OT2021 Round 4

Open Tournament 2021 Round 4
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OT2021 Round 4

Game 1

Gonzo (Allies) 6 Banners

Gileforn (French) 1 Banners

Brits mass in center and charge with multiple cards incl Forced march, bayonet chrge and assault. Nothing Andrey could do.

Game 2


Gileforn (Allies) 4 Banners

Gonzo (French) 6 Banners

Brits immediately advance in center, trade shots, then in critical spot roll all cav on elan. French respond with Forced March, Bayonet charge and counterattack for win. Sorry for Andrey's bad luck, but not too sorry . Always a valiant opponent, thanks Andrey.

Game 2

GomJabbar (Allies) 6 Banners

Michal-Wasil (French) 1 Banners

This was the second game in our Round 4 match which was held on Dec 23/24. The British boldly advanced on the French left and was met by a Cavalry Charge of a lone French LC unit. They were valiant and did some serious damage but failed to take a banner before retreating and ultimately being defeated. The British left and right advanced forward with HA, LT and LC on the left making strong gains and the GGs and LC on the right battling the French in the hills. The British were blessed with great cards and even better rolls. One attack in particular was bizarre in which a LC and HA combined with 5d (with help from Elan and a Tactics card) attacked a full strength French LN with leader in square and rolled 5 infantry symbols. The unit was eliminated and the leader escaped and joined another LN unit on the French baseline. The LC performed a follow-up attack and the French unit decided to not go into square and with 4d rolled 4 flags (remember the French unit was on the baseline). A devastating blow to the French who managed to get 1 banner just before the British gained their 6th banner. That 1 banner meant the match was tied (Game 1 was also 6-1 for the British).

Michal will be writing up the Game 1 result. Michal, thanks for the games. Good luck in the rest of the tournament.

 

Game 1

ToganAlper (Allies) 6 Banners

Burnablybob(French) 3 Banners

Tge allies started with an attack on the left trying to get the lonely LC. Then proceeded to the right flank . After the first push they movced back organized and attacked as a full line. Most the battle took place initially in the Allies left flank. Then movinh to the center. In the last turn the French atttack was able to get 2 more flags.To mke it 3:6.
Looking forward for the next game.

Attached please find the logfile for the game 1 of toganalper vs Bob
 

Game 1
Mark McG (Brits): 6 banners
Giulio (French): 2 banners

A very ordinary starting hand slowly came good after sequential Elan card plays, with everything pointing me up the Centre. The Brits bayonet charged the vacant hill and laid waste to all behind it (at least that is the official report). One of those attacks that determine the battle, even if it lingered a little just to clean up the remnants.
 
 

Game 1
Mark B (British): 6 banners
Steve T (French): 4 banners

Opening saw both sides consolidating for a confrontation in the centre. The British gained first advantage with combined Rifles and Light actions dispatching a French Light Infantry unit near the chapel. The French responded with a powerful bayonet charge that pushed back the British Lights and swept two infantry units away, including the Rifles.

The British centre had been considerably weakened but the French had been dented enough to encourage some caution. British Light Cavalry swept across the centre to challenge a French line near the chapel. With a unit in square, this provoked the French to bring their sole cavalry unit into play; sure enough, the British LC was swept away, the French declining a risky breakthrough to take cover on the central hills with their artillery.

"Now, Brock, now!"; with the French right clear, the main British cavalry force charged forward, forcing a second isolated Line into square. French infantry now reorganised to strengthen the around centre, their first square decamping to safety. The British cavalry assault had to continue and luck was with them, the French cavalry and an artillery falling victim over a couple of turns.

Meanwhile the French left had been tentatively advancing whilst weakening the British Grenadier Guards with long range artillery. Now came the time to close; the British attempted to weaken the oncoming wave but a timely retreat kept the French in good order for their massed Bayonet Charge. The weakened British Grenadier Guard unit was dispatched, whilst the other fell back weakened but escaping a second melee.

With banners now at 4:3 to the French, the British needed a good turn and it came in the form of a Fire & Hold.  Two powerful volleys weakened and then destroyed the French Line under Ferey, with the leader check taking a second banner. Two remaining attacks focussed on the French square, taking the final banner and the game.

Thanks to Steve for a close-fought game. Round 2 is scheduled for next week.

Final position:


Log file:
 

Game 2
Mark McG (French): 3 banners
Giulio (Brits): 6 banners

French had a great hand from the start, and never really struggled to find a card to play. Brits did some hand management with 2 Scouts as the first cards, and then started off down the Left flank. French cavalry intercepted, and traded off 1 French LC for a Brit HC, and damaged to other HC. 
From there it declined rapidly, with the annoying Brit LC on the right that just couldn't be hit, and the Brit LT working through Chapel del Pena to the hill to be joined by the HA. The French counter went badly and a 4-1 down I was worried. The GG was closing on the French right, but the French left just fell apart. Eventually they mustered enough to eliminate the LT and a LN before collapsing. 

Not seeing many French wins in this scenario
 

Mike Stanley and I were able to finish the first leg of the battle. Mike had the attacking Brits, I had the French.

The game started off with the British seizing the center, but the dice on both sides were cold and no units were killed until well into the middle part of the battle, after the French used a grand maneuver card to reset their right flank. Things came to a crashing end though, with two British Assault Center cards that killed to French line in about the least effective way possible (many Battle Back casualties before finally succumbing).  A French Counterattack bagged 3 units plus a leader to take the initiative away. Some French lights tracked down a lone British block for flag 5 and then Yahtzeedthe Rifle Lights in a town to end the game with a bang.

Rematch coming this Sunday.

Jim Fardette (French) - 6
Mike Stanley (British) -2

 
Still not sure if this is how to do the vlogs, but at least it let me attach something.
 

renaud/rjvonline - Allies - 6 banners, 6 blocks lost
    vs
John/EZpickins - French - 2 banners, 22 blocks lost

Despite my hand being increasingly focused on the French left, it all happened on the French right  and continued the streak of Allied wins.

It didn't look good very early on when French LT fire removed 2 blocks from my Lights in the farm, but 2 cavalry charges, Elan and Rally helped me hold and kill many French units on the right, starting with the isolated French leader that one of my HC units, bravely, but perhaps foolishly, nabbed. 

In a last desperate move John swung 3 LN units and 1 FA unit against my left using Grand Maneuver, but I was able to get my last kill after I played the Rally card and activated both my LT and HA back to full strength.

I'm sorry to report that Richard Sharp and the 95th Rifles were slaughtered by one French volley (3 hits out of 3 dice) while crossing the river.

Thanks to John for a good game. which was more lopsided than it had any reason to be.

Return match tomorrow.