OT2019 Round 4

1.
Pompean (Gileforn) - 5
Cesarian (DigitalDick) - 7

That was interesting round with many repositioning. Cesarian army was going like a wave again and again. Pompean was like a stone shore. New troops has taken positions of the defeated comrads. This time water was more powerful than a stone. Ceasrian forces captured hills and made a full control of the center. The last turn was very good for the Pompean. There heavy infantry ignored a banner and destroyed a troop with a leader, than they were destroyed too.

2.
Pompean (DigitalDick) - 4
Cesarian (Gileforn) - 7

That was a Ceaser's day. His two troops brought 6 points from total 7. He destroyed enemy units on the left and right flanks, also in the center. That was someting special for him. All starts from the Pompean moving to the hills. Than Ceaser wanted to play in cat and mouse. Pompean forces went a little bit forward to destroy a unit with a leader, but than they got an attack from two heavy troops with Ceaser. Cesarian hevy troop was destroyed only on the hill rounded by 3 enemies with leaders. During the last turn Ceaser brought tree points.

Thanks for DigitalDick. It was a good game.

Game #1:
Pompeian (soul1st) - 4
Cesarian (RiverWanderer) - 7

As skirmishing infantry jostled for advantage in the plain between the opposing camps, the Pompeians made the first move to take the central hill and Caesar launched his attack here, taking steps to bring his cavalry across to reinforce his left flank.

Caesar’s battering ram against the hill claimed the first unit to fall, opening a bloody battle of attrition that left the sides even on victory banners. Even, perhaps, but Petreius looked vulnerable to Caesar’s next assault.

Pompeian cavalry now surged forward to aid Petreius; pushing Caesar’s screen of slingers out of the way. However, the slingers had bought just enough time for Fabius to lead a unit of cavalry reinforcements against the new threat. Fabius' attack was repelled and, not for the first time, he had to flee his destroyed unit for the safety of another. Luckily for Fabius, the Pompeian cavalry had likewise become over-extended and now suffered badly from the wrath of the dice gods. With Pompeian cavalry driven from the field, things were looking up for Caesar. Battered Pompeian infantry rallied back from the hill and made to reinforce their now vulnerable right flank.

Pompeian defence on the hill had been weakened and Caesar urged his legions up the slopes, hoping to roll-up the Pompeian infantry that remained there. Distant from a leader, these infantry could not defend so strongly. Afranius made forward with Pompeian reinforcements but it was too little, too late. Caesar himself led the final attack, bringing all his veteran legions to bear. The fighting was bloody, with one of Caesar’s units falling for two of Afranius’. The hill was Caesar’s and he had won the day, Afranius falling in the final moments for good measure.

Battle laurels go to Fabius. He managed to get into the thick of almost all the action and was lucky to survive. Caesar might need to watch him.

Thanks to Twan for an exciting game. I look forward to facing his Caesar later in the week.

Round 4: Ilerda

Game 1
BrentS (Pompeian) 7 - giu1l0 (Caesar) 5

This was a ripper. I can't remember all the details as it was a spilt game and I didn't run a log for the second part (did you save one Giulio?). The Pompeians occupied the hills early and Caesar skirted them on his left flank. The Pompeians sprung a Double Time to cut off Caesar's retreat path with two heavies, confident of forcing a leader escape and killing him....but he killed one full strength heavy with a single battle back, opening up a free escape path. After the Caesareans took the camps and whittled away the Pompeians with a Darken, the Pompeians Spartacused that flank, killing two units and then retiring to the centre. Play switched to the other flank where the Caesareans killed a medium infantry on a Mounted Charge, then were both killed themselves by a Pompeian Mounted Charge. The Pompeian left pushed forward to trap the depleted Caesarean mediums and take the final banner.

We misplayed and ruled the hills on the Caesarean right as impassable (my fault...lots of special rules and no sleep... hills, rivers, who can tell the difference?). We'll keep those hills impassable for the second game to keep it fair and even.

