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Post by diades on Mar 24, 2024 17:58:57 GMT
Huge thanks to Mark and Phil for a very enjoyable day.
Thanks too to a great bunch of competitors and armies.
I claimed the worst army, which was a shock, I had been worried they would be at the other end of the table, being all auxilia, amongst what I expected to be a plethora of psiloi and light horse. Thank you for the prize!
I can also claim to have lost using the strongest army. I wonder how many times they defended? I defended in the round where my opponent had choice of who attacked or defended. With three difficult hills and two woods, it was a tough gig!
An excellent variety of rounds…I particularly liked the “choose two armies”…I chose the two prettiest I could see left for me…and then your opponent chooses who plays with which. I ended up with 9 psiloi Lusitania vs the Popular front of Judea and managed a victory!
All good fun.
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Post by diades on Feb 25, 2024 12:59:16 GMT
Thank you to Pete and the Coventry Scimitars, one for your greatest hits…😁
I took Massagetae for no better reason than I had recently painted them. Cavalry x 2, Light horse x 7, fast bow x 2 and a fast auxilia A lot of fun they were too…just one major disadvantage…
First of all I took on John Saunders’ Chinese. John defended and placed two plough, which soon disappeared, and two roads, so fairly open. I advanced my left side. Much cagey missile fire often staved off by the brave Auxilia, followed by heavy chariots charging in with mixed success, finally the Chinese general succumbed to light horse attentions, a 3G-2 victory.
Next Kev Casey handed me Early Hyksos, fast blade and auxilia mix to invade. The Massagetae were a tad too adventurous in their initial advance, allowing fast blades to savage the fast bow, which provided enough of a head start for a 4-1 Hyksos victory.
Third, Bruce Williams’ Early Egyptians invited a Massagetae invasion. The Egyptians chose not to land literally and set back in marshes, difficult hills and a fort. Much sniping around the edges before the Massagetae charged in as the Egyptians combed off their hill. Nip and tuck for a 4-3 Massagetae victory.
After lunch, Colin used the Massagetae to invade Zanj territory. As he describes above, this was a challenging and entertaining game. The Massagetae general was destroyed, but PIPs were still reasonable. The final roll saw the Zanj fast blades finally get into Massagetae bow…Colin was ready to concede when the blade rolled a 6, but….so did the bow! A 2g-3 draw.
Now…the Massagetae got to defend against Paul Hodson’s Ghaznavid’s. I have until recently shied away from hills because of the lack of absolute clarity concerning their effects. Using a steppe army, they are unavoidable. Extensive debate in the UK has them resolved conically. That’s fine for combat. Due to the terrain issues I was looking to create, I used oval hills and proposed a sugar loaf, a cone cut in half and stretched….Cone or sugar loaf…the flanks of a cone are rounded, so pose a problem for shooting. For two element on that surface, geometrically there will always be a part of the slope higher than either element. Should that prevent shooting(indirect fire)? The debate took much of the time and remained unsatisfactorily resolved. A shame rules are not clearer. 3-2 up for the Massagetae at the close.
Finally, I used Pete Duckworth’s Western Franks…oh to have had some missile troops….to invade Massagetae territory. Pete did everything right, bravely threatening with the bow. The Massagetae charged first and their cavalry wiped Frankish milites out. Frankish knights retaliated destroying both bow, but were exposed. A healthy dose of PIPs allowed light horse to gang up on them for a swift 4-2 Massagetae victory.
Both my army and I managed 3 wins, 2 draws and a loss.
Good to see everyone!
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Post by diades on Feb 25, 2024 9:07:19 GMT
Ottomans, Early Egyptians, Hyksos, 1/32 other Chinese…
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Post by diades on Feb 24, 2024 23:41:54 GMT
For sure!
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Post by diades on Feb 16, 2024 9:10:45 GMT
The Cold Ash Clash will be held on Saturday 2nd November 2024.
Acland Memorial Hall, Cold Ash, RG18 9JH, Berkshire.
