OT2026 Round 2

OT2026 Round 2 (2026-04-10)
Game 1
alecrespi (Spartan) 0 Banners
beckerdo (Theban) 5 Banners

The battle opened in the center with what is likely a common move with MI winning a banner, then countered by some LI. As the Spartans formed up a line, the Thebans attacked with HI at the Spartan MH right flank. Unbelieveable gifts from the gods, in the form of near perfect dice rolls, resulted in the hoplites defeated and the battle completed.

Game 2
alecrespi (Theban) 5 Banners
beckerdo (Spartan) 2 Banners

The battle opened again in the center with the MI, attacking, winning a banner, then retreating safely. The Thebans advanced with their right flank, the Spartan MH tried to reply and failed. The Thebans now leading 2-0. The Spartans moved a unified line forward, but then took block losses from "Darken the Sky", leaving three weakened units in range. At this point the Spartan right flanked with MH advanced and won two banners. From there the Thebans picked up the weakened stragglers and marched to a 5-2 victory.

Fun games, but I imagine the Thebans will win this one often.

OT2026 Round 2 
Game 1
EZPickins (Spartan) 3 Banners
scipio1zama (Theban) 5 Banners

"Mike won game 1 as the Theban 5-3.  After a MC skirmish in the center, where I sent his lone MC retreating to the board edge, I then used a counterattack, after his Order Heavy Troops, to move all my HI forward.  He attacked, but my BBs had more dice to roll, and I eliminated Cleombrotos with a double Leader roll, then attrition saw us each lose 3 units (his 3 bronze Hoplites and 3 of my HI, including the Sacred Band.)  Finally, Epaminondas and the last remaining HI took out a Spartan Auxilia for the 5th banner and the win.  This game very much mirrored the actual battle."
I could kick myself for not being more aggressive in our second game - that sort of passivity is not my usual style - lesson learned.

Game 2
EZPickins (Theban) 5 Banners
scipio1zama (Spartan) 0 Banners 

 Game 2 was very different. There was very little action on the Theban left. In fact the Hoplites and heavies never even engaged.  My medium cavalry with a small assist from a light infantry destroyed the Spartan center. They hit time after time while avoiding death by evading and retreats. Probably not that fun for Mike but he fought hard with what he was dealt. 

  

Game 1

Gonzo (Theban) 5 Banners

ANoN (Spartan) 3 Banners

The push of phalanxes favored the Theban

Add the logfile

Game 2

ANoN (Theban) 0 Banners

Gonzo (Spartan) 5 Banners

Spartans moved their phalanx to left with move, double move, line move, then double to fall on leaderless Thebean right flank.
Both games ANoN rolled all leaders. Not good when you only have one leader

John S v Craterus

Game 1

John S (Theban) 5 Banners

Craterus (Spartan) 3 Banners

I start with a handful of cards that are a bit underwhelming. I push my two MC in battle and cutoff the lone enemy MC. I score 2 hits on my first attack and but the BB gets a hit. My second attack fails to finish off the 1 block MC and the BB score a hit and two flags and I lose that MC. Not a great start. After some ranged fire, the opposing units clashed in the center, and I evened the score by taking out an AI. I then used COUNTERATTACK on a DOUBLE TIME and my HI hit the 5 block MH. I reduced two of them to 1 block units and Epaminondas led his HI to finish both of them off but missed on his bonus attack. A CLASH OF SHIELDS kills off one of my HI and a weak MH in the center but my BB bags a 1 block MH and the score is 3 to 3. Two of my wounded HI then move forward to eliminate 1 block units to end the game.

