halted and now the British are on the attack. A small rail stop named 'Beni Baloo' has been fortified by the Turk. A modest sized British force has been sent to send Johnny Turk packing....

The British (Jack) would be the attacker & have a third more points than the Turk (yours truly). However the Turks would have a nice amount of Trenches & Barbed Wire. A Road/Rail track dominated the field. Beni Baloo was represented by a few buldings. To the British left, a few small hills were situated. While on the British right, two large areas of rough aided the Turkish defence.

We used HITT version 1 rules (I still haven't printed out version 2, sorry Bad Lad I know), the British would make use of an Aeroplane & some Armoured Cars. Looking at the rules, we think that Armoured Cars can't shoot (Are Tanks the same?), we don't like this so we've upped the point cost by 1 & given AC's a range of 4". The British would also have two Generals & so two PiP dice, the Turks just one. This was because we felt the British forces were too big for just one General. Anything else we encountered, then we would just make up as we went along...

We normally just play lost elements for victory, but we'll give points system a try. In this case Victory is achieved if a third of the enemy is destroyed (I know HOTT says half..)

The British consisted of 2 x Generals, 1 x Aeroplane, 2 x AC's, 12 x Rifles,
3 xMg's, 3 x Artillery, 4 x Cavalry = 64 points (Break at 21)

The Turks consisted of 1 x General, 3 x Artillery, 3 x MG's, 10 x Rifles
= 43 points (Break at 14) (The Turks had some Transport Wagons = 0 points though)

On we go with the battle....

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Beni Baloo & the Turkish Defences.

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British Right Flank

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British left Flank, Jack's plan would feature a strong attack on this side.

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Overall Battlefield View.

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The Turkish defences from both sides....

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Onwards!!!

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Indian Infantry advances...

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KaBOOM!!! The British Artillery is spot on, scratch one Turkish Rifles.

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A new turn & it's double sixes....

'TALLY HO' Ginger.... in his crate, screaches through the Sky!!

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The British Cavalry heads straight for the Turks...

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....but are sent packing.

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'BOOOMM!' Ginger is spot on, Scratch one Turkish Artillery.

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But fierce, small arms fire makes Ginger bank sharply...

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The Turks are fighting hard.... The British Cavalry are sent packing again.

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Poor PiPs and the Indians are left without Orders!!

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The British Infantry are through the wire.

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The Armoured Cars finally catch up to the Cavalry.

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GINGER's bought it!!

The Turkish Machine Gunners shoot him down, cheers ring out along the trenches!

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The British assault goes in, the Turks give ground.

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At last, the Turks give ground on the British left.

Fire from the AC's & Lances from the Cavalry.....

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It's a hard scrap in the trench.

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Fire from the Turkish MG & the Armoured Car is sent reeling....

DBA charts are consulted & the 'ruling on the battlefield' is.... scratch one Rifle element!!

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The Brits are kicked out of the trench.

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Turkish Artillery fire, holds up the Cavalry - But it can't stop everything.

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The British Infantry get ready to attack the weak point.

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View from the Turkish trench.

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The Turks cut down some more Brits....

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Good shooting from the Turkish Artillery, but still not 88mm efficiency!

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Ginger's crate is burning and the deadly Turks cut down some Infantry.

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British Artillery starts to find their target.

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The state of the battle at this point, the British left is pressing hard.

The Indians on the right have sat down & having a cup of tea.

British casualties are mounting, could the Turks pull off a brilliant victory?

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Jack's getting frustrated, the Turks are putting up a stiff resistance.

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ATTACK!! ATTACK!! ATTACK!!

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Another round & they get set to try again....

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Another attack goes in!

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The poor Infantry are mown down.

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Turkish Infantry are cut down...

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The tide begins to turn, The turks loose TWO elements!!

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Jack's on a roll now!

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The Turkish Gunners fight on, it's very close!

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Numbers count, the Turks are being overrun....

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Jack's bloodlust is up, if it moves......

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CHHAAARRGGEE!!!

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Give'Em the STEEL!! British troops doing what they do well.

The Turks in the trench are beaten.

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It's all over now!! Down go the heroic Turkish Gunners.

At least the British AC is repulsed....

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BOO HiSS BOO

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Poor Show from the Indians!

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Final view of the British Left.

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Well that was close, a British Victory but with very heavy losses. The Aeroplane was fun, but it didn't last long. We liked the Armoured Cars, though they're a bit slow. Artillery performed better.... Must try Mortars in the next game, they could enhance the Assaults!