As the light from a distant pyramid flared, Arbath Ray looked down at the slumbering form that had appeared at his feet.
"Uuurh... can I have two klatchian hots, and an onion bhaji" the recumbent form of Ptepic XVIII, former Pharaoh of Djelibeybi.
"Reality twisted again?" The black clad temple guard leader looked down at the also black clad assassin, "I can offer you a curried goat?"
Pteppic say up, rubbing his head and looking round. "When? Where? Oh, you know old friend, the usual questions..."
"Ptraci is is here too, and that camel." The guard leader smiled, "It looks like our old enemy the Myceneans are back, trying to take out lands," he waved a hand towards a branch of the delta, a strange blue box rested on a hill, "and they've brought guests!"
"Well, I hope it goes better than last time, they 0-15ed us!" Pteppic shrugged.
"Not sure that one is in the annals." Abath Ray laughed, "Psamtik is like all Egyptian kings, only telling the good bits."
Mark and I met up at Leighton Buzzard, dusted off our MeG Biblicals. We rolled up the terrain, dense coastal with two rocky ground fell on the left, a village in the middle and on the right a small hill (with a random MK 40 TARDIS) jutted into the waterway that denoted the edge of the world. The can of Irn Bru denoted it was hot and I was thirsty while the pack of Minsterals denoted as a gift from one of last year's class!
With three cards, Psamtic rather outscouted Agemmenon! Only 80% difference between is quite large. (White = 0, Green 10%, Red 40%). Meant Mark could unpack the majority of his 17 units while I went off and booked next week's game!
That flank is pretty open tbh!
Mark, in deep thought
Not much thought needed really, it's wall-to-wall spears here! With a embedded archers, five units of skirmishers, and a six of average chariots on their left. Offset behind them are javelin armed warriors and another archer unit. His camp lies on the hill. Mark's bases are textured with very pale putty, so his troops really stand out against my cloth.
His chariot arm deployed left, at least three units. I deployed my two commands right of the village, I mixed Egyptian spears, skilled bows and Greek Mercenaries. My third command under Ptepid of spears, bows and the Diamond Dogs were tasked with holding the village, while Psamtik and the chariots and cavalry were deployed to counter Mark's huge chariotry wing.
You do get good sunsets in Leighton Buzzard from the third floor of a Methodist Church!
Anyway, back to the game. Mark moed his chariot corps forwards en masse. I moved my Royal chariot squadrons to intercept (Red on the left, Blue on the right), the Medjai moved left through the rocky ground (down from 6BW for skirmishing horse to 4BW) while Ptepid's spears wait behind.
That same shot, with the chariotry divisions marked out. The front four are superior, -/fully armoured crew, long spears, as are the right hand four. On teh left is another six of average javelin & short spear armed sixes. This is a dangerous and powerful contingent.
Mark brought forwards his skirmishing archers. I tried my mixed command tactics, moving my superior Egyptian spears towards Mark's other chariots, supported by long spears, the rest of my troops advanced.
My chariots had evaded back, slightly, as Mark charged, I unleashed my chariots ace. 'Shoot and Charge' allows a shot before ot all goes wrong. I managed to kill a base and slow Mark by one. It gave me some hope against these combat monsters. If he had them in two ranks I would hae been in even more trouble as I would not count as melee experts with my chariotry. .
On the right of the village, I steadily advance. Mark's CinC on the right fails to get any decent cards, I became too greedy and kept going forwards, when I should have dealt with what was in the middle first, but hindsight is always 20/20!
The moment it all nearly went right. Or wrong. Mark swung his other heavy chariots at my average Egyptian short spears and archers who had managed to poke their noses out of the village.
We both charge again. My shoot and charge does nowt but a wound, while Mark piles into the archers and the spears.
Must be the chariots turn to do things! Mark's other chariot unit hits my superior Egyptian spears. To the right my skilled archers move up to pointblank range of one of the skirmish units in the hope of causing lots of hits.
The great skirmish chase begins, as Mark was targeting my average Egyptian spears (without much success), so my Greek spears tried to push them back.
Mark's heavy chariots charge in, at a massive +5 on my archers and +4 on my spears! My archers miraculously cause a wound, while Mark, missed! A double S. Unbelievable.
Daggnabit!
I fail to break Mark on the charge, even with the aid of Psamtik himself. I killed a base, but he tore lumps out of Red Squadron.
The next combat round, I finally got the break in Mark. It cost Red Squadron another base, as Mark is +1 in combat. To their right, the bows had lost a base to the chariots, as had the spears. (2-0)
From here, it did not go well for the forces of Egypt, as Mark got a flank charge in that I could do nothing about. Much better dice too, from here on in Mark, even when on white dice, could not miss and I got a decent amounts of hits. These two armies can really knock lumps out of each other when they get going as they are both 8s of long spears, so pretty even. He also contacted my skilled bows, who scored two wounds and a miss on the charge fire!
My top right Greek spears and Marks, at evens, exchange bases. My Egyptian spears await the next charge, which will hurt them once they get to melee as they will be at a disadvantage. My middle spears are suffering, but doing some damage on the way back. The bows are at a disadvantage, but holding hard, while my left hand Greek spears are really suffering on equal rolls vs Mark (it's a game of skill). Meanwhile, my superior Egyptian spears, elite of my natie troops, vs average chariots and being up against said chariots, are losing.
My Medjai turn to fire on the other average Greek chariots, causing a wound. My Red Squadron chariots, down to three and a half bases, are in trouble. In the village, the bows have lost two bases, the spears have lost one and a half, and Blue Squadron piles in, meaning Mark's elite heavy chariots are a base off breaking. I'm using 16 bases and a general to take on four bases and a general!
The main line, my upper spears take one of Mark's spears (4-0), but my skilled bows break (4-2), as do my superior spears (4-4) and somewhere a unit of Greek spears has returned to Hades (4-6). Somehow, my average Egyptian Spears, despite losing 50% of their strength, hang on.
Mark's heavy chariots break (6-10), but take my blue squadron with them (6-12) and Red Squadron, who charged Mark's chariots and took a base, but broke on impact (6-15)
This gave Mark a well earned victory. I'll get him one day! In the last two turns, all units were committed, and all my generals were fighting and had all too wounds. Hard fight as they are so equally matched armies. Great game.
"Back to bed your lowness!" Abarth Ray laughed.
"Next time, leave me to kip!"
"No chance, you're too good a general!" The back clad rider saluted and rode off, following the remains of the undead horde as it disappeared into the dust and history again.
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