I second the motion: thanks Mark!

As always, thank you, Mark!!!

a minor change in the results due to my misrecording a result, so 9th and 10th position change places

Caralis, game 1.
Tony (Bangla) – Carthage - 8 banners - won
Mike (scipio1zama) – Rome - 5 banners - lost

Another absorbing battle between Mike and Tony.  Early Line Commands brought the two armies closer together from the outset.  The two sides traded banners for much of the battle, and Carthage reduced several units to 1-block but they were shepherded away.  The Romans seemed to be getting the better of things, especially on their right where they weakened the Warrior units and had HI and MI ready to strike, so the Carthaginians pulled back to earn some time.  As a diversion Hanno moved to threaten the Roman cavalry, but the Roman cavalry got their attack in first to gain the upper hand on that flank too.  The situation was looking rather desperate for Carthage, so the Elephants were sent in.  A stand off with a MI where no hits to either side were made, they were eliminated in a counter, though they severely weakened the MI, which bought more time.  A well timed Double Time and one Carthaginian HI went onto the offensive against the Roman right.  Two banners eliminated but they were themselves down to 1-block.  Somehow, successive attacks against them only enabled them to retreat to the safety of their own line.  6-4 in banners to Carthage.  Rome needed to strike to get back into the game.  The centre hit the Carthaginian centre and eliminated one Auxiliary, but then a Line Command for the Africans unleashed their HI which bulldozed their opposite line, gaining the final two banners and the win.

These were an excellent pair of battles where both sides could have won in either.  Mike was an excellent opponent, and I look forward to playing against him in the future.

gheintze (Romans) 8 banners
Polonus100 (Carthage) 5 banners

gheintze (Carthage) 8 banners
Polonus100 (Romans) 3 banners

John s vs Togan Alper

Game 1

John (Carthaginian) 4 (29 blocks lost) vs Togan (Roman) Alper 8 (23 blocks lost)

Key for this game was good results on ranged fire for Romans which accounted for two kills and two early Roman LINE COMMANDs which ordered a total of 37 units. This enabled a massive push forward and resulted in most of my units close to my board edge.

Game 2

John (Roman) 8 (37 blocks lost) vs Togan (Carthaginian) Alper 7 (36 blocks lost)

A much closer game but two DOUBLE TIMEs fell into Togan's hand with the last nearly providing the win. We both had chances to end it on my right but my 3d three hit BB got the win for me.

MATCH

John S 12 (66 blocks lost) Togan 15 (58 blocks lost)

We played by my opponent as I did not see any mistakes. Congrats on the match win.
Submit

Here is the logfile for Mike vs Tony game 1

Caralis, game 1.


Mike (scipio1zama) – Carthage - 8 banners - won


Tony (Bangla) – Roman - 7 banners - lost

Tony was the Roman in game 1 and went first. Initial ranged fire skirmishing saw him have luck with the dice and place several hits on my lights. My fire was less successful, although I eventually improved and got some important weakening hits on MI and HI later in the game. He initiated a cavalry battle on his left but got the worst of it, losing one of his MC and rendering the other hors de combat. My MC and one of the LC were also reduced to 1 block, and my cavalry force played no further role in the battle.


The eventual clash in the middle, fortunately for me, never emerged as an organized set-piece battle, but devolved into a whole series of disconnected tussles, especially by my Carthaginians. Neither of our lines were especially well-placed, and my units entered the battle piecemeal. But I did get some good cards – sometimes at less than optimal times – but two Line Commands and two Double Time cards proved useful. The game could easily have gone either way. Tony’s hand ended up with 4 unusable cards and a First Strike, which could have won, but his roll came up one short.


A game that started off slowly eventually became quite exciting, with an improbable ending.

Round 5 Game 2:

Travis (Carthaginians) 8
Marco (Romans) 4

After an excruciatingly close (but immensely enjoyable) game one, this one followed the same pattern.  Unforeseen twists and turns, and like last game, the plans I had going into this match quickly fell apart once the game began.

The Romans moved quickly up on the Roman right, advancing into the treeline and disrupting the Carthaginian left in the process. Although my hand of command cards was never as dynamic as Marco's, who consistently put pressure on seemingly all parts of my army, I absolutely benefitted from some key rolls that helped turn the tide. In particular, Hasdrubal and his HI unit he was attached to were the undisputed heroes of the day, dispatching 5 of the 8 Roman units in the match without losing a single block in the process. Due to a dearth of solid cards, I used a DT out of desperation which blunted the advance of the Roman left, and enabled my center to hold out just long enough for a concentrated effort there to finish the match. 

