Round2

Polonus,

Contact me at PCScipio42@yahoo.com to set up our match.

Thanks

Match 1
Tuscan Centurion - Simon S (Niger) - 3 banners
Riverwander - Mark B (Severus) 7 banners

First phase was several rounds of ranged fire with Severus getting the better of it, culminating in a brief foray of Severan Heavy Infantry to finish off one of Niger's Light Infantry units.

By mid-game, both sides had very different plans in place, to judge from the subsequent action. As Severus' cavalry took the initiative on the board-left, Niger's infantry line advanced en-masse to attack in the centre. Niger's right flank was destroyed in a cavalry charge, leaving his medium and heavy infantry to exact as much vengeance as possible in the centre before the Severan cavalry chased down a retreated Light Infantry for the final banner.

   

Match 2
Riverwander - Mark B (Niger) - 4 banners
Tuscan Centurion - Simon S (Severus) 7 banners

In this game, Severus was immediately ready to threaten a cavalry charge on Niger's weak right flank. Niger's response was to retreat the cavalry and offer infantry instead. Severus still attacked, but the outcome was a roughly equal exchange, the remaining Severan cavalry retiring back to the safety of their lines.

Niger's line of battle was now very disjointed as result of those manoeuvres. The next Severan attack came against Niger's own group on the right of the board. Niger's Auxilia were tempted off the hill to attack a vulnerable Severan formation but to no avail, soon the banner line was 6:3 in Severan favour. Leading a last desperate Heavy Infantry attack, Niger managed to secure one more banner before being finally overwhelmed.

NOTE: This should probably be recorded on the score charts as Game 2 as we seem to have played the wrong sides for the Game1 Player 1 / Player 2 sides 

scrum4you (Niger) 3 banners won

John S (Severus) 7 banners won

The early battle was when the cavalry clashed on my left as I eliminated the two MC there for the cost of one of my MC. I had one MOUNTED CHARGE in hand but pulled my cavalry back a bit for the time being. I did not have many good cards for the center so just used my LIGHT TROOPS cards for ranged fire. Ranged fire was the order of the day as both sides let loose arrows with some success. I moved forward in the center to threaten the two forward light units that could not evade. But soon a MOVE FIRE MOVE adjusted Niger’s lines and the hills was where they now defended. I was not too keen on taking on that position. A bit later some of my cavalry engaged two light units one of which evaded and the other which was double flagged out of the woods. On the same turn, I got two hits on an HI on the hills near Niger’s right. I had both MOUNTED CHARGEs in hand now and four cavalries on my left near the enemy baseline. Luckily a DARKEN THE SKY by my opponent did little damage. My first MOUNTED CHARGE went in and killed off two light units on their own baseline. This gave me a 4 to 1 lead. A COUNTERATTACK with the lone remaining enemy MC took out my HC and double flagged and inflicted 2 hits on one MC with my leader which forced it back through the woods into the center. An effective attack as now my leader and one MC was out of position. I now only have three cavalries left for my second MOUNTED CHARGE and two of my MC are down to 1 block. But in goes the attack and I force the HI with leader off the hills and then kill the unit. The leader evades off the board. It is a good thing he did as I kill off the last MC and would have had a 4d attack against that leader. A LINE COMMAND cuts off my 1 block MC with leader and that unit is killed off. The leader survives the 1d check and the 3d escape. He is one lucky fellow as he has lived through several leader rolls. I then play I AM SPATACUS and roll very well with two red, two blue a green and leader result. The blue and green and the most important. I cutoff an AI on the hill with two MC and move a leader onto an AI. Two 3d attacks does the trick and it is over. We spent nearly 2 hours on this game and well played it was. My opponent, John, did very well even though he does not have many games under his belt. I had the better of the luck for sure with both MOUNTED CHARGES in my hand and my great I AM SPARTACUS rolls along with timely combat rolls and the left flank leader surviving the battle. We are set to play game 2 on Saturday and I am looking forward to it.

 

Only 4 days left till the deadline for this round, and a lot of outstanding matches. Please get your matches played and reported!

