OT2023 Round 3

Game 2   
mk20336 (Constantine) 8
azcat (Licinius) 2

Very fast and bloody scenario; Constantine quickly regrouped in center, hit with Double Time and then brought cavalry. There were some very lucky and very unlucky rolls on both sides but future emperor prevailed in the end!

 

ROUND 3

Forrest (Constantine) 8 banners, XX blocks lost, 0 leader lost

vs

Renaud (Licinius) 5 banners, XX blocks lost, 0 leader lost

After some shooting that favored my side, Constantine's successive mounted charges pretty much destroyed Licinius' crowded cavalry (despite delaying the outcome with a counter-attack on my part), bringing the score to 5-1 in Forrest's favor. But I then unexpectedly turned the tide with a DT attack on his cavalry, pinning and destroying 1 unit and forcing the others to evade. Then I moved carefully forward, especially on my left. Forrest then attacked with double-time in the center and I pretty much turned that back too, starting to catch up in VPs (5-7). On my final turn, I decided to attack on the left again. My full-strength commander-led HI going against his full-strength commander-led MI. My 3-block AUX is there in support to deliver the coup de grace, and lots of juicy 1-block and 2-block units behind the MI. I score 3 hits with the HI, but his commander survives. He rolls 4 dice back ands scores... 4 hits. Game over.

***********

Renaud (Constantine) 8 banners, 22 blocks lost, 0 leader lost

vs

Forrest (Licinius) 4 banners, 31 blocks lost, 0 leader lost

Return match at Cibalae. It started almost like the first game, with Constantine's cavalry moving against Licinus' light cavalry screen on the right, although with a Leadership card rather than the slightly more potent Mounted Charge played yesterday. That said, I did get a MC card soon afterwards, and while I lost an MC and an HC due to a lack of follow-up cards and a well-time DT (like yesterday!), I came out slightly ahead. Then the game moved to a shooting phase that turned to my advantage despite being slightly less resourced. Finally, Forrest DT'ed in the center, but he only claimed one Auxilia. That broke my line in two halves, rendering my Line Command card less effective, but I still was able to use it with a full-strength MI, a 3-block HI (with a leader) and a full-strength Auxilia, and score my last 2 banners by destroying his HI with my MI (despite a First Strike) and my HI, and then his AUX with the bonus attack by my HI (4 hits in one attack, just like yesterday when his battle back scored his last VP). 8-4 final score, 13-12 on both games, giving me 2 out of 3 possible points.

PS: in the first game, Forrest (winner) lost 36 blocks and I lost 28. No leader was lost by either side.

Game2

Gonzo (Licinius) - 5
Gileforn (Constantine) - 8

That was a nice game with a lots of shooting and manoeuvring. Constantine was more lucky.
Log file could be downloaded later.

RobS vs scrum4you

Game 1: RobS (Constantine) 8
               scrum4you (Licinius) 6

Game 2: RobS (Licinius) 7
               scrum4you (Constantine) 8

Two very hard fought games.

NOTE: We played sides in the opposite order as listed in the above chart. But I retained the same player ID numbers in the report below. Sorry for any confusion about that.

Game 1

Player 1 / John S (Constantine) # banners 8

Player 2 / EZPickens (Licinius) # banners 6

Ranged fire was the early order of the day as both sides took potshots at each other. EZ gets the first kill with a lucky 2 banner roll on a supported LC in the center. I then use MOUNTED CHARGE to hit Lininius's left and center.  I weaken two evading LC while my HC trades two hits with a center AI. EZ then picks off two 1 block units including my HC to lead 0 to 3. I hit the LC with two MC and two LC but can only bag a 1 block LC. EZ then uses MOUNTED CHARGE and we trade LC units. I then settle matters on that flank with COUNTER ATTACK and kill off the last three cavalry there to lead 5 to 4. A close-runbattle that could have turned the other way. After ranged fire picks off on of my 1 block MC the battle shifts to the center. I kill off two AI in exchange for a HI. A turn later I close in for the win but whiff on a 3d attack with leader on a 1 block AI on the baseline. But it is ended the turn after that with the elimination of a cutoff LB.

Game 2

Player 2 / EZPickens (Constantine) # 6

Player 1 / John S (Licinius) # 8

The action once again opens on Licinicu's left as early on EZ plays MOUNTED CHARGE but 16 dice against my evading LC do not score a hit. I do no damage to him with ranged fore from my LC on my left after using LIGHT TROOPS. EZ hits my left again after ordering 4 cavalries. Once again, I evade but this time loss a few blocks. My left is in trouble as I have no orders for my LC on my baseline and if ZEZ has any orders for his right then that LC line of mine can fall like dominos. Lucky for me that is not the case but i do lose a MC on my left. I am able to get my LC off my basleine and eliminate a LC to tie the game. EZ continues his center advance but loses his HC in an attack on my left MI. Then my ranged fire gets a kill on a LC in the center with the dreaded double banner. EZ keeps advancing his HI supported by a MI in the center and I evade again. But now I have no choice to come forward with what I can to try and stem his advance. Our HI clash and he loses his while I lose an AI. After losing a LBC my I AM SPARTACUS orders four units. Two of my LC cutoff a LC and bag it and my HI take care of the 1 block MI in the center. I have a nice 6 to 3 lead. DARKEN THE SKY accounts for one of my LC with that 2 banner roll. I hit the flanks and ranged fire kills off a weak MC while two LC get 2 hits on the LB near its own baseline and pinned up against the impassable hills. But one of my LC retreats which allows the other to be cutoff and killed. Another HI advance into the center and I cannot kill it off as it falls back three hexes. But in the next turn its 1d ranged attack kils a MI. I try MOUNTED CHARGE and have there good chances to end it. My right LC go after the 2 block LB but cannot get a flag which would have killed it. But my next attack on a 1 block LC on the baseline works and ends it. 

Two close games and the MOUNTED CHARGES by EZ could have decided each game in his favor if not for the very poor rolls. He still manages to make game 2 closer than I thought he could. Well played.

   

 

Rnd 2 Cibalae 

Game 1: Viridovilas (Constantine) - Alister (Licinius) 8 - 2

Game 2: Viridovilas (Licinius) - Alister (Constantine) 8 - 6 

For the sake of quickness with no comment this time. Only thanks to Alister for the nice game!

Game 1

KenW-Licinius (8 Banners)
Javelinthrower - Constantine (5 Banners)

A grinding war of attrition, mostly settled via projectile fire. I was able to keep my flanks intact until and consitently firing into the Roman flanks until Ivan tried to break out through the center, which meant advancing through a corridor of fire. A timely line command allowed me to meet and blunt the charge, leaving Licinius holding the field. 

Thanks for the game, Ivan!