Game 2

Craterus (Theban) 5 Banners

John S (Spartan) 4 Banners

Once again, my starting hand is a bit weak and includes ORDER HEAVY TROOPS. David starts off with MOUNTED CHARGE and does what I could not, kill off the exposed Spartan MC in the center and also get 2 hits on a LI. A nice 1 to 0 Theban lead. I spend several turns pulling back on my right and moving my left and center together. David keeps on advancing and fires off several shots with his lights. I have lost 5 blocks and only scored one hit on the Thebans when I finally feel I must strike out with my LINE COMMAND and order all 12 of my infantries. I can only hit a few units but have BLUE TROOPS in hand too, so I hope things work out for my next turn. I wound one AI and then David plays COUNTERATTACK but has a MC in the center of his infantry line so can only order 7 units but this includes his 4 HI. He makes contact with three of my 5 block MH with a MH and two HI. I lose one MH but my three BB half all three attacking units. My first attack survives a 5d FIRST STRIKE but fails one hit shy of taking out a HI but the 2d leader check fells Epaminondas. My two other attacks take out a MH and HI and I lead 3 to 2. Two center attacks against an AI only get 2 hits with 8d and suffer three hits. A Theban I AM SPARTACUS orders two HI and a MC. I lose a MH in the center and one on my right. I then order 4 center units and kill off one AI and two other attacks fall 1 hit shy of getting that 5 banner. A second Theban I AM SPARTACUS with 5 orders slams the door shut in the next turn.

A close match and well played by David.

R2 G1 Leuctra (report by stephent) 
SteveT Thebans, 5 banners taken, 21 blocks lost
TTC Spartans, 4 banners taken, 23 blocks lost 

This was a quick game: my Theban HI double timed forward and were shattered by the Spartan phalanx (1-2), regrouped and advanced again and lost two more banners. Epaminondas, the sole survivor of that flank, mounted the MC (who had ridden to the rescue after defeating the Spartan MC), and on the last turn gained three more banners against the depleted Spartan right. 

Thanks to Treb for a fun game with plenty of chuckles! 

R2 G2 Leuctra (report by TTC) 
TTC Thebans, 5 banners taken, 20 blocks lost
Steve T Spartans, 4 banners taken, 22 blocks lost  

Unlike our last game—which opened with a sudden Theban heavy infantry attack led by the Sacred Band and Epaminondas—this one began with action in the center. A medium cavalry clash quickly earned each of us a banner and set the tone for a tense back-and-forth fight.

For several turns we sparred at range, trading missile fire and probing attacks while the dice slowly wore both sides down. When the Spartan hoplite right finally advanced, the Thebans countered hard, crashing into them and destroying most of the Spartan line.StephenT launched one last valiant charge, and for a moment I thought he might repeat his trick from the previous game—snatching victory with three banners in a single turn. But Epaminondas had the final word, finishing off the last hoplite and Cleombrotos to claim the final two banners.

Quick, tense, and a lot of fun—thanks for the games!

Fox K contact me at charlescab at yahoo

Round 2 - Leuctra 

Game 1
BrentS (Thebes) 5
Marco (Sparta) 1 

Game 2
BrentS (Sparta) 5
Marco (Thebes) 2 

Game 1 

Thebes made what seems like an obvious opener and killed the exposed Spartan cav unit in the centre. What’s it doing there? I guess the Spartans weren’t known for their cavalry prowess. A good opening hand and the Theban phalanx skirted the dangerous Spartan hoplites and then Double Timed into the centre, away from the Cleombrotos. It took a few cards for the Spartans to bring their phalanx back into contact and then play a Mounted Charge, unluckily whiffing a 5 dice roll that would have killed a 1 block Theban Heavy, but it was too late anyway and Thebes finished it off with a Spartacus. 

Game 2 

No mucking around here. Thebes Double Timed straight into the Spartan phalanx and did damage but a couple of the hoplites survived, as did Cleombrotos, scored two very lucky 6 dice 4 hit kills on a Clash of Shields and Cleombrotos advanced to pick off the unattached Epaminondas who had had been lurking just behind his line after a previous leader retreat, hoping to find himself hooking up with a retreating unit maybe?….but found himself alone, isolated and dead. All the action on the Spartan right, a 10 minute game tops. Nasty. 

Thanks to Marc for the games. I felt the first game was somewhat determined by strategy, even with a whiffed Spartan roll, the second was just dumb buckets of dice luck and I can’t claim any credit. Marc did the right thing, pushing Theban hand dominance and not giving the Spartans any time for manoeuvre, but was just very unlucky. I expect the majority of games for this scenario are just phalanx on phalanx crunch on the Theban left without much manouevre and not featuring the rest of the battlefield. Not my favourite scenario.

Brent.

