This situation involves an army of Ostrogoths, led by their king, Totila in a confrontation with the Byzantines under Narsus, in his seventies at the time but still campaigning (as we all hope to be at that age!) The battleground is Italy.

The problem for the Goths is simple: get behind the Byzantines and destroy their superior force with impetuous mounted charges. The Byzantines, not trusting the allied and mercenary cavalry which makes up the army of Narsus, has dismounted the vast majority of their force (to keep them from running away?) and now must attempt to prevent the Goths from destroythem. Although numbers favor the Greeks, the superior quality of the Gothic horse balances things out.

The original set-ups are shown on the map at the end of the problem. The Byzantines set up much as the Medieval English Hundred Years War forces almost 10 centuries later. Hoping to draw the over-eager Goths int0 massed archer fire, they put the dismounted Lombards, Heruli and feoderati in a huge mass in the center as a target with the thousands of "Roman" foot-archers -- angled in to enfilade the Goths.

Sure enough, just like the charge of the Light Brigade, the Goths went for it... and consequently were slaughtered. But, if they had a different CiC (you!) could they have won? That is your problem. Play it and see.

BYZANTINES
Narses CiC w/PA Standard and 2xHC Reg. A, L,B,SH 158 Pts.
Sub-general Valerian w/P and 2xHC 88 Pts.
Sub-general John w/P and 2x HC 88 Pts.
4 units of 12xHC Reg. C Roman Cav., L,B,Sh.@12 616 Pts.
2 units of 12xMI Irreg. C Lombards LTS,Sh. @3 242 pts
2 units of 12xHI Irreg. C Lombards LTS,Sh. @5 106 pts
1 unit of 24xMI Reg. C Byzantines 1/2 LTS, 1/2 JLS/Sh.@4 106 Pts,
1 unit of 24xMI Irreg. C Mercenaries HTW, Sh. @ 3 97 P-S.
2 units of 40xLMI Reg. D Archers Bow, Sh. 3 260 Pts.
1 extra command factor @ 10 Pts. for Regulars
1 extra command factor @ 25 Pts. Irregulars
Total 1690 pts

GOTHS
Totila CiC w/PA Standard and 2xHC Irreg. B JLS,Sh 133 Pts.
Sub-general Teias w/P and 2xHC 73 Pts.
5 units of 9xHC Irreg. B Goths JLS, Sh. @9
5 units of 9xHC Irreg. C Goths JLS, Sh @8 (10 = 910 Pts.)
3 units of 24xLI Irreg. C Goths Bow @2 219 pts.
2 units of 16xMI Irreg. C Roman/Greek deserters, etc. HTW, Sh.@3 146 Pts.
May designate two HC units as ALL B class but must count MI as D class if choosing this option.
Total: 1481 pts