For those unfamiliar with the Scramble Format:
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 (hence no dismounting!). • Players must attempt to place 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
There will be the usual trophies:
Top 3 players Strongest Army Slayer Most Challenging Army
In addition, new for 2023
Best Presented Army
Places will be capped at 24.
£7.50 secures a place.
Please PM me for payment details.
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Post by diades on Feb 10, 2024 17:17:01 GMT
Has anyone picked up on I/43b Scythian or Hu having I/14b European Bronze Age as allies? I/43b 300-19 BC and 400 BC - 70 AD I/14b 1400-701 BC Surely an error? Is there a confirmed list of corrections buried within this thread? Yes, Stevie grouped the list of corrections on page 5. Many thanks
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Post by diades on Feb 10, 2024 16:34:45 GMT
Has anyone picked up on I/43b Scythian or Hu having I/14b European Bronze Age as allies?
I/43b 300-19 BC and 400 BC - 70 AD I/14b 1400-701 BC
Surely an error?
Is there a confirmed list of corrections buried within this thread?
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Post by diades on Feb 8, 2024 17:33:30 GMT
Hmm…Cunaxa…401 BC.
I reckon the Greek contingent are best as II/5j Later Hoplite Greek overseas mercenary expeditions…
Or If you want the full army at Cunaxa including the 10,000, then yes, II/7 Later Achaemenid Persian choosing plenty of the mercenary hoplite options…
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Post by diades on Feb 7, 2024 19:29:38 GMT
Eligible armies are:
II/81d Strathclyde III/18 Breton III/19a Welsh III/21b Lombard III/24b Anglo-Saxon Army III/33 Early Muslim North Africa & Sicily III/34b Andalusian III/35b Feudal Spanish III/40b Viking III/45 Pre-Feudal Scots Army III/46 Norse Irish III/52 West Frankish or Norman Army III/53 East Frankish III/65 Nikephorian Byzantine Army III/66 Fatimid Egyptian Army III/72 Anglo-Danish III/73a Communal Italian Army III/76 Konstantinian Byzantine Army III/77 Papal Italian Army
Allies may be used, even if not themselves on the list above, but only if in effect somewhere in the 1016 to 1066 date range and only as allies, not as core army.
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Post by diades on Feb 5, 2024 17:44:24 GMT
So far have the following names: Mark Johnson Sol Tse Pete Duckworth Rob Rush Ken Gordon Paul Murgatroyd Martin Smith Paul Hodson tbc Colin Alcock Pete Davis Baldie Terry Mahon Tim Rogers John Saunders tbc Keith Murphy Andy Wheeldon Tom Whitehead 4 months to go! .. and two Myerses to add to the list please
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Post by diades on Feb 4, 2024 14:21:44 GMT
A huge thank you to both Stephens for conceiving and running an excellent event yesterday. Stone vaulted ceilings…at one point a surprise Miss Muffet moment and a good theme attracting a competitive set of players and armies. I think the format was fun. I brought two versions of Bosporans and used each three times, a combined arms variant coupled with a mounted-dominant version with Sarmatian allies.
Forty minutes felt like a lot of pressure to get a game finished. I gather we had an extra 10 for the final one, which I had not realised from the outset…it meant I was lucky enough to complete all six games. By the end of the day I felt exhausted and hence the relative surprise, despite the victories, at the podium placing.
My first game used the balanced force defending against Ian’s Mycenaeans. My psiloi landing largely neutralised the enemy pike, but the following heavy chariot landing did for me. Whilst two of the landers were regularly backed onto the waterway, they proved resilient, whilst my general was pushed back against his camp. The camp followers had already sallied to his rescue, so in one combat the Mycenaeans picked up 3 elements (general plus camp). My next roll of 1 for PIPs did not help…a valiant fight back, but a solid 5-2 defeat (3 elements including general plus camp to 2).
