Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

[Frank Gilson]

Derek has won the past two NCTs with Komnenan Byzantine.

I think discussing his choice and how he runs it is useful.

Roughly:
CinC w/PA Reg A EHK/HK L,Sh 208 (only general)
2E Irr B EHK/HK L,Sh 103 (2E of the Irr D MC Kav upgraded)
2E Reg C MC L,Sh 58 (other 2E, cannot be HC or HK or EHK or B morale)
two units of 2E Irr A/B HK L,Sh 188
4E Reg D LMI JLS,B,Sh 74 (required)
8E Irr D LC B 73 (4E required, Derek uses 8, often with a C class element)
two units of 2E Reg B HC L,B,Sh 176 (upgraded required Vardariots)
2E Reg C LC B 34 (required)
4E Irr C LC B 57 (required, could get JLS, Sh)
3 units of 4E Reg B(1 A) LHI/LMI 2HCW,JLS,Sh 378 (all the Varangians)
3 units of 4E Reg D(1 C) MI LTS,Sh 186 (4E required, could have Dart)
2 units of 2E Reg D LI S,Sh 44 (required)
2E Reg C/D LI JLS,Sh 24 (6E total of LI are required)
1603, 20 units, 51 scouting

Victories can come from the Varangians all concentrating somewhere followed up by lancers...or the lancers followed up by something else.

The Kontaratoi are often wall like, but have things they can fight and take little to no shooting as they can use Testudo.

Skirmishing exists...in some volume...if relatively poor by modern standard at least they are quite points efficient.

[Frank Gilson]

I think my main problem with the list is the one general...I know Derek uses Attack orders and has the CinC near his point of attack, but, by presenting lights across a frontage of attacks you drain away first charges and Derek could then run into some prompt problems...particularly having to fall back on part of the table.

[Frank Gilson]

I was able to defeat him 4-1 in our game at NCT 2016 because he attacked across a broad frontage of the middle with Kontaratoi and Varangians and merely rolled average dice...a place where he did not have a significant advantage...and my greater weight of numbers without gaps was able to win out by taking less CPF and having some overlaps.

[Mark Stone]

A powerful army, but it has some weaknesses.

I would take it with two generals. I think it's possible to shave enough points off of what Derek has here to come up with a second general. With one general, you can try and engage against the army at several places across the line and run him out of prompt points.

Also, the light troops here are not awesome. An army that has good quality light cav that fights rank and a half, and that has an abundance of good, cheap light infantry, should be able to win the skirmisher war for some easy points and an opportunity to expose a flank or two.

The lack of any cavalry heavier than EHK is also something that can perhaps be exploited. Enough dense missile fire from skirmishing foot would pose a problem.

An army like Wallachian ought to be a good matchup against this. Mongols or Timurids should match up well. And 100 Year's War English or Early Burgundian might pose a threat as well.

[Todd Kaeser]

I would like to see Frank's Maukarian (sp?) army list. I haven't seen a Mauk Byz list since the late days of 6th edition.....

Todd

[Frank Gilson]

I will create a new thread for Maurikian Byzantine...as this one is about Komnenan!