OT2022 Round 4

C&C Ancients Open 2022
Round 4
...

OT2022 Round 4

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!

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
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 (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.

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

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.   

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
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!