OT2023 Round 2

Game 1
soul1st (Slave) 3 banners (28 blocks lost)
GomJabbar (Rome) 6 banners (19 blocks lost)

The Romans advanced the light troops on left and right to successfully soften up the warriors with their backs to the mountain. The Slave warriors then rushed at the Romans lights in the center but their reduced strength meant they weren't very devastating. The warriors pushed too far and the Roman medium infantry attacked back with great effect. The score was 2 to 2 with the Romans in good position but the Slaves with 2 units vulnerable. The Slaves tried pushing with light troops on their left but were eliminated or pushed back by the Roman medium infantry and cavalry. The Slaves had virtually no center cards and the Romans had loads of Medium troop cards and was able to move them forward to clean up the final Slaves for the win.
 

Due to the problems we had with the messaging system in the first week of this round, I'm going to extend this round by 2 weeks to compensate, and also to bring these rounds out of phase with the C&C Napoleonics tournament rounds. 

So the rounds will now generally finish on the 14th of the month. This round finished on 14th May now.

Round 2, Mt Garganus 72BC, Game 1
StephenT, Slaves: 6
Taliapharaoh (Travis), Rome: 2
Battle began with effective Slave missile fire on the flanks against which the Romans rallied. The Slave warriors charged the Roman centre which was destroyed, with the Slave centre then wheeling into the Roman right which also fell. The Goddess Fortuna turned her face from Rome.
Round 2, Mt Garganus 72BC, Game 2
Taliapharaoh (Travis), Slaves: 5
StephenT, Rome: 6
After the usual exchange of missile fire, the Romans advanced their left, and were met by the Slave Warrior charge, with the battle evolving into a melee on each flank and an eventual very close Roman victory.
Thanks to Travis for two great games and for putting up with some terrible luck!

     

Uploaded, although I think I managed to do it twice to be sure to be sure

Game 1
Javelinthrower (Slaves) 1 banner
Rabocudonosor (Roman) 6 banners
Slaves in this game did not have a good starting hand: out of only 5 cards two were extremely unusable (order heavy and mounted charge), and with every new useful card used up new and new unusable accumulated, which defined the entire match for me. Tactically, A few skirmishes were fought on the sides with Romans inflicting overall more damage. Slaves moved the entire line forward with Line Command, but had no way to activate any unit except the ligh ones, so were stuck in the crosshairs of enemy fire. Later it were Romans who charged into slaves' right flank and had a lucky exchange which severely wounded the warrior leader and auxilia. Lacking any cards to answer with, the slaves were stuck with using light units which was not siffucient for a counter attack. Finally getting the "3 Units Center" card the Slaves charged one last time and died valiantly, free.
Game 2
Rabocudonosor (Slaves) 1 banner
Javelinthrower (Roman) 6 banners
The game started similarly with outward skirmishes, but this time both forces had the means to quickly form up and close the distance, so very soon all the warriors charged int the romans light center, which managed to evade and endure. In return, the right flank medium fist of romans double timed into the attackers, melting with very lucky dice throws the warrior leader and pushing the survivors back. Very soon the warrior fist was scattered and weakened, allowing the Romans to chase and cut down the leader and all save one units. The final blow was struck on the left flank, when, having had enouh cards to actually move, the medium infantry marched up and struck the light units, killing auxilia and finishing the game.

Game 1

Mark B / RiverWanderer (Slave) # 6
BrentS (Rome) # 5

Roman centre sensed danger and headed off to reinforce the flanks. The Slave Warriors did not disappoint and Double-Timed straight for the Roman right, forcing  a dangerous war machine off the field and embroiling themselves in melee with the Romans. This became the focus of the early battle, until the Romans restored control leaving the flank weak on both sides. It would have been worse for the Slave Army but for some lucky flags and the timely arrival of lights to shield the remnant warrior units.

Meanwhile, battle engaged somewhat late on the other flank. The Romans looked dominant here with no leader to help their opponents. However, the fortunes of close combat gave nearby warriors a chance to come to the rescue and a very (un)fortunate 2d Leader Casualty Check took the Roman's leader and suddenly the game was wide open. The last Roman turn was a Move-Fire-Move, protecting most vulnerable units and positioning for winning combat but giving no chance of an immediate killer blow. The Slave Army now had to go for broke and one tempting target remained, an isolated single block Roman Medium Infantry. Two light cavalry were at hand to cut it off, aided by Mounted Charge. Dice did not let them down, bringing the victory to the Slaves just in time.



Game 2
BrentS (Slave) # 2
Mark B / RiverWanderer # 6

This time the Romans held their line hoping for an opportunity for favourable attack. It came in the form of a Line command and section commands that eventually allowed the Roman army to concentrate against the flanks in an attacking posture. In response, Crixus led a warrior assault against the advancing Roman right but the Romans had reinforcements and dice rolls that won left them in control of that section.

Now, Crixus switched his attention and support to the opposite flank but lucky retreats kept a couple of banners out of his grasp. A particularly unlucky close combat against Roman light infantry left a right flank Warrior unit vulnerable to the predations of Roman cavalry which swept forward to claim a banner. Adding insult to injury, the cavalry pressed on to draw Slave units away and ended up claiming another banner before being eliminated itself. Now the game played out against weakened Slave units on the backline, sweeping the Romans to victory with the aid, ironically, of "I am Spartacus".



Thanks to Brent for the games.

Round 2, Mt Garganus 72BC, Game 1
Viridovilas (Max), Roman: 6
NickMarkevich, Slaves: 2 

Round 2, Mt Garganus 72BC, Game 2
Viridovilas (Max), Slaves: 4
NickMarkevich, Roman: 6 

Both battles have been quite straight forwarded, with the Slave army trying to make some damages in the early stages of the clash. At least, till its warrior infantries remained at full strength. Once the Roman was able to reduce them, the battle proved to be doomed for the Crixus army.

Round 2: Cap vs RobS
Game 1:

Cap (Roman): 6
Rob S (Slave): 3

Commanding the Romasns, I enjoyed all the advantages of numbers, strength, position and deployment the scenario offers, plus better cards and dice than my opponent. After the first three moves, RobS was minus 2 warrior units and his only leader. He tried to make the most out of the remnants of his army and snatched three banners, but that was all. My dice killed any intensity early in this battle, making the victory inglorious.


Game 2:

Cap (Slave): 6
RobS (Roman): 5

Facing all the disadvantages of the Slave army, I had to put my best skills to work if I wanted to dream about victory. Dice in this battle were more balanced and I started with some cards that gave me a chance to maneuver. As in the previous game I noticed that my opponent likes to split his army into two hubs and organize them around the section dividing lines. I thought he was forced to do it, but now, having the Romans, he deliberately did the same. It was like an invitation to me to perform a Napoleonic maneuver. I concentrated as many of my troops as I could at my center-left and poured them on RobS's right hub of troops. Even then I couldn't acheive the necessary numerical or strike ability advantage. This resulted in terrible losses for me before I manage by the skin of my teeth to break his right and acheive a miraculous victory.

Thanks to RobS for his patience and effort he put in the two games!
 
 

GomJabbar (Slave) 3 banners (24 blocks lost)
soul1st (Roman) 6 banners (20 blocks lost)

The Slave warriors took the initiative and, accompanied by Crixtus, tried to do as much damage as possible to the Roman army. The dice (and cards) in this game where on the Roman side and the Slave army lost all of their warriors. In the end they also lost Crixtus.