time is up.. calculating next draw

Piraeus
Game 2
Gonzo (Spartans) 6 banners
Azzy (Athenian) 3 banners
Double time allowed Spartan MH to kill or run off Aux. Spartan Cav killed or run off by Missile. A CA of a Line Command, Move mounted, and another double time crashed the full strength Spartans into the Athenian line that broke. Spartan Mounted charge finshed it. Thanks to Izzy for fun match.

Piraeus
Game 1
Azzy (Spartans) 4 banners
Gonzo (Athenian) 6 banners
Initial Sparta charge drives Athenian from hill. Spartans then take range fire and trade units with Athenians, eventually tied 4-4. Spartans move for kill with 2 easy units in range only to whiff at the critical junction, allowing the Athenian to sneek out a victory. Thanks to Azzy for exciting match.

Piraeus

1st game - Renaud [rjvonline] SPARTA with 6 banners WINS vs Vladislav [Mad Doc] ATHENS with 5 banners 
2nd game - Renaud [rjvonline] ATHENS with 6 banners WINS vs Vladislav [Mad Doc] SPARTA with 3 banners 

1st game - Sparta started with Line Command, moving all of its infantry except the Warriors in the middle. There was some amount of missile exchanges on the wings, killing a Spartan AUX (1-0, Athens) but also weakening both Athenian LCs and 1 LS to 1 or 2 blocks. Eventually, most of the action took place in the center, as could be expected, initiated by the Athenians whose Peltasts killed 1 full-strength MC  (2-0) and reduced the other to 1 block (which was later able to escape). However, they were eventually overwhelmed, thanks in part to Clash of Shields (2-2), although an Athenian First Strike took a Spartan hoplite unit down (3-2, Athens), but were eventually overwhelmed (3-3). Control of the hill was in sight for Sparta. Some more combat took place on the left flank, scoring a banner for Sparta (4-3, Sparta), but the hoplites in the Athenian second line double-timed it to the northern slopes. Fortunately, the Spartans could attack with 3 units on the heights. The battle see-sawed. The Spartaans forced the Athenian left to retreat, scored their 5th kill on a Hoplite unit (5-3, Sparta), but sacrificed their Warrior unit in a failed attempt to kill the Athenian leader unit, dying the battle back (5-4, Sparta). Then the Athenians killed Pausania's 1-block hoplites 5-5), but failed to eliminate Pausanias. That's when the Spartans played the Double Time card they had held from the beginning, brining on their full-strength Hoplite units next to a 1-block enemy unit and scoring their 6th banner.

2nd game - Sparta again started with a Line Command, and Athens responded with the same, bringing its Peltasts in direct confrontation with the Spartan cavalry and warriors, with only 1 MC unit surviving (2-0, Athens). The Athenian coordinated attack that followed did not achieve anything, nor did the 13 dice (10 missiles, 3 melee) rolled by the Spartan lights. Their hoplites, led by Pausanias' unit, then assaulted the hill, killing one unit of Athenian peltasts (2-1, Athens) and getting one of their units up the hill. Of course, Athens played Clash of Shields to follow, with 4 units (though all lights: 2 AX, 1 LS, 1 LI) in contact. The first AX attacked reduced a Spartan hoplite unit to 1 block, but rather than "waste" their second AX's 5 dice on killing a 1-block unit the Athenians decided to attack Pausanias and his 4 blocks. So of course Sparta played First Strike, but whiffed! And the AX attack killed all 4 Athenian hoplite blocks (3-1 Athens)! Pausanias did escape. Then the slingers killed a 2-block unit of Spartan peltasts (4-1, Athens). Teh next couple of rounds witnessed an another Spartan hoplite assault on the hill, killing a Peltast unit (but not its leader) (4-2, Athens), and a response by the Athenians that eliminated another Spartan hoplite unit(5-2, Athens). Three Spartan hoplite units double-timed it on the hill, trapping the remaining Athenian peltasts who were hard to kill, but did die (5-3, Athens).  Next turn, the Athenians considered moving their hoplite line forward, but thought better of it an instead shot 4 dice at the Sparta MC unit that had moved right earlier in the game. It had 2 blocks left, but no support and only 1 hex to retreat. The first 2 dice whiffed, but the next 2 were both banners. Game over. 6-3, Athens. I certainly benefitted from some great die rolls in this one (except for the 13 dice, no hit, I rolled in one turn).

