Putting Irregular Wars away for awhile.  Good stopping point, with a need to determine the outcomes after the Battle At The Oasis Of Olufunke.

What happens to Lord Renaldo’s army?

1) Disintegrates/Retreats to coast; 2) Alliance with Natives; 3) Fight Natives; 4)Alliance with Bey Mahir to fight Sultan Efe.

What happens to the victorious Bey Mahir?

1) No further action; 2) Attacks Natives; 3) Alliance with Natives and/or 4) Attacks Sultan Efe:

What happens to Sultan Efe?

1) Decided after Lord Renaldo/Bey Mahir outcome(s).

Do Ming Chinese become involved?

1)  Yes/No; 2)  If Yes, how?

Do Natives become involved?

1) Decided after Lord Renaldo/Bey Mahir outcomes(s).

We’ll see…..

Remnants of Lord Renaldo’s army have fled south after a stunning defeat at the Oasis At Olufunke.  The Bey’s army is too worn to pursue, having suffered heavy losses in a battle that had three distinct phases.

Bey Mahir’s defensive alignment was a variation of what he had used before.   His units were arrayed in a checkerboard along the entire plain lying south of the oasis.  His Civic Guard units were in front, with Tribal units some distance to the rear, but filling the gaps between Guard units.  This would allow any wavering guards to fall back unimpeded and tribesmen to counterattack.  Renaldo’s plan was use his Shot and Bow units as a screen on his right (Zanj left), while his Pike and Targeteer units concentrated on his left (Zanj right) to deliver a crushing blow to enemies to their front.

The Disease and Mishap rolls were not kind to the Zanj.  Four units lost resolve due to illness and two units were pushed out of position.  Once again, the skill of the Portuguese surgeon saved Renaldo’s army from any loss of resolve.

First Phase:

The Portuguese screening force was extremely effective, engaging the Zanj guardsmen at long range, causing most of them to scatter.  They could not close and melee with the weaker Portuguese.  More importantly,the guardsmen could not be rallied since their retreat drove them out of the Bey’s command radius.  However, the Bey’s forces on his right stopped the Portuguese Pike and Targeteer onslaught, locking them in attritional melees.  It was here that the effect of the earlier battle, which lowered the morale (and resolve) of the Portuguese, was critical.  The Portuguese were wearing down.

Second Phase:

Desperate to break this deadlock, Renaldo ordered his Shot and Bow units to close to within short range of the decimated Zanj units. His hope was to gain the initiative on the next move.  If so, these units could deliver devastating volleys, scattering the Zanj units to his right, forcing a general withdrawal.  The Iron Dice Of War crushed his hopes.  The Portuguese lost the initiative, with Zanj units driving both Shot and Bow units back in disarray.

Portuguese Right Collapses. Lord Renaldo’s Personal Guard Attacks

Lord Renaldo launched a last ditch assault with his personal guard of Targeteers, scattering three Zanj units.  However, the outnumbered Zanj units somehow stopped the continued attacks of the Portuguese of the Portuguese Pike.

Third Phase:

Now the desperate one, Bey Mahir attacked Lord Renaldo’s guard.  After a prolonged fight, Renaldo’s unit scattered opening the way for flanking attacks on his remaining units.

The Portuguese had no choice but to flee.

The Bey’s instincts were correct.  He quickly raised four more Civic Guard units, giving him nine.  His Tribesmen were relatively intact after the battle, and add another five units to his army.  The Civic Guards confidence and resolve soared as a result of their staunch performance, and all units are now rated a “3”.  The Bey’s experience now allows him to have a command radius of six units.

The Portuguese were shaken  by the seeming setback at the Faragh.   The resolve of their Pike units has dropped to “4”, with the Musketeer units resolve now at “3”.   Lord Renaldo’s  negotiated settlement with the Persian mercenaries  is the one bright spot in this deteriorating situation.

A condition of employment was to reveal the ringleaders of their desertion from the Bey’s army.  That being done, Lord Renaldo personally executed them in front of his army.  Now “encouraged”, the Persians have a resolve of “4”.

The Bey’s forces have taken up positions at the Oasis, and the Portuguese approach.  The battle is at hand…….

Lord Renaldo ordered his troops to by-pass the Zanj tribesmen now blocking the Faragh (gap).  Planning to take advantage of a screen of Musketeers and Crossbowmen, the Pikemen and Targeteers moved north.  But, with the narrow frontage, the Portuguese units blocked each other, offering the Zanj an opportunity to attack.

These piecemeal attacks were stopped, and Bey Iman Mahir ordered a general withdrawal to the east, planning to retire along a route parallel to the Portuguese advance, but separated by the impassable dunes.

While the Bey might be criticized for not pressing home is attacks on the disorganized Portuguese, he was intent on maintaining his army, and most importantly, the high morale of his Civic Guard.  These untested units had acquitted themselves well in the battle.  Bey Mahir believed their success would allow him to recruit more Civic Guard as it was his belief more troops were needed to defeat the veteran Portuguese.  This was especially true since the mercenaries had failed miserably, and could no longer be counted on.  In fact,  there were rumors they might be bribed to change sides.

However, there was real risk in his strategy.  The city of Behefe was not defensible and could not withstand the shortest of sieges.  Its sole water supply was the Oasis of Olufunke, a 15 minute walk south from city walls.    The decisive battle would have to take place there.