OT2019 Round 4

First game
der_mandarin (Caesar): 7
Tomek (Pompey): 6

Hard battle with tons of casualties. The fighting took place around the hills and Caesarians were more determined to win.



Second game:
Tomek (Caesar): 7
der_mandarin (Pompey): 6

Another very contested and bloody battle. And another victory for Caesarian side with a double time advance on the Left that caught the camp guard by surprise. Caesar himself didn't bother to participate in the action which caused a lot of stress for his subordinates.

Thanks to my opponent.
In both parties, the dice were against me. But if in the first I was able to break the game with the score 2-5 and winning 7-5.
then in the second when the score was 2-1 I lost one cavalry unit with one of their unit 4: medium infantry, 2 auxiliary and slingers.
I was never able to destroy this cavalry until the end of the game.
the score was 2-5, as in the first batch.
But there was a big problem.
I'm out of cards on this flank. I was standing there, 3 of my heavy infantry, but cards for travel was not.
As far as the first party was epic on positionality, so the second was transient on actions.It was monstrous, but fair.
Thanks for playing. Saw their mistakes, experience received.

scipio1zama - Pompeian - 7 banners
toganalper - Caesarian - 6 banners

This report from scipio1zama finally in from a game played back on June 11. I got off to a slow start by playing Leadership any section, but I didn’t take the hillock because I forgot the Julian Legions rule was in effect! (Dumb move #1.) After some preliminary maneuvers which saw Caesarian units approach the hillock, Pompey moved 3 HI and an MI on or near the hillock and launched an attack that eliminated an enemy HI. However, the next attack by Caesar’s forces removed 5 blocks, then he used a Double Time with just 2 units to eliminate Pompey’s HI, MI and Afranius! I moved more forces to the center, then he played Spartacus and was able to activate 5 units. His attacks eliminated one of my Aux and my MI on the board edge and took two blocks from my other MI on the board edge. Caesar was up 5-1 in banners.

However, this move also left him with an isolated HI & leader deep in Pompeian territory. I was able to bring 2 MI to bear with help from a leader. I got the HI, but the leader escaped.

His Line Command attack on my right cost him an Aux, then my ill-conceived Mounted Charge cost me an MI while doing minimal damage to his other Aux. (I see in the replay that I forgot to give myself an extra die roll both times I attacked with my MI – dumb move #2.) Now I’m down 6-3 – things are looking grim. But I used a Double Time and succeeded in taking out two of Caesar’s MI in the center section.

He played Heavy Troops and move 4 of them up, bringing 2 of them assisted by leaders to bear on my HI & leader. His first roll garnered 3 hits - and two retreat flags, which I thankfully used after his 2dlc failed. My Coordinated Attack allowed me to attack his isolated MI & leader with 2 HI (and a leader), and I fortunately eliminated the MI AND the leader for the win. Whew! Another near run thing against a gallant opponent.
In a few hours - the rematch...…..

Round 4, taliapharaoh vs. Polonus100

Game 1: taliapharaoh (Caesarian) - 7 banners
Polonus100 (Pompeian) - 5 banners

In game one, Caesar ordered a very ill-designed early rush on the center hill hexes, which cost him two units early on as an uncoordinated attack on light units on the hillocks failed miserably, and the early edge went to the Pompeian forces. However, Caesar (who did not fight at all in this battle) was able to order units to momentarily seize a hill hex, which at least began to take a toll on the enemy forces. After sweeping out the remnants on the Caesarian center, the Pompeian right unit ran into a Darken the Sky, which destroyed a heavy unit outright and weakened another enough to blunt the inevitable attack. Caesar's left was able to counterattack successfully, winning by 2 banners (two Pompeian leaders were killed which was the difference)


Game 2: taliapharaoh (Pompeian) - 7 banners
Polonus100 (Caesarian) - 2 banners

Game two was more like one might expect, a slugfest between heavies. Caesar's right smashed into the left side of the Pompeian line, but enough flags were rolled to allow units to escape the carnage. Pompey countered with a double-time card, which eliminated four heavy infantry without even a battle-back allowed. Eventually with a 6-0 lead, the Pompeians made a disastrous decision to go for broke and play Spartacus, which failed and further backfired into a counter attack, which very nearly changed the entire outcome of the game. Fortunately, the dice were favoring the army of Pompey in this one, and the final banner was gained on a hilltop counterattack for the win.

toganalper - Pompeian - 7 banners
scipio1zama - Caesarian - 6 banners

Togan (Pompeians) jumped right out with an Order Heavy Troops card and moved his 4 HI forward, then I used a Leadership card to move Caesar and the other back row HI forward to join up with the rest of my infantry in anticipation of using my two Line Command cards and going after his right flank. But he used a leadership card to advance Afranius and his 3 MI, and suddenly my attention was diverted and I used a Line Command to move toward Afranius et al. He used a Counterattack to move all his infantry, and the close combat battle was joined. His MI got 3 hits on mine; my bb eliminated him. His HI took out my 1-block, then hit 4 to eliminate another of my MI (leader survived.)

