OT 2022 - Round 3
Game1
Marco (Slaves) 6
MarkMcG (Romans) 5
Play started slowly, with Slaves arranging Lights and Romans initiating an advance on the left. Both sides continued to advance and move towards the center, until the Romans closed with a Line Advance and blocks started to be taken. A Clash of Shields by the Slaves then yielded two MI Banners, at a cost of one AUX. A further advance on the Left flank by the Romans had little effect and cost them an MC. The Romans then turned to their trusted MI in the center, and Slave Banners began to fall. An Order Med brought the legendary Roman troops to bear with devastating results. Three Slave AUX fell in rapid succession, one from a Med Cavalry triple green roll. Both Generals commented “Wow!” in the message bar. The score was then Romans 4-3. Two Slave WARs charged an unsupported MI in response, doing heavy damage but failing to take it. A subsequent Sparticus command by the Romans destroyed one of the Slave WARs, making it a 5-3, one banner game for the Romans. Finally, the Slave Leader Salvius stepped into battle. Leading his last remaining WARs and MI, he advanced against a full strength Roman MI which was shielding two other heavily damaged units. That unit was destroyed, but the single block MI behind it managed to retreat from the momentum advance of the full strength WAR. Hard luck for the Slaves! A one block Roman AUX was easily eliminated next, taking the score to 5-5, with one attack by the Slaves left in the turn. Salvius himself attacked the remaining Roman MC, and managed to destroy the evading unit with a lucky two color hit. The Slaves take three banners in the final turn to claim victory.
Game 2
Marco (Romans) 6
MarkMcG (Slaves) 4
The Slaves immediately ordered their flanks to maneuver AUX on the right, and advance the LDR Athenion with both MC to battle against the Roman LI trapped on the left. The Romans survived and regrouped, but Athenion used his leadership to press the attack, eliminating the Roman LI and MC. Suddenly it was Slaves 2-0 on turn two. But a CounterAttack by the Romans immediately cut off and surrounded the overextended Athenion and shot his horse out from under him. He then survived a single die LDR check, a two die LDR escape attack, and then missile fire on his way back to his troops. He was skipping arrows while dodging across the battlefield. Another turn and the remaining Slave MC was lost, taking the score to 2-2. While the Romans regrouped their mangled lines, the Slave LDR Salvius suddenly shifted from his MI in the center, to an AUX on the far right. While the Romans brought their line into order, Salvius advanced with his other AUX, raining missile fire before him. Then the entire Slave army Line Advanced forward, bringing the center and right flank WARs into range. The Romans grouped around their LDRs and braced for the assault, but the attack never came. The Slaves issued another Line Command, but this time only Salvius on the right advanced. Athenion, by this time on the far left, withdrew, along with the dreaded WARs. The Romans fell into battle line formation, the steadfast MI two units deep across the center, with LDRs on additional MI to the rear. Salvius advanced and attacked on the right with WARs and AUX, destroying a Roman AUX and doing damage to an MI. The Romans released their MI with a DoubleTime, but the assault was thwarted by a perfectly timed First Strike, which carried away a Roman MI and sent its LDR scrambling to the safety of a nearby LI. He was last seen standing in a loincloth with the other light troops. The score was now Slaves 4-2. Salvius again advanced on the right to battle directly against two Roman MI, but his AUX and the weakened WAR next to him were unable to eliminate either unit. Finally the Romans unleashed all their MEDs with a Troops command and attacked the Slave AUX in force. Two AUX and Salvius himself were killed. Suddenly it was 5-4, a one Banner game for the Romans. The Slaves used a third Line Command, but with Athenion out of range to the rear on the left, and no LDR on the right, they had little effect. A Roman DoubleTime brought fresh MI directly into the center of the Slave line, taking the last banner for victory.