Thanks to Valdislav for two entertaining games.



 

Round 4: 617 Piraeus

Game 1
mk20336 (Spartan) 6
Marco (Athenian) 1

The Spartans quickly jumped on the hills and never retreated from them. They rotated the depleted units often (three 1-blocks were saved), using light troops to its maximum potential plus Auxilia in the hills. My dice were hot, the cards were good and so the Athenians really could do nothing about it.



Game 2
mk20336 (Athenian) 6
Marco (Spartan) 3

Completely different story; due to cards, these were Athenians who occupied hills and never, even for a moment, allowed the Spartans foothold there. Still, Spartan lights were devastating in their range fire so in the end Athenians charged downhill. Again, there were plenty of depleted units on my side (6 with 2 or less blocks) but these were saved, giving the final victory after Double Time.



Thanks to Marco for flexibility in scheduling the games and great experience when playing them!

Round 4: 617 Piraeus

Game 1

gheintze (Athenian) 6
GomJabbar (Spartan) 2

Geoff's Athenians advanced to the front of the hill and held on while punishing my advancing Spartans. The Spartan Hoplites eventually gained the hill but lost 3 units to the Athenians 2. It was still looking OK for the Spartans at this point. They had the hill and only 1 unit down. Then the Spartan cavalry just ran away (many flags rolled by Athenians) and never came back and it went down hill (pun intended) from there. A lone 2 strength Athenian Auxilia unit with leader cleared all the Spartan Hoplites from the hill and killed the Spartan Hoplite leader for the win.

Game 2

GomJabbar (Athenian) 6
gheintze (Spartan) 5

This time my Athenian Auxilians gained the front of the hill and planned to hold while Geoff's Spartans threw themselves at the hill. It was looking promising for a while but the onslaught of Spartan Hoplites and cavalry cleared the hill of Athenians. The game was even at 3-3 at this point. The Athenian Hoplites then joined the fight. The Athenians regained the hill and a lone Spartan Hoplite and leader went chasing after a 1 strength Athenian Hoplite behind enemy lines and got caught and decimated but the leader escaped back through lines of Hoplites to it's own side. It was then a desperate battle on both sides chasing 1 strength units for the final banners. There were a lot of bad cards and bad rolls on both sides against 1 strength units with no effect. This went on for several turns until my Athenians finally took out the 1 strength Warrior unit for the win. It was a close one.

Thank you Geoff for the games. I made a few key mistakes that I will make sure to remember for my next games.

A week out from the deadline..  please get your matches played

ROUND 4: 617 Piraeus

Game 1

BrentS (Athens) 6
Daniele (Spartan) 2

This scenario is all about the hills. Before the Spartans were able to get a toehold in the hills, the Athenians played an early Double Time to bring their hoplites up, then a Line Command to completely occupy the hills. A very fortunate hand and start and almost certainly decided the battle. Surprisingly, after an early blood exchange in the foothills, including a surprise leader kill by the Spartans, the tempo of the battle slowed as the skirmishers on both flanks settled into a desultory exchange of ranged fire which felt like it went on forever, and included a Darken the Sky and Spartacus. Eventually the Athenian lights got the upper hand and the Spartan hoplites were finally forced to to assault the hills, where they suffered with the terrain disadvantage, and the Athenians finished it off with a Mounted Charge. 


Game 2

Daniele (Athens) 4
BrentS (Spartan) 6

Mindful of the carnage of the previous battle, the Spartans pushed into the hills as quickly as possible with an Auxilia and Warrior and leaders detached from the rear. Good in principle but the Athenian Auxilia performed heroically, immediately eliminating the Warriors and sending Pausanias fleeing back to hoplite line. The Spartans forced the Athenians off the hills with a Mounted Charge but it was a pyrrhic victory as they lost two hoplite units and their lines were scattered and mauled. Savage fighting on the north of the hills left Pausanias alone with a 1 block hoplite and down 3 banners to 4. A decisive and dramatic end game now…..the Spartans played a humble Coordinated Attack to order their Medium Cav and Pausanias’ unit, seeing three possible banners. The Athenians used their First Strike against the Medium Cavalry cutting off their Light Cav’s retreat path, to no effect. Pausanias took out two Athenian infantry and a leader to take the victory for the Spartans.

