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Post by arnopov on Oct 29, 2016 20:29:23 GMT
Hello,
Apologies, won't be able to make it. Have fun!
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Post by phippsy on Oct 30, 2016 18:14:18 GMT
Thanks to all the guys at PAWS that made me feel very welcome for my first tournament....the Vikings actually won a battle as well. Picked up some good experience and tips...peter
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Post by scottrussell on Oct 31, 2016 10:14:21 GMT
Well, spill the beans. Who won? Scott
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Post by colinthehittite on Oct 31, 2016 12:54:38 GMT
Where were you, Scott? 5 guaranteed games plus a possible further two... trophy, certificate, prize, kudos...
Nice to welcome a new guy (Peter) but with some notable faces missing we were lucky to see 12 players. Placed into two groups we were promised 5 games of about 45 to 50 minutes, followed by a semi-final, final and plate competition for those who did not progress. I don’t think I won the terrain once in the group stage and enjoyed some dramatic games, right from a very tough and tense game one. At the end of the group stage I had won 4 and lost 1 using Rajputs, an army with a good balance of elements and for which I chose two elephants, two Ps and a camel.
This got me into the semi finals with Lindon, cgothicus and Peter E. We chose armies from a given list with figures provided and the top player choosing first. I chose Rajputs, the army I had been playing with all day. Others included Tamils, other Hindus and Later Muslim Indians. Overcoming cgothicus in a tight semi-final where I placed the terrain for the first time (and too much of it) I progressed to the final against Lindon and promptly lost 3 bows in 1 on 1 shooting exchanges. That put me 3-0 down for the second time in the day. However, I then luckily destroyed his general and rapidly gained another two easy points.
I’m sure Bill will post the runners and riders. Thanks to Bill and Lindon of PAWS and to the SoA and Magister Militum for their support. This brings us to the end of another season – congratulations to Martin M in winning the SoA DBA League.
Next stop – The Tarrington Scramble on 12th November, always a fun tournament, not to be missed, Scott.
Colin
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Post by scottrussell on Oct 31, 2016 13:29:15 GMT
Thanks Colin, Not able to make it myself. .Wife out of the country and a new puppy who could not be left on her own. Scott
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Post by cgothicus on Oct 31, 2016 14:40:24 GMT
Official end of UK DBA season so congratulations to Martin M on winning the league and to Colin the H for winning the Open. Thanks to PAWS and Bill in particular for organising games and sorting out the league positions etc. So onto the next season then! A few comments regarding my own performance at the Open to follow.
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Post by diades on Oct 31, 2016 19:18:50 GMT
Congratulations to Colin.
Many thanks to all at PAWS for running.
I finished fifth, I think, narrowly missing the Finals, so feeling (and still doing so) right crock, headed straight home!
I took Italian Lombards and ended in the early group! First up Colin's Rajputs. Things went my way, Colin was pip starved with those nellies whilst I maximised optimum match- ups to go 3-1 up. Then I blinked. The gap my one loss left let Colin in and I was 5-4 loser before I knew what hit me! Next, Phil Steele's Nobades. Phil did all the moving and charged home, only to bounce off my spears. Things continued my way from then on for victory. Lindon's Bow heavy Babylonians compressed my army, I shielded my left with spears and tried to close with my knights in the centre, but it left my fast foot slightly outclassed on the right, where several 50/50 matches went the Babylonians' way, leading to a 6-3 defeat. John Saunders' Hittites charged in against my spears, much as Phil before and again bounced. I drove in on the flanks, with my knight general recklessly pursuing into trouble. Luckily escaping, his reinforcements secured the victory. Finally Bill's Warring States Chinese defended large chunks of rough going. A lot of manoeuvre saw an infantry battle on my right advance on the edge of a hamlet, with knights in wait for any successful Chinese blades following up. Despite being 2-0 up at last bound and having a series of double overlapped and gate closed chances, the Chinese riggled out of every one for a 2-0 draw conclusion. Good games, outrageous fortunes both ways and a thriller to finish...brill.
Photos were taken...I'll see if I can make them available somewhere...
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Post by hodsopa on Oct 31, 2016 20:11:25 GMT
Congratulations to Colin and regrets for not being there - Paul H
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Post by cgothicus on Oct 31, 2016 20:47:28 GMT
For the Open this year I ended up taking the same army as last year Italian Condotti. They did not do well last time out but thought they might be amusing to try with a few Free company blades instead of the rather dull spears I took last time around.
As it turned out an extremely entertaining day with some hard fought victories and a few amusing defeats. First up were Mark Skelton's Early Polish. Things developed carefully with my knights lined up and ready to charge on my left flank. Mark beat me to it charged in and pointed out his LH had a 'phantom overlap' on my final knight element. My how easy it is to forget the rules! This cunning move caused my knight element to die. The rest of the army were so taken aback that they all decided to die as well. A most enlightening defeat.
