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

ADLG -Gam Report 203

Andalusian Arab (133) vs Three Kingdoms Korean (121)

For the second game Harry wanted to try out his post-Oxford Koreans, or more correctly the list he wanted to use but it hadn’t been permitted! I used the same Arab army but this time in 15mm. Once again I was given the privilege of attacking in the plain. This time the Arab Cavalry wings were deployed in the centre and on the left, leaving the infantry to hold the right. This time the gully didn’t hide any nasty surprises, or rather the Arab Lights were sufficient to contest the area.

The Arab cavalry is still redeploying to the left while the Korean’s advance!

Once again, the cunningly angled field has allowed it to be lined with Bowmen, this time Koreans! In the centre the lines continue to close to battle.

Contact! A possible overlap on the Arab right as the heavy spearmen drive of the enemy lights. On the left the Arab cavalry have contacted the Korean cataphracts, but there is a gap that the Arab second line wishes to exploit – all things being equal; which is rarely the case.

And here is why it never the case. The next round of combat resulted in heavy losses to the Arab Cavalry and the Korean’s wisely plugging the gap. However on the right the flank attack by the Arab spearmen has destroyed a Korean unit, but the Korean pikes are causing pain on the Armoured heavy spearmen; in this case the armour and eliteness wasn’t saving them at all!

On the right the Arab spearmen were forced to orientate to a threat from their right, leaving the sole surviving spears to try and hold the enemy pikes. We should perhaps draw a veil over the demise of the first line of Arab cavalry which have succumbed to their wounds and pressure from the cataphracts.

Outcome

A Korean win by 13 to 23.

Lessons Learnt

I am curious as to what might have transpired if I had kept the second line of Cavalry intact as a reserve.

Relying on elite troops with armour is no benefit or defence when you roll ones in combat.

ADLG - Game Report 202

Andalusian Arab (133) vs Carolingian (153)

The call came out on Messenger from Harry for a Friday afternoon game, and I thought why not. It would an opportunity for me to bring out the Andalusian Arabs to confront Harry’s Carolingians. Not least because I have been recently listening to “the Rest is History” podcast on Charlemagne, so I thought why not!

I was attacking and chose plains, and once again Harry did his trick of placing his terrain at an angle, which is surprisingly unsettling. For my deployment I went to the classical Infantry in the centre with cavalry on the wings. Harry’s deployment looked light and I naturally suspected a flank march was in the offing.

It wasn’t a flank march, I should have taken more note of the ambush markers on the gully on the enemy’s left which was hiding Heavy Cavalry! All of which meant that my right was under heavy pressure from Cavalry to their front and cavalry to their right. On my left the utility of the angled terrain feature became apparent as Harry moved two bowmen onto the edge of the terrain feature to provide fire support to his cavalry which at the same time prevented by Cavalry moving forward to contest the ground.

I decided to sacrifice a light and medium cavalry unit in attacking the enemy light cavalry on the right to allow breathing space to retire the rest of the cavalry; only for the enemy to stand and then defeat them! Question to self: why didn’t you just move forward and pin the light cavalry and force them to charge us? In the centre the infantry battle is about to begin.

Finally Le Crunch. It would all depend now on how the combats faired for me. And at this stage the number of wound markers is relatively sparse.

As usual it never plays out how one expects. I was expecting to see my cavalry on the right overrun but instead they are more than holding their own. Where as in the centre and on the left we are taking hits and losing units. While in the field on the left the Javelinmen are initially successful against the bowmen.

But this initial success is illusory, and on the left the Bowmen destroy the Javelinmen despite their wounds. In the centre the Arab infantry have been successful bit now the flanks are wavering as the Carolingians lap round and attack the flanks. While on the right the Carolingian cavalry have shrugged of their losses to break the centre of the cavalry line.

Outcome

A Carolingian victory by 14 to 23.

lessons Learnt

With missile armed cavalry use them to pin enemy cavalry rather than charging them and losing them.

Moreover as I was attacking there was no real reason for me to move forward and engage the Cavalry in ambush on the right.

