I had a long lunch as I had finsihed so early, and then onto game 2 as the round 2 draw came out and I was fighting Pete with his Turcilingi and it's three allies! Yes three. He's not had all three go unreliable...yet... Pete and Sam were sharing playing duties, and on Saturday it was Pete's turn as Sam took time off.
Playing Pete you always know you will get a good game against a superbly painted army. At Rollcall he thrashed me, would it happen again?
Neither of our armies really specialised in scouting with two cards each! I scored 10% more (yellow =20%, Green = 10%), so had a slight advantage.
The table again skewed to the right, with two woods securing it, two lumps of rocky ground landed on on Pete's side, and then a hill in the backfield. Pretty open really, but since both armies are flexible, it does not really bother us what we fight in.
After initial deployments, it was obvious that yet again I was seriously outnumbered. Pete had a line of warband devastating charge short spear infantry types (+3 on impact, not nice) waiting, and a huge cavalry wing made of at least two allied commands trying to swing around my left. I tasked both cavalry units and my exceptionals to hold this, while in the centre my two superiors mixed with the average units, and on the right my archers sat slighty back, praying they did not get involved in any actual fighting!
Cagey advances on both sides are not really our nature with these two armies, it was more a pick your target and go! Pete tries to swing round my cavalry left, I may have blown this one already!
No point sitting around, I guess? Both of my cavalry go in, superiors nearest Honorii Tatifii, who have already lost a base, while the average Honorii Tatiffi Iuniores meet Pete's chargers. Of note is my exceptionals who have got past his flank. This could cause untold damage.
In the centre, my Legio Primani Iuniors stands in close formation as Pete advances in loose through the rocky ground. Facing down two units by themselves, they take a wound. While holding the gap, the Seguntienties lose a base to Pete's charge. So far the Devastating Charge has been blunted. Thank goodness for impact weapons and integral shooters giving me a matching +3, or the superiors at +4.
On the right, my superior eight loses a base to the charge, while the average unit to their left is missed completely! To the right my archers and the Cohors I Moniorum look on at the two approaching allied units.
Pete spotting the flank charge from my expectionals, breaks off, taking a KAB which helps kill a base, but he has done a base and a half in return on my average cavalry. My superiors have taken equal losses, but having expanded means they will not get flank charged themselves necxt turn, and honour is even as they have caused a base and half too. In the centre, I am losing bases, but not as quickly as Pete as my melee expert statrts to bite at +1, or +2 for the superior units. Pete's right hand unit in shot is already at 3 out of 6 bases lost, as are the unit next to it.
The hand of the Turcilingi god makes itself known...
On the right, my archers have been contacted, but have done a decent amount of hits with shooting on the way.The supporting Cohors I Moniorium has expanded to meet the approaching Germanic types, and has not exactly held firm as Pete's devastating charge finally pays off. To the archers left, my superiors are now starting to make up for their woeful attempts last game. Cohors Tertiae Nervorium hold their nerve and only take a wound while killing two bases too!
My superior Tatifii cavalry are in a fragile state, as they lose base after base (again), but they do redeem themselves somewhat by polishing off one of Pete's cavalry units (2-0).
Embarressment as Cohors I Moniorum disintergrate (2-2) leaving the archers flanks open. However, the doughty archers are having nothing of it, despite taking losses, their white dice can't fail to wound in melee, weakening a horde of German tyes. What is it with archers? The Presentienties take a base of losses, but are whittling Pete's warriors away, and despite losing a base, the loyal Lancastrian garrison had chewed up another of Pete's units.
My exceptionals get involved supporting the Tatifii Iuniors, and crushing Pete's horse, by the rocky ground one of Pete's foot units has about reached it's break point and he is suffering due to the better Roman training.
Amazingly, my superior cavalry still holds on, to it's reputation of being typical Roman cavalry and dieing!! (2-4) In the centre of this part Pete's cavalry is now down to a hit from breaking too!
To support his failing infantry line, Pete launches his gaurd horse into my line.
Pete charges my exception foot. I am +2 for exceptional, +2 for impact weapons, +1 for integral shooters, + 1 the general vs +1 for short spears... Yea, look on a weep puny Germanic types! +5. This WILL hurt him, a lot!
Oh look, that's guard infantry for you as they completely miss! First rule of going over red dice, you will miss.
To save embarressment, the file next door, without the general, show how you should do it!
However, in the centre is where it is at, as despite lining up a beautiful flank charge on the right on marchers, it never comes to pass as Pete's foot simultaniously collapses, the two units in the rocky ground flee (off camera) (6-4), then his centre three units go, (12-4) and then his cavalry on the left are cut down by the Guard, giving me an unexpected win in under two hours! (15-4)
Superb game, and played in great humour. If Pete's devastating charges had gone off like his one against my right hand cohort, he could have crushed me, but finally, after many moons, a win against him! Puts me on 21 points for and 21 points against, a lot happier in the sunshine.
I retired back to Lancy for movies, beer and Chinese with the Biltons, to await the Sunday draw.
Round 3: Vs Peter Reilly and his Palmyrians
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