OT2021 Round 3

Open Tournament 2021
Round 3



...

OT2021 Round 3

Renaud (Roman): 6 banners

David (Sertorian): 5 banners

A close game with an unexpected ending given how the early and middle game went... David cleaned up my left flank with his cavalry and light infantry, but didn't get to roll up my center line. Some shooting from his front line of lights also reduced one unit of medium infantry and one of warriors before successive play of a Line Command and two Double Time cards allowed me to move my center line forward, take out his two heavy infantry units, and make it back to 3-5. Using a Line Command of his own, David has a chance to close it with a melee attack by one of his leaders (Herennius) and his Auxilia and two ranged attacks, for a total of 7 dice, against my leader-led medium infantry with 2 blocks, but he could not kill it. Next turn an Inspired Center Leadership card allowed me to kill a 1-block unit on his rear line (if I remember the timing correctly), and then to attack his Auxilia unit, nabbing not only the unit but Herennius too for a lucky 6-5 victory by the Romans. I was only disappointed that I never got to play my Clash of Shields card...

Game 1:
TTK (Sertorian): 4 banners
RiverWanderer (Roman): 6 banners
A drawn out affair, as the Roman side declined head-long attack for a battle of manoeuvre, pressing hard against the river where the weakened Sertorian flank were being pushed back. Sertorian heavies could not be avoided, but their isolation and a dose of bad luck left the Romans in control of the centre in an exchange of 2 units each but with Sertorius joining his heavies on the banner line. Finally, A bold cavalry attack cut past a fruitless Roman "First Strike" to rescue Sertorian honour, clinching two last banners before the Romans finally closed in to win the battle.


 


Game 2:
RiverWanderer (Sertorian): 6 banners
TTK (Roman): 3 banners 
A weak Sertorian opening provoked an immediate attack by the rightmost Roman leader, who soon clinched a first banner. Weakened from the initial Sertorian battle-backs and ranged attacks, the advanced Roman troops now faced heavies, led by Sertorius himself, and two Roman units fell in succession. Pressing the attack against a Light screen brought the Romans little reward and bad luck came as a ranged response felled the Roman leader. The surviving Romans fell back bringing this first dramatic phase of the battle to a close.

Sertorius now owned his flank and Roman attention turned towards the river. Here the Sertorians pushed back the Romans light troops but then could only play for time, using terrain, evade and ranged attacks. The Roman leader, Fufidius, came forward to ensure the Roman troops were capable in melee, forming a serious threat of routing the Sertorian rear, if able to cross the river. With no chance of victory from that quarter, Sertorius pushed forward from the opposite flank but his dangerous attack came up short; the ultimate result being a three unit exchange, this time in the Romans favour. Once, more Fufidius working the battlefield, from one turn to the next.

After the Romans pulled back from danger in the centre, an amazing Rally of Sertorian lights allowed Herennius to come forward to bolster his flank and survive the next Roman attack. Fufidius was by now on a single-block warrior unit and Herennius was well placed for an attack, thanks to a line command. In the event, his first attack brought victory home for the Sertorians, the gods proving that the Romans were truly out of favour when Fufidius fell as the final banner.

Thanks to TTK for two good games, in the face of what feels like an imbalance of dice luck, as 3 to zero leader kills testifies.

 
 

Calling DaniloElMystico . I have sent you an PM to schedule our games. Please get in touch.

Mark, thank you too

Both games to be long in time for the C&C:A. 2.5 hours is a over-long time, but it's understandable. The Light troops of Sertorius are pulling this time, shooting and dodging, and Rome has only 4 cerds and often not all of them are suitable for attack

After the first game, I was determined to take revenge, but the failure of the first attack of my Romans and the score of 1: 3 not in my favor brought down my arrogance...

(and this was bitter, since Sertorius clearly did not have the Order cards for the left flank)

Fufidius had to hardwork, I transferred him three times from unit to unit.
He accepted his fate with the same warband of Iberian barbarians, where his officer (Bat'ka) was KIA at the start of the battle...

