OT2022 Round 2

Open Tournament 2022
Round 2
 
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OT2022 Round 2

I played the scenario a couple of times for fun and prep (I had never played it before). It seems to me that the change in special rules is favoring the Romans. They can be freer with their use of Scipio than perhaps they would normally. In one of my two games, Scipio, his unit and the two HI that start nearby were used aggressively (and skillfully) by my opponent (and many hits came from the leader assist provided by Scipio). Scipio died, but the game proceeded, with an 8-7 decision to the Romans (it could have gone 7-8, but I couldn't get the flag roll out of die rolls that would have given me victory). Since we play both sides, no big deal, just sharing a thought.

rjvonline wrote:

 It seems to me that the change in special rules is favoring the Romans. They can be freer with their use of Scipio than perhaps they would normally. In one of my two games, Scipio, his unit and the two HI that start nearby were used aggressively (and skillfully) by my opponent (and many hits came from the leader assist provided by Scipio). Scipio died, but the game proceeded, with an 8-7 decision to the Romans (it could have gone 7-8, but I couldn't get the flag roll out of die rolls that would have given me victory). Since we play both sides, no big deal, just sharing a thought.

possibly true, but for a tournament match, the possibility of a cheap win because of an unlucky leader loss roll on Scipio was worth excluding.

Immediate loss because of the death of a significant leader (Alexander, Caesar, Pyrrhus, Hannibal or any king/emperor) should be the norm. The classic example is Cunaxa, where the battle was won by Cyrus's army, be since he died, his claim to the Persian throne became irrelevant. For game purposes, I can see why it is excluded, but it was a real strategy, and Alexander sought this goal at Gaugamela for example. 

How many of the Roman Civil wars were fought essentially as personal feuds?

I'd agree with your call on this, Mark. Leader death is punitive enough. For a tournament match it's too much to have that randomly decide the whole match. The good thing here is that we're playing both sides, so any shift in balance due to ditching the special rule will apply to both players.

Brent.

It is also my opinion that for tournament purposes, a 1d6 or 2d6 roll should not decide the game result. The easier play for Romans can be utilized for both players, so this leaves them with equal opportunity.

Mark,
my stats excel reminds me about first CCA MT I took part (in 2014) and my terrible loss 1-7 with you exactly due to the leader loss check, The situation on map definitely was not reflecting the result.

Kartigan (Carthaginian) 8 Banners
Rjvonline (Roman) 5 Banners

This game featured a lot of quiet positional play by both sides and lots of missile fire. Rjv is very good at organizing his lines to leave no weaknesses or easy targets to attack, while I learned a painful lesson about Light Cavalry holding a flank. They were unsupported but had room to Evade so I thought they were safe, not realizing a single flag from Missile Fire would destroy them.....Rjv punished me for that mistake.

After a lot of jockeying for positioning and a few violent melee clashes, the score was 3-2 in favor of the Romans who were creeping ever closer to exiting off of the right side. Back-to-back Line Commands by the Carthaginians sent their line surging forward in an effort to drive the Romans backward. The Roman's First Strike was ineffective, but another tactical mistake with my attack sequencing and an unfortunate flag cost my Heavy Infantry a 5 dice attack and blunted much of the assault. Rjv then counterattacked wildly with an aggressive gambit using Mount Charge and three Medium Cavalry units (themselves at 3, 2, and 1 blocks) to cut off Mago's and his 3 Block Heavy Infantry's retreat and attempt to wipe them out.

However, at this critical moment, the dice abandoned the Rjv as the mounted Cavalry managed only 2 hits with their 12 dice, while the Heavy Infantry battling back eliminated ALL THREE UNITS. Mop-up operations by the Roman Heavy Infantry quickly scored two more banners making it 7-3, but Hasdrubal's bonus attack against leaderless Heavy Infantry only scored three hits and the battle back wiped out his unit and himself in the bargain!

