OT2025 Round6

2025 Open Tournament 
Round 6
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OT2025 Round6

There is an error in the VASSAL game save file in the Module (which will be corrected), but in the meanwhile, please load this game save file as the start point
 

update module with the corrected scenario is here
vassalengine.org/library/projects/Commands__Colors_Ancients

v4.3.30

Message for Max. I've replied a few times to your emails but I think from your messages that you're not receiving them? From your available times I can do UTC 1000 this Friday (tomorrow) or September 17.

Brent.

Hi David I,

I can't seem to see your email address on your profile page. Could you please drop me an email or respond to this to arrange our game?

JawaNick

Match 1 
TTC (Syracusans) 6 banners 
Kandras (Athenians) 4 banners 

This battle was quick and brutal. A quick Athenian line command was met by an unsuccessful Syracusan move against the Athenian left. The Athenian second card was a Mounted Charge, which joined the main Hoplite lines in battle, drawing first blood with three quick banners for the Athenians. A Syracusan Counterattack split the Athenian Hoplite line, and, with some hot dice, put the Syracusans up 4-3. After continued sparring, it looked like one final Syracusan Mounted Charge would bring victory, but Lamachus was able to retreat from danger, only to fall from a battle back after failing to destroy a one-block Hermocrates and Hoplites. 

Match 2 
TTC (Athenians) 6 banners 
Kandras (Syracusans) 5 banners 

This battle opened much more slowly for the Athenians, as an ineffective bow attack was countered with a charge by Syracusan cavalry, driving some of the ranged units back. The Athenians tried to reform their flanks and cause some damage from ranged fire. Then the two Hoplites met, the Athenians hitting first but causing minimal damage (one banner). A Syracusan Line Command proved indecisive but did split the Athenian line. The Athenians were up 4-1 after a Double Time allowed them to surround part of the Syracusan line, but many of the Athenian Hoplites were down to their last block. After Niclas fell in battle, the score stood at 5-4 in favor of the Syracusans, with most Hoplites on both sides dead. The Athenians picked off a Medium Cavalry that had been weakened in the initial skirmishing to bring it to 5-5, then two flags on a battle back against a Syracusan Light Cavalry drove them from the field, giving the Athenians their sixth and final banner. 

It was a pleasure playing again with my friend Andras (as we had just played a few weeks ago in C&C Medieval).    

   

Round 6, Match 1
stephent  (Athenians) 4 banners 
RiverWanderer  (Syracusans) 6 banners 

Skirmishing on the flanks transformed into pitched melee on the play of consecutive Line Commands. As the sides wore each other down, the Athenians seemed to gain the upper hand in the key areas of the field. However, the desperate Syracusans lucked into the win thanks to a timely leader kill amongst 3 banners on the last turn. There were several ways the Athenians might have won but for that lucky break.

R6G2
Mark B /Riverwanderer Athenian, 4 banners taken, 26 blocks lost
Stephen T, Syracusan, 6 banners taken, 27 blocks lost
This time, Mark’s Athenians were slowly winning with missile fire on the flanks, with a strong force of Athenians advancing on their right flank – so I ordered the Syracusan phalanx forward, with the Athenians charging forward with double time. In the previous game, my Athenians had the poorer dice rolls in the phalanx clash, today it was Mark’s Athenians with the poorer dice. With the Athenian phalanx broken and Niclas dead, Hermocrates and an attached hoplite unit lumbered down the battle-field, trying to chase down fleeing Athenian lights for the last banner…but meanwhile the strong Athenian right was gradually pushing forward, closing on a host of shattered Syracusan units. Finally my MC hunted down a one block Athenian LI on the back corner, ignored a first strike and took the banner. One more turn and the Athenians would have had the victory.
Another exciting match against Mark B! 

Round 6 - 614 ANAPUS 

Game 1
BrentS (Athens) 6
Viridovilas (Syracuse) 5 

Athens started this one by dividing their hoplite line with an Order Mounted, moving 3 towards each flank. Probably not ideal to divide their phalanx but the flanks were where their orders were and it seemed like a good idea at the time. It wasn’t. It did pin a slinger and retreat a Medium Cav off the map but Athens stalled badly from there. Syracuse then Line Commanded and Ordered Medium against Nicias, isolated on his flank, and killed his unit with a 4-for-4 and then him on a leader check. Syracuse mopped up that flank and Athens was disorganised and slow to respond. Lamachus tried to make progress with a Mounted Charge in the centre but the Syracusans retreated and ran….but he just got lucky and was able to Double Time (not planned, just drawn) into the exposed Syracusan left, where Syracuse must have been stuck for cards with Command 4 because they tried to attack with their depleted Cav and Auxilia and lost all three in one turn on battle back. A fun game and very close but an undeserved victory for Athens. 

Game 2
BrentS (Syracuse) 6
Viridovilas (Athens ) 4 

Syracuse had stellar cards and kept drawing them. Order Lights, Line Command, Mounted Charge, MFM x 2, Leadership Centre and Left, which told more than the dice I think. Athens opened up with their superior firepower but Syracuse got their line formed and then advanced the lot forward and to their left with a Line Command. Athens responded by attacking the two forward hoplites but crucially one survived the onslaught to do battle back damage. Then a Mounted Charge….the Athenians killed one depleted Syracusan hoplite with a First Strike but Hermocrates had positioned himself to force a leader escape on Lamachus and he died under the hooves of the Syracusan Medium Cav (a question here I’ll ask at the end). A successful leader escape kill is usually decisive, taking an extra banner and seriously weakening the enemy in that part of the field, and I think it was the decider for this game. Syracuse took 5 banners on the one Mounted Charge card play! Nicias bullied the stranded Syracusan centre units that Hermocrates had left behind as he tried to advance on the river and nearly pulled it back but the lone Syracusan Medium Cav left on their right flank rode down a depleted Athenian hoplite for the final banner. 

Two great games with a very strong opponent, thanks Max. This is a nasty little scenario (nine out of ten Syracusans agree) but it was surprising how strongly Syracuse performed in both games. 

The question. The leader escape through the Medium Cav during Mounted Charge. I’m certain that the unit the leader is escaping through rolls its modified dice (+1 if Mounted Charge or Spartacus or Alexander or Caesar, etc). The rules say the unit rolls its normal dice against the leader but in the context of the leader not benefiting from terrain and I'm sure in the distant past there was a ruling by RB on this. I’m going to see if I can hunt down a clear reference to this but if anyone does have a reference to a ruling I’d be grateful. 

Brent.

Okay, so I can't find anything from RB or in FAQ. Meaning I'm probably wrong (shock, horror . Don't know where that had popped into my mental ruling file but now binned. We played the escape with the Medium Cav's base dice anyway, so no harm done.

BRent.