Well played, Daniele, and thanks for two very enjoyable battles, particularly the second, which I had no right to win. Very tense and hard fought. I know you felt you made a mistake using the First Strike against the cavalry instead of Pausanias in that final play and it may have made the difference but there’s no knowing…..sometimes in Ancients there’s no right decision, you can only go with gut instinct.

Brent.

Game 1
Cap (Sparta) 6
PCScipio42 (Athens) 4

PCScipio42 allowed me to gain a "costly" toehold on the 3 frontal hill hexes. "Costly", because at some point the result was 3 banners to nothing for PCScipio42. This was the price for me to put his army in a grim position and build an unstoppable momentum. First, I mauled his front troops on the hill, kicking them away from the high ground. Then I awaited his cunning "Clash of shields" counterattacking maneuver, wearing down the rest of his MH troops. He managed to steal one more banner before I ended it at 6-4. The costly toehold and him letting his MH split into two groups of two units each let me defeat his troops in detail. Cards and dice were relatively balanced without some shocking and frustrating shows.

Game 2
Cap (Athens) 6
PCScipio42 (Sparta) 3

I was determined not to allow a toehold for my opponent on my hill and put my auxilia to work, exposing it at the front hills, sealing its fate. After the inevitable Spartan MH frontal uphill attack started, dice came to mess the otherwise interesting tactical maneuvering. First, my auxilia was impotent to inflict damage at either attacking and battling back downhill (making my position senseless). Then, the scrap turned all the way around when my last and one-block auxilia managed to survive a complete MH "Mounted charge" onslaught. On the next turn, this "Rambo" auxilia alone took two banners, finishing off a Spartan MH and killing its attached leader. Dice definitely ruined the "romance" of the battle here. After the "Rambo" auxilia was eventually destroyed, the fight entered a lull. PCScipio42 occupied and sat on the hills asking me what do I do now. I used this hush to harass and finish off some of his back rank retreated weakened units with my light ranged troops, taking the banner score to 5-3 for me. The multiple turns of stalling allowed me to build a decent hand which I used to finish the battle with a thunderclap, collecting the last banner with my MH frontal uphill assault.

Thanks to PCScipio42 for his patience and the tactically worthy battles!

Game 1:  Travis (Spartans) 6, Kartigan (Athens) 5

I advanced quickly upon the Athenian positions and walked right into a CoS card, which my crafty opponent quickly used to eventually gain a 3-0 lead in the early going.  Although I was able to pick up a lone banner, Kartigan expertly evacuated the hill hexes and left my Spartans to blunder about, taking ranged hits while reorganizing.  After a terrible Spartacus play, he seized the initiative and advanced upon my weakened force, and was very close to a victory, coming within a single block of a 6-1 crushing victory. However, a fortunate leader hit and a timely counterattack card, coupled with amazing rolls, salvaged a 6-5 win.

Game 2:  Travis (Athens) 6, Kartigan (Spartans) 4

Our pattern of crazily unpredictable rolls continued, as we were continually caught off guard by the fortunes of war again in game two.  This time, as the Athenians I was able to gain some momentum early, and then play my excellent hand to my advantage, catching some isolated Spartan units exposed with good rolls and eventually bringing up the Medium infantry to help seal the victory.

A very enjoyable set of games for sure.
 

Round 4 Game 1
Cavie (Atenian) 6 Banners won
Andygor (Spartan) 4 Banners won

Athenians used the hills to their advantage and chipped away at the Spartans until their own forces became weakened.  They then Double Timed it back off the hills to get reinforcement from their Hoplite infantry.  A leader kill helped the Athenians continue to hold sway in their favor of the battle to eventually finish off the Spartans just in time before they could regroup.

Round 4 Game 2
Cavie (Spartan) 6 Banners won
Andygor (Athenian) 3 Banners won

Athenians once again tried using the hills to their advantage but this time the Spartans were able to breakthrough.  Athenian Hoplites Double Timed down to help with stopping the breakthrough but left their left flank open.  The Spartans dispersed the field of battle and were able to take advantage of the Athenian left flank to end the game.

