Third Time Lucky?

Deep in my pile of 15mm HOTT armies I found my Peter Pig Arab boxed army. this seemed to be a perfect historical opponent for Prester John, so out it came and away we went.

Prester John defended, and with the enemy army having an aerial element went for a couple of woods to limit them. All of the bad going ended up on one half of the board, leaving the battle to be fought mostly on the other.

The Arabs massed their cavalry on their right, and went for a slow infantry advance in the centre. Poor PIPs meant that they couldn't bring the flying carpets up in support at first.

The Arab cavalry advanced unsupported towards Prester John's archers

And in they went. One element of archers fell, and some of Prester John's knights were actually forced back. But the line held.

The elephant and the other knights turned in support. Now the lack of supporting troops on the Arab side began to tell.

Meanwhile on the other flank Prester John's natives rushed out of the woods and turned on the Arab left, destroying the hordes there.

The flying carpets finally came up to support the rapidly diminishing Arab cavalry.

But they were too late. The cavalry was gradually destroyed, and the carpets pushed back by the elephant, all the way to the Arab infantry line, which had failed to advance quickly enough to support its horse.

The natives now destroyed some Arab archers, and the army broke.

The position at the end.

Prester John's victory was really won by the Arabs attacking with unsupported Riders against troops which could hold them. Had the Riders been properly supported they could have scored a breakthrough and put the stronghold at risk.