We had another Ancients battle last night,with Paul commanding the Romans and Brian and I commanding the Britons-the scenario was simple-Paul was to attack a village and "Henge" whilst Brian and I sought to stop him!!
These two photo's show the initial deployment and terrain-the next shot shows the first ever use of mercenary troops............
"Wild Geese" attacking the Roman slingers!!
Brian had a cunning tactical plan-CHARGE!!!!-not waiting for my supporting warbands,he charged the advancing Romans,and was met with a volley of Pila,reducing his fighting ability,and causing him to take a morale test-he held this time,but I was still a couple of moves away with my support!!
Almost there,but not quite!!-In the background you can see the fight for the village is in full swing.
My cavalry are driving back the Roman cavalry,but Infantry warbands are still not in a position to help Brian.
Meanwhile,back at the village-Paul has driven my defending warband out,but I have attacked him,in overwhelming numbers,outside the village-however he is beating my Noble cavalry,and driving them back-war is hell!!
I have secured the village area,but it took 4 warbands,a cavalry unit and some slingers to do so!!
Now, what's happening on Brian's flank??
Well, most of Brian's troops have fled the field,leaving it to my warbands to "mop up",but having to face the Romans alone!!-But,with the village now secured,and the warbands free to roam around the rear of the Romans,Paul graciously accepted that we had the upper hand-hurrah!!
This was an interesting game,and we probably will play it again sometime-well done lads.
On Saturday we will be going to "Border Reiver" show at Gateshead Stadium-we are putting on a "different" Demonstration game-come along and say "Hello" if you can make it-roll on Saturday.
The "triumvirate" (Paul,Brian and I) had another great game last night.......
I was in charge of the Spartans,Brian controlled(?) the left of the Allies position,leaving Paul to command the centre and right of the Allies.
This shows the initial set up of troops,before any movement-my plan was simple,I would contain the allied left(Brian) whilst attacking their centre,using a combination of my left column,supported by the central column-however,I placed to much reliance on a unit of light cavalry(which I had given top points to!) beating Paul's light cavalry-they bounced,and I was forced to support them,with troops I didn't want to support-woe is me!!
My slow advance begins in the centre,whilst on my right,Brian has left his "comfortable" position between Owl Mountain and the board edge,and is advancing towards me in a most threatening manner-HELP!!
Brian and I are shaking into a line,here, with slingers slinging at each other!!-You will notice my heavy cavalry moving to outflank Brian's line of Corinthian Hoplites-this worried him enough to make him send a unit from his support to stop them-hurrah!!
Corinthians vs Spartans-my dice throwing was extraordinary!!(I will never call Paul again!!)-Brian was pushed back,and his reserves are now having to support the first line-meanwhile the centre is still slowly advancing against the Athenians standing like a Stone Wall on top of their hill.
Brian's flank is in "tatters",and still the Spartan line rolls forward-this is going to be one mighty clash!!
One mighty clash!!-the first round of melee was a "swings and roundabouts" job,with neither side getting a real advantage-and so it continued for the next two rounds-eventually the Spartans began to gain ground on their right flank,and with my "Allied" hoplites advancing to join the fray,A draw was called for!!-the cheek of the two of them!!!
One final shot,Brian has renewed his attack on my right,and the battle for the Athenain hill is still on-going,but my Allies are making ground,and,eventually, my plan would work-but I knew if we continued,Brian and Paul would whinge and whine,possibly tears would be shed,dummies thrown out of prams,storming off into the night etc.etc. so I agreed that a draw was a sensible result!!
A good game,thoroughly enjoyed by us all-roll on Sunday.
Last night both Brian and I fell victim to "diablo the delinquent,demon dice dropper"(aka Paul!!)
This man,who is so obviously in league with the Devil,managed to destroy two armies,by decimating them with musket fire,and then killing off our whole officer corps!! An "un-holy" number of 5's and "Kill" throws,resulted in both of our armies,hardly taking part in the game!!!
French Guards,firing from the village of "maisons nouveaux" are in the process of destroying my 2 British regiments,whilst my Austrians are moving forward to their fate!!
Brian's Spanish troops being shot to s--t,by Paul's French-a combination of cannister and volley fire saw Brian reduced to tears!!
My cavalry(best troops on the board) moving towards their demise!!-However,despite a withering fire from the French,Brian's Spanish are making headway-hurrah!!
My Austrian infantry are slowly moving forward,but getting hit by Paul's "laser guided cannon",destroying their morale and fighting points,before they even get a chance against the Bavarians!-in the background,to the left,you can just see my Austrian cavalry getting beaten!!
nice houses though!!
Now that's a very silly thing to do John-you'll just antagonise the Bavarians,and cause Paul to throw even more 5's!!-and he did,destroying my whole line!!-by this time I was ready for a Rum,and Brian was contemplating asking for medical help!!
The hillside is devoid of Spanish,my cavalry are being driven back,and my Austrians are fleeing-guess what? well Paul wouldn't accept a draw,so we declared him the winner.
Roll on Sunday,but what Paul doesn't know is that we've enlisted the help of a local Priest,who is coming along to Exorcise the dice,and Paul!!
Rum,rum,rum,rumrum!!!!
We have just finished another terrific game,involving Romans and Barbarians-Brian and I were the Barbarian commanders and Paul was in charge of the Romans.
This is the scenario,quite simple,but,as it turned out,very exciting and tricky for both sides.
This is the table before any movement,Brian was in charge of the Germans in the distance,whilst I was in charge of the Gauls-Paul had his hands full commanding both lots of Romans.
