Intercontinental Tournament - 2022

Round 4 Matchups
Deadline for Completion: September 9.

Jim Fardette v. Stephen Thompson
Mark Benson v. Mark McG
John Spicer v. Gileforn
Joe Harrison v. John Dietrich
Mike Stanley v. Greg Ottoman
Renaud Verlaque v. David Hortz Gorriz
Josiah Leis v. Neal Ekengren
Carl Moon v. Brad Jessup
Andras Kopcik v. Eric Yorkston
Samim Togan Alper v. FX Bocquet
Steven Duke v. Mark Garavaglia
Tom Hilder v. Ben Turner

CCN Intercontinental Tournament Round 4

French (Ben Turner) 7 - 4 Allies (Tom Hilder)

The Intercontinental tournament lived up to its name with this matchup, which featured an opponent in Adelaide, Australia v. one in New York City. But happily, Tom and I were able to find a time that worked for both of us.

Most of the action in this game was on the left flank, which makes sense given that the hill is the only objective. On the first move of the game, I played a left flank card and attacked the Spanish infantry with the line and light infantry, hoping to force a retreat of the unit positioned on his far right. No such luck, however, and the Spanish counterattacked, inflicting serious damage on the French. A see-saw battle ensued for the hill, which featured good and bad die rolls for both of us. (We each lost leaders on 2-die leader casualty checks), and I wiped out a 4-block British grenadier unit on a good die roll.

Cavalry played a limited role in this game, though the British light cavalry nearly eliminated a French foot artillery unit, reducing it to one block. Late in the game, I moved the French Heavy Cavalry into striking position in the woods, and it drew British artillery fire away from my infantry, who ended the game by eliminating the grenadier units on the hill the following turn.

This was a good game. The dice were wacky, but not super lopsided one way or the other. I would guess I got the better luck on the whole.

CCN Intercontinental Tournament Round 4

French (John Spicer) 7 - 2 Allies (Gileforn)

A very different game from Waterloo in round 3, this one was very quick.

The game started with a British cavalry charge in centre - destroyed one set of French guns, and reduced the other to a 1! The French had 10+ dice to kill the cavalry, but failed. However the cavalry then charged the remaining gun and missed, and got eliminated.
I decided to attack on the French right, as the hill seemed to have so many good Allied units, and because I kept getting right flank and centre cards.
A close contest ensued, but eventually the lights and the grenadiers prevailed, with first the Allied left destroyed and then the guns and rifles in the centre left.
The Allies launched a bayonet charge with both guards and supporting infantry, but despite loads of hits and reducing two units to 1s it was not to be, and a French bayonet charge in response, by all three grenadiers, brought the game to an early end.
My thinks to Andrey for his patience when I yet again tried to play Ancients rules....

Round 4
Game 1
Gonzo (Allies) 7 banners 41 blocks killed
EZPickens (French) 3 banners 20 blocks killed
French open with attack on hill.  Suprisingly, the  Spanich give as good as they get, then withdraw and replaced with Brits.  Manuevering on flanks, French Cav charge repulsed with heavy loss following Battlefield smoke.  French battery advances, the French La Grande Manuever forces intense action as art move close.  Allied Bayonet charge on hill followed by Forced March in middle gets final medal from an art.  Frenmch had 6 1 pt units scattered on back row.  

Game 2
Gonzo (French) 7 banners 24 blocks killed
EZPickens (Allied) 3 banners 14 blocks killed
Again fight mainly on hill.  Spanish performance typical and French ensconce on hill, finally using bombard to get art up there.  Brit Bayonet charges kill on art, eventually reduce last art to 1 block.  French elan able to bring Brits to edge with 9 dice ca with kill despite Brit leader withdraw, and French bb on hill gets last GG for win.
Both games saw critical rolls succeed for Gonzo.  John played valiantly, but just not his day.  Thanks for match

Sorry, last battle was 7-2 Gonzo, not 7-3.

Round 4.

Game 1

John Spicer (French) - 7
Gileforn (Allies) - 3

That was an intersting and quick battle. Allies had two cavalry charges in a hand and only one LC. So all these cards where played to it with good result that left French troops without good working Artillery. Then Allies tried to gather on the hills and French started their march on the right. Good working of Fremch LN and GG cleared the left Allied flank and the last attempt was on the hills with bayonette charge. Two seven dice attacks got jsut 3 hits each other so no banners where earned. Than John made a good counter bayonnette charge and got 7th banners. Hills where still at allied side but totally haven't played a big role (except banner), because left flank has been smashed out.

Game 2

John Spicer (Allies) - 2
Gileforn (French) - 7

That was a long game, firstly because we had a lot of problems with module and vassal, but anyway we played it. Big thanks to John for the perseverance we done it. That game was the other one. All was focused on the hills. French moved with GM all arty there, so had some power. Then HC made a lot of problems to Spanish troops. Step by step Allies got more and more damage, but then came back with very dabgerous Elan attack and fially bayonette charge. French power was crashed and situation became a really dangerous. But Rally saved French, and the last attack with recovered LT brought one banner and then one for for the leader. Really a good one battle.