This seemed like maybe the Romans had a chance with the score 7-5 to stage an upset or at least score a couple more banners, but I Am Spartacus completely flopped, ordering just a single unit (and not the Light Infantry in range of the exit). I secured the 8th banner and the victory on the next turn.

Thanks for the game rjv, you were a very enjoyable and tough opponent.  It was a really interesting and close game until Lady Luck decided to completely hose you with Mounted Charge, then give you a glimmer of hope by wiping out Hasdrubal and his unit, only to crush you again with an absolutely soul-crushingly bad I Am Spartacus roll.

For the curious, the Carthaginians lost 26 Blocks including a Leader and the Romans lost 34 Blocks, while the game lasted 12 rounds

Azzy (Roman)- BrentS (Carthaginian) 8-2
Azzy(Carthaginian)- BrentS (Roman) 4-8


In the first battle, I got a lot of cards on the right flank. This made it possible to quickly crush the enemy. Then the cards disappeared and the game hung))) I had to bring the cavalry. And there still Charge+1 came. And a blow to the center by cavalry decided the outcome of the case.

Second game was more intresting and harder. I liked how the enemy, with the very first card, used a double march to bring heavy troops and strike. Masinissa twirled and twirled as adder on frying pan. (I wonder what the proverb is in Australia in a similar manner) But in the end, the right flank was still crushed. But Masinissa was able to inflict damage and withdraw the cavalry. It's a little sad that I forgot about the additional rule (the Romans can go off the edge of the map.) Probably it was necessary to leave the cavalry and immediately impose a fight on the other flank.

R2G1 Toganalper vs. Rand
Toganalper – 8 Banners
Rand – 2 Banners

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The Romans move quickly forward and within the first few turns, tear a hole in the Carthaginian Center. The Carthaginian Light Cavalry moves around the Roman flanks and try to stem their advance with ranged fire, but are largely ineffective. In contrast, the Roman Medium Cavalry are in the forefront of the fighting, causing heavy damage and capturing banners. One Roman Cavalry leaves the battlefield on the right flank, scoring a banner, with Roman infantry close on their heels. Mago and Hasdrubal desperately move forward to engage the Romans, but a final Clash of Shields by the Romans ends the Carthaginian hopes and the game.

Thanks to Toganalper for the game.

Had to do two logfiles as the server disconnected.

     

R2G2 Toganalper vs. Rand
Toganalper – 4 Banners
Rand – 8 Banners

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 This game was mostly stab and smash in the center and right flank of the battlefield. The Roman moved forcefully towards the Carthaginians, trying to quickly overwhelm them and then to exit the field. The Carthaginians rolled well and blunted the Roman attack, with the Numidian Light Cavalry causing immense frustration to the Romans. Every time the Romans tried to pin the Numidians down, they were able to evade then rush forward to attack the Romans on the next turn. Mago is able to close ranks with the Romans, and plays a Clash of Shields, which is again disastrous for the Romans. Their luck only turns when the Numidian Light Cavalry surrounds a damaged Roman Medium Infantry, poor rolling allows the Romans to survive and almost destroy their adversaries. The Carthaginians then attempt to overrun the Roman left flank, but again poor dice ruins their strategy. Mago’s heavy infantry is destroyed in the counterattack, and the Numidians are finally pinned against the baseline, their strength almost exhausted. Mago leads a one block medium cavalry in a final charge against some Romans, but his unit is destroyed in the battle back, ending the game. Toganalper ran circles around me the whole game, but his dice let him down, should have been a very different outcome. I appreciate his time and really enjoyed the games. Good luck to him in the rest of the tournament.

Round 2 Game 2
scipo1zama/Carthaginian 4 Banners
Cavie/Rome 8 banners

Both games had similar grouping in the center to Scipio with Line Command & Double Time played early on.  Flanks for the Carthaginians were disabled most of the game until towards the end.  Some final skirmishes with the Carth light cavalry and Roman medium cavalry resulted in a lot of whiffing in the end.  Both games ended with the exit of a Roman cavalry off the field. An interesting scenario with similar outcome both games.