ADLG - Game Report 207

Ptolemaic (43) vs Warring States (80)

One of the most important aspects of the day was that Tony was able to join us, and it was a pleasure to offer him an opponent for his Qin army. I was asked to defend in the plains. I used the same army that I had used earlier in the week against Robin. The terrain fell well for me and allowed me to place the camp in a cunning location. The feature to the right is a hill with a field on it.

On seeing the hordes in front of me I decided to withdraw the cavalry command from the right wing and redeploy it to the centre. To do so I decided to make space by moving the pikes forward; which was not necessarily a wise decision. Not least because the cavalry were relatively unencumbered as they moved across the field on the hill!

And herein lies the problem with moving the pike command forward. It is no longer anchored to the hill, and moreover the medium infantry are not in a position to help defend it and the Greek right flank.

It is left to some Cretan archers to provide some protection. The medium infantry at the end of the line has been overrun by being attacked in the flank and rear, but fortunately the other pikes have succeeded in breaking through and or turning to face the enemy. In the centre the Greek cavalry have charged forward to attack a bow unit and have ended being very much second best against them.

With the Thracians on the left and the Greek cavalry in the centre destroyed (including its commander) the battle is all but over, but while there is till life the Cretan bowmen continue to hold their ground.

Outcome

A Qin win by 9 to 24.

Lessons Learnt

A little better planning and execution would have seen me hold the hill with the medium troops and this preserve a strong centre and right.

There was clearly no need to move the pikes forward from their position.

Morevoer the Legionaries were relatively uncommitted the entire game because of the threat of the Qin heavy chariot.

ADLG - Game Report 206

New Kingdom Egyptian (14) vs Tlaxcalans (290)

Paul was in the middle of building his Tlaxcalans (a name I am going to have to copy and paste rather than risk typing!) for a forthcoming competition, and he wanted to field it against similar army types, of which my NKE are a good example. Paul opted to defend in the mountains leaving me the privilege of attacking. I placed the chariots out on the right supported by the Sherden warriors even further right. The two infantry commands were in the centre and left.

The move forward of the chariots encouraged a forward movement of the Spanish pikes and heavy infantry. An early exchange of fire between the chariots and the light infantry saw losses shared equally.

More losses from missile fire as the lines of battle close, and once again the Egyptian elite heavy two-handed swords come of worse from missile fire and combat!

On the left the Egyptian units start to dissolve in contact, as is normal for medium troops. However, on the right the Sherden warriors are now close to being able to charge home to contact.

In the centre the battle is raging with losses and hits galore. The miracle of the bowmen holding the pikes is a real blessing for the Egyptians. However on the Egyptian right the Sherden warriors have destroyed all before them and the chariots are both behind the enemy flank and are punishing the Spanish cavalry with bow fire.

The fights is confused and deadly on the left and centre with holes appearing in the line and units being taken in the flank and rear. Although the Bowmen finally paid the price for standing against the pikes the other pike unit attacked in the flank and rear has been destroyed as has the enemy cavalry unit.

Outcome

An Egyptian win by 23 to 26.

Lessons Learnt

The left flank guard was insufficiently strong to contain the enemy.

ADLG - Game Report 205

Seleucid (42) vs Early Imperial Roman (85)

It was time to gather at Entoyment for another Saturday round-robin meeting of the local ADLG chapter, including new friends to the mix (more converts from MEG). My first game of the day was the opportunity to bring out the 28mm Seleucids to take on Kevin’s Romans. This would be a very different Seleucid army from that used at Beachhead by reducing to one Elephant and no scythed chariots which boosts my army count to 24 units! I was invited to defend in the plain where I deployed the elephant command on the right to go trampling in the cunningly angled field I deployed; would it provide any benefit to me the way that it does for Harry?

The Greek Peltast javelinmen in ambush in the plantation advanced out to protect the elephant’s flanks, while the main pike phalanxes advanced to contact. Already the Roman light infantry are posturing to defend the field and take on the elephant.

The field is acting as a magnet by drawing in more and more troops. For the Greeks successful ownership of the field would open up the Roman flank, and likewise for them it was the cornerstone of their defence.

One might say, “what field?” as there are so many troops contesting it. There are going to be some interesting cohesion alignments to negotiate once contact is joined; depending of course who initiates contact! In the centre the two lines continue to close. The Romans trying to get the benefit of their bolt shooters before contact.

The lines have still to contact, but in the field the elephants and the Thracians have made contact, but the Peltasts have melted away in contact with the Roman Auxilia.

Outside the Javelins have opted to stand against the wounded Roman cavalry. While in the field the Elephants have the better of the Auxilia, while the Thracians are now behind the Roman flank. On the left a pike phalanx is wheeling around to take the auxilia in the rear, while the emain pikes stand off against the Roman legionaries.

After4 over two hours of mortal combat the battle if finely balanced. On the right the elephant has been wounded and the Thracians were prevented from flanking the Roman line by light troops in the field. In the centre there continues to be a stand off, while on the Greek left the Roman auxilia have retired from the threat of the pikes.

Outcome

With the other gamers waiting for us to finish, we declared it a draw with the Greeks suffering 10 to the Roman 12 cohesion hits.

Lessons Learnt

A much better balanced army than that deployed for Beachhead!

We both agreed that this was worthy of a refight in the future.

ADLG - Game Report 204

Ptolemaic (43) vs Seleucid (42)

Robin announced hi intention to build an ADLG Seleucid 28mm army. However, he wanted to make sure he knew what he might need for his army and decided that some 15mm games might help him decide what to buy. I was of course game to help him, and deployed a Ptolemaic army for him to face. I was invited to defend in the plains, and promptly deployed an Ambush in the gully, a rare opportunity for me recently. Behind the fields are some Nubian medium impetuous swords (a role played by my Sherden warriors) flanked by the imitation legionaries, and beyond them the pikes and cavalry commands respectively.

Ptolemaic line has started a left wheel with the Cavalry redeploying to the centre.

The Cavalry have finished their manoeuvre and a gap has been prepared for them by moving the legionaries left. On the right the ambush has been lifted and the Thracians and lights have emerged from the gully, allowing us to start enveloping the Seleucid left.

The main lines of battle continue to approach each other, but on the right the Seleucid cavalry have broken contact and retired, pursued by the Thracians, while the Nubians continue their advance. The Ptolemaic cavalry have successfully exploited the gap.

Ptolemy has secured success along the line. The Cavalry have now started to exploit the gap and are moving down the flank of the Seleucid line of battle.

The Ptolemaic pikes have destroyed all before them, while the legionaries to their left continue to make hard work of trying to destroy their opponents, despite the benefits of the support of the cavalry. The Nubians have yet to make contact with anyone!

Outcome

A Ptolemaic victory by 9 to 23, and a need for more research for Robin; back to the drawing board and research on the unofficial ADLG Wiki me thinks.

Lessons Learnt

It is rare that a battle plan survives first contact with the enemy, but this time it did so