Disaster in Transflumia

This morning I played the first game in the Francesian Conquest medieval campaign using my new 2mm armies.

After consolidating his hold on the barbarous kingdom of Redgrave, Lothar the Lascivious turned his greedy eyes southward toward the rich provinces of the tottering Argentian Empire. Gathering together his ravenous horde of warriors, he marched into Transflumia, sacking towns and villages as he went. Flavius Gravitas, prefect of Transflumia, gathered his own forces and rushed to oppose the Redgravians. He prepared a battle line between the villages of Nordia and Estria and then waited for Lothar's approach.

Lothar's army was primarily composed of heavy infantry (in gold with red shields). In addition, a troop of beastmasters (a heavy infantry stand with a stand of wolves - treated simply as heavy infantry) and a pack of wolves (treated as heavy cavalry) formed the army's right flank.

Flavius could only draw upon local troops as the cream of the Imperial army remained close to the capital (to be used by ambitious politicians). Instead, the Imperials only mustered a couple of auxiliary cohorts and four bands of locally raised, bow-armed infantry (troops in white and silver).

The Redgravians come in sight

 Lothar quickly pushed his troops forward to attack the sparsely guarded village of Nordia (on the left of the picture). Meanwhile, the pack of wolves raced forward, attacking the auxiliaries with Flavius.

Attacks on Nordia and on Flavius's guard.

 Soon, a swirling battle developed in the center of the battlefield. Flavius's valiant leadership encouraged his men and stemmed the tide of battle-maddened barbarians. The defense of Nordia did not go as well, and soon the garrison was racing for its life while Lothar's personal warband rushed forward in pursuit.

Nordia falls. Battle develops in the center.

 The Redgravians were beaten back in the center, but Lothar led a wide flanking maneuver around the Imperial left.

Lothar swings around the Imperial left.

At this point, Flavius noticed the battered Redgravian warbands and decided to crush them. His advance left him vulnerable and soon he found his cohort of auxiliaries surrounded by enemies.

Flavius carelessly attacks.

 Nevertheless, Flavius was able to beat back the attackers. Alas, he paid no attention to the left and Lothar succeeded in driving away the archers in the rocky ground. Two powerful warbands now could cut off the Imperial lines of communication. The archers in Estria raised a cry of alarm before fleeing. Flavius could not hold his battered cohort together. It and the remaining auxiliaries on the left fled from the field. The way was open to Transflumia's capital.

The left flank is turned.

Lothar rushed to the city and forced its surrender. He prepared for a counterattack, but the Senate dithered and no Imperial relief came. The Transflumians reluctantly bowed before their new overlord while Lothar began to eye the lush grasslands of Meditera.