ADLG - Game Report 129

Thessalian Greeks (60) vs Alexander the Great (40)

On to the Southern League at Oxford, on a very cold January day, and an early start from Bournemouth. After warming up, a little, my first battle was against Sean’s Alexandrian army. I think, at times, my moves should have names like in Chess. In this case I went for the Light Cavalry Fools Gambit, by advancing out to meet the enemy lights. Overall, I deployed for a left echelon attack with on my right the mediums and lights pushing through the difficult terrain, and the cavalry trying manfully to avoid the elephants.

You can gather the sense of my name for my light cavalry move given the outcome! Sean is holding back his heavies to allow the flanks to try and win the battle for him.

The echelon became more pronounced as I moved forward, sans the Light Cavalry. The enemy Thracians have come forward from their brush covered hill to fight my own Thracians.

Finally, the enemy pikes advance when they sense the battle on the right is starting to go their way. Meanwhile the enemy cavalry are moving forward to engage my own cavalry.

At this stage the battle is finely poised. I have the advantage of numbers in the centre. While on their flanks there is the opportunity for us to hold our own with the overlaps.

An elephant has been destroyed by the hoplites while the cavalry fight on gamely. On the left the Thracians and hoplites are gaining the upper hand in their fight.

However, the combined efforts of the elephant ad the cavalry in the flank has destroyed the Hoplite unit. My cavalry has been all but destroyed except for the one unit with the general pursuing the enemy lights, to take themselves out of the danger behind them! In the centre we are in contact in what is a relatively even fight.

Outcome

A win for Alexander, by 16 to 24. The gambit on keeping the pikes back and winning on the flanks was broadly successful for Sean.

Lessons Learnt

The Light Cavalry Fools Gambit is not a winner.

Once again too many lights and mediums were sacrificed to no good gain.

ADLG - Game Report 128

Thessalian Greeks (60) vs Neo-Babylonians(8)

One final opportunity to stretch the mental and physical muscles of the Thessalians before the Southern League. This time against Paul’s Neo-Babylonians. Paul went for his customary concentrated deployment with his flank nestling against the coastline, and his centre separated by my gully. For my part I decided to hold on the right in the field if possible while my centre and left did the most work.

At least my plan forced Paul to manoeuvre to protect his right. Moreover, I was quite pleased that the ranks of Babylonian bowman, at least at this stage, were left in the rear with the gear.

My right wing has drawn a lot of attention from Paul. However, my armoured Hoplites were starting to suffer from the bow fire – leaky armour.

The Thracians in the field have started to gain the upper hand against the Babylonian cavalry, while the Hoplites bear down on the bowmen. At this stage I am getting a little anxious about the cavalry on my left.

In spite of their wounds, and the threats to their rear the Hoplites continue their advance. The Thracians are regrouping after the withdrawal of the enemy cavalry. I am a little concerned that my lights on the left will not be able to hold their position in the plantation.

I was right to be concerned about the lights in the plantation who are struggling against the enemy infantry. On the right the Hoplites are in deep trouble and have been unable to shift the bowmen. In the centre we are playing cat and mouse with the heavy chariots who have decided to withdraw.

Although the Thracians have performed admirably, the same cannot be said about the Hoplites who have been roundly defeated by the standout performance by the enemy bowmen. In the centre the chariots have turned to face us, while the plantation fight is gathering a momentum all of its own.

The fight near the coastline is going the way of the Babylonians with the Thracians now taking casualties. In the centre I have committed three Hoplites to bear down on the chariots. Meanwhile the remaining two are moving reinforce the fight in the plantation. As for my left and the Babylonian right there is an indecisive fight going on. The decision will be in the centre and right.

The battle on the right is about to end with just one Hoplite standing. In the centre I foolishly charged the chariots and suffered the consequences. However the one saving grace is that the fight in the plantation has gone the way of the Thessalians.

Outcome

A win for the Neo-Babylonians by 11 to 25, and an outstanding performance by their bowmen.

Lessons Learnt

Allow the chariots to charge the spears!

Light Infantry can be effective against heavier troops in the rough.

