Rome vs Carthage 55BC.

We had a fitting end to 2018  last night with a nail-biting game featuring Romans against Carthaginians.As only three of us turned out,Paul elected to be in charge of the Carthaginians,whilst Graham and I took a Legion each.

Top photo is the scenario,bottom is the table before any movement-Romans on the left,Carthaginians on the right.

This is the Carthaginian right flank,showing the dreaded Numidian light cavalry,which Paul uses so well-advancing against my legion,showering them with javelins,retiring(it's good being retired!) then another wave is sent in-bloody frustrating,but historically correct!!!

Graham's archers did a grand job of driving off two of the four elephant units before they could make contact with my legion-However...............................

SQUELCH!!!!-it took two cohorts to shift this beast,and the other remaining elephant scattered the archers and disordered my central cavalry!!! giving Paul time to manoeuvre his troops into their final positions.

Paul has unleashed his Celts against my left hand cohorts,but my jolly old pila,gave the jolly old Celts a jolly old "seeing to"-hurrah!-but at the same time he unleashed his first line of Spaniards against Grahams legion.........................

What a tussle ensued!-Graham is also moving two cohorts around the back of the "mountain" in the background,trying to out-flank Paul-but he is too "wily" a wargamer to fall for that,and countered with his cavalry-wonderful stuff!!-I also used my left flank cavalry to drive away the dreaded Numidians-but look what happened.............................

I think the technical,military term is STUFFED!!!!-Paul can now move his Numidians(the dreaded type) around my flank and rear-oh dear(that rhymes!)

This is a general view of the table about move number 8 or 9-neither side has a clear advantage-this is hot work!!

With my cavalry and Paul's fighting it out,on the wing,my cohorts have finally charged the Africans in the centre-again what a tusssle!!
But what of Graham's legion?

The top photo shows the "impasse" in the pass!! but Graham is holding up 4 Spanish units with two cohorts,who are relatively fresh compared with Paul's units.
The bottom photo shows the second lines of Romans and Spaniards clashing,with Graham throwing wonderful dice to secure his flank-this is not looking too good for the Carthaginians!

A general view of the table at move number 14(!!)-my line has not been broken,and the Spaniards are well beaten,so the consensus of opinion was that the Carthaginians were the losers,but in this fantastic game there were no losers-well done to us all.
May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy and healthy new year,and please keep reading our blog and passing your comments on to us.

Christmas Special-very Special!!

The "fab four" had a fab game last night,with added banter,rude jokes and lots and lots of laughs-this is how the night started.............................

Ho,Ho,Ho, this is Brian's way of saying "have yourselves a merry little Christmas"-there must be something we can do about him!!!

Scenario and table layout-Graham and I were the French,Brian was the British and Paul was the Dutch.

I opened the battle with a most ferocious attack on the Hamlet-my attacks lasted the whole game,and Brian responded wonderfully,by beating every attack and "eating up" all of my 6 regiments!!

Brian has launched an audacious attack against my French-held centre,with his British,whilst the "chuckle brothers" stood and looked at each other in the background!!

At last! the Provincials and Dutch have decided to join the battle,however both sides have decided to not get their cavalry involved-8 squadrons each,going to waste!!!

As Brian,minus antlers! writes his orders,my attacks are still going in-but not successfully!
I am notorious for throwing "bad" dice,but last night was the worst it's been,ever!!!!

To my left,my bad dice throwing was being matched by Graham's!!-we were taking a right old "bashing"-send in the cavalry(oh that could be a good line for a Christmas song!)-but they didn't,WHY,WHY,WHY???????-I think that hat's gone to Paul's head.

Meanwhile,back at the Hamlet,I am done for-all attacks failed,and no more troops left-but what of the other flank(the one with all the cavalry on it!)

Well,this overall shot of the table shows Graham's troops in a bad way,so we called it a night and the "Allies" were declared the winners!
This was,by any standards a great and spectacular game-well done to us all!
I received this Christmas card yesterday........................

This is a photograph of the front of the card-very nice.

This is a photograph of the back of the card-even nicer!!

Happy Christmas to you all,we hope you have a peaceful,wonderful time,with lots of wargaming "goodies" in your stockings!!

Xmas game jollity

I won't steal Johns thunder for last night's game .. Graham and Brian supplied enough of that to rival Thor himself..


Just wanted to say a happy Christmas to our friends and all who read the blog.

