So in order to challenge Huub's Later Nikephorians, I decided to use one of his former armies, the Tolosan Visigoths .
I used some 4 big warbands ( 9 bases ) , auxilia, shooty cavalry called Gardingi ( javelin ) and some bucelarri SUP DC and melee expert, a small SK poor bows for 12 units in total . The warbands and the auxilia were "formed" as per new proposed lists. I was to face a full mounted army, 8 TUGS with 2 big tagmata units ( melee expert as per new proposed lists ), 2 themata, 1 themata 2nd class, some normans ( one SUP ) and a flanker unit.
Terrain was to be mountain but the fight happened in a small lost valley. I was outscouted by 30% and deployed very conventially ( left hand ). Warbands in the center, Gardingi on the right, auxilia,gardingi and SK on the left and the shock Bucelarii in reserve near the camp . On the Nike side, bleuish units are tagmata . Between them the normans . They will face the warbands in an epic fight . Nike's flanks are protected by thematic cavalry and one unit of flankers .
My shooty flank
As you can see ..both went forward . I was the attacker so pushed my infantry forward to give more space for my mounted . I commited my reserves because I felt the Nike's left flank had advanced too much to avoid or delay battle and I would enjoy shooting at his unprotected flankers ( green dice )
The other flank
A general view
Turn 2 ..he charges, my poor SK dies on the spot ( roling 1 when skirmishing is a bad idea
Ouch it did hurt
But I got a shooty revenge ( blue markers are for the slowing down )
So I outmanoeuver his flank and hope my warbands will resist long enough and/or cause significant damage .The Bucelarii are manoeuvring ( well one TUG as I got lots of black tokens )
A better view of the other flank
So What happened : his flankers died shot to death . My bucelarri did charge both themata units as I wanted them pinned . He won the charge contest . He also charged the other warband and also won the charge contest .
And vs the warband he is killing it ..but his flank is pretty open .
But my warbands are rather quickly disintegrating .He got lots of skulls in melee and I did nothing ..where are the skull gods !
So warbands are fleeing ..my flank charge did nothing ( blanco and S ) but I managed to kill him during melee .A new flank charge and ...a blanco and a S ..who told me flank charges are good !
I got a hole in my line ..3 warbands are gone and my camp is under threath ..
But a themata TUG breaks , 3 TUGS broken on each side !.you can see the remnants of a warband running away !
And game over ..the auxilia on a white dice inflict the vitorious wound on the tagmata ..The Nikes are broken !
I must admitt it was a close thing as the turn after he would charge my camp, the ausilia and the last warbands were a wound or so fro breaking ! A nice game .CL are a real danger to average warbands .