Game 2
BrentS (Caesar) 7 - giul10 (Pompeian) 6

Another great game although this one was a lot quicker and bloodier. The Pompeians occupied the hills early and Caesar steered clear. Things looked bad for him when his right flank leader was killed on a pot shot ranged attack Double Helmet.....but couldn't complain as there were a lot of one hit 4 block kills for Caesar and pals (this happens a lot with Caesar and Heavies). The key moment came on a Leadership play when Caesar and friends charged to their right, with cavalry cutting off retreat paths and killing four units on the one play. The Pompeians rallied strongly with their cavalry threatening and taking out a Heavy on the Ceasarean left and then knocking a unit out from under Caesar on the right to put the banners to 6 apiece. Caesar advanced and took the last banner in what was a very tight game. Caesar was in the thick of it and had three units killed from under him.....sure he was going to die on a leader check but he's the magic bullet and have to throw him in there to win it.

Thanks Giulio for a couple of very enjoyable, tightly contested games. Very well played.

Giulio has a complete log of the first game, which he will kindly post.

Brent.

game 1
Pompeian (Angoryan) - 7
Caesarian (alecrespi) - 4

Here is the log file of my first game with Brent.

game 2
Pompeian (alecrespi) - 5
Caesarian (Angoryan) - 7

Game 1

Player Nemo2333 (Pomp.): # 4 banners & 30 blocks lost

Player TTK (Cesar): # 7 banners & 21 blocks lost

Start. Pompey took the hills. Caesar approached the hills at the distance of the Pilum's throw. But to attack was left. Pompey's cavalry sacrifice himself, but time was gained, the heavy infantry threw Caesar and Fabius away from their camp.

In same time... On the hills there was a skirmish with javelins, broken units of both sides were taken to the rear. Then Caesar's cavalry broke through on the right, dispersed the detachments and broke into the Pompey's camp...

Caesar's Victory 7:4.

But Shavkat-the-Bukharians had no luck hand with orders (he got all 4 green troops order) and lucky Fabia and slingers with him to throw the dice against 2 units of heavy infantry.

Game 2
Baloo (Caesarian): 6
Mark McG (Pompeiian): 7

Nice opening hand of 2 Line Commands, Leader any Section, Order Medium and First Strike. Quickly deteriorated to 4 order centre cards (the right section I guess).
Pompeiians moved up onto the hill, and then pushed on the Right (where Caesar and the cavalry aren't). Things looked good until Petreius took a pilum through the chest and the Pompeiians were down the centre leader. Still the right went well, forcing Fabius to come back as restore (and the Auxilia made it to the camp even then).

Caesar had enough, and moved up the Heavies, and after raining pilums on the hill, tried to flank. Blood flowed, with Caesar losing 2 units under him, as did Afranius. Any dead leader would be critical, but wasn't to be. Caesar then struck for the hill as the final banner, when a better option might have been a unit kill. Afranius played his 3rd Line Command to reach the decision, and the unnamed leader on the Right proved his worth again and rolled up the line, with the final stroke from the pilum pin cushion on the hill.

Game #2:
Pompeian (RiverWanderer) - 7
Cesarian (soul1st) - 6

Both sides advanced early, Caesar drawing his forces towards the Pompeian right flank and launching the first attacks , led by medium troops in the centre and right. Caesar himself led the centre attack from the front but Pompeian units proved resilient. Afranius coordinated a group in Double Time to launch attacks both on Caesar's weakened unit and the now exposed Cesarian right flank. When the dust settled, despite a First Strike trap set by Caesar, the banners were are 5:nil to the Pompeians and Caesar's right flank, along with its leader, was no more.