ADLG - Game Report 201

Seleucid (42) vs Arab Conquest (130)

One to the final game of the tournament, against Kevin’s Arab Conquest foes. This time I was invited to defend in the plain; could I do any better defending. I deployed with the two infantry commands on the right with the cavalry to their left.

After some lengthy moving we make contact on the left and right, and indeed with the scythed chariot making contact and not dying in the process!

On the left we rushed into contact, with our left anchored on the fields. The pikes move forward to support the left and right which wer now both firmly engaged.

I was relatively relaxed at this stage I didn’t see too many alarms, but things were starting to turn ugly. The right flank elephant has been destroyed and the Thracians and Thureophoroi are now fighting for their lives. Meanwhile in the centre the Pikes are being assailed and the elite Agrypsids have been reduced to one cohesion point (so much for their elite status) while another has been reduced to two cohesion points.

And so the Seleucid army starts to fall apart; the blue markers are units that have been destroyed in contact. While the Thureophoroi on the right have been surrounded and are about to be defeated. Surprisingly the cavalry engaged on the left are holding their own as is the elephant.

Outcome

An Arab victory by 16 to 21 Seleucid losses. And the final outcome for the competition was me being the strongest player and holding the rest of the competitors up; but I was rewarded by a £10 voucher to spend at Entoyment.

Lessons Learnt

21 units were not enough to do battle.

The scythed chariot was pretty but not very impressive; I have had more luck when I have used a pair of them.

The elephants might have been better grouped together for shock effect.

ADLG - Game Report 200

Seleucid (42) vs Alexander the Great (40)

Day two and it was a return to the Greek successor and civil wars with a battle to the death against Phil’s Alexandrians. I was attacking in the plain, and immediately it became obvious that the Alexandrian’s had a flank march, but on which flank would it arrive. My left flank was open, but at least with my deployment being very much right side there would be a long time before any enemy right flank would be any threat. My right was well protected by my Cavalry command.

And so we advanced with the cavalry on the right to protect the flank, and I left a stay behind party of Thureophoroi and a heavy cavalry unit to provide a road bump if the enemy came arrived on my left.

The Alexandrians deployed defensively sufficient for it to be a pike on pike battle if we could get close enough before the flank march arrived.

We managed to make partial contact with the enemy line as one of the largest flank marches I have seen arrive. Could I inflict enough damage in the centre and left before the enemy on the right prevailed? Initial omens from the combats thus far were not encouraging.

The Alexandrian pikes were more effective than those of the Seleucids, and we have already lost two units. Meanwhile the enemy flank march is now well placed to commit itself to battle.

Outcome

We managed to secure a draw but I am not sure how by inflicting 9 hits to receiving 19, and once again 2 away from defeat. At this stage I was in a race to the bottom of the competition league table!

Lessons Learnt

This battle reinforced the challenge of having only 21 units in the army

ADLG - Game Report 199

Seleucid (42) vs Communal Italian (189)

The final game of day one was against Don’s Communal Italians (or as he describes them his Comical Italians) equipped with bladed war wagons. For the third time I was attacking in the plains. I decided a slightly different deployment was required. The cavalry were out on the left again, but this time both infantry commands had the elephants deployed to their right.

We advanced in a relatively compact fashion with no exposed flanks. I had decided on the suitable targets for the elephants, well at least what I wanted to target (the enemy always get a vote!) In both cases I was trying to avoid the perils of hitting the war wagons, and instead hit a more acceptable infantry target, with no available cavalry around!

We move into contact and the elephants both, unusually, hit their assigned targets. The initial results of the combats are not unfavourable at all.

However, the next round of combats was far less favourable, with me failing to win any and losing very badly on several occasions. Don, had the good grace to apologise for his execrable ability to roll nothing but fives and sixes while I was barely able to achieve anything higher than a four!

With a small measure of good fortune I manage to achieve a modicum of respectability by destroying enemy units on the right, which may allow the elephant to prevail against the flank of the war wagon. However, the right flank is looking exposed with Italian heavy infantry ready to roll up the pike’s flanks.

Outcome

An Italian win by 13 to 21.

Lessons Learnt

If the competition has war wagons then it is perhaps advisable to at least read the rules on war wagons.