Round 2 - return match

Renaud (Niger) 7 banners, 26 blocks lost
vs
Michal (Severus) 5 banners, 33 blocks lost

Michal started with Mounted card on the left, expertly moving his leader from HC to MC to provide support to his lead MC elements, but he still could only manage contact with one on my unsupported MCs (that had First Strike but only scored 1 hit) and while he reduced it to 1 block, he didn't get to follow up. On the next turn, I attacked with the other MC and killed his lead MC with my 1-block MC, then attacked and reduced another MC of his. Eventually he did kill both of MCs, but his attack petered out at even losses as my HI with leader moved to stabilize that area. In the center, Michael repeated my early Double Time attack on the LI of the last game, but with far more success (2 killed out of 3 attacked vs. 0 killed for me last game), but to some extent that was the high mark in the center for him. Successful play of a couple of Line Commands blunted his attacks on the ridge line. The best he achieved was reducing an MI to 1 block, but it was pulled from the line in time and never was eliminated. In fact, it did attract his 2-block MC with commander from the left flank, but a lucky shot from my LB reduced the MC to 1 block and I was also able to put my MI out of reach and protected by moving my left flank MC. Eventually, I did manage to kill that MC, though not the leader, when it returned to its flank and tried to escape. As his situation seemed rather difficult, Michal rolled the dice (so to speak) and moved again against my center on the ridge with his two HI and a couple of other units, and in the next turn played Clash of Shields, but even with the 2 additional dice, he did not manage to break my line, while I scored my last banner on the blow back, rolling 3 dice and getting 3 hits to kill my 7th enemy unit (7-5,33 enemy blocks vs 26). Overall, I think we both had decent cards, but my dice luck was better than his at key moments, including at the very last. It's just that it can be difficult to take the ridge.

Round 2

Match 1
Player 1 (Niger) – Viridovilas –  7 banners won
Player 2 (Severus) – Javelinthrower – 6 banners won

Match 2
Player 2 (Niger) – Javelinthrower – 0 banners won
Player 1 (Severus) – Viridovilas – 7 banners won

Two nice mathces far more balanced than the score tells. Javelinthrower is a tough player to match!

results table update.. if the result isn't included, please report it or remind me of it..
www.commandsandcolors.net/ancients/artic...s/ot2024/round2.html

Round 1
Player 1 (Niger) – Zocchi – 7 banners won
Player 2 (Severus) – Jawanick – 6 banners won

Severus tries to attack from his left by infiltrating with horses trying to surprise his opponents from behind the forest. Niger tries to maintain its positions by attacking from a distance. The first attack of the cavalry scores, but a double “double time” brings the situation back to parity. A few skirmishes and Severus's cavalry fails. But there are too many heavy units on the field. Part of the hill is lost. Niger are on the defensive until they look for an opening with the leader. After some clashes we find ourselves in a draw, and it is there that from the Niger side we hear shouting: "a horse, my kingdom for a horse..." ...not to escape but to attack ...and so the match ends


Round 2
Player 1 (Niger) – Jawanick - 6 banners won
Player 2 (Severus) – Zocchi – 7 banners won

roles reversed but same initial tactic... cavalry pressing on the flank. We continue with ranged attacks. Severus tries to climb up to take the two light units, always under the rain of Niger arrows, which hides his units in difficulty very well. The central units move well on the cavalry which is routed, so does Severus trying to conquer the hill to be able to start with heavy attacks. And at the end of the battle we try everything for everything, like the previous one.

Excellent rival Nick, really very good at unit’s management. Thanks to him for the two splendid matches!

   

  Match 2
Player 1 (Niger) – JohnS –  3 banners won
Player 2 (Severus) – Scrum4You – 7 banners won

The game started with both sides trading ranged fire. Niger retreated to be mostly out of range on the hills. The game continued slowly until Niger boldly attacked with MC on an exposed LB on Severus' frontline. Severus took the bait, surrounded the MC and destroyed it, at the cost of having units up against Niger-occupied hills. Severus finished the assualt with units attacking Niger's front line on the hills with both sides taking hits.