However, Caesar was not finished; ordering fresh, heavy troops against the now disorganised and weakened Pompeian front line. Afrianus fought on valiantly but could not withstand the might of Caesar as he pivoted right to re-inforce his attack; taking the banner score to 6:4 to the Pompeians. Meanwhile in the centre, one of Caesar's units had launched an independent attack on the hill and suffered a devastating battle-back from well-established defenders; the weakened Cesarian heavy infantry now faced a Clash of Shields from the same defenders and victory for the Pompeians seemed certain, there and then. But the gods looked favourably on those brazen warriors and they retreated with honour (and, more importantly, without losing their one remaining block).

The situation was now on a knife-edge, Caesar and Fabius each made lone attacks towards likely targets, easily taking the banner score to even at 6-all. Seeing that victory or defeat was at stake, Fabius was on a do-or-die mission and momentum-attacked against the one target that might yield the victory to Caesar: a heavy infantry unit led directly by Petreius. But, the gods did not approve this time and Fabius came off worse. Now, two Cesarian 1-block heavy units were within range of Pompeian forces and Petreius was at the ready to attack with a formation of 3 units in Double Time; the attack hit home to take the remaining block of Fabius' heavy unit, sealing a close battle with a somewhat Pyrrhic-looking victory for the Pompeians.



Thanks to Twan for a hard battle were early Pompeian good fortune was almost overcome by Caesar's fight-back.

Game #1:
Pompeian (Leonardo Angelo) - 7
Cesarian (Stanislav27) - 5

An absolute thriller, which lasted two and a half hours! Leonardo managed a remarkable comeback, being 2-5 down and getting 5 straight Victory Banners to win 7-5. Hugely impressive and left me applauding my opponent.

The first phase of the battle saw both formations moving towards the hills. Leonardo was very good at using his light units to take and hold the hillock with one Auxilia unit distinguishing itself through remarkable resilience. My central efforts frustrated by Leonardo's excellent play, I sought my luck on the (my) right side of the hill, where a Double Time allowed me to make good use of my heavy-hitting infantry with leader support. However, in the centre, the disadvantage of lower elevation proved very costly. After regrouping for some turns, I managed to bring Caesar to the same location (right of centre) and he was absolutely devastating, destroying two full-strength units in one go.

This settled the first half of the battle in my favour. 5-2.

Now I tried to assemble an attack on my left with many flank cards but an outright drought of centre cards. Leonardo was also maneuvering patiently, being far from giving up. But he too was forced to cycle some useless cards.

At last, my push on the left materialized, but Leonardo struck back with extreme accuracy, halting my advance and claiming a number of victory banners. Momentum swung with his forces (even with some 1-block units who had been in danger but had now been withdrawn). His last advance on my centre-left was a masterpiece. He used a cavalry unit to force my light sling into a difficult dilemma: evade or not? I evaded and the slingers survived. But now, my depleted medium infantry lost their support, depriving them of a crucial ability to hold their ground and battle back. Afranius brushed them aside and then dispatched Fabius' weakened unit - and indeed Fabius himself.

It was a stunning comeback! I think it's worth checking out the game log!

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Game #2:
Pompeian (Stanislav27) - 7
Cesarian (Leonardo Angelo) - 2

A much faster and fiercer affair. The entire battle was fought and decided on Caesar's left flank. I attempted to bring my light units in a position to screen my main formation, while Leonardo brough Caesar closer to the action and started maneuvering on his left. I had a plan to make the most of my Mounted Charge before it was too late, but my plan of focusing on my right wing took some serious blows and morale dropped as Leonardo's troops confidently slew scores of blocs. However, the Mounted Charge was indeed quite powerful and through some sort of divine intervention, a 1-block cavalry unit survived multiple attacks and even an outright encirclement. The hot dice clearly lifted morale within the Pompeian camp who took some very serious risks but were rewarded by even hotter dice. Caesar was brought forward, but his unit was quickly defeated. The final Victory Banner was a one-die leader casualty check on Fabius who fell in a heroic last stand (again!).

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Thanks to Leonardo for two great battles and for being extremely flexible with his time here close to deadline. I'm very grateful for the great experience!