Returning to Preston from the North (ooh that feels good saying that), to see the Round 3 draw, and I was up against Peter Reilly and his Palmyrians.
Almost a historical match up for the second time in the weekend, who would have thought it! Palmyrians are a funny old force, which despite having great potential as a combined arms force, has never done brilliantly previously and languishes low down on the armies to pick list. It is traditionally made up of Roman desterters and dead hard catafracts, supported by useless bows. A tough nut to crack, and tougher when you have a skilled gentleman like Peter, who has already proven himself to be an expert in said combined arms forces with his Ancient Britions, in charge of the force. This was going to be a good game.
Oh, and I might have been slllllllliiiiiightly hungover...
Not bad scouting by the Romans, outscouting the rebels by 20%.
We deployed across the Wadi-al-Shawady, where the Romans would set up camp for the next two games. Again, everyone elses army was MUCH bigger than mine, and not just because I use 10mm figures, but because I use really expensive troops.
On the left are a superior legion and two averages, with the plan to wrap round the light horse and Roman cavalry horde that was approaching, pushing them back towards their main line. The bulk of my infantry is deployed facing Peter's longer, heavier line. His force including a six of catafracts, legions, four of superior catafracts (seriously some of the best troops in the game when used well), a few more of legionaries and cavalry and another 6 of average catafracts before more light horse. A serious mass of combined arms there! My cavalry lurks in reserve (and in disgrace from the last two games).
Peter and I spot the winning move from the off. His middle average catafracts (there is nothing average about catafracts) makes a B-line for my superior legions on the left. If he can get a flank there, we are toast. His legios swing in behind to go and hunt the left of my centre, and his cavalry screens forwards on both flanks. In the very centre, his superior catafracts advance with gusto to dance with my legions while I try and pin back his right with my superior legion in an eight.
My great plans of pinning his horse to the front and swinging in with my third legion on the left comes rather unstuck. It's a game of skill, honest!
It does mean that I can't advance too far and get myself into trouble though! Yes, that is my archers on the right about to take on two legions, by themsleves! The Guard legions face the superior catafracts.
To be honest, the cards on the right are not much better! I have my two cavalry moving up around the flank to take on Peter's not catafracts, while the rest of my army advances en echelon.
A little better on the cards on the left, we start to push horse archers around (shield cover was our saviour here), but the wounds start to come on (Peter could not miss, it was Gaukroger level shooting in places) while one of his legions sneaks past my flank. His second legion squares up against my archers, while my Guard try worry his superior catafracts, who are not much worried by anything.
Yeah, white pluses from skilled horse archers vs non-plused superior cavalry! Shooting again that Gaukroger would be proud of! Two bases killed outright and slowed by three base widths. OUCH...
On the right, Peter's cavalry starts to scatter, but his average catafracts pile into my legion, even being superior, and with a supporting legion in range of a flank charge, they are in big trouble.
On the right, two units, Guard and average, engage the superior catafracts, 12 bases, 6 exceptional melee experts, vs 4.
My superior eight and my average cavalry join in against the six average catafracts.
Peter now continues his withdraw and charge again phase with his superior catafracts, while my exceptional guard and average legion hammer into his average legion. You will also note the complete lack of my guard cavalry on the right, who disintergrate to Peter's average catafracts (0-2). Typical...
In the centre, my archers takes on on an eight of protected melee expert legionaries, causing 3 and a half casulties to two losses. My superiors, despite killing two catafract bases fragment, (0-4) and my two average legions are also losing bases rather too quickly for comfort!
To be honest, from here it was Peter's to win, with my gaurds disappearing under the weight of his superior catafracts (I really hate other people's catafracts), four bases had marmalized 6, and yet he kept missing my average legion who caused the wound that broke the catafracts! They were Peter's only casulties as he tore my army apart for a well deserved (2-15), vaulting him up the table. Peter was worried that I would beat him, but his dice were phenominal, and mine were useless! Great game, and again, finished in an hour and a half.
Puts me on 23 points for, and 36 points against, mediocraty here we come...
