Last night's scrap at Milton Keynes. Me using my Meglomaniacs and Warfare list. Pete was using his Early Byzantines again, heftily tweaked from our last game. My Sassanids are unchanged since Derventio.
Pete was using 4 competent generals,
2 8 of Skutatoi foot,
An 8 of Isurians
2 6s of Hunnic horse, melee experts,
2 6s of Devastating charge cavalry with melee experts,
A small 4 of superior kavallarioi also melee experts.
2 4s of AVERAGE catafracts,
An average 6 of short spear melee experts kavallarioi
A unit of light foot archers.
So, his army out fights mine in many areas, this was going to have hard old fight.
I kept Pete in the open & plains section of the terrain chart, as I was defending. He out-scouted me by 50%, 7 units out, don't mind that. That's my small cavalry units and my levy foot units then!
We both forgot our mats, so club cloth it was...
Oh yeah, that was deployment...
Now without the sweets! Almost two straight lines, as Madaxeman would say 'As Barker intended'! On my left my 4 small units faced down the bulk of Pete's cavalry, including his superiors. My centre was held by my spear armed dross foot and my two units of catafracts; and the two units of decent cavalry on the right, facing Pete's foot. Erm, there's an awful lot of them!
Wow, that was quick! This is turn two as my cavalry evades after filling the skies with arrows, and missing completely! I even failed to evade with the left hand cavalry unit! DAGNABBIT! This was not according to plan. A base down already.
Over on the right, a lack of decent cards had somewhat hampered my intentions. I was planning to have a light snack of Isurians, but never made it into contact. Left of that, a superior cavalry unit and my average catafracts had caught one of Pete's Skutatoi. Eight infantry vs 12 cavalry, should go my way, as usual, I lost a stand to Pete's shooting dice (I don't know how he does it, but he does); but lurking out there are one of Pete's Hunnic units, ready to counterpunch.
In the centre, three of his units face my poor poor spears. Actually, they might be poor in quality, but in the last few games, they've become unexpectedly useful.
Pete's self portrait as his CinC! Pete is a magnificent painter.
Pete brings up his other Huns to support his superior, melee expert cavalry, my cavalry unit was in real trouble. It shattered into pieces soon after! This flank was now in it's traditional role of 'die quietly while the rest of the army does it's stuff'.
My superior cavalry is making quick work of Pete's foot. I was pinning my hopes here before Pete minced my four small units (we both break on 6 units by the way). First hit even knocked his general off his horse and reduced him to mediocre.
My other superior units tried to evade, but is just clipped by Pete's skutatoi, Could be trouble here. Fortunately he only did a wound. These two units would remain locked in an ineffectual death hug for the rest of the game.
My superior catafracts, assisted by Shaipur II himself, who usually floats, smashed into one of the average units of his clibinarii. This I was expecting to be a hard fight, but actually, for once went my way.
Meanwhile, Pete's devastating charge cavalry and other unit of clibinarii hit my levy spears.
Think Pete thought these might be a soft underbelly.
My skirmishers managed to slow and shoot off a base of the devastating chargers and slowed them enough so they did not manage to contact any of my units. Phew! Unfortunately for Pete, my spears counteracted all his clibinarii's charge bonuses. We lost a stand each, losses I could afford.
Over on the left, 16 bases of average cavalry with no melee bonuses holding up 22 various 'ard cavalry. On the fat left, the first unit breaks (0-2 to Pete), but two more of my units are within a hit of disappearing.One of my spear units had made it over and charged Pete's cavalry (at a minus). Eek!
My superior cavalry and average catafracts break through Pete's foot, while my superior catafracts breaks his average counterparts. This causes a double 'Kill a Base' test on the Huns, who also disintegrate. Three of Pete's units go in a turn, suddenly I'm 6-2 up.
So, the only thing between me and Pete's camp is a few light foot who are off to the races too!
Pete's devastating charger cavalry finally gets moving, taking out the javelinmen who tried to skirmish away, but roled a 1 and just stood there(6-3). This would allow Pete another flanks charge, catching the spears in the flank. This could have hurt, but he only did one wound on two dice (red and yellow), and I matched him on a black die!!!
This was where it got tense and I forgot to take photos! (sorry)
Over on the left, two more of my cavalry were run over. One unit held up the entire line. (6-7) but it was too late, as I splattered the two units of devastating chargers with the poor spears (managing to turn and face the flanking cavalry) and the second catafracts also were worn down. (12-7). My superiors cavalry charges on the camp, with three red dice, only caused one wound. Drat! I would/should/could have won that one easily!
Both my catafracts were turning about to attempt to envelope Pete's line, but they would not make it in time, and over on the right, my other superior cavalry was still locked into a handbags (no hits) scrap with Pete's other Skutatii! Pete then finished off my last small cavalry (12-9), he had also brought in the average kavallarioi to the spears, but it was to naught, my poor spears made short work of them and that breaks Pete's army. (15-9).
The moment it all went south.
Another corker of a game, Pete has the strength in this army, but his dice were not with him. My four units sold themselves dearly, holding up his best units just long enough, and Pete catching my javelins was just unfortunate! Catafracts in fours were too brittle for him, I will be interested to see how he reshapes this lot.
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