On the right I would have been better advised to move the Hoplites right once they cleared the field and the Thracian’s left protected by the lights

ADLG - Game Report 127

British (98) vs Early Imperial Roman (85)

For my second game I decided to bring out the Ancient Britons for a period correct battle against Ian’s Romans. Trying to find room for 31 units on the table is a little bit of a challenge – I was trying to intimidate Ian through weight of numbers. I decided to field the Warriors in the centre in two lines, this way I reasoned that I would have reserves to plug the inevitable holes that would appear in my line.

My goal was for my chariots on the right to sweep around and take the Romans in the rear, but perhaps more chariots would have helped.

The Romans had seen through my cunning plan on the right and were even now trying to restrict the ability of my Chariots to move against their flank and rear. In the centre the initial contact has been better for the British than is usual against the Romans. However, on the left I was unable to commit the light troops into the plantation through lack of command points and troops in their way.

The British reserve line has been committed to battle. On the left the warriors have the opportunity to finish off the Roman line and roll it up. That is if we have the command points to do so. On my right the Roman allied Cataphracts are bearing down on the reserve Warriors of the right flank.

The British are having some success on the left. Meanwhile the British warbands have avoided the Cataphracts. However, the big question was would the right stand sufficiently for the British left to defeat the Romans.

The Roman right has rallied sufficiently to create a new line of battle, while their centre rejoice and recover after overcoming and destroying 10 warbands! The reserve warbands on the centre right have had some success and are now in a position, led by their General, to sweep around the enemy rear.

And finally the Cataphracts bring the battle to a close by wounding the Chariots.

Outcome

A win for the Romans by suffering 19 hits but inflicting 31 on the British.

Lessons Learnt

Once again an Ordinary General had far too many units to command!

The reserve line in the centre helped to plug the gaps, as forecast, but at the expense of dying to a man.

ADLG - Game Report 126

Thessalian Greeks (60) vs Graeco-Bactrian(46)

As usual we all took a break from the festive season to do ADLG battle at Entoyment, and to do a little shopping in the store. I decided to use my Thessalians as I was going to be using them for the first round of the Southern League at Oxford in January. My first battle was against Robin’s Graeco-Bactrians.

I was obliged to attack, and advanced with my left cavalry wing supported by the Hoplites in the centre. I wanted to try and stay as far from the Pikes as I could for as long as possible.

The bow armed light cavalry came forward to try and delay me. The benefits of paying to up-armour my Hoplites was saving me suffering undue casualties as I advanced.

The grand cavalry battle on the left has yet to make contact. Meanwhile a group of hoplites as worked their way around the flank of the cavalry while another group have moved forward to pin the other cavalry. On the right my Thracians are ready to do battle with their Thracian cousins in the employ of the Graeco-Bactrians.

The Thessalian cavalry are getting the upper hand over their opponents. However, things are less comfortable on the centre right and right. The question would be whether I could overcome the enemy’s right wing quickly enough to move against his centre before they did the same to me!

My right wing is starting to crumble, not helped by my Thracians suffering from javelin fire. On my left the Hoplites have accepted the charge of the Greek cavalry and are now at the point when they will put them to flight – well that is the theory anyway!

The Thracians are being cut down by the incessant javelin fire. While behind them the right flank hoplites are being taken apart by Pikes and Cavalry in the flank. On my left I have the advantage and despite being up lots the Greek cavalry continue to thwart me.

Not only are those Greek Cavalry on my left flank doing their best to thwart me, but they have also actually destroyed a Hoplite unit despite their wounds. In the centre we are trading blows to little effect on either side, while we each wait for reinforcements from the flanks to complete the victory.

After at least 6 rounds of melee combat I still could not destroy the enemy cavalry protecting the right of the Greek line, this is in spite of the fact that in each of the combats I was at least 3 or 4 up! Meanwhile the Greek left wing has overcome my right and completed their victory.

Outcome

A win for the Graeco-Bactrians by 13 to 24; we are given to understand that the Graeco-Bactrians crafted a new military award for their cavalry after their outstanding performance!

Lessons Learnt

Waiting too long to chase down the Javelinmen on the right.

Perhaps a Plan B is needed when you cannot overcome a very stubborn unit delaying you.