Second up, again defending against another littoral army, Paddy’s Athenians, I took the mounted version. We both avoided a landing. I charged the right wing knights in early. Whilst the early Early Macedonian knight allies repelled them, the spears succumbed. The Athenian general bravely turned to address the break through and should have prevailed, but Lady Luck was not with him. A3G-1 victory.
Third up the combined arms unit invaded Brian’s Characene territory. Bosporan artillery and knights in the centre meant that the Characene knights stayed put between two large dunes and the action was largely between light troops on the flanks. Bosporan archery was successful against light horse and camels and eventually free to support Bosporan Psiloi struggling with Characene auxilia and bow in the dunes.
After lunch, the mounted variant attacked Paddy’s Marians. The Bosporan general made a hash of deployment, forgetting a large hamlet on the right, meaning it took ages to rebuild the knight line. In the meantime Bosporan Psiloi and Roman auxilia had faced off in marshes on the left. Ultimately the knights charged home and did what they do (sometimes)!
Yet another six for terrain left the Bosporan mounted invading Mithridatics. Richard avoided the knight on knight action and took advantage of a small wood on the Bosporan left advancing auxilia through it and advancing mounted around it to support. I was lucky to get just enough PIPs to plug the gaps. An exciting and tense game, ultimately turned with the loss of the Mithridatic commander.
Finally, defending against Paul H’s Blemmye, back with the combined arms force. The Bosporan artillery picked off bows at start and finish, meanwhile Blemmye bad going troops advanced into an edifice on the Bosporan right, with cavalry in support and bows gradually moving over, dictated the battle was on the Bosporan right. The Blemmye auxilia drew first blood on Bosporan Psiloi, but were then held up. Bosporan spear got in amongst the enemy bows and despite the attentions of the cavalry, ultimately prevailed.
Thank you everyone for a great day.
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Post by diades on Feb 1, 2024 22:43:50 GMT
Yes please, Diades. Can I pass you the £6 on Saturday, to secure a place, pls, or do u want bank transfer, to keep track? Either is fine. See you Saturday.
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Post by diades on Feb 1, 2024 22:42:26 GMT
Now added to the league as ‘Bucklebury Bash’… let me know if you want a name change, Diades! P Perhaps Bucklebury Bound? Although I suspect most people here are too young to remember the cartoon character Huckleberry Hound. That might just beat Bash and Brouhaha, which are the other proposed contenders so far.
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Post by diades on Feb 1, 2024 19:18:03 GMT
Announcing a new DBA Event to be held on Saturday 18th May 2024 at the appropriately named Victory Room, Bucklebury Village, Reading, Berkshire RG7 6PS. It is 10 minutes from Cold Ash or the A34/M4 junction. We will have the hall 1000 to 1730. (Note it is not the same place as nearby Upper Bucklebury!) In the current, hopefully temporary, absence of themed PAWS events, it will be themed.
The previous winner chooses an historic battle and provides a matched pair of armies to re-fight that battle, including appropriate terrain for each army, should they defend. The pair will be used to play the final. Previous rounds will be Group-based with some quarter/semi finals and play-offs depending on the number of players. Players bring a single eligible army. Eligible armies are allies and enemies of the two armies from the preceding 50 year period (hence sometimes predecessor armies, their allies and enemies may have to be included). As organiser, I will choose the first theme. We will start with Hastings, 1066. Hence Anglo-Danish and Norman and any ally or enemy of either between 1016 and 1066. I reckon there are just short of 20 eligible armies: list to follow.
Expressions of interest and/or £6 to secure a place welcomed.
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Post by diades on Jan 30, 2024 23:43:05 GMT
Pencil me in as a possible contender all the way from Oz Diades - I have the green light from the women in my life and a boost to my travel funds. Now that I know when I can start the long term planning. BTW - I noticed that last year there was another event nearby within a week of the Cold Ash Clash. What are the chances I can take an extended break and get to two DBA competitions this year? Cheers I think the other event was at the Warfare show. Provisionally that will be 16/17 November in 2024…
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