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Wafare Report

Page history last edited by John Hickman 13 years, 2 months ago


Thanks to all at WAR (oh, err, that includes me) and especially Umpire Tim for a great Warfare weekend.

I had a fun time against high quality opposition thrusting long poles into large animals and
buying rubber accessories.

I was going to take Mad Al, but a misreading up on the list front (I wanted two Pikey generals but didn't realise this meant 4 commmands), meant I instead took a 3 command Big Phil.

Everybody regular except for baggage, no fancy stuff...

1: Phillip II   - KnF CinC,  4 KnF, 2 LhS, 10 AxS, 2 Pso, 2 BgI   27 EE
2: Antigonas    - KnF SubG, 16 PkO, 4 PsS,                2 BgI   24 EE
3: Parmenion    - CvO SubG, 16 PkO, 4 PsS,  4 PsO, 4 CvO, 2 BgI   30 EE
4: Army baggage -                                         6 BgI    6 EE

Simple plan, get stuck in with the Pike, keep the Companions in reserve, and use the rest of the army and terrain to try to defend the flanks. Phillip got high pip, Parmenion middle, and Antigonas low pip every game. Hmm, plus I invaded and put down 2 one FE marshes every game. No weather or phases of the moon of any significance in any of my games.

Game 1: vs. Adrian Clarke, Classical Indian
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Significant Terrain: My marshes cut the table in two, big gentle hill between the armies, and an Indian BUAf aligned with the marshes in my deployment area. A practice game last Wednesday where my attacking force of dismounted BdS Condottierri got wiped out attacking Castle Dracula, made the decision just to screen off the Indian fort with some Hypaspists much easier.

Camera sweeps from high view over battlefield, dodges Eagle, and zooms down on...

Macedonian Right: Parmenion was facing a battle array of BdI packed in between various types of WWg, with the X rated ones sticking out in front, with Elephants in reserve, all on top of a gentle hill. Not very inviting. A Ps went up to probe a WWgX, but quickly ran off. The Phalanx waited downhill, and the Indian formation eventually obliged and came downhill to attack. The WWgX did well chewing through some Pk, but the BdI were getting very much implaled.

Camera sweeps from high view over battlefield, and zooms down on...

Macedonian Centre: Antigonas was facing an Indian ally, seemingly the "soft" spot of the army, with Bw, El, an element of BdI maidens, and a few Cv, on the other half of the gentle hill. Had to go up hill and get stuck in. The Elephants charged down hill into the Phalanx, with their general on the end enjoying an overlap due to Parmenion's cageyness. 6 to 5 with a QK, ouch.
However all the Elephants rolls 1's, resulting in two of them dead, and their General scampering back over the hill, with as many Bw as he could order back with him, just leaving the Maidens and a Cv chariot to hold up the Phalanx. So 2 Wide, 4 deep Pike into the Maidens. Obviously unprepared to deal with women, all the Pike could do way push them over the top of the hill and off the back of it. The Cv, usually effective at stalling Pike just refused to budge.

Camera sweeps from high view over battlefield, ducks under Eagle, and zooms down on...

Indian BUAf:

A few Indian elements sally forth from both gates. On the near side gate, the Hypaspist screen keeps the Bw in check, whilst the Prodomoi chase off the lone Cavalry element. On the far side, the Indian general and a couple of Cv had too long a march around the marshes, being harrassed by Greek archers.


Camera sweeps from high view over battlefield, and zooms down on...

Macedonian Left:

A column of Companions including Phillip is marching around the open space to the left, but then the delayed Indian mounted command of CvS and CvI arrives and marches towards them. Hmm, suddenly my Knights are feeling like CvF. I send the Thessalian CvO over to support, and hopefully outflank the Indians, as I outnumber them. However a Lone CvI from the Indian allied command harasses me, and refuses to die, stopping me forming up to attack. The Indian mounted also fail to form up to attack due to a string of four 1's on their pips.

A great game with both armies trying to get stuck in with all commands, but it lead to a time out with the casualties resulting in a 14-11 to me.

Game 2: vs. Richard Aynsley, Classical Indian
---------------------------------------------

Terrain: Very little. My marshes ended up in the Indian back corners, and the Indians attempt to place a river failed, so we have an open table.

Richard presented me with a very nice 8-Barker Munster measuring stick. With its length being the minimum distance the armies can deploy from each other, and enscribed on both ends with "Lets fight", that's basically what happened.

The Indian line of Bw, El and WWgX was facing a line of Pk, and AxS. The Indians move first and marched forward twice, the Macedonian line move foward, and with the Bw fire resulting in one column of pike pressing forward, the armies were one base width apart on bound 1!

