Some Questions Raised By Deployment

[SteveC]

Hello All,

Just started my first solo game recently, using Anglo-Danish v Norman, and a few questions came up.

1) The Anglo-danish list (72) in the DBMM Army Lists says, regarding the royal huscarls, 'They must be deployed in contact with the king.' Does this refer to the group as a whole or to each individual element?

In a complete reversal of history, for agression, the Anglo-Danes threw 6, the Normans 1, so ended up taking the battle to William by invading France.

Terrain favoured the defender, with both a gentle hill and a small orchard close to their deployment zone. As both armies were allowed 'S' terrain, King Harold had the Sea on his left flank, with an 'impressed shipping' flank march planned.

The season was Autumn and Deployment dice were 1 & 3 (Anglo-Danes & Normans), so even though they had decided to deploy just their mounted, the Normans still deployed first.

Deployment time was fixed as 0400, with no moon (as per P23).

2) The weather, for 2 difference, means that certain water features could be frozen or un-navigable. It didn't actually apply in this game, but if a flank march (chosen before exact weather is known) using naval or impressed shipping meets such conditions, is its non-arrival automatic?

3) King Harold boldly kept the time decided and has started a night march  towards the unsuspecting Norman camp to seize the high ground. When the Norman army starts to roll its PIP dice, are their knights considered already mounted for PIP expenditure?

It seems as if King Harold's brilliant generalship regarding rapid movement and surprise is already having an uncanny effect on the dice!

I suppose I could have chose an easier battle option  , but just want to see how it all unfolds naturally.

Thanks, Steve

[landmeister]

Hi,

1) I would say the group as a whole. Otherwise the general's element wouldn't be able to touch all list elements! 

2) Errrr... Good question! 

3) Yes. Rolling Pips mean that they are ready to fight.

[toby]

Can the Normans only chose to deploy their mounted? If they have foot in the army they don't get the -1/+3 do they?

[SteveC]

As far as I can tell, the Normans only have compulsory foot for Duke William in 1066. I hadn't specified either the C-in-C or year, but just to be safe, I had all the foot in a delayed command.

I wasn't sure if the 'Baggage can do so' on P22 applied only to a flank march, so again, played it safe by having 'fast' mules. By adopting a flying column approach I thought it might be to the Norman advantage.

I didn't expect them to be both invaded and attacked at night.

Steve

[Barritus]

Hello All,

1) The Anglo-danish list (72) in the DBMM Army Lists says, regarding the royal huscarls, 'They must be deployed in contact with the king.' Does this refer to the group as a whole or to each individual element?

I read that to mean each element. So if you take all five huscarl elements, one is either side of the C-in-C, and the other three are behind the front three. All five huscarl elements therefore are touching the C-in-C either on a side, the front or a corner.

2) The weather, for 2 difference, means that certain water features could be frozen or un-navigable. It didn't actually apply in this game, but if a flank march (chosen before exact weather is known) using naval or impressed shipping meets such conditions, is its non-arrival automatic?

Frozen water features are good going to land elements and impassable to naval (para 3, page 20). Therefore, if you send a command flank marching that flank, expecting to use impressed shipping, the flank march would instead arrive as if on land. On the other hand, if you had an entirely naval flank march, the naval elements won't be arriving, but I wouldn't have a problem with their marines arriving. In each case, the naval forces presumably travel as far as they can, and then the soldiers get out and use shank's pony to get from the edge of the ice to the table edge.

3) King Harold boldly kept the time decided and has started a night march  towards the unsuspecting Norman camp to seize the high ground. When the Norman army starts to roll its PIP dice, are their knights considered already mounted for PIP expenditure?

There's nothing in the rules about night attacks (page 23, second last para) which suggests mounted troops should be dismounted. Therefore I assume they start mounted.