Good evening,
On Saturday afternoon Young Stan invited me around for a couple of DBA games. Fresh off my successes from the previous night (not!) I rocked up with high expectations.
Not.
So first up, Stan broke out his great Book II Early Italians. Specifically...
II/8b Campanian
- Cav General
- 1 x Cav
- 4 x Hoplite Spears
- 4 x 3Ax
- 2 x Ps
II/8c Apulian
- Cav General
- 2 x Cav
- 7 x 3Ax
- 2 x Ps
Note, these cool 20mm HaT figs are based on 40mm x 40mm bases so as they can rough it up with others' wee 15mm figs. Which, well, so far hasn't really happened. Much. So they'll be re-based in a more conventional fashion shortly. Ish. 'Twas a good idea though.
Anyway, since I was invading, Stan laid out some steep hills and an edifice (a sacred grove no less, replete with standing stones and a henge!), and away we went.
See, I told you they were cool wee figures.
Anyhow, seeing as Stan was securing his right on the edifice, holding back his own cav as a bit of a reserve, and was securing his left on the far steep hill, I deployed my spear to cover my left and centre, with a mounted reserve of my own, and advanced the light troops across the hills, with the intention to anchor my right on the crest of the second steep hill. Well, that was the plan, anyway.
Re-deployable standing stones, no less!
I therefore thought to take the centre with my spear, while covering their left flank with my mounted.
Stan even obliged by bringing his Auxilia out of the Bad Going into the Open so that my Cav could run them down. I hoped.
So, peeling off the flank spear from my centre to face his Ax...
...I belated remembered that the Ax's factor against mounted has gone up (...and that only Knights quick kill them...) primarily through simple fact that my horse got pushed back.
How rude.
Still, I was mildly confident that my spear could more than hold their own against some would-be-psiloi-except-that-there's-too-many-of-them Auxilia.
Then Stan re-enforces his warriors.
Hmmm...
On the other flank we face off across the valley.
Well, if it's good for the goose, it's good for the gander. I likewise re-enforce the right of my left, from the left of my centre.
...with some success. Stan's foot are pushed back, and his cav...
...turns to flee. Only to get stopped by the Bad Going of the Edifice.
It was about now that I also remembered that Spear can't kill Cav, they can only make them flee.
Bother.
More bother was about to unfurl. Seeing as the left of my right flank was too far to the right, and so not covering the right of my centre, Stan was able to bring over re-enforcements from the right of his left.
I have a bad feeling about this...
More pushing and froing in the centre.
What a pretty pattern.
So, before things go pear shaped in the right of my centre, the right of my left moves over to try to tip the balance against Stan's General.
With limited success.
In rolls Stan's, uhhh...left? into the right of my centre.
Huzzah!
That's right, you run away!
I managed to bring over my own re-enforcements from the left of my right to busy his flanking Auxilia.
Well, at least my Psiloi wasn't killed. Auxilia can do that. They're the only foot that can.
Unfortunately, more enemy reinforcements arrive from Stan's left...
Drats!
With the flank of my centre now well and truly open, Stan sends forth...or back...or something...his victorious Auxilia behind my line.
Bother.
Too late I try to plug the gap in my centre.
Ineffectually.
Now, well...
...with not being able to recoil...
...and inspite of some gallant fighting by the right flank element of my centre line...
...the goose for my spear line is well and truly cooked!
Drats.
Desperately, I try to halt the total envelopment of my left...
...but really...
...I was just holding off the inevitable!
Bother.
Still, it was a fascinating game with great figures and fine company. What more could you ask for?
Well, apart from a win!
Thanks Stan,
Nick
Great report, are these Stans?? Good idea with the 40mm bases, I see Sue Barker recommends that as an option in her "Start Wargaming" book.
ReplyDeleteHi Mark,
DeleteYep, these are Stan's, painted by his mate...nameescapesme. I like the basing, 'specially the double ranking, but, well...those toys can't play with my toys!
Yeah. Was going with square bases, more than mix well with 15's.
DeleteSo far they have only battled against themselves. So re-basing is the plan.
Nick, We need to read the 'recoil' rules again.
ReplyDeleteJust as my Cv stopped at the rough, your Sp should have stopped at the Ps I put behind them.....
Things only die if they start in contact. else they move untill touching, and stop.
Well, there you go! Ha! Does that mean I won then?!
DeleteYes we played three games the previous night where that happened and things didn't die Nick, payattention! :P
DeleteAttention? Sorry, what?...Squirrel!
Delete