MT03

Rd 3 Decimum Final
jongautier (Vandals) 1 banner 20 blocks lost
Gonzo (Byzantine) 5 banners 7 blocks lost
Game lasted until the Vandals 3rd turn.  Byzantines started with 3 leadership cards.  Played the first 2 as mounted charges.  Vandal responed to the first with a Mounted Charge, blunted by a successful Ambush from the Byzantines.  Third Vandal card was rally and attacked SHBC with 3 pt HC, only to see the bb kill both the HC and the leader for the win.  Very good Byzantine cards and luck doomed Jon in 30 minute game.  Thanks to Jon for the good humor and game.

Regarding my Post (#566) -- I forgot to state the report was for RD 5.

Rd 1 Decium
Gonzo (Byzantine) 5 banners, 17 blocks lost
Gotigessc (Vandals) 4 banners 26 blocks lost

First phase of battle was Byz LBC and LC manuevering to avoid repeated Vandal Cav Chrges, able to hold their own on inflicting damage through Parthian shots and missile. Vandals finally backed them up onto center hill and started grinding them down, eventually killing 3 and the leader. While that was happening , the Byz SHBC and HBC closed and did 3 Cav charges in center then right to kill 5 units for close win. Thanks to Justin for tight game.

Round 3

Michal (Vandal): 3 banners, 20 blocks lost
Giulio (Byzantine), 5 banners, 19 blocks lost

Fast and furious... as it has to be. Early charge by the Vandals forbade the ranged fire the Byzantine general would have liked so much indulging into... but the dice did what the arrows cannot.

 

Rd 3 Decimum Final
RiverWanderer (Vandals) 5 banner 23 blocks lost
Kandras78 (Byzantine) 2 banners 22 blocks lost

An early, desparate, attack by Vandal Heavy Cavalry gained a lucky break, claiming Solomon and exchanging a HC banner each. Gelimer soon led a follow up attack which claimed a remaining Byzantine SHBC in the centre. Thereafter, the Vandals adopted a strategy of threatening on the flanks, whilst hoping their centre might hold long enough for fresh Medium Cavalry to come into play. Accordingly, Gelimer relocated to lead a attack against the rear of the Byzantine left. The dice gods continued to support the Vandals, as ranged fire rained down on many vulnerable Vandal units but failed to cause the damage required and instead aided a tactical retreat. At the crux, a Byzantine Medium cavalry advanced after firing to melee a single block HC unit, but to no avail, itself falling to the Vandal Cavalry charge that came in riposte Meanwhile, to the Byzantine rear, their Light cavalry, scurried forward away from danger and hoping to sweep up a depleted unit. Again dice failed to oblige and, returning back to friendly lines, a unit was caught out of position, cut off and annihiated by a horde of Vandal medium cavalry, bringing the game to a close.

The Vandals must feel lucky for this win. Similar attacks to the initial Vandal heavy cavalry attack more often end in speedy self-annihilation. The banner count is testimony to how close the game was.

Thanks to Andras for an entertaining game.

Sorry. For the late report!
Round 1 RiverWanderer- Azzy_23 4-5 (26-25)
 
 

Hi Mark, 

You may have missed this score from Round 02. Thanks!


Round 2 gheintze (Vandal / Goths) 6 Banners, 26 blocks lost, gonzoj (Byzantines) 5 Banners, 25 Blocks lost
 

Round 2

jongautier (Vandals) 0 Banners, 14 blocks lost
Mark McG (Byzantines) 6 Banners, 6 Blocks lost
 
Initial card plays on each side moved units from the Vandal Right & Byzantine Left onto the hill.
Thought I might be in trouble when my initial HBC with leader attack onto the hill got 1 hit on the LC which didn't evade, and rolled 2 Reds in return. My LBC then rolled 2 Greens in attack, so the initial setback was revenged.

Jon then played Order Mediums to move his MC up, and since this was far better than any card I had, the Counterattack card meant my MBC closed up, killing the LC, a MC, and driving the Vandals off the hill.

Jon then played Probe Centre, moved up two HC to attack my MBCs, but critically did not occupy a hill hex.
The MBC evaded away, leave the HC stuck off the hill. I could then claim the 3 banners for the hill, also played Probe Centre and moved to attack a 1 strength MC on the Base line, with the leader moving to adjacent. I played a Battle Bonus, and had a nasty fright when the MC played a First Strike, but 2 hits and no flag meant I could stay and finish the game. All up, a 6 played cards game, and damn near reciprocal cards.

Semi-Final Eurasia Game 1
Zamba (Byzantine) = 6 VB (22 BL)
mk20336 (Ostrogoths) = 5 VB (25 BL)

The Ostrogoths very determinedly hustled for the Byz. camp, killed the Aux effortlessly and took the camp with an LB soon after. (Note to self: Do not entrust camp defense to Aux troops, but when you do, leave them in the camp because 2d max, and, as I now see, they can ignore 1 flag in camp omg!) The Byz. formed a line and then split it with a Line Command, closing in on the Horde of Medium troops on the left and the camp raiders on the right.

An Ostrogoth MC and the HC with Totila crossed the ford on their right and charged a Byz. Aux, killing it with two blows, but galopping into an SHBC ambush, which inflicted two hits and sent Totila back across the ford into relative safety. Then the Goths put their Berserkers into the river hexes to prepare their feral onslaught, while Constantin summoned his troops to form a defensive line against them, and to set up a Leadership Left card for a fierce response. The Gothic Warriors, however blew a hole into that line by killing a Medium Infantry with two massive attacks. At this time it was 5 for the Goths and 2 for the Byz.

The Byz. Leadership Left now activated only two units, Constantin's SHBC and a H. The H tenderized Valaris and his Berserker, paving the way for glory: Constantin killed Valaris along with his unit, momentum advanced and fatally bonus-pierced Valaris's 3-block berserker sidekick with 4d in a superlucky obliteration frenzy to tie the score 5-5.

A Gothic Order Medium Troops card moved five of them across the ford, with two MCs hiding in the wood, not attacking either of the two Byz. Heavies in range (which both had 3 blocks left). On the Byz. right, their MBC and SHBC were just close enough to get behind the ex-camp LB to prevent evasion, and finished them.

Thanks to Michal for the game and a great attitude, he took this swing of fortune with exemplary grace.

Yes, the move from 2-5 to 6-5 in almost 1 turn was very painul. Happens in CC. The rematch next week!