Friday the thirteenth saw Leadfool hosting a Cossack cattle raid. The following is a quick report taken mostly from my own vantage as Andre Triskadecovitch, Hetman of the Zapiroshki Cossacks.
A raiding party of Cossacks is returning to their fortified camp on the bank of a small creek with several herd of purloined cattle. In an attempt to cut them off the Polish forces have managed to slip several infantry units between the returning raiders and their camp. With the rest of the Polish army in hot pursuit the Cossacks goal is to get back across the creek with their stolen cattle.
Setup for the game:
The Cossacks started with all their infantry on one end of the board with the Cossack cavalry and the stolen cattle entering from the opposite end of the table. The first wave of Polis cvary came on one turn behind the Cossacks with the second wave of heavier Polish cavalry coming on one turn later.
Photos of the battle:
The raiders view looking towards the Cossack camp through the scant opposition offered by some German mercenaries.
Cossacks ride!.
The Tabor and its defenders in the Cossack camp.
A look down the line of the creek where the bulk of the Cossack forces await the return of the cattle raiders.
Two of the Hetman on the right try to draw the Poles within range of the muskets in the camp while the raiders try desperately to get the cattle across the river. German Ritters made it very hard on one group picking them apart with a constant peppering of pistol fire.
The Husaria arrive.
Excited Cossacks surged across the creek, eager to engage the Poles.
The Hetmen get the line back into order and start firing on the Poleish troops as they come within range.
The cows come home. These cows are of a particularly ugly breed of brutes known as the Black Kine of Krakow.
Two Hetmen continue to taunt the Polish Cavalry. The Cavalry charged, attempting to contact the Cossacks who nimbly brought their horses across the creek and the pursuing Poles within range of the camps muskets. By this time all the cattle had been brought into the camp. One troop of Ritters made an assault on some Cossack archers on the far end of the camp and were repulsed so violently that the fight went out of the remaining Poles. The camp was too tough a nut to crack, but the Poles knew they would have another shot at the Cossacks soon.
25 April 2012, 08:54:23 PM
