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""Celts Jumping Down from Trees"" Topic


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Lee Brilleaux Fezian22 Dec 2015 9:33 a.m. PST

In the latest in my "Gamer's Tales" series, James Manto tells a story in which the main point of ancient tactics appears to involves climbing trees and leaping down on helpless foes passing beneath.


"I was hosting an ancient game. A Roman consular army was holding a pass to stop Hannibal's advance on Rome.


The Romans are defending a river line with hills and woods on each flank. The Carthaginian player is allowed some Punic sneakiness. He sends Numidian cavalry along a side valley to turn the Romans flank. I also allow him to send his Celtic contingent around the other flank. He had this fixation with "Celts jumping out of trees " (I don't know where he got it from).


So, there's a big fight at river with both sides getting badly mauled. The Numidians are hovering ominously on left. The Celts get lost in the hills on right.


The Roman player realizes his position is getting very bad and concedes the game. The Carthaginian player is disappointed that his Celtic ambush didn't leap from trees as planned , and also declares defeat! No amount of arguing by the Romans or me the GM would convince him he'd won."

Read this and other Gamers' Tales, together with interviews, reviews, blogs-we-like and assorted nonsense at:

link

Bashytubits22 Dec 2015 11:25 a.m. PST

You ruined his tree leaping fantasy, what a let down. If it were me I would have the Elephants with Spanish Inquisition riders leap from the trees, because nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!

vtsaogames22 Dec 2015 11:32 a.m. PST

I saw English longbow men do it in Olivier's Henry V movie. And in various Robin Hood flics. Must be true.

boy wundyr x22 Dec 2015 12:52 p.m. PST

Leaping from trees is all fine, until the Romans start disguising themselves as trees, then you're into a Tree Gap.

Winston Smith22 Dec 2015 1:45 p.m. PST

It's the British scythed chariots leaping from trees that really scare me.

Crazyfrenchteacher22 Dec 2015 2:13 p.m. PST

I remember that game! My jaw just about hit the ground when (shall remain nameless) looked at me and said "well that's it we lost".

Henry Martini22 Dec 2015 2:33 p.m. PST

Henry VIII made a valiant attempt to put a stop to all that tree leaping nonsense in Britain, but he couldn't eradicate it from the national genes (see forthcoming pulp revival movie).

advocate22 Dec 2015 2:51 p.m. PST

Wasn't there a film aboutf Frenchmen taking vines to California. I seem to remember them ambushing someone by jumping out of trees. Clearly a cultural thing.

Not A Member Anymore22 Dec 2015 6:24 p.m. PST

You are thinking of the Western 'Thunder in the Sun' which had French Basques from the Pyrenees leaping from rock to rock, in and out of the trees, like mountain goats, frightening their Indian foes with ululating yodelling. Pure Hokum and great fun.

advocate23 Dec 2015 12:23 a.m. PST

That's the one! Thanks.

Citizen Kenau23 Dec 2015 12:48 a.m. PST

You'd think all those shouldered pila pointing upwards would make it very unattractive to jump from trees…..

Major Bloodnok16 Jan 2016 2:22 p.m. PST

Especially by naked Gaesti…

Personal logo 4th Cuirassier Supporting Member of TMP17 Jan 2016 5:02 a.m. PST

I was re-watching The Valley of Gwangi the other day (cowboys versus dinosaurs) and I have to report that at no point did anyone leap from anything onto anything else, unless horses count.

So this problem of not leaping from trees despite every opportunity to do so appears to be spreading, which is disappointing.

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