There is probably no greater contrast in MW than a confrontation between a late Medieval Swiss army and an Asian "horse clans" type army like the Ayyubids. Burgermeister Sean Scott's stout Swiss army featured a host of pike-men, deployed in three 12-stand units, each featuring a front rank including heavy armor and a general. In MW, large units with integral generals are remarkably robust on the battlefield, if their flanks are secured and the general doesn't fall to missile fire. In support of the pike blocks were units of halberdiers, hand-gunners and cross bow-men (all simply labeled "support" in the diagram below) and a small contingent of FPC.

The initial deployments were approximately as indicated below: the dense terrain pieces were woods, light pieces brush. There were two woods pieces on the Ayyubid left. Saladin's intention here was to start the fanatical Ghazis in ambush in the woods on the Saracen side of the table, but in retrospect this was a bad ploy because the Ghazis were held in ambush too long, as the Swiss had no notion of developing their right toward the woods. Once the Ghazis moved out of ambush, they moved so slowly through the dense terrain that they never got into position to attack.

Saladin, as described above, wanted to establish a line of brush bastions to be garrisoned by the Sudanese archers, but the luck of the dice put the brush line on the Swiss side of the table. Rather than providing direct protection for the archers, the brush indirectly aided them by breaking up the Swiss line. The brush pieces were laid out with two-stand wide (12 cm) gaps between them to facilitate potential attacks by the 4 stand, 2x2 blocks of Saracen cavalry.

The schematic indicates these lanes of clear through the brush bastions. They were used by Sean to advance the pike blocks. Sean, a veteran WRG 7th tournament player, was out to score points and therefore advanced his army very aggressively to attack the Ayyubid line. Unfortunately for the Ayyubids, the Swiss, being closer, were able to seize the brush bastions and garrison them with cross-bows and hand-gunners, effectively securing the flanks of the pikes.

The Ayyubid plan developed quickly in reaction to the obvious Swiss intent. The Sudanese archer units were advanced to mask the Swiss support elements established in the brush, and the HC were advanced to the gaps to engage in fire and flee (F&F) tactics against the advancing pike blocks. As in the previous game, the flank elements were not a factor in the match.

To the integral generals in the Swiss pike units must be given the laurels of victory. The Saracen HC Fire & Fleed the pikes by relays, turn after turn. If a pike block went disordered by failing a morale test, the Saracen HC units were poised to drive home a risky but potentially devastating attack. One pike block lost 3 stands, the others two each. But because of the morale benefits of the generals, the Swiss never failed a morale check as they inexorably advanced upon the Ayyubid line. Once the pikes passed through the gaps, they re-deployed on a broad front and began to herd the Ayyubids back across the table. Given the opportunity, Saracen HC slammed into a unit of Swiss FPC; the odds were against the former, but it was the best chance to turn the tide now tipping decisively against them. Nevertheless, the Saracens lost this fight and the game as time was called.

Retreating before the advancing pikes, the order of the Ayyubid army was progressively deteriorating, so additional time would have likely resulted in a decisive Ayyubid defeat. However, there was always a chance that another lost stand would cripple or break a pike block(s), so the Sultan was not without hope. A 2-3 loss was a better result than may have obtained later, but neither Sean nor I were pleased. Sean thought the Ayyubid F&F tactics were too time-consuming and inimical to good tournament play. In my place, he would have thrown the Saracen HC into the brush against the Swiss support units.

In retrospect, I now agree with him, although HC attacking CB/HG is a losing proposition if the missile dice are hot. Cavalry F&F'ing pike units is a no-risk proposition (so long as there is open table to the rear). Besides, despite the generals, Sean may well have failed one or more of the 7 morale checks forced on the pike blocks, disordering a unit or two (or worse) and giving the HC a target of opportunity.

More Saladin's Fall (-In)

Introduction
The Duke of Eldridge and the Perfect (Norman) Storm
A Thousand Points of Pikes: Swiss Cheese too Tough to Cut
Fire and Flee: Sometimes It doesn't Always Work
Post-Mortem