OT2021 Round 5

Game 1

Macedonia (Rand)  7 banners
Sparta (PCScipio42) 6 banners

Sparta got off to a 6-1 start with the aid of mounted charge +1 card. Macedonia was still able to form a decent line after that play. Score got closer and closer and eventually it was 6-6. Sparta had a chance with 1 unit that could either attack a weakened Aux or a medium. I chose the aux thinking if I didn't kill the Aux the resulting battle back would only be 3 dice as opposed to 4. Fate deemed that I should have chose the mediums to attack and Macedonia was able to finish off the Spartans next turn. Game was fun and intense and showed one should never give up in CC:A.

Game 2

Macedonia (PCScipio42) 7 banners
Sparta (Rand) 6 banners

Lightning does strike twice as Macedonia was down 6-1 and came back to win, partly due to a lucky bow shot killing a 1 block Sparta medium. Macedonia was lacking center cards and may have actually helped as Sparta was holding Clash of Shields and was just waiting for the Macedonians to get in contact. Couldn't ask for two better games.

 

files

Game 1 
Stephen (Spartan) - Banners 1
Cavie (Macedonian) - Banners 7

Dice were not friendly to Sparta and favored the Macedonians to boot.  Game did not play as the final banner count indicates.

Game 2
Stephen (Macedonian) - Banners 7
Cavie (Spartan) - Banners 6

A much more evenly matched game both in the battle maneuvers and the dice percentages.  Stephen played a mounted charge that essentially set the tone for his win.  This game a few 3d rolls produced 3 hits w/o leader support!  Played out much more like I figured the scenario would this time 

Cavie has been generous in his description of the first battle. My Spartans were badly generalled and fought badly - the death of the Spartan leader charging into the midst of and surrounded by enemies was richly deserved!

Game 1 
Mk20336 (Spartan) - Banners 1
Polonus100 (Macedonian) - Banners 7

I had everything to win this game. Double Time, Line Command and even successful First Strike. Good rolls. Spartacus and Clash of Shields in the hand were simply not used. Mere "Macedonian Massacre by Battle Sarissa". And "Four Blue Triangles Roll" giving his only VB to Michał is also to remember. 


Game 2
Mk20336 (Macedonian) - Banners 6
Polonus100 (Spartan) - Banners 7

Good beginning by Macedonians, but devastating Double Time by Spartans. Macedonians had simply no card to exploit numerical advantage, and Spartans, outnumbered but good positioned gain last decisive point. Battle in anniversary of iconic Polish (and Lithuanian-Ruthenian) Battle against Teutonic Order at Grunwald 1410. "Two naked sarrissas" didn't help.

Michał ordered well, especially at start of both battles, but had simply no luck in cards and rolls.
Hoping to play him in play-offs

 
 

Round 2
David I (Macedonian) - Banners 7
Gomjabbar (Spartan) - Banners 4

After a trip to the mountains for Gom and a retreat from the mountains courtesy of a public health order for me we came to the re-match. It was tight last time with Gomjabbar edging to a win 7:6 in the face of two successive Mounted Charges from the Spartan hopllites.

This game started with a slightly ambitious foray by the Spartan medium cavalry leaving them exposed to a leader-led cavalry assault which was successful at one blow. Then a Line Command began the Spartan advance. The heavier units in the Macedonian centre retreated to either flank but the phalanx kept coming with Order Four Center. At this point the Macedonian leader really need to be back with his veteran foot soldiers! MFM allowed a few pot shots, one of which took two blocks off a bronze phalanx and allowed a re-alignment with the Macedonians now centred on the second rank. Finally engagement with Order Medium but only a single inconclusive melee ensued. Then Inspired Leadership on the right from Anitpater saw two hoplites succumb, one with a 1-in-16 roll against a full-strength unit. Macedonians must have made some timely sacrifices to the gods before this battle. 3-0.

The depleted ranks of the Spartans now played their trump card - a Mounted Charge. It started dismally on the right flank with a speculative light cavalry attack on the well-supported medium cavalry which was rebuffed, then on the left flank with a 1-in-8 5d failure to strike the single-block unit which had destroyed a full-strength hoplite the turn before. Then finally some better fortune as the two bronze block units carved through the centre killing two full-strength units without reply.  A scrappy exchange in which Antipater's veterans managed to weaken both the bronze units but perished along with the lucky 1-block Mediums left the score at 3-4. The bulk of the Macedonian force was stranded on their left with the Greeks predominant on the other flank.

