Hi there,
as Lorenzo already spoiled, Milan Tournament saw more than 60
players coming to the same place and playing different rules. big
news, nobody was harmed, a demonstration we are grown up enough to
play in the same room and not beat up anybody of a different religion
and ruleset :)
originally, I was considering not to play. Organizing four
tournaments, knowing there is a fifth meeting on Sunday not scheduled
before, and recovering from the heart attack of discovering the place
was closing doors the very day after the tournament were enough
excitment for me. On Friday, when I lifted the shutters of my window
and I saw the white cover on all the city, I swore a lot. My
bizantine army was not too happy, specially the standard beared with
the Madonna on it.
However, Lorenzo convinced me to play - his biggest mistake, as you
will see at the end of the report!
my list was a "simple" Patrician: I could say I crafted the list
after hours and hours of playtests, considering any subtle situation
and preparing a plan for any situation.
however, in the real world, I did my list on a evening, when my
eldest daughter was watching the Winx grand final, and the youngest
decided to sleep for more than one hour. With my wife collapsed on
the sofa, I had to immediatly exploit the situation.
CinC LH(S), 6 Bd(O), 2 Ps(O), 6 LH(S), 4 iLH(F) 24/6,5/8,5
Sub LH(S), 4 Kn(X), 3 iAx(S), 6 Ax(S) 24/6,5/8,5
Sub LH(S), 4 Kn(F), 6 iLH(S), 6 iPs(S) 24/6,5/8,5
train cmd: 6 Bg(F) 6/2/2
scout stratagem
ABP 78/39
the commands are made to be used as sections: you can attack with the
4 Kns, or with the 6 LH(S), or with the 6 Bd/2Ps and loose all of
them without losing the command. the only exception is the ax
command: the plan is to save at least one of them :)
all is made to save up PiPs. Ps to enter in difficult, Ax formation
with regulars on the wings to move easily where it normally counts, 4
attacking groups of 4 or 6 of frontage. and lots of Lh, to go behind
the enemy line.
first game against a Late Imperial Roman, by Giorgio Barberis.
Giorgio played a list of LIR with an Inept General and 38 missing
points. I was so fatigued in the morning I didn't understand he was
using PO until he used them in face of my Kn(X)s. however, he
deployed his army in a defensive posture: a long line of Bd(O)
supported, with one end defendend by Ax(S) and the other by Bd and Bw
in a rough terrain. However, this position was too lightly defended
for my mass and combined attack of Bd (in front) and Ps(S)on the side.
He spent almost all is (low) dice to move away from the attack the
Bw, so I managed to attack with many overlaps. I was a bit luck to
kill ax(O) with Ps(S), but in the end his frontal bds where dead
meat, with Kn(F) and more Bd(O) overhelming them.
after his first line was gone, just beyond there were his only
reserves: his Cv(O) generals. Giorgio is tactically very good, so for
a couple of bounds managed to avoid the worst situations. however,
finally, an ax(O) was mauled down by a Bd(O) in his bound, and in my
turn I finally closed the general flank. 22-3, where the 10 percent
was made by Kn(X)s killed in frontal contact by Bw(O).
Second Game, Giancarlo Marucci with Early Vandal.
This game shows that there is a reason why, in Italy, we still
call "Vandal" the people that destroy traffic lights and bus stops. I
defended, so I deployed the worst terrain I could with lots of
difficult areas. The basic plan was to deploy the heavy infantry very
close to my table edge, and use the LH(S) to do the job aganist the
Wb and the few Kn(F) I would face.
Giancarlo decided to place two commands on table, anchoraging to a
bad terrain in the centre. Then there were tons of Wb(O) and finally
some Kn and LH(S). all impetuos.
I decided to attack the difficult on the flank of the Wb(O): 6 Ps(S)
should easily make to pieces of some Ps(I). They did, in 8 bounds and
losing 4 elements - ouch! Then they finally tried to go on the flank
of the Wb: I said to them "now you can qk the wb, show them the blood
you have in your veins!" They took me seriously, and managed to be
killed!