In the opening moves,I hurled myself against the Fort defenders,hoping to inflict a few casualties-but to my surprise,I won the melees!!-hurrah,and broke into the fort-Paul was not amused!!
In the background,Brian's Germans are beginning their attack-what a nasty bunch they look!!
Paul has formed a neat looking line on top of the snow covered ridge-can Brian buckle it and break it and start eating the Romans?
YES!!! was the reply-buckling,breaking and eating in progress!! The Germans are beating the Cohorts and the Auxilliaries-the Romans can't recover from this,can they??
Paul can be seen,coolly writing his orders for the "spare" Auxilliary unit,to join the melee,taking the Germans in the flank!!-along the whole line the Roman morale held,and Brian decided to put his second line of Warbands into thr fray,just to make sure of a victory(you just know what's going to happen!!!)
The Fort is just about captured,and my other Warbands are moving to take on the 5 Cohorts,who have crossed the river-6 warbands against 5 cohorts-hah, a walk in the park-hurrah!!
The first line of Warbands acted a bit like a rubber ball-they "bounced",can my second line do any better?-in the background,I'm finding it very hard to see any Germans!!
Success! my Gauls are driving the Romans back,and I'm still holding the Fort-another hurrah!!
In the background,Brian's Germans are fleeing the field-could this be a "draw"?
One final shot-a late Roman attempt to recapture the Fort has failed,and a draw declared-phew!!
This was a real nail-biter of a game,and a draw was the fairest result-well played Brian and Paul.
In 4 months time it will be Christmas eve!!-hurrah,pressies and booze!!-but until then,we've got a few games to get through,and of course,Border Reiver on the 6th of September.
Last night Paul and I had a terrific head-to-head game,involving Hannibal vs Wild Hill Tribes.
These two photo's show the info. that was sent to Paul,in the post,giving him a couple of days to come up with a master plan!!
If Hannibal thought this was going to be a pleasant walk in the Alps,examining the flora and fauna of the region,he was in for a shock!!-thousands of wild hillmen issuing from every nook and cranny,descended on his column,intent on capturing his baggage!!
The opening move-all peace and tranquility-what could possibly spoil this????????
OMG!!! the trap is sprung,and my Barbarian forces have revealed themselves,on the hills,and in the woods-on the far side of the stream and woods,my cavalry are still hidden,if the Numidians come within a measuring stick of them,they too will reveal themselves,but not yet!!
My "blocking force" has done its job-Paul declined to advance his Gauls against this force,suspecting a trap-and how right he was,however he also suspected that,within the scenario,I would have written that his Gauls could form an alliance with mine,and turn against Hannibal!!-I only wish I had thought of that possibility!!
This shot shows the rear of Hannibal's column being attacked-Paul had all his best troops here,Spaniards and Africans,so I was going to know that I'd been in a fight.
Paul has sent his Elephants over the stream to help the Gauls,however one unit was javelined in the rear,and ran "amok" up and down the stream,causing Brian,who was Umpire,to nearly have a fit!!
This ongoing battle of the Gauls and Celts,was "nip and tuck" neither side winning outright,but someone had to get the upper hand,but who?-In the background,a cavalry battle is developing,and I was getting the worse of it!!-Paul's handling of the Numidian cavalry was superb-finding flanks and peppering my cavalry with javelins at every opportunity-the swine!!!!
This shows the cavalry battle in full swing,with aforementioned Numidians about to swoop onto my flank.
At the rear of the column things were ever so slightly turning in Hannibal's favour-better weapons and training(not to mention bloody lucky dice!!) were the cause-the battle of the Gauls was still raging,as was the cavalry battle in the background!!
Paul's Gauls(I'm a poet and didn't know it!!) are pushing me back!-how? I outnumber him 2:1!!
My cavalry,hidden by the trees are also being beaten-woe is me!!
This is a general photo looking down the table,and showing the chaos of battle,and the imminent demise of my army!!
A final photo-my Gauls are going home,my cavalry has been wiped out,and the Numidian cavalry is just coming around the woods to complete my discomfort-well I didn't want Hannibal's rotten baggage anyway!!This was a tremendous game,very well played(by Paul) and a thoroughly deserved victory-a big thanks to Brian who managed to play a vital role,of getting the biscuits out and taking the cups back!!
Roll on Sunday!!
This morning Brian and I (with Dave observing) fought this battle,straight out of Charles Grant's book,The Ancient Wargame.
A fabulous book,and quite rare I'm told-I got my copy in 1974,and still use,and read it,on a regular basis!!
The simple scenario,taken directly from the book-Brian brought along his Egyptian army,and I fielded my "Indiites" against him.
From move one,it was action all the way-here the chariot units are advancing on each other-we both had similar plans-to weaken the flanks and then turn on the infantry in the centre,and capture the well.
This is about move four! my chariots have contacted Brian's Pta division,and at the same time my Biriani(I know it's foolish!!) division has charged home to complete his discomfort-however,Brian has managed to get his Ra division in a good position to charge into my flank!!
My chariots are in full flight,in this shot,and my infantry division is in trouble-so what's new?
On the other flank,I am doing better,not only am I winning the melee,but my chariots have manoeuvred themselves behind Brian's infantry-would I charge them into his rear??
My Biriani division are turning tail and fleeing!!-This flank was now a lost cause,but the other flank,and the well was a different matter.
The final photo of a great game,with his chariots running riot on my right flank,but with me holding the left,and the well(which after all was the objective!) we decided to call it a draw!!
A good game,with lots of points raised,as to how we can use divisions and chariots etc.loads of food for thought.
Roll on tonight,Paul is coming along and we are playing a "head-to-head" game,of Carthaginians vs wild Celtic hill tribes!!