This was the start of a bloody mess with the fighting almost exclusively involving HI & MI. Next came my Heavy Troops, his First Strike, his Counterattack - dice ran hot and cold, and Pompey is up 4-1. I played Clash of Shields and Caesar is up 5-4. He played Three in the Center and Pompey is up 6-5. I played Two in the center, but only made one attack, thinking I could weather whatever he did and get that 7th banner next turn. Now it is 6-6. His HI/leader attacks my full-strength Aux and only retreats it. But the HI/leader advances, attacks another full-strength Aux – and rolls green, leader, leader, green, green.

L’audace, l’audace, toujours l’audace. Well played, Togan.

1st game
Max Bogatov (Caesarian) - 5 banners
Cavie (Pompeian) - 7 banners
Fast game of one attack. After short prepairing Caesar went to combat with 3 HI and 2MI. But attack was not lucky: Caesar rolled 0 hits on 6 dice again enemies HI+L, and got 5 hits on battleback. He retrited to another HI, but enemy destroyed this HI in its turn (4 hits on 5 dice). Then Caesar joined to MC and made what he should - killed two units in one turn and one on the next. But his army already lost 5 inf and 1 Leader up to this time and Cavie made sudden cavalry attack on his right flank and rolled 3 hits on 3 dice against 3-blocks slingers. 7-5 final result. Pompey won.

2nd game
Max Bogatov (Pompeian) - 7 banners
Cavie (Caesarian) - 4 banners
This was long and tough, but fun game. Caesar devide his army onto three groups and was ready attack at any part of map. First attack was on the right, but it ended exchenge 1 by 1 MI. Then Caesar moved forvard on the left but stopped without combat and make suddenly attack in the centre by Caesar. Unfortunately Caesar wasn`t lucky, attack was refused and Caesar lost two HI here. After several turns of combat in the center result was 5-2 for Pompey and he (me) started attack on his right. Caesars forces defended hardly, but final Clash of Shields did its job: 7-4, Pompey won.

I've done a results table update. Please check, since it has been a bit of a crazy month.
Deadline is Sunday.. get the outstanding matches played!

Game 1:
Asqwasqw (Pompeian) 7 Banners
January31 (Caesarian) 2 Banners
This game was very very VERY quick (9 cards played total). Both sides rushed their heavy infantry towards the center hill. The Pompeians narrowly got there first. The Caesarians responded by trying to darken the skies with their pilums, but the well trained Pompeians withstood the attack. The Pompeians immediately charged down the hill. Though they lost 2 groups in the intense fighting, they managed to kill Fabius and 2 groups themselves. Caesar responded with a double time, rushing another group of 4 infantry into the melee. He took the hill, but his troops were driven back during combat and he was unable to hold it. Though battered, the Pompeians lost no groups during Caesar’s charge (helped by a first strike card) and bloodied them in return. A final clash of shields finished off Caesar’s army before he could do anything further, routing 4 groups in a single turn and causing Caesar’s entire army to break.

Game 2:
January31 (Pompeian) 3 Banners
Asqwasqw (Caesarian) 7 Banners
This game in comparison was incredibly slow, with a lot of positional play on both sides. Pompeians held the hill throughout the game, so the Caesarians shifted their entire army left and attacked, attempting to capture the enemy’s camp. They inflicted and took heavy losses, but were able to retreat their wounded troops back to their camp. As they advanced up, the Pompeians shifted their troops off the hills to meet them. Caesar personally led a battered group of heavy infantry in an attempt to take the hill, and although he managed to claim the center, they did not last long before Caesar was forced to flee alone for his life. Undeterred, he grouped up with more heavy infantry and pressed on the left flank, while the rest of his army pressed against the right flank, leaving all his wounded infantry behind at camp. Seeing that his camp was in trouble, Petreius mobilized the group defending to hill to attack, but lost his life in the charge, causing the Pompeian’s to rout. The battle was very bloody, with Caesar’s army having 6 groups at 1 block each.

Thanks to January for the enjoyable games!