I had lunch (the by now usual burger with the lot and Coke Zero) and in the first round following that Rajputi feast, I faced Brenton Searle and his list IV/33 Epirot Byzantine.

This looked to be a difficult game for me as apart from Brenton being a good, experienced player, the Byzantines have a number of options that really do make life difficult for an army like the Rajputs. His army list can contain:

• 1 x 3Cv General
• 2 x 3Cv
• 2 x 3Kn
• 2 x 2LH
• 1 x 2LH, 6Kn or 2Ps
• 1 x 4Sp or 2Ps
• 3 x 2Ps or 3/4Bw

I could not be sure of what I was going to face until it deployed on the table. To make matters worse, this time my aggression roll was high so I was the attacked and needed to deploy second.

The force Brenton eventually settled on was:

• 1 x 3Cv General
• 2 x 3Cv
• 2 x 3Kn
• 2 x 2LH
• 1 x 2Ps
• 1 x 4Sp
• 3 x 3/4Bw

That meant that there were many troops in Brenton’s army that could hurt my force effectively. I would need to be quick and decisive – the longer I took to deal with Brenton, he more time there was for his troops with a “quick kill” ability to be effective on my elements. Brenton getting to deploy second also had the ability to line up for the best match-ups.

I did not change any of my troops position. When the game started I advanced as quickly as possible hoping for a punch through on the right, holding in the centre (I expected the knight v knight combat in the centre to continue to see-saw) and delay the arrival of my left flank where I was weakest.

The game was won in the right and centre of my battleline. The photo at the top is the position at the end of the game. I had taken out two of his cavalry and two of his bows for the loss of one of my blades. An 8:2 victory for me.