Rajput Triumphant!

So firstly, apologies for the DBx speak...  but that was a really fun game last night with the Desert Rajputs against Jon's Later Muslim Indian (LMI). I got to use my new ‘Arid’ mat that cost me a small Euro fortune (hand made by Italian craftsman you see.. ) and the Rajputs, while still only partially painted, are starting to look like the business. The LMI were very pretty too, especially like the ‘Grumpy’ Indian Swordsmen  - (DBx Blade(F)) – very colourful.

Camels manoeuvre on my left, cunningly avoiding real troops... the CinC charges off in the centre, and the Horde huddle in the face of the advancing LMI Elephant and Blade juggernaut. 

On my right.. the river boats, and a very badly deployed ally.. watch those woods!

I used all the gimmicks..   4 elephants in ambush in a wood, My own Swordsmen Blade(F) on river boats, and a flank march. Was a great game, very tense. Came down to my flank march looking like they were in serious trouble after Jon’s Elite Cavalry (DBx Cv(S)) saw off my Camelry (apparently Knights & Cavalry should flee from Camels if beaten... but we forgot that in the heat of battle.... ) 

The Flank march arrives..  I had to keep pressing Jon with the camels who were very vulnerable to his much superior mounted. 'Ghost Riders' as the Rajput nobles are still awaiting paint.

My valiant CinC elephant retires, leaving the Psiloi to face the music!

Cunning manoeuvring on my right, the river boats advance carrying their lethal cargo of Blades.

And the ambush is sprung! 4 elephants emerge from the trees..

Flank marching Knights break up, I had a dearth of PIPS on this wing. The camels and the CinC command are not far off breaking.

I had to make a few desperate tense shots to try and break him - (as by that stage both of our armies were looking very shaky), my Rajput nobles were all broken up and were vulnerable to being attacked piece-meal and wouldn;t have lasted long..   so it was time for a heroic, and historic 'Charge!' Just enough of the ‘Hail Mary’ combats at pretty even odds came off for me... with the Rajputs exhausted, plenty of casualties, but in posession of the field of battle. (Would have been something like a 17-8 in competition terms),

It really came down to the wire...  if a couple of my combats hadn't come off, I was toast next bound. Classic moments were as my elephant general smacked the opposing swordsmen up, his neighbouring elephant killed my skirmishing javelinmen – both elephants advanced past each other, and in the next bound I got to rear end his elephant at 6-3 in my favour (which sadly...for me.. didn’t come off...) the rest of the game saw his elephant chasing my general backwards across the table to his base-line...  great stuff, cracking game, and a load of fun.