ADLG - Game Report 26

New Kingdom Egyptians (14) vs Neo Babylonians (8)

London Grand Tournament Game 4

My first opponent on the Sunday was Graham from Team Keith Martin Smith.

This is a game I would like to draw a veil over. I think my brain was in meltdown first thing on Sunday morning. That can be the only thing they explain such a cockeyed deployment. 

The piece of terrain with the dice on is impassable ground, which I chose and placed that way around. Graham chose the desert in front of my heavy troops and that's where I decided to field the troops who had most difficulty in moving through it.

.This was not going to end well.

My only hope was that my force on my left flank might succeed in small measure before my other troops managed to pass through the difficult ground

What little hope I had, vanished as my troops were taken apart by Graham.

Outcome

A crushing defeat for the Egyptians losing 28 cohesion points to a miserly 2 on Graham

Lessons learnt

• The benefits of a secure flank to protect one’s camp, does not outweigh the need for open ground to enable your heavy troops to deploy and fight.
• Not my greatest hour!

ADLG - Game Report 25

New Kingdom Egyptians (14) vs Vedic Indian (35)

London Grand Tournament Game 3

My third opponent on the Saturday, was Steve from Team Warlords. 

My plan, was to attack either side of the marsh, and try and secure local superiority and destroy each flank piecemeal. A grand plan when you write it down, but the execution was appallingly bad.

As I was attacking I managed to close the distance very rapidly with some good command dice rolls. It also helped that my medium troops were on the left flank for negotiating the fields.

On the right his Chariots were in the plantation, and we ended up having a lengthy duel of bows.

I managed to breakthrough to the left of the marsh. This would have been quite beneficial, and I might have won, if only my impetuous Sherden warriors were able to have some success.

On the right, I managed to introduce a bowman unit to help engage his Chariots, with some success. In the centre I rather coyly failed to attack uphill against his elephants. I think I was concerned about the benefits he would have uphill. In the end I rashly charged my Chariots into the plantation to engage his Chariots: it did not end well.

Outcome

A win to the Vedic Indians 17 to 26 in a very good natured and friendly game.

Lessons learnt

• The armoured light Chariots, and army composition, lesson has been learnt again.
• I was a little coy in attacking the troops on the hill.

ADLG - Game Report 24

New Kingdom Egyptians (14) vs Oman and Gulf States (19)

London Grand Tournament Game 2

My second opponent of the day was Julian from Team Le seul moyen est l'Essex. His army had 31 units compared to my 26. if I was to have any luck in reaching 31 cohesion points I need you to get in fast and kill lots of units: that really dictated my plan. My intelligence reports indicated that Julian liked to try and get round peoples flanks as quickly as possible. Given the size of his force I was not surprised that this would be his tactic.

Here come the enemy answer my left flank. Julian’s clear intention was to sweep round and roll up my left flank. 

On the right, I tried to get my Chariots into contact and if possible overrun his camp.

My Chariots failed to breakthrough, but my left held its own sufficiently to allow the centre to cause as many casualties as possible. 

Outcome

A loss to the Egyptians 26 cohesion points to 20. After this battle everyone was impressed that I managed to get 20 cohesion points on Julian.

Lessons learnt

• The mistake of not armouring the Chariots is starting to come home.
• As is the composition of my three corps.

ADLG - Game Report 23

New Kingdom Egyptians (14) vs Assyrian Empire and Sargonid (9)

London Grand Tournament Game 1

I was fortunate to be invited to be part of a three-man team at the London Grand Tournament by Darrell and Harrison Pearce. They kindly allowed me to field my New Kingdom Egyptians ask the biblical component of our team. Our team was named “Without a clue”, I was not sure how apt that name would be until the end of the competition. More of that later.

My army composition is as below. As you can see, I've groups all the Chariots together in one command. My aim was to use this as a force to try and breakthrough with or to work around my opponent’s flanks: of course terrain permitting. Also, my impetuous Sherden warriors were all together in another command.

My first opponent of the day was Max from Team SELWG Champs and Chumps, and his fine force of Assyrians.

My plan, such as it was, was to try and get my centre with all the two handed cutting weapons into contact as soon as possible. On the flanks I would try and delay and cause as much problems for him to prevent him coming round on my flanks. The one question Max, and other opponents, asked me was whether my Light Chariots were armoured? well they weren't, but perhaps it would have been better if they had been.

On the left I have mixed fortunes with the Sherden warriors, losing two combats of winning one.

 On the right despite losing some Chariots I have done quite well.

 In the centre I've had a number of victories against the Assyrians.

 Outcome

A win for the Egyptians 17 to 22.

Lessons learnt

• Getting in quick with my centre certainly helped
• I might have been better advised to make the commands more similar: this lesson will be reinforced in subsequent battles.