Despite the unequal rolls, I had an excellent time against a worthy adversary in each of these games.

 

Round 5 Game 2 Caralis
Forrest Carthage
7 banners gained, 31 blocks lost
Steve T Rome
8 banners gained, 35 blocks lost
The Roman light infantry raced forwards to occupy the woods, with exchanges of missile fire between the lights of both sides ensuing for most of the battle; the Romans generally doing better but without being able to harm the elephants. The Roman cavalry attacked the Carthaginian cavalry who were still in their starting positions – but the Carthaginians came off best, with each side left with one medium cavalry block and the Roman cavalry leader dead. Score was 3-3 when the Roman auxila and medium infantry were launched into the Carthaginian right, still on the rear two ranks of the battlefield. A desperately hard fought melee ensued against Carthaginian light cavalry and light infantry – but coming to their assistance were the Carthaginian auxila and elephants and Hanno. The Romans were still leaderless on this flank. The Romans had better cards and the Carthaginians better dice. The result was the closest of Roman victories!
Thanks to Forrest for two hard fought, tough close games, 8-7 each

so I'm going to extend this round by 1 week to the 7th August.
Coinciding with the World Boardgame Championships seems to have created a problem. (World being used in the same sense as the baseball world series..)

Game 1

DaniloElMystico (Roman) - 2
Gileforn ( Carthaginian) - 8

Game 2

DaniloElMystico (Carthaginian) - 4
Gileforn (Roman) - 8

   

mistaken post

Marco (Carthaginian) 8Travis (Roman) 7The battle began with Light maneuvering on the right, but the Romans quickly line advanced forward. Taking the woods, they then pushed forward a line of Lights on the right. The Carths also set up a center line of Lights, setting up their Slingers and Aux for fire on the advancing MI. The Romans continued their advance forward and to the right, while the Carths scrambled to defend and rain stones upon the advancing lines. The battle was briefly paused while the Roman Commander ran his daughter to school. One cup of tea for the Carths Commander and the action quickly resumed bringing his WARS into play. Banners were taken, but the WARS did little to stop the Roman advance. More banners were taken on the right by both sides, but the Romans were ahead and had the Carths up against the edge of the field. Surprise Cav action on the left accounted for more banners, and after a disastrous Carth MC counterattack suddenly the Romans were looking to take the battle with a wild Mounted Charge, using a one block MC and LDR attack on the left. The attack failed, but the score was 7-4, a one banner game for the Romans. They tried to pick off a Light on the right rear line, but the unit held with one block. Finally the Carth HI came into action, moving in two different directions in a last desperate banner hunt. Two Lights fell, but the lucky blow was the single die hit on the Roman LDR, giving the battle to the Carths 8-7. Thanks to Travis for a great battle. Cheers.

 

there seems to be entirely too many unplayed matches for a round due this weekend. 7 out of 20 unstarted or unreported.

Mad Doc (Rome) 8 Banners

PaulKT ( Carthanigian) 2 Banners
Both fights were very intense. But, luck turned away from Carthage in both parties. In the first battle, everything was decided on the flanks, and both Hanno and Hampsikora were killed. It didn’t even come to heavy African infantry and elephants. In the second battle, the left flank of the Romans literally demolished the right flank of the Carthaginians. The elephants perished ineptly, unable to inflict a single hit. Both my opponent and I maneuvered desperately, but Mars was clearly on the side of the Romans in both fights.

Mad Doc (Carthanigian) 3 Banners

PaulKT (Rome) 8 Banners

 

Round 5 Game 1 Caralis
Steve T Carthage 8 banners, 30 blocks lost
Forrest/PC Scipio 42 Rome 7 banners, 44 blocks lost
Carthaginian lights rushed forward, occupying the woods and peppering the Roman troops with javelins and sling stones throughout the game, causing significant weakening to the Roman troops. A Carthaginian mounted charge caught Roman light infantry on their rear and destroyed, but the elephants did one block of damage against the legions and were defeated in the battle back and then Hanno and his medium cavalry were cut off and destroyed by the Roman cavalry (1-3).
The melee infantry gradually advanced towards each other. The Romans attacked first with a double time against the right of the Carthaginian line, destroying one unit of auxilia (1-4). Carthaginians replied with Darken The Sky, further weakening the Roman line, and then their Warriors charged into contact against the Roman auxila, getting the better of a hard fought melee (5-6). The battle shifted to the centre, with the Carthaginian heavy infantry double timing forward against the weakened Romans, gaining the upper hand in a hard fought melee (8-7).
Thanks to Forrest for a tense and hard fought battle!

