OT2017 Round 5

Round 5
 
Scenario: 407 Medway (43 AD) 
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OT2017 Round 5

Please submit game results here in the form
Game 1
Player 1 (side) # banners won
Player 2 (side) # banners won

short narrative

Game 2
Player 1 (side) # banners won
Player 2 (side) # banners won

short narrative

I'm traveling and I've not the game with me, but there is something I do not understand. In he scenario special rules I read "The river is only fordable by light foot units. Other troops treat is as impassable terrain for movement and in retreat." So what are the Roman units beyond the river supposed to do? Stay there and throw pila to approaching enemies?

Edit: And by the way there is a medium Roman infantry right on top of a river tile... now I'm suspicious... is that tile a ford?

g1ul10 wrote: I'm traveling and I've not the game with me, but there is something I do not understand. In he scenario special rules I read "The river is only fordable by light foot units. Other troops treat is as impassable terrain for movement and in retreat." So what are the Roman units beyond the river supposed to do? Stay there and throw pila to approaching enemies?

Edit: And by the way there is a medium Roman infantry right on top of a river tile... now I'm suspicious... is that tile a ford?

Yes, there is a bridge below MI. And the tricky thing is to move all those HI and MI of Geta in time before Batavians (light auxiliaries of Rome) will be smashed.

R5 - Medway Game 2

BrentS (Britons) 6 - Mantra (Romans) 3

Both games completed.....Chris will be reporting the first.

Britons started. I'd usually consolidate and play defensively with a hand of 4 but with a starting hand full of left cards I had to go for it when the Roman lights pushed forward to fire. The chariots cut off retreat paths and killed a light infantry and Auxilia in one play. The Romans retreated behind the river with a 1 block Auxilia frustratingly out of reach of the water-shy chariots. It took me several card plays to get my only light infantry on that flank up into firing range and he never managed to take out that 1 block Auxilia, even with a Spartacus and Darken. From there it switched to the centre and Roman left as the imposing legions Julianed into action (I completely overlooked this in the first match when it would have benefited me.....thinking Marian.....we remembered in time for me to be on the receiving end :dry: ). A timely Line Command helped me get positioned just in time. The British line took the initial Roman assault and then the Warriors went in with Order Blue for what I hoped would be a crippling charge....and completely fluffed their rolls, leaving me cursing my luck and a number of one and two block Romans surviving and ready to inflict pain. Luckily for the Britons the enemy fluffed their rolls too. Luck really swing their way then with a Clash of Shields play, which included a 1 die leader kill for a single turn 4 banner haul and dramatic victory. The leader kill clinched it....if the Romans had survived a turn I think their counter would have finished the game.

The second game in a row where the Britons started first, which must be unusual. The Britons also won both matches, which might also be unusual but starting first may have something to do with it (making the luck of the starting roll important and maybe not ideal for a tournament scenario). Still, it was challenging and a lot of fun. Thanks to Chris for two well played and tense matches.

Interestingly, I think Clash of Shields was the game ender for both games (and may have killed a leader both times?) for unexpected game swinging wins.....unusual again as it's frequently a disappointing card.

Brent.

Game 1
toganalper (Romans) 1
g1ul10 (Britons) 6

In order to somehow reduce the luck element, we decided to roll for the initiative only once for both games and the Barbarians resulted the first to move. The first game took part in the Roman right section, with Britons attacking with their chariots and warriors and Romans countering with their auxilia. The final score is more unbalanced than how the game felt. In fact there were several 1 block Britons units on the map at the end of the game.



Game 2
toganalper (Britons) 3
g1ul10 (Romans) 6

Again an assault by the Britons on the Romans right flank. The Romans decide to keep their position around the river but after repeated chariot assaults the count is 3 medals to 1 for the Barbarians. At this point however the medium and heavy Roman legions arrive in contact with a group of already tattered Briton units in the center, and the slaughter begins... a "Double Time" and a couple of lucky rolls and the game was over.

Round 5, Game 1
Roman (Brent S): 5 Banners
Britons (Mantra): 6 Banners

The Britons won the initiative, but had a really bushy hand with no named cards and sadly a heavy one (not much use here). Action started off for the first half of the game on the Roman right. The Britons did a few HCH runs into the Roman light ranks and pretty much went tit for tat in banners, but lost their leader on that flank. The Romans continued to push their right gaining 2 more banners all the while the Britons trying to set up their lines and push their right and center. This paid off as the warriors were able to eliminate a Roman heavy and bag a leader, bringing up the banner count to 5 each. The Romans, try as they may, couldn't get the last banner on their next activation. Then the Britons came back with the Clash of Shields card for the win.

The Britons were able to pull off the win in the end, even though it looked grim at the midway mark. Oddly enough, the second game was much the same with the players being reversed. Enjoyed playing the games with Brent. Hopefully he can make it to the next round.

Game 1
Tomek (Rome) - 6 banners;
Armada01 (Britons) - 4 banners
An Julian legion in action is a magnificent view.

Second game:
Armada01 (Rome) - 6 banners;
Tomek (Britons) - 2 banners
A very clear victory for Rome. Poor Britons showed a lot of courage but little coordination.

Game 1:

Britons: gcallari - 5 Banner (27 blocks lost)
Romans: christhibault - 6 Banners (36 blocks lost)

Game 2:

Romans: gcallari - 5 Banners (30 blocks lost)
Britons: christhibault - 6 Banners (24 blocks lost)

Both matches were extremely close in the end. For the most part, both matches opened with BCH charges and the Britons nearly defeated the Romans in the first match on the Briton left. Even after Caratacus was killed in the first wave. Roman legions managed to defeat the Briton Warriors for the victory in the first match after much blood was spilled on both sides. In the second match, Togodumnus and the Briton warriors was able to push the Roman legions back after nearly being routed and Caratacus was able to finish off a weakened Roman auxillia for the victory.

Gabriele was a great opponent and both matches were extremely close and nearly victories for him.

Round 5 results
Game 1
scipio1zama (Romans) 6 banners won
plainscape (Barbarians) 4 banners won

The Romans had a slow start and the Barbarians had 2 lucky attacks. On the right flank, chariots ripped through Roman lines and one the left, the horde did their damage but was ultimately repelled. The weakened horde could not withstand the wrath of Rome.


Game 2
plainscape (Romans) 6 banners won
scipio1zama (Barbarians) 0 banners won

Keeping together a tight formation on both sides of the field, the Romans deftly repelled the chariots and then unleashed a quick assault on the left flank. Fortune favored the Romans greatly in this one and the Barbarian rebellion was quickly put to an end.

Edit: corrected score