Varna 1444

In a break from the norm, four hardened 15mm FoG competition gamers  (Paul Dawson, Neil Howard and Robert Taylor) took a day out to play a couple of games based around a historical event! Varna 1444 between the Hungarians/Poles and the Ottomans.

The morning featured two singles games based on a pick n mix formula to generate around 900 points a side. The afternoon saw a 2100 points a side refight of Varna 1444 on a 12 foot long table. Lots of photos are on the blog   http://pauljohnstonrhb.blogspot.com/

The pick n mix game saw each army list divided into 16 of slips of paper, each featuring a unit or two totalling around 100 points, and placed in a tub. To create their army each player drew 8 slips from his army’s tub. This resulted in unplanned armies and gave each general a challenge against hard to assess opposition.

Each singles game played on identical pre set terrain- based on second Kosovo 1448. Basically, hills in the Hungarian centre and right flank overlooking a plain.

Game one saw Neil’s Hungarian army of superior light horse and lots of knights face a Turkish army packed full of elite cavalry, cavalry, heavy guns, fortifications, janissaries and light horse. The knights beat the elites but elsewhere ended up in front of the heavy guns and got blown away. The Hungarian flanks caved in too ! Victory to the Turks.

Game two saw my Hungarians with war wagons, armoured foot, lancer light horse, the kings knights and some light horse face down Roberts Turks with mob, Anatolian allies, janissaries, light horse and standard cavalry.

Despite Robert getting the shakes through not being able to choose a competition optimised army, being depleted of Serb allies and his inability to choose terrain placement, he made a decent fist of the game. His Anatolian ally flank march came on early and shot away the Hungarian right wing war wagon flanks, opening up the Hungarian camp. The Hungarian left flank light horse and central knights cut through the Turks leaving the Kings guard and infantry to shore up the right flank. A strategic draw but Robert wants to claim a 11-9 victory !

photo shows one game at top of picture and half of the second at bottom