   

 

Round 4 Game 2
Carl (Athenian) 3 banners
Mark McG (Spartan) 6 banners

Dearth of Centre cards on both sides meant this was a scramble from the start..  Spartan leaders to the front, and a confused movement to the Right to flank the hill ended with the Athenians being commandless on the hill and wiped out. At least this time the Athenian hoplites moved and attacked.

 

Round 4 Game 1
Mark McG (Athenian) 6 banners
Carl (Spartan) 5 banners

Athenians had a very poor start with the dice, which gradually thawed over the game. Losing a leader to the first 2d leader check was a bad sign. In the event the Light troops managed to hold the Spartan menace along the hill line, and Thrasybullus and his hoplites never stirred from their rest.

 

   

Game 2
Boredbeyondbelief / Eric (Athenians) 2
SteveT (Spartans) 6
The dice gods turned their face away from Athens: by the time the battle for the hills was over BOTH Athenian strategos' had died, each from double dice leader checks and the score was 2-5. Pausanios had gained the further side of the ridge, and filled with the lust of battle he and his single unit of hoplites charged (ie double time) after a fleeing unit of auxila (one block) into the midst of the Athenian hoplites, destroying it and ending the battle (2-6).

   

Game 1
SteveT (Athenians) 6
Boredbeyondbelief / Eric (Spartans) 4
Phase I. Athenian auxila occupied the front of the hills and were attacked by the Spartans, while lights skirmished on the flanks. The Spartans gained the hills with no losses but several units weakened, and one cavalry having fled the field, versus the Athenians losing 1 auxila and with 2 down to 1 block each and fled to the rear (1-1).
Phase 2. Spartans advanced on the left destroying three Athenian units for the loss of one (2-4) with one Athenian Strategos fleeing the field. In the centre, the Athenian hoplites lined up opposite the hills, glowering at the Spartan hoplites and auxila above. Missile fire was exchanged, with the destruction of one already weakened Spartan hoplite unit (3-4).
Phase 3. But the Athenian hoplites were fresh, while the Spartans were tired after their previous battle for the hills, with many wounded (ie down to 3 blocks per unit). The Athenians attacked up hill and gained the ridge, winning the battle in the melee (6-4)
Thanks to Eric for a tough and exciting and well played game!

Game 1 
Tomek (Sparta) - 6
toganalper (Athens) - 5
Interesting battle with all participating hoplites remaining intact.

 Game 2
toganalper (Sparta) - 6
Tomek (Athens) - 5
Battle on the bloodied hills all the way. Both games were divertive and rewarding experience.    
 

Game 1

Rabocudonosor (Athenian) 3 Banners
Gileforn (Sparta) 6 Banners

Game has been started from mounted attack by medium cavalry that pushed light one. Then army was focused to the hills and in a close period 5 banners were earned. After this Athenian army found possibility to struggle and got 3 banners with good defence. But finaly Sparta got 6 banner.

Game 2

Rabocudonosor (Sparta) 4 Banners
Gileforn (Athenian) 6 Banners

Athenians tried to protect the first line of hills, but recieved clash of shields in anwers. As a result they lost auxilia and leader. Then Spartans destroy others auxilias very fast and received 4 banners. Athenias started series of light troops attacks shooting to the Spartans, but many times result wasn't too good, just destroyed last block of MC. Then it was hit to MH and leader received a stone from the sling. The left Spartan flank lost a leader. After that Athenian froces were regrouped, same to Spartans. Medium forces prepared an attack and made it with Mounted charge. Really risky, with small chances but last 3 banners were got.

Thanks to Rabocudonosor for a good game.   

Hi Mark-
I'm going to concede to Greg this round. I'm admitted to hospital and have no idea how long it will take to work this out.  Thanks!
Ken

Piraeus (Game 2)

Mike Stanley (scipio1zama) – Athenian – 6 banners – won

Lou Correia (limburger59) – Spartan – 2 banners - lost

Lou’s Spartans started off with a Line Command and he moved his leaders and seven powerful Hoplites toward the hills after getting some of his light units out of the way. 
I was fortunate to have a Two Center card that allowed me to advance two of my Aux onto the forward hills and destroy the Spartan Warrior. 

A Spartan Medium Troops card put a MC onto the hills and moved four hoplites to the base of the hills.  Unfortunately, most of his attacks were constrained by those hills, and the Spartans wound up taking 7 hits while meting out only 4.  And even more unfortunately for Sparty, I next played Clash of Shields.  That Clash resulted in 7 hits on the Spartans and the resultant loss of the MC and two hoplites, with only one hit on the Athenians.  (One of my rolls showed 5 blue triangles!)

He Counterattacked the Clash of Shields but took 4 hits while only giving 2.  (The score so far – 22 hits on the Spartans, only 8 on the Athenians – after just 5 cards played.)

The game ended with attacks by weakened units upon weakened units and we each lost 2 units. I was helped by a First Strike.

This playing really shows the value hill terrain can have – helped along by my luck with the cards AND the dice.  My getting Clash of Shields early and usefully in BOTH games just doesn’t seem fair.

Kudos to my opponent Lou, who was stoic and good-humored throughout.

Game 1
RiverWander/Mark B  (Athenians) 5 banners
John S (Spartans) 6 banners
The Athenians got off to a promising start at 3:1 after a stout defence of the hill (Clash of Shields), followed up by Move-Fire-Move scooping the remnant Auxilia to safety behind their phalanx. Unfortunately their Light Cavalry got carried away and attacked into the Spartan rear; a move effectively countered by a Double Time, taking the score to 3:4. The opposing hoplites now met on the hill for the final melee, exchanging two banners each before Sparta took the victory with a final close combat.

Game 2
John S  (Athenians) 2 banners
RiverWander/Mark B (Spartans) 6 banners
The Athenian light units quickly consolidated at the front of the hill, taking a Spartan Warrior unit in the process. The battle now entered a long phase of skirmishing; the Athenian suffering some early losses, which encouraged leaders to shelter with their Auxlia on the rear of the hill. Meanwhile, Spartans lights on the right rushed to protect their medium cavalry, gradually pushing the Athenian light units back towards the town. It took a Double Time for the reinforced Athenian left to finally force a Spartan retreat, snagging the cavalry but with the score now level at 2:2. Now came the crux of the battle, the Spartan infantry advancing in line towards the hill and engaging on the right. An Athenian First Strike was held until the crucial moment but failed prevent the Spartan combat with the result that two front line Athenian hoplite units both fell, taking the score to 2:4. Athens now tried to snag a couple of exposed units with ranged combat but the dice failed to deliver. On the final turn, Spartans Double Time allowed a strong attack on the hill, three combats taking out the full strength Auxilia and the final combat taking the weakened one that had retreated early. 

Thanks to John for two good games and for patience with the run of luck that seemed to run in my favour in game 2, in particular. 

Piraeus

Mike Stanley (scipio1zama) – Spartan – 6 banners – won

Lou Correia (limburger59) – Athenian – 2 banners - lost

I really do not like the Spartan set-up in this game.  I don’t like the placement of the Spartan cavalry and I don’t like that all three Spartan leaders are back with the Hoplites in the rearmost rank.

That said, I put my light units to work chewing on the Athenian flanks while trying to clear the center so my Hoplites could advance to the hills.  In this I was only partially successful.  I was very fortunate to survive the Athenian “Darken the Sky” with only two blocks lost, none from my Hoplites.  Initial fighting cost Athens a couple of Aux and cost me a LS, but then quickly came the battle of the Hoplites.  Many Spartan attacks were uphill, but 7 Spartan Hoplites with a total of 35 blocks won out over 4 Athenian Hoplites with just 16 blocks.  A final Spartan play of Clash of Shields sealed the deal, with a one-die loss of an Athenian leader providing the coup de grâce.  Note that while the Athenians lost three Hoplites and the Spartans only one, three Spartan Hoplites were reduced to a single block, and another to only two blocks.

Lou fought the good fight, but I think my dice were hotter today.

 

Game 1

TTK (Athen.): gotigerssc (Sparta)
6:4

Game 2

gotigerssc (Athen.): TTK (Sparta)
6:4

Twice the Spartans wanted the hills of Piraeus...
...and twice they got the balls
...ringing stood all over Greece Magna

key - the Athenians managed both times to bring Hoplites and restore order on thats hills

Thank Justin for these parties!