The battle for the first place in the league phase

Game 1
Cap (Carthage)    8
mk20336 (Rome) 7

The ball opened with projectile exchange in the centre but the action rapidly transferred to the open treeless flank, where mk20336 called forward his cavalry. It was clear that "Mounted charge" was coming to wipe out my horsemen, so I was forced to act desperately from the very beginning. Instead of hiding or trying to screen with infantry, I decided to strike first. This bold decision paid off. Series of charge and counter-charge led to the destruction of roman cavalry. This was just the beginning, as mk20336 sent forward his infantry on the same flank, to continue the push. The desperate struggle continued - him trying to break my right and roll my line, and me - fiercely counterattacking with whatever I had left. At some point I was forced to weaken my centre in order to salvage the situation on the flank. As the fight there was brought to a stand-still, I made a serious blunder on the other flank - attacking a roman auxilia in the trees with my warriors. I took all the possible damage (including a leader, killed on a leader check 2d) while inflicting almost none. This was the moment mk20336 was waiting for - he ordered an all-out attack, leading his whole line against me. But here came his blunder. He threw his heavily damaged units alongside his full-strength ones. For me it was now or never. I surged my centre against his and after the initial massacre (at score 7-6 for mk20336), a "Clash of shields" snatched the victory for me, killing one infantry and its leader.

Game 2
Cap (Rome)               8
mk20336 (Carthage) 6

My opponent decided to go turtling, forming two hubs around his leaders - one heavy and strong and one made of lights and cavalry, waiting for the right moment to counterattack. This allowed me to shine in my best - threatening marches to outmaneuver, preparing to concentrate force and defeat in detail. A "Double time" sent my medium infantry to attack his light turtle hub, which got bust-opened from the first turn of attack. Then an unexpectedly successful counterattack by carthage auxilias suddenly brought mk20336 back to the game and forced me to start a retreat. He then unleashed his heavies with "Double time", piercing my centre putting me in a desperate position. I just managed to seal the hole and he just tore my right flank apart from the rest of my army and started slowly eliminating it. I tried to reform my cut-off units, but this attempt was doomed from the beginning. After I survived luckily (due to his poor dice) the onslaught on my right, I decided to launch my cavalry in the centre, seeking the eight banner. A "mounted charge" did the miracle and closed the match.

Thanks to mk20336 and I am sure we will meet again in the finals.

Game 2
Tomek (Carthage) - 8 banners
rjvonline (Rome) - 5 banners

One of these grand scale battles with a lot of manoeuvres and a lot of projectiles between the armies. Although Rome managed to crash through the centre and the left flank, the iberians on the right managed to wipe out their opponents for the final victory for Carthage. Some notable moment was the kamikaze attack of lonely light infantry on the elephants surrounded by enemies and the numdian raid behind the enemy lines. All in all good game with a worthy opponent.  

Round 5 - Caralis C3i 13

Game 1 (already reported but results both here to make it easier for Mark to access)
BrentS (Carthaginian) 6
RiverWanderer (Roman) 8 

Game 2
BrentS (Roman) 8
RiverWanderer (Carthaginian) 4 

While there was some really interesting manoeuvreing across the battlefield, the story of this battle was on the Roman left. The Romans were able to get Auxilia into the centre/right forest border hex in the middle of the battlefield with good infantry and leader support and that pretty much secured that flank. Although there was ongoing missile fire and an elephant advance that area of the battlefield was essentially locked and the Carthaginian heavies and Warriors never featured. On the Roman left the Carthaginians advanced their lights with their Medium Cav in support and the Romans sprung a Mounted Charge and used a First Strike (first of two they used) to kill the Carthaginian Medium Cav, Hanno on a leader check and both Carthaginian light cav on follow up retreat path blocks. The Carthaginians responded strongly by getting Hasdrubal to that flank and dropping two Double Times and a Spartacus to kill both Roman Cav despite evasion. The Spartacus was actually their bane, however, because it recycled the First Strike. In a vicious close combat sequence between lights and Auxilia, the Romans First Struck to kill a depleted Carthaginian auxilia, then finished it off with a Clash of Shields and killed Hasdrubal when he retreated in range of momentum advance and fell to a helmet on 3 die Auxilia roll. 