Simultaneously, I charged the Wb(O) frontally with LH(S). 3-3 (S) vs
(O) and resulting "spent" if doubled should be great! However, it
took too long to kill the 28 Wb I needed to demoralize the command,
and the flank march entered. I left 6 Ax(S) to slow them down, saving
3 regulars to save the command. bad decision. the 6 lone Ax(S) where
literally butchered in short time, and the second Wb mass was decided
to avange the first one.
I was in a situation where all my three commands where really close
to disheartening, and the army in total on the verge to be
demoralized. the baggage was moved away to safety, but the Bd(O)
couldn't hope to flee as well and as fast. So I tried to go on the
enemy baggage, only to see my LH(F) double and spent by his Bg(I).
well, I tried a Kn charge against other Kn. we were almost at same
level, but I just needed to kill 2 ME to win the game. only a single
kn! the gods of war decided on other terms: in the end he killed
three of my kn, and my army collapsed. 10-15
Third game: Axel Heinz and his LIR
Alex deployed his Imperial Roman Army in a traditional way: Ax(S) in
the difficult, mounted wing in the open, Bd and Art(F) in the middle
between them.
the difficult he was attached meant he would never be able to
seriously come to attack me. So I moved all my LH(S) and Kn(F) in
front of his mounted wing, and prepared to attack. he then moved his
scarce reserves over there, and we began to dance: I place my Kn in
front of his Cv, he moved them away and placed some LH(S). I knew it
was risky to attack, so I swapped dice and began to attack on the
other end, where mine 9 Ax(S) began to clear a wood full of their own
grandson's versions. The difference was the pip dice, since I used my
best dice agains his third: and, I had 4 Kn(X) while the best mounted
troop in the area were 2 LH(O). I pushed them away, then I began to
close the flank on the Ax(S). when the command was broken, he decided
to risk and attacked on the other wing, the mounted vs mounted,
exposing the flank and accepting the risk of the Kn vs Cv match up.
He managed to dishearthen my command, but the end was simply to close
to be avoided. 22-3.
Last game against Enrico Paulatto and a never seen Later Achmenind
army. I defended, and the difficult come in the centre, like spine
that diveded the table. I chose to deploy on the right, while Enrico
placed two of his commands in march. however, he also deployed an
ambush behind a gentle hill on the far side, so he had to deploy in
the wrong sector.
I waited for the first march to appear, and it was the one on the
right. 4 LH(O) and 1 Cv(O) against 14 LH(S) and 4 Kn(F): the best wet
dream of a wargamer! He tried to kill some Bg before the inevitable
end, but the Bg(F) flees if beated, so I managed to kill the command
without losing nothing. Knowing that Lorenzo and his opponent already
stopped to play (they were in drawn situation), he decided to risk
and attacked on my own terms: he was losing 11-14, so he prefered to
risk to loose than to be forth in the tournament with a loosing
drawn. He waited the second march, and prepared a mass attack of 16 Cv
(O) on my 4 Kn(X). However, he lost time in this process, so I
managed to regroup the LH(S) and the Kn(F), and to bring the "Semper
Fidelis" Legio to support the Kn(X). Finally, he mass charged, but
when the sand cleared, I lost a single Kn(X) while he lost more than
12 Cv and one general. 25-0.
you know, it's like the Mastercard commercial: Tournament: 25 Euro. A
new army: 120 Euro; offer a beer to Lorenzo Mele after he realizes he
lost the tournament for three points, it really doesn't have a price!
final comment on the list.
if you think you can't manouvre in DBMM, you should try a list like
this. It is really similar to my (ehm, Lorenzo's) Early Bizantine
list. The (S) troops are real killers, and can react with almost any
opponent. the bad news is that you can never play in line, because
any opponent will find something suitable and easy to kill.
I really enjoyed all games, and the lost one was, apart from the
usual blatter about the dice (well, boys, that Bg(I) was really
strong!) due to my own mistakes. I should have avoided the final
confrontation, and tried again to kill that damn Bg!
next appointment: Milan DBMM Tournament "Spring", first half of April
2009