Somewhere in Africa, during the 17th Century.

Game of the Renaissance in Africa during the 17th Century. 

Using Fields of Glory, Renaissance in 15mm.

Organized, using terrain and models by David Brown and David Taylor.

AAR by David Taylor.

Players
Western Sudanese : David Taylor.
Ethiopian                 : David Brown and Tom Sheeran.

Western Sudanese (Figures by Khurasan Miniatures). Commanded by David Taylor.
Ethiopian (Figures mainly by Essex Miniatures). Commanded by Dave Brown, with Tom Sheeran as sub-general on the Ethiopian left.

The Ethiopian aggressors had decided to expand their empire into the lands of the Hausa state of Zazzau (modern day Zaria, Nigeria). Amina, the warrior queen of Zazzau had called on her subjects and allies (from the Hausa state of Kano) to resist the invaders, and her army had intercepted the Ethiopian army on the grasslands of the savanna (i.e. DT won the initiative).

The armies (800 points per side) lined up for battle. The Sudanese on the left and the Ethiopians on the right. The battlefield is very open with a gentle hill in the Sudanese rear which played no part in the battle, a couple of areas of brush in the Ethiopian rear (again which played no part in the battle) and a couple of areas of uneven ground on the Sudanese right flank. The uneven ground was very influential in how the battle on this flank played out, particularly the area near the centreline.

The Sudanese have their warrior infantry in the centre, light foot archers spread across their front, their Guard infantry in the rough going to the right of the hill and then their cavalry massed on both flanks, with their allies on their right. The Sudanese infantry is mainly bowmen, with one unit of armoured spearmen. However, they are significantly outnumbered by the Ethiopian infantry who are better in close combat and who have a number of modern musketeers in their ranks. The Sudanese have massed their generals with their cavalry on the left as they have an advantage in mounted, with 8 units against 5, leaving the ally general in charge on their right. The Ethiopians have also placed their mounted on the flanks with a mass of infantry in the centre. Their generals have been placed evenly on each flank.

Queen Amina, surveying the battlefield from her camp before leading her troops into battle.

Queen Amina, leading her troops, under the Hausa banner.

As would be expected, no figure manufacturers produce an appropriate figure to represent Queen Amina, so the figure used, both on foot and mounted, are printed figures from larger scale STL files, printed out at 18mm, by a friend. The horse is for an Arab general from Khurasan.

The tree is home made to try and represent an African Acacia tree. The tent is from Khurasan, as are the porters and cattle.

So back to the battle.

The Ethiopians advanced their small unit of javelin men on the left with their cavalry behind. However, the larger unit of Sudanese archers, despite being poor levies, made short work of the javelin men (who have routed off table to the right). As Stephen Bankhead always used to say, quantity has a quality all of its own. Being in uneven terrain, the Sudanese archers were happy to stand and engage the enemy cavalry with bow fire. The cavalry didn’t fancy venturing into the terrain, particularly with enemy mounted waiting for them on the far side, so decided to stand and take it, leading to the rapid demise of the unit of unarmoured cavalry (routing in the right rear). When the Sudanese guard (who were better quality archers) decided to get involved, the Ethiopian guard cavalry, the best mounted troops in the game, decided it was time to make a retreat  strategic withdrawal.

In the centre, the lines of infantry have just started to clash.

On the far left, the Ethiopian cavalry has been driven back by superior numbers with the loss of one unit of light horse, and are under severe pressure as the Sudanese heavy cavalry (the equivalent of the Ethiopian guard) line up to charge the enemy foot, once their skirmishing archers get out of the way of their betters.

The battle is nearing its conclusion. The massed archery on the right has dispatched the Ethiopian guard cavalry in short order (their decision to retreat being just too late). The allied Sudanese heavy cavalry are lining up, ready for the advancing enemy spearmen who are being screened by the light horse.

In the centre, the Sudanese spearmen, despite being armoured and having the advantage, are being whittled down by their Ethiopian unarmoured counterparts. But their morale is holding. Unfortunately, the musketeers in the middle have found that slow loading muskets are no match for greater numbers of quick firing bows and have fled the field, leaving the column of musketeers in support in disorder and waiting for their turn for more of the same medicine.

On the far left, the skirmishing archers have eventually moved away and the heavy cavalry are lined up to charge on their next opportunity. However, it is not looking good for the Ethiopian mounted as their cavalry have fled and their remaining light horse are in combat against superior numbers and losing. All the Ethiopian generals on that side are fighting in their front ranks, so no-one is available to rally troops or maneuver the strategic reserve. Oh, there is no strategic reserve.

And shortly after, the battle ends, on the right, the Sudanese skirmishers have evaded the charges of the Ethiopian foot and the allied heavy cavalry are lines up to charge.

