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Wb(F) a go-go - Eastern Forest Americans at Derby

Page history last edited by Rob Brennan 13 years, 5 months ago

First off I should say a big thank you to the organisers – great show, one of
the best trade stand shows in the calendar. Spent what money I had – would have
spent more if I'd had it!

Also to the competition team - great tables and competition environment. For
DBMM specifically, thanks to Neil Sutherland and his delegated competition team
(how does he do that?) for running a seemingly casual but highly efficient team
comp.

Excellent weekend's wargaming, so thanks to all involved.

Down to business.

I took the Eastern Forest Americans because Neil was running this DBMM comp with
old DBM Bk 4 lists. So this was probably their swansong as Wb(F). I think Wb
are a tricky troop type in DBMM. Being ½ ME (except (S)) they are relatively
expensive MEs, but you do have to kill two elements to make up an ME. This
proved to be a feature of the weekend.

ORBAT
CinC – Wb(F); 64 Wb(F). 22 Ps(O) – 49ME
Ally – Wb(F), 15 Wb(F), 6 Ps(O) – 16.5ME
Ally – Wb(F), 15 Wb(F), 6 Ps(O) – 16.5ME
Baggage – 6 Bge(O) – 6ME

First game
Vs Later Hungarians – Mike Bennett
Although we in the 6 nations are not scared of anything, this army `worried' us.
These Hungarians have bold men on bold horses [Kn(S)] and carts that fight which
is not honourable, but also is very hard to beat, plus plenty of lighter men on
horses who galloped around us and attacked our flank and rear and threatened the
buffalo in our camp. We thought it would be over in moments.

We attacked into their Hungary which wasn't in the plan at all, so the terrain
was not helpful. They placed three gentle hills and an open field and a BUA. We
managed to choose some boggy flat ground (we pined for the pine woods of home,
but there isn't much terrain in Hungary apparently). The Oneida (Odatshedeh –
Wolf clan) decided to flank march from his left into the BUA.

We were surprised by how well the warriors held up, although the Knights were
chopping their way through, and his LH were round the back quite quickly
threatening the rear. The Oneida came on quite quickly, but went slowly through
the BUA to little effect (never trust an Oneida in a Hungarian town – they stop
to buy souvenirs or dance some weird European dance or eat goulash!).

Mike kept saying he had come planning to skirmish, but we got stuck in pretty
quick. The Mohawk never made any headway against the Knights and it was time
being called that prevented us from being soundly defeated we think. As it was
it was 13-12 to Mike (who came third eventually, so we were happy with that!)

Second game
Vs Mycenaean Greek. Tim Child
Delighted to play Tim who makes a virtue out of the historical nature of the
game, with named generals, historical choices (Achilles as brilliant ally
general, etc.) while still planning and playing very well indeed. And he's
quite a nice fellow for a lawyer as well, so makes for a good game!

Tim has reported on this so we'll be brief. Tim is wrong that he was defending
– otherwise he would have got one of our welcome cards that say:
Welcome to the Land of the Mohawk
Walk softly on the trail
Speak only in sign in the forest
Leave no mark of your passing
(Courtesy of the Mohawk Tourist Board)

This was a real ding-dong game as Tim has described. We smashed Achilles Wb(S)
(once he became reliable after Agamemnon sent a small boy to his tent, told him
not to be a sulky git, and kick the woman out – neat butt, though, as we say in
Hellas! That's Achilles obviously, not the woman.)

In the end our fragility told and the Dekarihokenh Turtle clan crumbled for a 21
to 4. The Oneida flank march never made it on, (still full of Hungarian
delights from the previous match) but would have put pressure on Tim's left if
they had. Tim quickly realised what we should have done from the start, that in
an army of all Wb(F) and Ps(O) (so all ½ MEs) you might as well pick on the Ps
where you can rather than the Wb, and like Mike he played havoc in the rear in
proper Greek fashion.

Third game
Vs Later Imperial Roman. Neil Sutherland
Another delightful, relaxed opponent.

He also made a real fight of it, not hiding his Bd back at the back, so in no
time we were at handstrokes. He also marched his mounted command around the
side and started picking off elements in the rear. However, we chopped up Bd(O)
and Bd(X) although struggling against Ax(S). Neil also whittled the Mohawk down
to break point (we think in the last turn) but his casualties were such that it
was only 17-8 to him. The cowardly Oneida flank marched again and again they
didn't come on, but would have been a problem for Neil if they had.

Fourth game
Vs Middle Imperial Roman. Ian Simms
Very similar army to Neil's – Art(F), Bd(O), Ax(S). The big difference was that
Ian had not grouped his mounted into a single strike command but scattered them
through the army. This, plus the fact that we had learnt a bit over the weekend
and deployed better on the flanks, plus the terrain working in our favour,
meant that Ian was not able to get around the flanks and attack in the rear.
This proved to be a game winner for us. Ian's Bw and Art took out quite a few Wb
on the way in – but once in our warriors killed 6 elements of Bw in a single
bound which smashed up the centre and eventually led to army collapse for a 23-2
to the 6 Nations.

Excellent competition in excellent company. DBMM is working well, it seems to
me. The Eastern Forest boys done good in open competition. If I'd have played
better I might have done better than I did but I was happy with 48 points out of
a possible 100. As Tim has said, you need to watch out for the odd army in an
open comp. Wb(F) need a lot killing – and we trounced the Myrmidons (Wb(S)).

Is there no one else….?

Sadly the Six Nations will not be back in this form once Book 4 is out. But our
case has been put and not taken.

Walk softly on the trail.

Jonathan

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