Onto Paul Clair who I think had Fatimid Egyptians. They certainly had no luck and despite a sturdy defence my galant knights and their chums overcame the Egyptian host. Next up was Peter Ellis with Tamils. A most unusual game in the there was a lot of manouvering and some shooting but no combat until the final bound, this after almost fifty minutes of play. Finally Peter decided to risk all, charged into the wood I was defending with an elephant and anything else he could find. The result was he destroyed a unit and in so doing obtained a winning draw. Another very entertaining game.
After lunch came Peter's brother the infamous Terry 'charge' Ellis with a late cavalry themed Byzantine army. They did indeed all line up and charge full speed into my line. Luckily for me my artillery and bow elements had broken his line prior to impact and before Terry could win enough combats his army had been defeated. I have played Tery often enough to know that his ferocious attacking spirit can be very effective but luckily for me not this time.
Good to play Peter for the first time but unfortunately for him he had a Viking army and I had Knights. We were both littoral but he defended. My landing arrived behind his and despite a brave fight the Knights overcame the Vikings close to the beach. In the next unofficial game Peter and I had his blades did considerably better and with those pesky dice conspiring against me to cause a defeat for the Italians
Seem to have got into the semi finals some how where I met Colin the H with Rajputs and I had Hindu Indians. It turned out to be a typical game against Colin, some nifty manouvering on his part with me playing catch up. Things then seemed to be going quite well for me then suddenly catastrophe! What had been a comfortable situation descended into chaos and defeat after a couple of decisions ( well most of them actually) went wrong. Do'h.
Anyway an entertaining third place play off up next against Peter Ellis (again) with Tamil Indians (again). Now I appreciate that there is absolutely no point in asking for the sympathy of seasoned DBA players. We all know that luck is a most fickle friend and whinging about it is of no interest to anyone however outrageous it might seem to the defeated party. However I crave your indulgence for a moment. Suffice to say that as the defender my Hindu Indians needed some alterations to their line up if victory was to be achieved. The battle plan was what might be described as ' emergent'. So imagine my surprise as the commander of an army with three elephants in it that by the end of the forth bound I had thrown the grand total of six pips. Six pips after four bounds!!! Only two units had moved before bound five! Needless to say Peter's army were all over me before I had moved forwards. All previous moves had actually been sideways! Just to make things worse during the combat rounds a number of my elements had managed to get themselves doubled, flanked, pinned and generally destroyed. Highly entertaining but not in a good way.
You've got to laugh.
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Post by cgothicus on Oct 31, 2016 22:50:26 GMT
Clarification for keen readers. Pips crisis in game with Peter was to do with movement. Combat dice were better but not by much.
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Post by martin on Nov 3, 2016 14:03:33 GMT
Sounds like a great tournament, and I'm sorry I missed it.
Congrats to the finalists, and to Colin....scraping back to win from 0-3 down takes some doing !
Now looking forward to Tarrington and Staines on 12th13th.
Martin
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Post by davidconstable on Nov 4, 2016 4:14:48 GMT
To Colin H.
You said 5 (five) games + 2 (final four plus plate).
It used to be 3 (three) + 2. So has it changed, or was this just a one-off.
David Constable
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Post by colinthehittite on Nov 4, 2016 7:59:54 GMT
To Colin H. You said 5 (five) games + 2 (final four plus plate). It used to be 3 (three) + 2. So has it changed, or was this just a one-off. David Constable I can't see the English Open ever having been 3 games in the group stage , David. It is a day long tournament. Anyway, I hope you will be playing at Tarrington and not just spectating. Colin
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Post by pawsbill on Nov 5, 2016 0:21:47 GMT
To Colin H. You said 5 (five) games + 2 (final four plus plate). It used to be 3 (three) + 2. So has it changed, or was this just a one-off. David Constable I can't see the English Open ever having been 3 games in the group stage , David. It is a day long tournament. Anyway, I hope you will be playing at Tarrington and not just spectating. Colin I think the first DBA Open in Farnborough oh-so-many years ago had just 3 group games but the top 8 made it to the knock-out stages (so potentially 3 extra games for those making the final).
Otherwise David is thinking of either the early PAWS quarterly (half day) tournaments (now 4+2 or 5+1 games) or the Welsh DBA Open.
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Post by davidconstable on Nov 5, 2016 5:42:40 GMT
Thanks people, getting old, memory playing tricks on occasions, but probably thinking of the quarterly as pawsbill says, used to do multiple armies from those lists.
Trying to avoid playing DBA3, all armies altered and based for DBA2.2 so I can do it solo, so sorry Colin no DBA3 of choice, not even taking an army.
David Constable
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