Thanks Mark for a couple of very strongly fought and enjoyable games. Well played. Really enjoyed this scenario….nothing fancy, some important but not overburdening terrain, a good selection of units and plenty of scope for creative play through manoeuvre and positioning. Good choice, Mark M. First Strike was the decider in this second game and we had an interesting post-game discussion about its role in the deck and how to play with the knowledge that it’s there. Different philosophies  and approaches, which is one of the great qualities of this deceptively simple game.

Brent.

 Game 1
EZPickins (Roman) 4 banners
DanieleC (Carthaginian) 8 banners

 The battle starts with a skirmish between the Carthaginians slingers and the Romans Auxilia supported by the light Infantry. This last some turns until the Roman decide to break the tie and advance with his Medium in the center and the Cavalry on his left where they face a Carthaginian mounted charge in response. When the dust is settle the Roman Cavalry is defeated along with his leader costing to the Carthaginians one Light Cavalry (1-3). Carthage as well advance with its line and the clash starts. Far from their Leader the Romans suffer and fall under the hits of the Carthaginians Veterans lead by Hasdrubal (3-6).  The last banners come from the Roman left where two Auxilia fall under the charge of the Hanno Cavalry (4-.

Game 2
DanieleC (Roman) 6 banners
EZPickins (Carthaginian) 8 banners

Same start as Game 1. Lights skirmishing all along the battlefield, but with an important difference, Carthaginians slingers occupy the woods in front of the Roman being a real trouble. Feeling good with the support of his slingers Hasdrubal decide to drive his Veterans together with the Elephants against the Roman line. The surprise effect is devastating and Romans falls like flies until Torquatus can reorganize the legions and counterattack. Overwhelmed in numbers the Carthaginians cannot resist. The attack has been dammed, but at what cost! (2-4). With Hasdrubal defeated and rescued by an Auxilia unit the initiative passes now to Hanno and his Cavalry. The Attack at the Roman right flank is brutal (2-7), but the momentum does not last until the end and some unfortunate dice allow the Roman to survive, retaliate and capture another two banners before capitulate (6-.

Thanks to John for those tense battles, unfortunately the Dice Gods where not with him when most needed.

Wish him all the best for the next rounds.Daniele

kwofford (Roman) 5 banners
Boredbeyondbelief (Carthaginian) 8 banners 

Battle opened with a charge from the cavalry on the roman left, an impulsive move that cost the Romans a leader.  The Carthaginians replied with an initial cautious advance of their left into the terrain.  The Romans responded and got the worst of the skirmish, and responded with a bold double time bringing them into contact with the slowly advancing Carthaginian main line.  After a mildly effective shock, the Carthaginians counterattacked the double time and crushed the Roman center.  With the Carthaginians well ahead in the banner race, the dead heavy and medium infantry piled high in the center, the battle collapsed into a swirling skirmish as both lines fed light and medium troops from the flanks into the center. A bold (re: suicidal) charge of the last Roman cavalry unit was cut down and the battle was over. 

Boredbeyondbelief (Roman) 4 banners
dwofford (Carthaginian) 8 banners  

The second battle opened with a swirling cavalry melee on the Roman left.  After the death of all the medium cavalry, the Carthaginian elephant corps charged the Roman center. Despite being driven back several times, the elephants attacked the Roman line again and again, succeeding in penetrating deeply and finishing off several medium and heavy Roman infantry units.  Meanwhile, the Roman auxillae retreated from a hail of projectiles from the Carthaginian right.  The Carthaginian line used a couple of line commands to advance on the Roman center and left, felling a leader and following up on Stampy’s strong early work.  The Romans desperately counterattacked, but the last unit fell to a Carthaginian Clash of Shields between the auxilae. It was a great pair of battles, and closely decided by the luckiest elephant unit I have ever had in a game.