Reconquista Midgard Game

 

View of the table from the Almoravid side

From the Spanish side

Forces advance

Black Guard, Berber infantry and camels

Moors on the left flank

On Thursday afternoon Garry and Rob came over and we played a Reconquista Midgard game out in the shed. We were a bit rusty with rules as we haven't played a game since March earlier in the year. Garry was El Cid and commanded the Spanish attackers, while I commanded the Almoravid Moors. Rob watched and provided rule assistance, especially keeping track of all the different general, heroic and unit traits (pp. 66-74). We used the suggested 300 point army lists in the rules (pp. 102-105).

The Spanish caballeros charged on both flanks and soon had the Berber infantry destroyed and retreating. Single combat between El Cid and Muhammad Ibn Tashfin, the respective army commanders, saw both leaders wounded and reduced by two levels. The Spanish caballeros proved very powerful with their Thunderous Charge and were able to maintain their momentum destroying Berber infantry units. The Black Guard destroyed one unit of caballeros forcing El Cid to flee to another unit. Another caballeros unit was destroyed by Berber infantry but by then Moors had lost another unit and their last reputation token.

Spanish right flank and centre

Spanish Caballeros charge on both flanks

Berber infantry are destroyed and retreat

Spanish victory - another unit bites the dust!

Alvar Fanez alone heroically fights
the Almoravid camel riders

 

Almoravid Moor Additions

 

Here are a few additions to my Almoravid Moors to bring units up to strength. We've got a Reconquista Midgard game lined up next week so I've been painting these figures for that game. There's a skirmisher unit of Crusader Miniatures' Spanish archers, in the last photo. I'm working on Spanish cavalry and infantry at the moment but probably won't get that many finished in time for the game so will just use my Normans for these.

Lion Rampant A Viking in the Sun Supplement

 

Yesterday in the mail I got the new Lion Rampant A Viking in the Sun supplement from Northstar. This was eagerly awaited as it covers the Mediterranean adventures of Harald Hardrada and I really enjoyed the previous one, Lion Rampant The Crusader States. I quickly read it cover to cover. Like it's predecessor, Lion Rampant A Viking in the Sun, is beautifully illustrated, it has four main chapters covering Harald and his World, New Upgrades and Optional Rules, Army Lists and Campaigns. 

A second edition of the Lion Rampant rules is due to be published by Osprey in 2022 but the core rules are still the same. The Army Lists covers The Varangian Guard, Byzantines, Southern Italian Principalities, Normans and Muslim Powers of the Central and Eastern Mediterranean. The chapter on Campaigns includes three scenarios based on Harald's campaigns in the Holy Land, Sicily and Southern Italy. Again highly recommended, there's a lot of fun gaming to be had with this supplement.

Below are some Almoravid Moor archers that I've just finished painting, the figures are by Artizan Designs. I will use these for my Muslim force in Sicily against Harald with the Varangian Guard and Byzantines in my planned solo game of Scenario 2.1 The Landing (p.80), an amphibious operation. Hopefully I will play that sometime next week.

Almoravid Moors

 

Here are some Almoravid Moors, mainly Gripping Beast figures (metal and plastic) with a few by Eureka Miniatures and Artizan Designs. I've just finished painting the cavalry and infantry units above, the rest were painted ages ago. Shield transfers are by LBM. I'm planning to use these as a Sudanese warband or retinue under the Fatimid Egyptian list in the new Lion Rampant: Crusader States supplement, so it will be interesting to see how they go.