Game 1
gotigerssc (Theban) 5 Banners
GomJabbar (Spartan) 4 Banners

The Theban MC units in the center drew first blood in the opening round by eliminating the only Spartan cavalry. The Spartan lights responded and destroyed a Theban MC and pushed the other back. Slow methodical movement forward on the Spartan left and center followed from both sides. Neither seemed to want to commit their heavy units on the right flank. The Thebans managed to get another banner before the Spartan MH units advanced far enough to join the fray on the left and center. Then the Theban heavies took the first step forward. The Spartan bronze units responded with a charge forward to take out 2 heavy units. A big blow. A Theban Spartacus card had little effect. The Spartan right regrouped and eliminated another heavy and brought the last heavy to 1 block.. It was looking like game over for the Thebans with 4-2 banners for the Spartans. But then the Thebans played an Out Flanked. Seemed like an innocuous card but they managed to kill 3 Spartan units in 1 turn with an amazing string of dice rolls for the win, 5-4, on Turn 9.
 
Game 2
GomJabbar (Theban) 5 Banners
gotigerssc (Spartan) 1 Banners

This game was the fastest and most bizarre game of Ancients I have ever played. It was over in about 20 minutes. The Thebans started with the same move as last game with MC attack in the center taking out the Spartan MC unit. The Spartans responded with moving their left flank forward. It was looking like this game would copy the previous game. But the Thebans had a great card up their sleeve (Double Time) just waiting for the opportunity to play it. But first the Theban MC units continued the attack and were able to eliminate a Light, 2-0. Now they just needed to get to safety before the heavies took over. Fortunately the Spartans obliged by rolling flags against the Theban MCs allowing them to retreat to safety. Then the Theban Double Time was played. The heavies surged forward knocking down the Spartan bronze hoplites and pushing them back. The best melee roll was by the Theban Sacred band who rolled 5 hits on 5 dice against Cleombrotos's bronze hoplites, eliminating them in 1 roll. Cleombrotos survived but the writing was on the wall. The Spartan hoplites were decimated. The Spartans were able to take out 1 heavy but the Theban heavy onslaught continued with the Thebans winning, 5-1 in Turn 4. Unbelievable dice rolls for the Thebans won the game in record time.
 
Thank you gotigerssc for the games. They were quick and brutal.

Game 1

Mark McG (Theban) 5 Banners
Brendan (Spartan) 2 Banners

First move eliminated the Spartan cavalry using the Theban cavalry, which took beatings in the follow up attacks and took no further part in the battle. Then a lot of repositioning until finally the Thebans screwed up their courage and advanced on the Spartan line. Lady luck favoured the Thebans, eliminating the Spartans with only 2 Theban phalanx lost.

 

Game 2

Brendan (Theban) 1 Banners
Mark McG (Spartan) 5 Banners

A virtual replay of the opening moves, eliminating the Spartan cavalry, but a single block Spartan Light infantry managed to cut behind one Theban cavalry and get a flag. Equal cavalry losses.

Thence followed the repositioning again, with the Spartan hoplites backing away somewhat. The Theban phalanx then double timed into the battle, and rolled poorly. Spartans moped them up without loss.

 

Game 1
GdNuke (Theban) 5 Banners
RiverWanderer (Spartan) 3 Banners

Immediate Double Time on the Theban left set the game on track for a Theban win in short order. With no special cards to assist, only the resilience of the 5 block Medium Hoplite units allowed the Spartans to gain 3 banners before the end.

Log:  

Game 2
RiverWanderer (Theban) 5 Banners
GdNuke (Spartan) 2 Banners

A much longer game with no blitzkrieg available to either side. Even so, the Theban Cavalry got off to a good start with a standard attack on the exposed Spartan Medium cavalry, claiming a banner and, not long after, attacking again to claim an unsupported Spartan Auxiliary, before retreating to safety.

The Thebans were in no mood to rush and both sides settled down to ranged combat, whilst the Theban line gradually came together. Finally, the Theban heavies started making contact and at that point the Spartans - with the banner line now 3:2 against them - could not delay and advanced their Hoplites across the board with a Mounted Charge. The Thebans had the better in Battle-back to claim a fourth banner, with a fifth beckoning - and taken - on the game's next and final turn.

Log: