Here is a quick report on beta 2, I shall discuss the BAI a little.
8 turns in and I am unable to get a ceasefire with Poland. So I send an army led by Ehrart von Madgeburg to take Poznan. Forgeting that this had a garrison script the defenders raised an army. Worse was to follow though next turn when a reinforcement army arrived to relieve the defenders.
It was the first time in the new campaign that I had come up against greater odds. And also the time to test the real metal of this BAI! However I still felt I could pull off a win if this BAI was a push over. At the start of battle I decided to position my men back on a hill and let them come under my missile fire. Meanwhile my cavalry were positioned very wide of my main line and would try to encircle the enemy and rout it before meeting the second army.
start of battle
The enemy moved up and the two armies clashed. However on both sides I was never allowed to outflank with my mailed knights. It was left to my teutonic Knights to deal the fatal blow. They managed to charge into the enemies rear but failed to break them.
The battle was in the balance but the enemies reinforcements were getting ever closer. Seeing that my right was wavering, I decided to call up my generals bodyguard to save the situation. The AI though seeing this move sent over some dismounted polish knights. I was amazed, it seemed like the AI met my every move when I attempted to bring cavalry against them. The situation now looked hopeless and I decided to wave the white flag and save as many men as I could
Although out numbered, I did think that I could at least have inflicted more casualties on the enemy. And I even wondered afterwards whether I would have even managed to beat the first polish army? had those reinforcements not arrived? What this BAI does brilliantly is recognise the importance of not only defending the flanks, but also attacking around them as well.
Dave