The scenes of animal cruelty that hence ensued will need to remain censored, however after spending most of the battle prising dead elephants from the end of their Pikes, the Macedonians broke the Indian army 25-0 in about an hour, and we were both off shopping whilst the other games had barely got to grips.

Aftermath
---------

So shockingly I find myself in first place after Day 1, and facing David Pallin's Macedonians and a grudge match between Big Phil and Mad Al. You will need to wait till Part 2 for the report on that...

 

Onto Day 2.

Here's the army list again.

Everybody regular except for baggage, no fancy stuff...

1: Phillip II   - KnF CinC,  4 KnF, 2 LhS, 10 AxS, 2 Pso, 2 BgI   27 EE
2: Antigonas    - KnF SubG, 16 PkO, 4 PsS,                2 BgI   24 EE
3: Parmenion    - CvO SubG, 16 PkO, 4 PsS,  4 PsO, 4 CvO, 2 BgI   30 EE
4: Army baggage -                                         6 BgI    6 EE

Game 3 vs. David Pallin, Alexandrian Macedonian
-----------------------------------------------

So now for the historical "what if" - Phillip vs Alexander. Dave appreciated the flavour of this match up, as when I mentioned that we were both attacking on the left, rather than the traditional right, he replied
"I know my father's tricks"

Big Phil invades...

Significant Terrain: A marsh blocking my right flank, with a Gentle hill next to it in Alexander's half, with a BUA on the other flank.

Nice to see what a good Macedonian army structure looks like. Al had 4 commands, one with the Companions, one with a big Pike block, one with Cv/LH, and one with a few Pk, Ax and Ps.

Big Phil deploys first, deploying close to my base edge with the Marsh on my right occupied by Parmenions Ps, Antigonas next to him, and Phillip on the left, Ax in front, KnF behind, with the Prodomoi LhS far left.

Alexander deploys with Ax/Ps ready to attack the Marsh, the Pk on the gentle Hill, Companions in reserve, Cv/LH strung out between the Pk and BUA.

Not relishing the thought of going up hill into Pk, but my Phalanx is wider, and so I hope to turn into them on the left.
The Hypaspists press forward at the Cavalry, who retreat for the game in skirmishing fashion. As Antigonas's Pk wheel to face the hill, this opens the door for Phillip's Companions in column to try to ride around the back of the Pike on the hill. OK, so there's a plan of sorts.

Unfortunately, Alexander also has a plan. Unable to close the door on the left quickly enough, his LH get out and overwhelm the Prodomoi. They reform, and march around the rear of Phil's army, with one sent to sack the Baggage.

In the Marsh, all 8 of Parmenion's Ps are wiped out for no losses to Alexander. The marsh is his. Alexander rides with his companions in column between his Pike block and the marsh. Parmenion despereratly tries to pull the Thessalians back, but not quickly enough. Alexander charges their front with a brilliant stroke, AxS come from the marsh into the flank, and the encircling LH hit the rear. The Thessalians are wiped out. Alexander uses his second brilliant stroke to reform his scattered troops, and Parmenion's Phalanx is hit in flank and rear and he breaks.

On the left, amusingly, but of little consequence, Alexander's Pk, including the PkS are being pushed up the hill. The left flank is turned, and Antigonas's Pike are knotching up kills. Phil's Companions are round the back, but waiting for them behind the hill is some Artillery. Some bounds of 3 steps forward, and two steps back ensue between the KnF and Art, and LH come down the hill at them, but the game times out. Parmenion is shattered resulting in a 15-10 to Mad Al.

Game 4 vs. Ian Austin, Later Sargonid Assyrian
----------------------------------------------

This army had been described to me as Turbo-Assyrians. Hard hitting and very manouverble.

Significant Terrain: Two rough hills placed by the Assyrians cut the table in half.

Big Phil deploys first. Hypaspists on the Hill, wall of Pike to the right of Rough hill, and just the two LhS on the left.

Assyrians deploy on the hill on their side, but their entire army on the other side of the hills. Hmm, my Pike are facing air. Many mistakes ensued on my part, all ruthlessly exlploited by Ian. The Prodomoi are marched into and killed. The Hypaspists on the hill are out flanked and suffer heavy casualties. I pull them back to avoid Phil's command breaking as he's 1 ME off. However a lone LH that was sacking and broke the Macedonian baggage triggers a 1 ME penalty just after I'd pulled a Hypaspist element within range. Oops, and Phil's command breaks.

Antigonas flank is now exposed, and Ian does it nicely with a Cv general in the front, denying rank bonus and a Kn in the Flank.

CinC broken, baggage gone, and enough casualties are done to break the Macedonian army. 0-25 and first place to Ian. Congratulations to him!


Epilogue
--------

DBMM is a lot of fun. The play at Warefare was competitive, but done in good spirit and very sporting, and I thank all my opponents for great battles and many lessons learnt on my part.

Big John.

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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