In the centre, the Sudanese spearmen have eventually succumbed to their losses, but the archers in the centre have routed the second unit of musketeers, who being deployed in column, were unable to bring their firepower to bear against the longer line of their enemy (I am sure that should be a lesson for the future Mr Wellington).

The other smaller unit of archers in the centre has been charged by the Ethiopian guard infantry, another tough unit, but both are disrupted and the archers are holding on valiantly.

Everything is ready for the decisive blow on the left, however, with the loss of the second unit of musketeers in the centre, the Ethiopian army crumbles in defeat, with 7 units lost to 1 lost for the Sudanese. A very enjoyable game, particularly for the Sudanese, however, why the Ethiopians deployed their best cavalry facing archers in uneven terrain is still being discussed around the camp fires.

The rematch, somewhere in Africa, during the 17th Century.

Following their defeat at the hands of the West Sudanese, the Ethiopians have cobbled together another force to stop the Sudanese exploiting their victory. The Hausa army of Zazzau (modern day Zaria), under Queen Amina and her allies (from the Hausa state of Kano) have moved into the agricultural lands to the east where the Ethiopians are waiting (i.e. DB won the initiative).

The armies (800 points per side) during the second turn. The Sudanese on the left and the Ethiopians on the right. Despite the agricultural setting, the battlefield is still very open with two gentle hills on the Ethiopian side and two areas of enclosed fields on the Sudanese side. Only the hill on the Sudanese right played any part in the battle.

Again, the Sudanese have deployed their infantry in the centre, with their mounted on the flanks. However, this time the allied command is on the left. The Ethiopians have also lined their foot up across the centre, but this time they have fewer mounted with their light horse on the left, one unit of cavalry on the right and their Guard cavalry in the centre, alongside their Guard infantry.

The Sudanese have moved first, advancing a large unit of light horse over the hill on their right, only to be confronted by a wall of Ethiopian javelin men and light horse. The rest of the army has made a general advance across the battlefield. The Ethiopians have done the same, bringing their Guard cavalry out to engage the allies, while their light horse and javelin men have moved up to bring massed shooting against the enemy light horse. This time the Ethiopians have a strategic reserve with a unit of spearmen on the hill under their C-in-C.

The Sudanese light horse on the hill have just charged the enemy javelin men only to be intercepted by the enemy light horse as the light foot evade. The Sudanese have the advantage being uphill, with a larger unit (the two lone elements behind the unit are part of it, they just insist on sliding off the hill and off the edge of the table when placed with the unit). The rest of the hill is fine as it has been coated with metal filings, painted green which the troops adhere to. Unfortunately, the rocky areas haven’t had this treatment.

This hill is to be the graveyard for generals, with the Sudanese committing one general to the combats while the Ethiopians committed two. All three commanders are to fall to the enemy swords. Despite initial setbacks, the Sudanese are able to get superior numbers of mounted involved, including their armoured horse to destroy the two small units of Ethiopian light horse.

The battle after the first few turns. On the right, the hill has been cleared and the Sudanese mounted are advancing around the end of the Ethiopian flank. The Sudanese heavy cavalry has charged the musketeers at the end of the line and swept them from the field (the remnants, 3 bases, can be seen heading for the rear beside all the Sudanese mounted). The heavy cavalry has then rallied from pursuit and are now advancing towards the rear centre of the Ethiopian line. The reserve has come off the hill and lined up to face the enemy cavalry while the Ethiopian C-in-C tries to shore up the end of the line. The heroes of the day must be the unit of levy light foot archers at the right hand end of the Sudanese line. The big gap in front of them is full of dead bodies of the Ethiopian superior two-handed swordsmen, who are realising that a big sword is no replacement for a good shield when they are being peppered by arrows, even from poor foot.

In the centre, the Sudanese spearmen are again in combat, however, this time against musketeers. On the far left, the heavy horse on both sides are lining up to engage, however, the Ethiopian cavalry is again under pressure from massed shooting.

The final stages of the battle.

The Sudanese light horse is ganging up on the javelin men on the right while, while the cavalry wreaks havoc with the foot, rolling up the Ethiopian line. In the centre the musketeers are barely surviving against the enemy spearmen and are about to break.

However, on the far left, the allies have disintegrated, with their general, bravely leading his heavy cavalry from the front, succumbing to a sneaky blow, leaving the flank in disarray. The Sudanese archers providing the link between the ally and the Queen’s troops have also been slaughtered by the Ethiopian Guard infantry.

But it is too little, too late as the Ethiopian losses in the centre and the right are too much and the army quits the field, with 6 units lost and 2 fragmented, against 3 units of Sudanese lost (mainly allies, so that was OK).

Another enjoyable game, but not a good one if you were a general with 4 out of 8 generals being killed. 

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Photos curtesy of David Taylor.