Thanks to John for both well done games.

   

 

5th round - Barrosa - First leg

Renaud/French 7 vs David/Allies 6

Fate gave me the French and my Spanish opponent the Anglo-Spanish allies. I started strong with a Bayonet Charge on the left that allowed me to immediately deny control of the hill, eliminate 1 Spanish LN outright, and reduce another to 1 block (but it would remain unharmed the rest of the game). The Allied response was swift and one of the British Guard Grenadier units fell like a hammer. Most of the battle action would happen on that flank, with only the French right flank seeing some very minor skirmishing action (except for a brief foray to the center from the right by the 95th Rifles that sniped and eliminated the lone reduced French HC). A Grand Maneuver allowed me to bring my two Foot Artillery batteries and one unit of Grenadiers in support of my attempt to control the hill. Rapidly the British Guard Grenadiers died. The battle for the hill went back and forth, with units from the other other sectors being progressively shifted in its direction. The British LC charged my depleted artillery and eliminated, then it followed up with a charge against my Dragoons (which had contributed to the demise of the Guard Grenadiers), but the latter counter-charged and both units ended up with only 1 block. The LC then succumbed to an artillery-supported infantry assault, despite attempting to retire and reform, and while I pulled my HC back with a Cavalry Charge card, I left it close enough to the front line to eventually use my other Cavalry Charge card, but it turned out to be a mistake as my opponent used Light Infantry Tactics to send his Rifles forward, eliminate my Dragons, and then pulled back. As I drew yet another Cavalry Charge card, I found myself hindered with 2 cards without use (except moving 1 unit by default). Eventually, the Allies used Bayonet Charge to regain control of the hill, but without eliminating any French unit. I then used Leadership to cause some damage and shift one Leader from my 1-block Line to my 4-block Grenadiers, immediately regretting that I had left the Line within reach of another Bayonet Charge or Forced March. Sure enough, my opponent then played Forced March and his infantry rushed forward with one unit of British Line with 3 blocks being able to reach my 1-block unit. He first used his second unit of Grenadier Guards against my Foot Artillery (5 dice), but only caused 3 flags which I happily took, then he rolled 3 dice with his Line against mine and scored… nothing! A miracle. My battle back caused 1 hit. Then in my turn with Elan I moved my Grenadiers supported by artillery against the British Line, rolling 9 dice and blowing them to smithereens. French victory by a hair 7-6. Second leg next week.

Round 4; Game 1
Greg Ottoman (Allies) - 7
Mike Stanley  (French)- 4

This battle was almost entirely fought on and for the dominance of the ridge. The French moved on the left of the ridge and pushed back a SP LN with a flag and the Spanish countered by forming up and eliminating a FR LN.   The French responded taking down a SP LN and the Allies responded without getting a single hit.  Some Light Skirmishing action on the right was enough to deter any French advances there, but a Grand Man.  brought a mass of reinforcements onto the ridge, including both Grenadiers.

At the same time the Allies had run out of cards for their Right Flank and had anemic center cards.   The battle raged on, with a GG falling, but the losses mounted on the two FR GRs as well.  The French couldn't finish off the Allies on the ridge and a timely rally restored two blocks to the GG and one to a LN which may have been a key turning point as the Allies pushed the French off the ridge and gained a 4-3 block lead.  The French came back onto the ridge, eliminating the BR LN there, leaving the GG to hold the ground.   A leader reform gave him a one block boost and he fortunately stood withstood a FR HC charge.

Then it was a push for both sides to try to hold the ridge and eliminate the other units.  In the end, the BR LC went deep into the backlines to target a FR LN with one block who squared up but was eliminated on a sabre result for the win.

 A brutal fight that left us both mentally exhausted I think.   The game had few high powered tactic cards and was instead a game of section cards and small moves.  Only 5 of 22 cards played were Tactic Cards.  Mike was a great opponent and always a pleasure to battle with a fellow USAF veteran.

Round 4 114 Barrosa (5 March 1811)
Game 1
Mark McG (Allies)  7 banners, 19 blocks lost
Mark B (French)  1 banner, 29 blocks lost

This game defied my initial estimate, based on my initial command card draw
 
Fortunately it appeared Mark had much of the same, so it wasn't over quickly as I anticipated.  However, the following cards weren't much better, and the Allied firing was poor. So I still expected a drubbing. My hand start of Turn 7. There was virtually nothing spectacular here, and every 2nd turn was a Probe card play, and a Probe pickup.
 

But if my powder was damp.. Mark's bayonets were blunt and his attacks on the hill were very unlucky, whilst the Allies brought out the sharp steel and did better in the battlebacks. 

In the end, the Grenadier Guards did most of the work, but capably assisted by the Rifles, the British line and surprisingly, the Spanish. When the Spanish stand and fight, they do OK. Just don't ask them go forwards.

As a game, this was Meet the Feebles on a race to the bottom. I'm as surprised as anyone at the score, and it is certainly undeserved.
 

Attached is the logfile for the struggle between Jim Fardette's French and my Allies; the battle started well for me, but in the second half it was one of those games where the cards never matched the flank. Jim will report his well fought victory!