Post by martin on Oct 15, 2016 19:36:40 GMT
Six games of DBA vs Colin O'Shea, all in practice for the forthcoming English DBA Open (see Tournaments section).
A poor run of four games at the start-
1) Cleopatra's Ptolemaics, led by Colin, defeated my West Franks in an untidy mounted only tussle on our left flank, including milites being destroyed by Egyptian light horse. The main lines never clashed.
2) Colin's Celtiberians invaded Tamil Nadu, and carved up my elephants and supporting archers. The Tamil cavalry singularly failed to run down opposing Caetrati skirmishers, and instead recoiled into the advancing nellies and died. Tactical incompetence on my part combined with dodgy dice rolling to complete the embarrassment...
3) My early Sub-Roman Brits faced a Rajput invasion over a relatively open field. Remnant Roman Cataphractarii died to Indian bowfire, and the Rajput nobility ('knights') scored a decisive victory by mowing down the Pedyt spearmen, as on the opposite flank Arthur/Ambrosius and legionary assistants were unable to turn the tide, despite their best efforts.
4) Now it was time for me to invade. My North Welsh, with help from a Feudal English ally, marched up the Nile to confront Cleopatra's Ptolemaic army. The main Welsh pike block was outflanked by marauding Cilician pirates and brigands (auxilia), who pounced from a nearby marsh which had restricted the Anglo-Welsh deployment area. Making the most of their initial success the pirates assaulted the Welsh spearmen from the flank as the Ptolemaic pikemen and Gabinian legionnaries attacked frontally. Some minor successes from the hard charging English cavalry came too late to prevent a 4-1 loss.
5) My Classical Indian force now invaded Spain, to face Celtiberians on their home ground. The dominant feature was a difficult hill on the Indian forward left flank. The Indian longbowmen doubled up over the hill and stopped the Celtiberian caetrati in their tracks. After that the Indian mounted (cavalry and chariots) swung left around the hill to take on the Spanish general and his cavalry bodyguard plus light horse and scutarii back up. A very messy and convoluted melee ensued, ending in a lucky win for the Indians. Not a single elephant was engaged (nor harmed in the making of this wargame ).
6) Finally, revolting slaves clashed in southern Italy, as my Spartacus army took on Colin's Zanj revolt force. Both sides had 'solid' swordsmen elements in the centre (4Bd) who slogged it out ineffectually for most of the game, so it was the massed hordes of ex-slaves on my right flank who uncharacteristically swung the game by charging down the Zanj bowmen and skirmishers (Ps). Spartacus died in the process, but meantime the hordes turned inwards to tip the swordfight in the centre in my favour. A narrow and exciting win at 5+Hd to 3G+ Hd (basically, 5-4).
Not bad for a 5 hour session.
Martin
A poor run of four games at the start-
1) Cleopatra's Ptolemaics, led by Colin, defeated my West Franks in an untidy mounted only tussle on our left flank, including milites being destroyed by Egyptian light horse. The main lines never clashed.
2) Colin's Celtiberians invaded Tamil Nadu, and carved up my elephants and supporting archers. The Tamil cavalry singularly failed to run down opposing Caetrati skirmishers, and instead recoiled into the advancing nellies and died. Tactical incompetence on my part combined with dodgy dice rolling to complete the embarrassment...
3) My early Sub-Roman Brits faced a Rajput invasion over a relatively open field. Remnant Roman Cataphractarii died to Indian bowfire, and the Rajput nobility ('knights') scored a decisive victory by mowing down the Pedyt spearmen, as on the opposite flank Arthur/Ambrosius and legionary assistants were unable to turn the tide, despite their best efforts.
4) Now it was time for me to invade. My North Welsh, with help from a Feudal English ally, marched up the Nile to confront Cleopatra's Ptolemaic army. The main Welsh pike block was outflanked by marauding Cilician pirates and brigands (auxilia), who pounced from a nearby marsh which had restricted the Anglo-Welsh deployment area. Making the most of their initial success the pirates assaulted the Welsh spearmen from the flank as the Ptolemaic pikemen and Gabinian legionnaries attacked frontally. Some minor successes from the hard charging English cavalry came too late to prevent a 4-1 loss.
5) My Classical Indian force now invaded Spain, to face Celtiberians on their home ground. The dominant feature was a difficult hill on the Indian forward left flank. The Indian longbowmen doubled up over the hill and stopped the Celtiberian caetrati in their tracks. After that the Indian mounted (cavalry and chariots) swung left around the hill to take on the Spanish general and his cavalry bodyguard plus light horse and scutarii back up. A very messy and convoluted melee ensued, ending in a lucky win for the Indians. Not a single elephant was engaged (nor harmed in the making of this wargame ).
6) Finally, revolting slaves clashed in southern Italy, as my Spartacus army took on Colin's Zanj revolt force. Both sides had 'solid' swordsmen elements in the centre (4Bd) who slogged it out ineffectually for most of the game, so it was the massed hordes of ex-slaves on my right flank who uncharacteristically swung the game by charging down the Zanj bowmen and skirmishers (Ps). Spartacus died in the process, but meantime the hordes turned inwards to tip the swordfight in the centre in my favour. A narrow and exciting win at 5+Hd to 3G+ Hd (basically, 5-4).
Not bad for a 5 hour session.
Martin