Game 4 vs Hunter Hope and his later Moorish
Almost a historical match up for the second time in the weekend, who would have thought it! Palmyrians are a funny old force, which despite having great potential as a combined arms force, has never done brilliantly previously and languishes low down on the armies to pick list. It is traditionally made up of Roman desterters and dead hard catafracts, supported by useless bows. A tough nut to crack, and tougher when you have a skilled gentleman like Peter, who has already proven himself to be an expert in said combined arms forces with his Ancient Britions, in charge of the force. This was going to be a good game.
Oh, and I might have been slllllllliiiiiightly hungover...
Not bad scouting by the Romans, outscouting the rebels by 20%.
We deployed across the Wadi-al-Shawady, where the Romans would set up camp for the next two games. Again, everyone elses army was MUCH bigger than mine, and not just because I use 10mm figures, but because I use really expensive troops.
On the left are a superior legion and two averages, with the plan to wrap round the light horse and Roman cavalry horde that was approaching, pushing them back towards their main line. The bulk of my infantry is deployed facing Peter's longer, heavier line. His force including a six of catafracts, legions, four of superior catafracts (seriously some of the best troops in the game when used well), a few more of legionaries and cavalry and another 6 of average catafracts before more light horse. A serious mass of combined arms there! My cavalry lurks in reserve (and in disgrace from the last two games).
Peter and I spot the winning move from the off. His middle average catafracts (there is nothing average about catafracts) makes a B-line for my superior legions on the left. If he can get a flank there, we are toast. His legios swing in behind to go and hunt the left of my centre, and his cavalry screens forwards on both flanks. In the very centre, his superior catafracts advance with gusto to dance with my legions while I try and pin back his right with my superior legion in an eight.
My great plans of pinning his horse to the front and swinging in with my third legion on the left comes rather unstuck. It's a game of skill, honest!
It does mean that I can't advance too far and get myself into trouble though! Yes, that is my archers on the right about to take on two legions, by themsleves! The Guard legions face the superior catafracts.
To be honest, the cards on the right are not much better! I have my two cavalry moving up around the flank to take on Peter's not catafracts, while the rest of my army advances en echelon.
A little better on the cards on the left, we start to push horse archers around (shield cover was our saviour here), but the wounds start to come on (Peter could not miss, it was Gaukroger level shooting in places) while one of his legions sneaks past my flank. His second legion squares up against my archers, while my Guard try worry his superior catafracts, who are not much worried by anything.
Yeah, white pluses from skilled horse archers vs non-plused superior cavalry! Shooting again that Gaukroger would be proud of! Two bases killed outright and slowed by three base widths. OUCH...
On the right, Peter's cavalry starts to scatter, but his average catafracts pile into my legion, even being superior, and with a supporting legion in range of a flank charge, they are in big trouble.
On the right, two units, Guard and average, engage the superior catafracts, 12 bases, 6 exceptional melee experts, vs 4.
My superior eight and my average cavalry join in against the six average catafracts.
Peter now continues his withdraw and charge again phase with his superior catafracts, while my exceptional guard and average legion hammer into his average legion. You will also note the complete lack of my guard cavalry on the right, who disintergrate to Peter's average catafracts (0-2). Typical...
In the centre, my archers takes on on an eight of protected melee expert legionaries, causing 3 and a half casulties to two losses. My superiors, despite killing two catafract bases fragment, (0-4) and my two average legions are also losing bases rather too quickly for comfort!
To be honest, from here it was Peter's to win, with my gaurds disappearing under the weight of his superior catafracts (I really hate other people's catafracts), four bases had marmalized 6, and yet he kept missing my average legion who caused the wound that broke the catafracts! They were Peter's only casulties as he tore my army apart for a well deserved (2-15), vaulting him up the table. Peter was worried that I would beat him, but his dice were phenominal, and mine were useless! Great game, and again, finished in an hour and a half.
Puts me on 23 points for, and 36 points against, mediocraty here we come...
Game 4 vs Hunter Hope and his later Moorish
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