ADLG - Game Report 279

Song Chinese (225) vs Assyrian (7)

After a quick walkaround the show and a coffee with James (my godson) I was once thrown into my second game against Stan's Assyrians. I was asked to defend in the plains, where defended with the Cavalry in the centre ready to move forward to the left right or centre wherever they could be best employed. One of the important considerations was that I was deployed on a much wider frontage than the enemy and therefore how quickly, or otherwise, could I bring these two wings forward to commit to a Cannae engagement.; dream, grand dreams grasshopper.

The answer to the last question was going to be slowly, with the left wing's command being so dire.

The left wing arrival was not the wide enveloping manoeuvre I envisaged or wanted. Instead it is a piecemeal approach where the full weight of the firepower on the left has barely failed to wound a single light chariot.

The clash of cavalry and chariots has been very much in favour of the Assyrians with a unit destroyed in contact and two others damaged. Only the general has managed to inflict any pain on the enemy. As for the infantry on the right we will draw a veil over this debacle – I am sure there are more numbers on a dice than one and two.

The infantry battle seems to be going the way of the Assyrians, with more positive results for the infantry on the left whose crossbows have despatched the sole light chariot they were facing. The infantry has exposed the flank of the chariot command. Whether this can be exploited is dependent on whether the Song cavalry can survive and prosper and follow their General's lead.

If by following the General's lead we mean being killed in the first round of melee, then they are trying their best to do so. In the centre the reserve crossbows have survived the initial contact of the heavy chariots, but can they survive the second round of combat.

Before we can exploit some of the good positions and open Assyrian flanks waiting to be attacked, the enemy mixed unit decides to join the firefight on the Song left and win it!

Outcome

A narrow Assyrian victory losing 20 of their 22. A battle which might have gone the other way were it not for the intervention of those Assyrian mixed swords and bows! With this result I was starting to drop down the leaderboard.

Lessons Learnt

A reasonable plan that wasn't well executed.

Remember to move the flanking force first. If it fails to move as fast or as quickly as you need then pause, hold the remaining wings of the Army and try again next turn.