Severus then advanced a force of MC/HC on left flank. Niger responded with Mounted Charge, attacking the lead MC and an exposed A in the middle. The A was knocked down to one block, the now wounded MC retreated to his baseline, and Niger's MC's bonus CC yielded a second wounded Severus MC that had to retreat. Severus' left flank attempt had been effectively blunted.

Severus played CounterAttack to bring his healthy flank cavalry into effect and took out Niger's MC, then advanced on a Niger L that was weakened and evaded. At this point, Severus had 2 MCs and one A down to 1 block, but Niger had weakened L and MC against their baseline and under threat from healthy Severus cavalry.

Niger played a nice Leadership Any and advanced off the hills to threaten the weakened Severus units and a H. He took out the H with one roll, and the weakened A, which tied the score at 2-2, but the MC evaded and lived.

Severus played Spartacus and activated H/MC/LB/Leader. He wiped out the L and MC pinned on their baseline, making it 4-2. Niger attacked the left flank of Severus' line hoping to catch up. Each side lost one unit. Severus played Order Heavy to attack pieces between the lines with an H and an HC coming in from the back, and wiped out an M with a lucky roll. Niger tried to get one more banner by moving an LB in range of 2 MCs with one block, but ranged combat missed. Severus played another Order Heavy and finished off an H with another lucky roll. This ended the game at 7-3.

An unusual game in that there was never any major infantry line engagement. Interesting scenario and good play by JohnS made this very enjoyable.

 

P1 kwofford (NIger) 7 bannersP2 boredbeyondbelief (Severus) 6 banners Severus began with a medium advance, reposition MI in the center and right and advancing the MC on the left.  NIger reorganized sending LI from the center into the woods, and refusing the MC by withdrawing them to cover the rear of the center infantry. After a prolonged exchange of missile fire, Severus advanced on the right, killing the LI on Niger’s left for the first two banners. Niger responded with missile fire, driving back the assault. Severus advanced on his left again, while Niger reorganized to tighten up his lines. Severus dropped a double time to renew his assault in the center, but came off the worst.  Niger counter attacked, charging off the hill with MI, A, and HI.  Each came away with two banners, but Niger remained in control of the hills while Severus’ center was devastated. Niger narrowly dodged death and rejoined his A to lead a final charge off the hill and completing the destruction of Severus’ center. Severus renewed his attack on the right, enveloping Niger’s right and center to pick off a couple of stragglers. Niger responded by pocketing Severus’ heavy cavalry, against hills defended by A, finishing both the HC and leader as he tried to escape for the 6th and 7th banners.  Fun game and a real nail biter, with Severus suffering from worse than  average die rolls. P1 boredbeyondbelief (Niger) 5 bannersP2 kwofford (Severus) 7 banners Severus began with an utter ridiculous hand that included two mounted charge cards, a 3 left and a 2 left card. Not much doubt about the plan here. Severus advanced his MC on his left, scoring an early kill by driving one of Niger’s MC from the field and severely weakening the other. Niger reorganized and responded with a volley of missile fire, while Severus continued advancing  on the left. Niger advanced into the woods in an attempt to break up the cavalry advance, but the first of Severus’ mounted charge cards carried the day. Skirmishing from the woods, Niger managed to kill an A but Severus responded by using the second mounted charge to complete the envelopment.  Niger’s center broken from behind, he dropped a line command and attacked from the remaining center in an attempt to reverse the envelopment.  Severus lost another MC but mauled the counterattack, taking three more banners.  NIger resumed skirmishing, while Severus advanced his center and right infantry on Niger’s remaining center and left. Niger counterattacked with I am Spartacus with the banner count at Niger 6, Severus 5, but Severus dropped a first strike and killed a HI and leader in one exchange for the win.  I had an utterly ridiculous starting hand here, and won with a first strike.  It was a nail-biter, with a surprising reverse at the end. Thanks again for a great pair of games!