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Post by diades on Nov 4, 2018 10:53:22 GMT
A busy week....
Firstly, thanks to Bill for efficient on the day and through the year organisation and to all of our sponsors, in particular the SoA.
Last Sunday was an excellent day out. I took the Later Achaemenid Persians and despite starting with a draw, was lucky enough to follow up with four wins to top the BC group. It didn't feel like it. The games were not easy. They were all nail-biters, I felt I had lost at some point in all of them.
I had first choice of the Mongol invasion armies for the finals, and had no idea what to choose. Having completed an analysis, they are prima facie well matched. The Teutons are slightly the strongest and the mongols the weakest. I chose Early Russian to control terrain, but managed to make my choice of elements the weakest army in the finals...
Semi-Final vs Arnaud's Early Polish was declared part way through to be the league decider. Another gripping game it was too... Having placed the terrain, I started with an array of knights trapped behind woods...My Light Horse made many a Sally from board side to board side, hoping at some point Arnaud would suffer a PIP drought I could exploit. He didn't! Early combat in the woods saw my two Psiloi both destroyed straight up. From 3-0 down I finally started getting my spears and knights engaged and pulled it back to 3-3 before Arnaud masterfully polished me off 5-3. The third fourth play off did not go so well. I advanced rapidly on Pete's Mounted Samogitians and promptly collapsed to a resounding 4-0 loss.
Congratulations to Arnaud on the double..,Open and League champ! Hope to see many of you at the Tarrington Tourney next weekend.
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Post by diades on Oct 27, 2018 20:41:35 GMT
Bill I aim to be there well before 10. If I encounter problems I will call someone to let them know.
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Post by diades on Oct 25, 2018 21:38:43 GMT
So badly want to be there but just can't manage the trip from Oz at the present time Hopefully one day Cheers You will be most welcome when you do!
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Post by diades on Oct 24, 2018 21:48:38 GMT
Just over two weeks to go. Who plans to attend? So far the list looks like :
Craig Allen Alan Davison Matthew Davison Mark Johnson Arnaud Marmier Colin O'Shea Richard Pulley Tim R Scott Russell Mark Skelton Martin Smith
with "supporters" Jayne Allen David Constable
Anyone can show on the day, it is just a matter of providing enough lunch, so let me know in advance if you can. If you have dietary restrictions, let me know and I'll aim to accommodate.
Phippsy, are you still coming?
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Post by diades on Oct 21, 2018 19:46:29 GMT
I'm yet to be convinced that a point for each Horde (and SCh, should they appear) killed is the right way to go... It seems a good/easy way to wrack up the score in each game. P. Hornet's nest, I know.....I do not believe elements destroyed should in any way be used in the same order of magnitude as game results for determining tournament results. As a tie-breaker, perhaps. I prefer nett element difference based on scoring for victory ( so ignoring SCh and Hd) and only after sum of opponents' scores...
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Post by diades on Oct 21, 2018 15:52:11 GMT
Thanks for a great day's gaming everyone. Special thanks to Simon and David for running the show!
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Post by diades on Oct 19, 2018 17:04:07 GMT
Hi All, Anyone know if there are any places left for this? If so, how do I register? Regards Tim Tim. Just confirm you are coming in advance. Pay on the day. There is plenty of room. I just need to know in advance for lunch numbers ( no shops near / on premises). You'd be most welcome.
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Post by diades on Oct 10, 2018 19:16:48 GMT
Result!! Got the day off, by the look of the provisional November work roster, so ‘game on’...👍👍👍👍 Now to finish off my tosh army, and find some inappropriate terrain for it to prance around in 🤪 M Great to hear you can make it. tosh? Given Big Al's performance last year, just go for pretty...anything could happen. I am aiming to create the usual suite of trophies this weekend.
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Post by diades on Sept 27, 2018 20:32:07 GMT
I hope to be there if I can (title to defend and all). Again, no idea what army to use.
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Post by diades on Sept 15, 2018 21:48:54 GMT
I am sure there are many out there whose reasons for playing include a wish to recreate historic engagements. Sometimes the obvious twelve element pairings don't quite satisfy. Big Battle DBA is there as a means of getting closer. Locally, we find the demoralised command rules result in too swift a collapse and hence are constantly experimenting with house rules to compensate. Phil Steele has been championing the twenty-four element approach, where there is a vanguard twelve element force and a main twelve element force. Our favoured local approach at present is for 16 vs 16 element games on 800mm square boards. Victory at 6 elements destroyed. PIPs are d6+1. Occasionally allies must move on separate PIPs as per BBDBA. Occasionally a C-inC is permitterd the one off+1 for one combat. Occasionally a second in command element is permitted, whose only function is to allow command distance to be measured from as required. Occasionally stated above means agreed in advance to attempt an historic simulation. Terrain is as close to historic as possible. Today's recommendation was Chaeronea, Sulla vs Pontic. Sulla: Cv(gen), 2xCv, 5x4Bd ( inc 2ic), 4x4Ax, Art, 4Bw, Ps, LH Pontic: Cv (gen), 1x3Kn, SCh, 4x4Pk, 2x3Ax, Ps, LH, 1x4Ax, plus allied(move separately, but with 2 ic) 1x4Kn (2ic), 2x LH, 1 x 3Ax Pontic victory (7 (6G) - 5). Loads of fun.
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Post by diades on Sept 9, 2018 11:06:50 GMT
(ps, I don't always concur with the interpretations, but I guess that's MY problem...) I am in violent agreement with you, or put it another way, I clearly have problems of my own!
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Post by diades on Sept 8, 2018 21:06:10 GMT
I assume the quoted element ratings do not factor in their expendable characteristics. Were they to, they may not appear so weak. I'm with Martin on this. They distract opponents, can cause a lot of damage and are expendable and no longer the crazy killing machines of v 2.2, I'd happily onclude one in the right army.
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Post by diades on Aug 16, 2018 22:06:01 GMT
...and thank you Martin Smith for an excellent advertisement by way of fascinating article in Slingshot.
Personally I was pleased by how many players went with options they had recently painted or not used before. Always the best approaches to any tournament in my book.
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Post by diades on Aug 16, 2018 22:03:52 GMT
Full details here too then...
DBA Tarrington Tourney 2018
Saturday 10th November 2018, 1000 until 1700
Lady Emily Community Hall Tarrington Herefordshire HR1 4EX
Tarrington is halfway between Hereford and Ledbury; approximately 11 miles from junction 2 of the M50.
Format: “Scramble”
Each player brings any valid 12-element v3.0 army on 15mm base sizes (40mm frontage), camp (camp follower element optional), and terrain for a legal battlefield as the defender, which may include provision of a specific legal board size. Note that the army will be used by other players. • Players will play AGAINST their own army only in the first round. • Players will use their own army only in the final round. • Players will be matched using Swiss chess format. • Armies will be matched as far as possible to maximise variety (of army used and fought against) for players. • The 12-element army and terrain choices may not be changed between rounds. • Players must use all terrain pieces supplied. The aim is to have 6 rounds, but may be revised on the day.
Depending upon the number of players and the time to arrange the pairings for each round, there is no guarantee of non-repetition, but priority order will be given to:
1. New opponent each round
2. New army used each round
3. New opposing army each round
Cost will be £5 per player and includes lunch!
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Post by diades on Apr 29, 2018 11:46:00 GMT
Obviously from my perspective, a great day's gaming! I love the Northern event, Paul, Tony and the gang put a great deal of thought and effort into it. The boards and armies are all of excellent standard and a privilege to play with. The pairings and terrain are where things shine: an assessment of the elements and the quantities of terrain do not give an accurate reflection of the relative strengths and weaknesses, it is the size and placement of the terrain that makes things usually very interesting and their extensive play testing ensures this.
Thanks to all opponents and competitors: trying to keep my head around the rules was as challenging as ever. I have also used up several years' luck in one go!
Thanks also to the new sponsors at West Wind and SOA. Hammerhead at Newark gets my vote over Sheffield, warmth and comfort in comparison to Triples days!
As for games, I attacked the Gauls with Later Carthaginians. Terrain hampered deployment on both sides. Tamara packed the Gauls on her left, whilst I spread my army around. 5 PIPs in my first four bounds meant that the warband were upon me before I could move much. Victory came from my centrally placed warband and auxilia hitting the right Gallic flank...elephants played no part.
Second up my Polybians invaded Baldie's Syracusans...good to meet you! Lots of heavy infantry action in the centre, whilst my early Psiloi advance on the left towards the city diverted much of Syracuse's force and made command difficult for their left wing, where my Auxilia cleared the hill, contributing largely to the victory.
Finally before lunch, my Lombards defended against Scott's Carolingians, two very similar armies. Victory came from taking the initiative and advancing a spear-knight combo against the Frankish knights. Good fortune including the early removal of the Carolingian General, with victory following with the consequent movement restrictions.
After lunch, a lengthy chin wag with the Lincolnshire club and a good fortune spent on the stands, my Early Achaemenid bowmen faced Phil Johnson's Early Spartan hoplites across a huge central marsh. Early lucky missile fire gained an early kill and more mobile foot saw off a couple of Spears risking a sortie into a wood. Brief opportunities with a closed gate on that flank, but factors down might have secured victory, but it was not to be. The Spartans spent the rest of the game backing off and no amount of shooting could secure a victory, a 3-0 Draw.
The next game saw me switching sides to fend off a Later Achaemenid Persian invasion with Later Spartans. Paul had very few early PIPs, so the Spartan phalanx was able to cross the board before the Persians could Sally far from the terrain hampered deployment. A hole punched in a fortunate part of the Persian line permitted the rampant Spartans to close gates all over and secure victory.
Finally I invaded title holder Mark Johnson's Thematic Byzantium with Early Bulgars. The terrain made things interesting as ever. I was hard pushed to keep the Byzantine right from bursting through woods, meanwhile my general flanked by knights managed to square up with the Byzantine cavalry general flanked by two 6Cv. First combat pushed a 6Cv back, followed by my General cutting down his counterpart. In the next bound, one of the 6Cv succumbed to the Knights. Two elements and game over, one general the other 'double'.
Looking forward to next year already.
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