Game preview for Sunday 23rd December 2018.

We are having,by popular request, a Marlburian game this Sunday,so I thought a quick preview might get us in the mood.

Top photo is the scenario(c/w deliberate spelling mistake!) and map,bottom photo is the table as the "boys" will see it as they arrive.
I have picked sides,and knowing that Graham doesn't like commanding cavalry,I have put him in charge of the French cavalry and the French Provincial infantry!!!!-I will be commanding the French infantry and the Bavarians.
Paul  has the honour of commanding the Dutch,and cavalry facing Graham,whilst Brian is in charge of the British contingent,who are guarding the hamlet and bridge-all looks set for a tremendous tussle!

A shot of the French cavalry,facing the Dutch cavalry!(come on Graham!!)

My Bavarians facing Brian's well protected British "hiding" in the Hamlet-can you spot Brian's secret weapon lurking in the one of the houses??-I can,there it is........................

No matter how hard he argues about "time travel" I'm not going to allow it!!!!
Roll on Sunday.

Battle of the Loire Valley 109AD.

Last night we had a 100% turnout for what turned out to be an epic struggle!

This is the scenario-I was in charge of the Legio Phoenix(red) and Paul and Graham were in charge of the Legio Nova(blue) whilst Dave and Brian were in command of the Barbarian hordes!!

Top photo is the Barbarian Hordes! middle photo is the magnificent Roman lines,bottom photo is the ill-fated auxiliary cohorts!!!
As over-all Roman commander I decided not to reinforce defeat,and left the Auxiliaries to their fate,however this prompted Paul's auxiliaries to desert "en masse"-oh how he laughed!!-NOT!

As Brian writes his orders,Dave has launched a massive attack on my Legion,with chariots,cavalry and warbands.

Gripping their pila tightly in their hands(well,they can't touch you for it!) my legion awaits the Barbarian onslaught.

Having successfully "dealt" with the Auxiliaries in the woods,Brian is now starting to attack Paul and Graham's line of cohorts!

In this shot,Dave has driven in my skirmishers,and is putting me under all kinds of pressure,however my cohorts are not giving ground-hurrah!!-but on the other flank,all kinds of hell,swearing and fighting is taking place.........................

This was "swings and roundabouts"-both sides fighting for their little lead lives!!-the Roman lines are still looking good though-which is more than can be said for my lines!!

My Legion is being cut to ribbons!!-the line of cohorts at the edge of the board are actually running away!!-I am in real trouble,and the flank is all but lost!

Paul and Graham are doing a grand job of giving Brian's warbands a right old battering-hurrah!!
With my flank lost,and Brian's flank lost,a draw was declared,although Brian insisted,that,if he would be allowed to use his "secret weapon",he could still win!!-this is his "secret weapon"........

No comment!!!!
Roll on next Sunday-a Marlburian game has been requested.
It was good to see our old mate Billy,who arrived shortly after we started-he was on a Christmas visit from way down south-we need to see more of you matey!!

Sparta vs Athens.

Last night the "Fab Four"(Brian,Graham,Paul and I) found ourselves in Ancient Greece!

A very simple scenario,but with a bit of a twist!!........................................

This note was attached to the Megaran's clip board(Graham was in charge of them!)
I was in charge of the Spartans,Paul and Brian shared the Athenian command-so none of us knew who Graham would side with!!

The opening moves were taken up with skirmishing,and I am moving my left hand Corinthians,to guard my flank and rear,just in case Graham decided he would assist the Athenians-never trust a Greek in your rear!!!-Paul was also very wary,and hesitant to use his Thebans to attack my Spartan line-who will Graham support????

My centre and right have attacked Brian's Athenians,with varying degrees of success,meanwhile Paul has attacked my static Spartans on the left-Graham now appeared on the board,but we still didn't know who he would help-the tension is killing me(and Paul  and Brian!!)

A big "Hurrah" and a sigh of relief-Graham is siding with the Spartans!!-this released my Corinthians from flank guarding duties,and they began to move to thwart Paul's winning(!!!) Athenians-great stuff!

The Spartans and their "lovely" allies(Megarans) are winning in all sectors,and driving the Athenians backwards-another hurrah!

Graham's Megarans giving the Thebans a right old "kicking"-final shot of a good,colourful and exciting game-well done "boys".
Roll on next Sunday-Paul suggested another Ancients game,of Romans vs Dacians and Germans-but who knows????