Thanks. Both games were intense

Game 1:

Togan Alper (Roman): 6 banners
 Rand (Sertorian): 4 banners


The battle was quick and took place in the center part as the Romans pushed fast and furious with their linme command cards.  the Sertorian central leader was lost in action, which made the things worse for thr Sertorians. They were able to get some banners but the victory was for the Romans


Game 2:

Togan Alper (Sertorian): 6 banners
 Rand (Roman): 3 banners

The Sertorinas pushed first from their left flank and tried to envelope the Romans. The 2 warrior units that try to stop the action did not last too long. The Romans lost thier right flank. The Sertorians  then moved forward their Heavies and attacked the central line of the Romans for the final banners.


Thanks to Rand for the fun games. The dice luck and the card luck was not on his side. 




 





 

Round 3 - Baetis River

Game 1 
BrentS (Roman) 6 - Benlore (Sertorian) 4

Game 2
BrentS (Sertorian) 6 - Benlore (Roman) 0

Game 1

The Sertorians Line Commanded, the Romans Countered to advance into striking distance and the Sertorians Line Commanded again.....big armies doing a lot of moving. The Roman warriors and a Medium hit the Sertorian line and came 1 block shot of taking out Herennius' auxilia. The counter was deadly, 4 Roman units were killed and the light range units were forced to flee, abandoning that flank entirely. Down 4 banners to 1 and it looked grim for the Romans. However on the other flank Fufidius and his troops were able to get into the river and grind their way across under withering fire, including 24 dice worth of Darken the Sky which scored maybe one hit? They pinned the Sertorian lights to their baseline and slaughtered them. Along with a single die ranged banner against the unsupported light cav on its baseline, they pulled back 5 unanswered banners for victory.

Game 2

The Sertorians took an early opportunity to Line Command and free up evade paths for the lights but the Romans Counterattacked their whole line to within striking range and the sent the warriors against Hernnius' Auxilia....and came one hit short of eliminating him on 8 dice. almost identical to the first game. The difference was that the Roman leader was killed on battle back, leaving their right flank exposed. This was critical as Sertorius' heavy moved in and ran amok, killing both warriors and a Medium Infantry. The Sertorians had three 1 block lights left after the engegament but were able to retreat them to relative safety while Herennius transferred to the Heavy Infantry in the centre, which hit the Roman line and took out two Medium Infantry already reduced by ranged fire. It looked like a lopsided result but all hinged on the survival of Herennius' auxilia and the leader kill. One pivotal passage of play swung the while battle and it could otherwise have turned out very differently, as is so often the case in Ancients.

Thanks to Ben for some fun games. It's an interesting, asymmetrical scenario. Another good choice, Mark. I must have played it some time before but didn't recall it. Both battles featured heavy early Line Command play and Counterattack, which resulted in quick engagement (which I think is the key for the Romans, against my better judgment for a Command 4). I also had the better of the dice, particularly the leader kill in the second game.

Brent.

Game 1
Roman (PCScipio42) 6 banners
Sertorian (EZPickins) 2 banners

Match was fast and furious. Roman had very good cards and survived counterattacks from the Sertorian heavies with some luck to win 6-2.

Game 2
Roman (EZPickins) 6 banners
Sertorian (PCScipio42) 3 banners

Another fast and furious game. Romans jumped out ahead 3-0 killing three lights in 1 turn. Sertorians clawed back to get it 3-3 and seemed in good shape. Romans play "I Am Spartacus" and in dramatic fashion killed 2 Aux and a leader in 1 turn to claim victory.

Fun games....and quick both matches took a hour and half total to complete.

files   

Round 3, Game 1:
stephen t – Sertorians: 6
DanieleC – Romans: 2
Sertorians began by opening a retreat route for their lights. Romans replied with devastating bow and sling fire on their right, eliminating a Sertorian light (0-1). There followed further exchange of missiles and then Sertorians launched mounted charge on their right, eliminating a weakened evading Roman light (1-1). The Romans attacked in the centre with MI and Warriors, with Sertorian lights evading away. A double time brought the Romans into melee with the Sertorian melee units - first strike badly damaged a Roman warrior but a Sertorian HI was destroyed (1-2). Sertorians replied with line command – a hail of javelin fire and good melee rolls devastated the Roman attacking units (4-2). With a gap between the remaining centre forces, skirmishing on the flanks resulted in two more banners for the Sertorians (6-2). Thanks to Daniele for an enjoyable game, much closer than the score indicated.