Perhaps this is the opening game of MT05? Thanks to Andrey for getting in touch and getting us off to an early start.
Round 2 - GI07 Battle of Mugellum 542 AD
RiverWanderer (Mark B.) - Ostrogoths: 6 banners (14 blocks lost)
Gileforn - Byzantine: 2 banners (29 blocks lost)
Both sides were hoping to get some ranged combat in to soften up the opposition and both managed tactical moves to frustrate the other. Thereafter, the Byzantines brought forward their flanking cavalry in an effort to flush Goth lights out of the forests. The Goth leaders came forward to support the fight and lucky combats, combined with forest cover, soon helped to even the odds.
The battle started to heat up when Bodulla led an Assault Right, neutralising the Byzantine cavalry threat on that flank. A Medium cavalry unit spear-headed the Goth attack, luckily surviving an Ambush and later delivering an effective First Strike before finally succumbing. The final unit of Byzantine left flank cavalry then fell to ranged combat, taking the banner line to 4:1 in favour of the Goths.
As the Goths reorganised for the next battle phase, the remaining Byzantine cavalry swept into the centre, threatening Goth weak points. Now was the moment for the Goth warriors who had been sheltering behind the hill. Totila lead a Foot Onslaught, slamming into the Byzantine cavalry. Critically, a 2-block cavalry unit was unable to evade and was swept away in a six dice attack. The follow up failed to snag the weakened light bow infantry behind them and battle-back resulted in unlucky Totila's demise, raising Byzantine hopes for a powerful response with the score at 5:2.
The Byzantines went for Leadership Center with Bessus in command, inspired to a Mounted Charge for one cavalry unit supported by infantry units. Without their leader, the Goths had more luck in these combats, a weakened Warrior unit retreating into the distance and a full-strength one withstanding the cavalry's attack. Now taking their chance to claim victory, those Warriors charged forward and at last took the 1-block Light Bow infantry as the final banner.