The Macedonian cavalry combined to destroy the last Greek cavalry and scatter the slingers but again MFM allowed the Spartans to elude the threatened mounted charge and press forward on the left flank, threatening to corner the Macedonina light troops. Now the Macedonian luck came to the fore again as Antipater led a single auxilia to destroy a 1-block (7-in-8 ) and then a 3-block (1-in- bronze hoplite unit. 6-4. Order Four Left allowed the Spartans to tackle the medium cavalry and Antipater's untouchables. Result: more luck for Macedon as the cavalry evaded with a scratch and the Spartan auxilia were halved by Antipater's, once-again unscathed. Order Three Center and the cavalry finished off the weakend Spartan auxilia, characteristically with three swords. 

Despite ridiculously good rolls Macedon only just managed to fend off the Spartan advance; a few crucial points and it could have ended very differently.

Thanks to Gomjabbar for playing so late in the evening and good luck for the next round. 

 
 

Obviously it's game 2 of round 5.

Round 5 Game 1
Mark McG (Spartans) 7 banners
Moose (Macedonians) 2 banners

Agis managed to get into position for a Doubletime into the lines, and did some excellent work. In the end, the Spartan centre was decimated, with a number of 1 block units hiding away. Bit of a mad scramble at the end, but the Spartans managed to win it on battleback. Guess that is what the 5 block units are for. Seemed to draw nothing but Centre cards, mostly order 2 or 3.

Round 5 Game 2
Mark McG (Macedonians) 7 banners
Moose (Spartans) 4 banners
 

Despite a closer scoreline, the Macedonians seemed for more able to set the pace. An early Doubletime by the unnamed Macedonian leader and men almost backfired, with the Macedonian losses outweighing the gains, and the unnamed Spartan leader pushing forwards. Then Agis double timed up into the Macedonian line, and he was an albatross for the Spartan cause. 2 units were wiped out in a stroke under him, and whilst he lived to tell the tale, he was mostly useless. Meanwhile, Antipater was cutting down his strays until his phalanx was in turn cut down, and he fled to the cavalry to conclude the battle. Both Macedonian leaders ended up on the Medium Cavalry..
 

Round 5 Game 1
spleen1980 (Macedonians) 7 banners
taliapharaoh (Spartans) 5 banners

I had a very good starting hand (Mounted, Charge, Rally, Line Command) and I quickly advanced forming a very compact line.
The spartans seems not intimidated and they draw the first blood with ranged fire and close combat.
The spartan army is soon split in two: on the left side an heroic macedonian auxilia unit survives three rounds of attacks, dealling little damange in the battle back, but slowing the progress of the enemy. On the right side a bold attack of the Spartans hoplites eliminates the heavy infantry of the macedonian army, but they end exposed and almost surrounded. I use a double time to surround the hoplites, killing also the leader during his escape.
Then, I try to protect my weakest unit and my leader, while the Spartans try to take down more units: the result is a series of inconclusive dice rolls, bloody battle backs, a very unlucky I Am Spartan for the Spartans and a Macedonian successful counterattack. We both need 2 banners to win. Travis attacks Antipater, the heavy infantry suffers hits, but stays in place and gathers 1 banner. I close the match with a Mounted Charge, launching a med infantry against a 1 block auxilia. Thanks to Travis for reminding me I could do the momentum advance and the bonus attack.

Round 5 Game 2
spleen1980 (Spartans) 6 banners
taliapharaoh (Macedonians) 7 banners

The beginning seems very promising for the Spartans. The fight is all on the right flank, where the hoplites deal a lot of damage. Again, Travis is very, very unlucky with the I Am Spartan card, which allows him to active only two units, not in useful positions.
I have 5 banners, Travis has 3, but the fight now is all about the left flank: I have only three units on the left, against a big and compact line of Macedonians. The turning point of the match is an attack of a med cavalry against Agis III: his soldiers take little damage, but he falls from the horse and break his neck.
On the right flank I try to deal damage, but the Macedonian units run away and are impossible to catch.
My survivors on the left, without the lead of Agis, are in real danger. At some point, my med infantry lures Antipater into a trap (first strike!), but it is completly inconclusive (1 hit only...), but in the next round a Clash of Shields allows an auxilia unit on the hill to take revenge on Antipater.
It 6 - 6 now. My two auxilia on the left begin an endless and unbelievable retreat: I think it took 8 turns for Travis to catch them, I just had all the cards I needed to flee.
I launch a final desperate attack with my light cavalry, which dies in the battle back giving the victory banner to Travis.

Very fun games! Thanks again Travis!
 
 
 

Excellent narrative of two thoroughly entertaining matches!