OT2025 Round 5

OT2025 Round 5
...

OT2025 Round 5

Open Tournament 2025 [Round Five - Game 1]
AC13 Sentinum (295 BC)
Romans(Gonzo) 5 vs Samnites(A) 8

The Allied armies were able to form a single battle line and advance on the Romans. In the ensuing skirmish, the Romans managed to push back their enemies (1-0). The Gaul leader hurled forward (1-2) but his men were surrounded and cut down (4-2). He barely slept through the Roman Lines but he led his host against them again(4-4). Samnite infantry joined the fray in the Center (4-7). A reckless chariot on the loose has been finally dismantled (5-7) just before the Samnite Heavies hit their counterpart (5-.





Open Tournament 2025 [Round Five - Game 2]
AC13 Sentinum (295 BC)
Romans(A) 8 vs Samnites(Gonzo) 4

Roman Cavalry action on their Left resulted in an early lead (2-0). Though, the Gauls' attack on the far end seemed to be unstoppable. Especially after eliminating a hapless Roman Heavy infantry which scored 0 hits on its attack, with a single battleback roll (2-3). Cons. Decimus Mus desperately tried to fend off the attack while the Gaul chariots were rushed to the other side of the field and were joined by the Samnite Leader (6-3). Who engaged Fabius Maximus in heroic combat but was finally captured by Roman Heavy Infantry rushing to protect the Consul. (8-4)

 
 

Two epic battles with more than a few sudden twists of Fate and Luck. Both games could have ended differently easily. We were often rendered to be mere spectators of how things marvelously unfolded under the direct influence of Fortuna, convinced to forget such petty things as odds/probabilities/dispersion. 
 

Match 1
Mark McG (Samnite/Gauls) 6 banners
Gileforn (Roman) 8 banners

Started off with the Gauls, since the Chariots looked like a striking force. Strike they did, but not for very long, and I felt that I threw them away overall. In the end the Samnites came out is a rush and brought their cause up to avoid a shameful defeat, at least it looked like the Romans had a fight.
 
Match 2
Gileforn (Samnite/Gauls) 2 banners
Mark McG (Roman) 8 banners

Good cards here for the Romans, and weathering the barbarian rush at the early stages allowed the Romans to crush the Gaul wing. The Roman cavalry did some good cutting out work on the light troops, and trapping the gauls. All decided on the Roman right, with a finale on the left as the Samnites tried to intervene, and took the brunt of the riposte.
 

Match 1
GomJabbar (Samnite/Gauls) 8 banners
RiverWanderer (Roman) 5 banners

Romans tried avoiding the Gaul's chariots and had high hopes at first. In the end though, steady attrition and too many ineffective attacks handed the initiative to the enemy. The Barbarian chariots then closed to seal the Roman fate.



Match 2
RiverWanderer (Samnite/Gauls) 8 banners
GomJabbar (Roman) 4 banners

The Roman opening - Light troops - brought the same response from the Samnite-Gauls, bringing their Chariots immediately into play. Early exchanges saw the Romans behind following a clash between Barbarian Chariot & Warriors with the Roman Medium Cavalry.  The Romans now manoeuvred to bring their main infantry to bear on both flanks, whilst the Samnites focussed on the Roman left. Once the Samnite force closed in with a Line command, a double Counter-Attack ensured contact and brought the battle into full swing. The ensuing heavy-hitting infantry melees gave Samnites the advantage, culminating with a "First Strike" and a Double Time to take the win.



Thanks to Brad for the chat (voice) and two exciting games.

I'm having trouble finding this scenario on Vassal. Is there a specific mod/extension I need to load?

SkunkyBeer wrote:

I'm having trouble finding this scenario on Vassal. Is there a specific mod/extension I need to load?
 

Fan scenarios are not shown in the File menu drop-downs, there are simply too many of them. There is another way...

In the module, go to the File menu and look for "Scenario Browser...". This will allow you to search for the scenario by code or name. A summary of the scenario or scenarios found will appear in the window. Double click on the scenario or select it and press the load button.

Mark

thx!

I just opened the Module, and at Select scenario I scrolled down to AC13
took seconds

Round 5 - SENTINUM 

Game 1
BrentS (Samnite) 8
Azzy (Roman) 5 

This was among the best of Ancients games, the ones I most enjoy. Dynamic, swings of fortune, lots of room for creativity and feinting and manoeuvre, against a very good opponent. Would have really enjoyed it no matter the outcome (although I would understand if Azzy didn’t agree). For Rome ranged fire was particularly devastating early on, with lots of hits, including an unanswered Darken the Sky which devastated the Samnite lights and drove them back. They definitely won that part of the battle and the Samnites were forced to advance on their left before the Warriors were whittled away. Rome countered that flank in force, including their cavalry but were hurt badly with some good Samnite battle back rolls….bloody all round but it ended with a 2 block warrior stranded and the possibility for a leader escape scenario. The Romans played it safe (to my initial relief) and didn’t do that but it didn’t matter because they killed the Samnite leader on a 1 die leader check anyway. This is where it got interesting….what do you do when you’re committed on a flank and your only remaining leader is as far away as he can be on the other flank? The Samnites slowly withdrew and edged toward the centre and their right flank…..successful I think because Rome’s cavalry were down to 1 block each and wary of the still full strength and mobile Barbarian Chariots, even though leaderless. An MFM helped, advancing the chariots into the face of the Roman skirmishers without attacking, effectively screening the retreat and denying them their ranged attacks. Once the chariots were there, it meant the Samnites could reposition their sole remaining leader onto one of them and he now had the mobility he needed to cover the battlefield, which is what you need when down to a single leader. Rome Spartacused in its cav on their left and took the valuable first blocks off a couple of the chariots, seriously weakening them, and it looked like devastation was coming but the next Roman play was an MFM, encouraging me to think they maybe couldn’t order their cavalry there. In the balance now with lots of 1 block units everywhere on both sides trying to pull back and find cover. The key moment came when Rome pulled the trigger and Double Timed its Heavy Infantry in, killing the Samnite Heavy and an evading chariot but one 1 block Chariot survived, came back with a Clash of Shields and then a First Strike took out two Roman units all by its lonesome (it miraculously survived the battle). A Samnite Spartacus took it to 7 banners to 5 and it was time to put the pressure on. Their leader detached to the remaining full strength chariot in the centre, which moved all the way back to its left flank to threaten the 1 block Roman cav there on their baseline. Rome rightly guessed a Mounted Charge was coming and successfully shielded their cav but that left a Medium Infantry unsupported and the chariot Charged, momentum advanced and destroyed it for the victory. Ripping game, best of the tournament so far for me.  

Game 2
Azzy (Samnite) 8
BrentS (Roman) 3 

The gods give and they take away. Wild. Rome’s cav advanced on the right and left, killed a barb chariot and some other units, depleted the remaining chariots and at 3 banners to 1 up and pressing on all fronts looked strong for the win. Nup! Two 3 for 3 blue rolls on evading Roman cav and a leader kill on the Roman right (immediately on one of those tragic evasion kills for additional morale crushing) and it went sour very quickly. Two Double Times on the Samnite right and it was all over. Never scored another banner. Rullianus sacrificed the wrong colour got this morning. I could blame dice but that’s how it goes. 

Well played Azzy. Two fun games. 

Brent.

Please player january31 check my email on the C&C-ancients page and email me.
Unfortunately, your email is not in the server, so I won't be able to contact you directly.