ANCIENTS VOTING RESULTS:
Rules Regularly Played - Armati

DBA: EIR vs. Galacians. EIR won 4-0 with a good terrain position and poor chariot play by the Galacians. [23 Sep 1999]

Two or three times a year before an upcoming convention the club usually gathers so that all those going will get a little 'Armati' practice for the tournament. Last time for practice, I managed to draw 'Calculating George' and his Alexandrian army. My army of choice was a successor, Pyrrhic. So far riding on a string of victories. This time, however, I fell victim to the Alexander's brilliance, i.e. the initiative bonus, and a dismal showing on the part of my "elite 5 cav." But, never fear, I thought to myself - we'll just call up Doug and thrash those Romans again! Aye, that's the spirit! [17 Jun 1999]

Small battle: Marian Rome vs. Early Spartans. The Romans were beaten, maunly due to being enveloped, and losing the general (his unit was hit in flank). Nasty game all in all. I failed to keep my focus :( [7 Jun 1999]

The last game wasn't Entirely Historical. I pitted my Late Roman Army (15mm) against my friend's, Rick's, Early Imperial Roman Army. We played using Warhammer Ancients Battles. It looked as if I might have an easy victory (with the use of Hun allies; they are great in this set) until one of my legions failed moral. At that point most of my army followed. [4 Apr 99]

We played an eastern Roman Legion against a western Legion using DBA rules. The more numerous cavalry in the eastern army was a definite advantage enabling an easy win, though not before the other side had wiped out one of the cohorts by some really hoy die rolls. [3 Apr 99]

last campaign using avalon hill's 'hannibal' with armati rules and 4-5 players. generated 6-8 games [2 Apr 99]

Early Germans vs. Traianic Romans, using Armati rules. After a lot of skirmishing, Roman cavalry managed to override my warbands... :( [31 Mar 99]

Hittites vs Egyptians, 15mm Tactica rules (home-brew Hittite list). I altered the existing Egyptian list to a more New Kingdom style: no cavalry, added one unit of Shardana Guard HI (24 figs, FV 5-6, +2 morale, swords). Hittites attacked on left and Egyptians withdrew slowly. The Pharaoh tried to counterattack too late on his own left, while the Hittite numbers overwhelmed the Egyptian right wing. [31 Mar 99]

Late Assyria vs. Babylonian revolt. The Babylonians attempted to hold a stream line against the Assyrians entering at uncertain locations in column of march. The Assyrians came in at the far left flank among the low hills and got hung up against good mountain auxiliaries. The Assyrian cavalry commander overextended his attack and was taken in the flank by Midianite camel scouts. The cavalry broke and fled back through the non-yet-deployed archer line, which found its morale shaking. The Babylonian general then moved his reserve horse in against the weakened line and routed it with another flank attack. The Assyrian army then withdrew in reasonable order. If the Assyrian commander had been more patient in the advance and deployed properly on arrival, the results would probably have been very different. The best Assyrian troops, the veteran palace spear/archer units, never got into the battle. Cohort and Phalanx 0.5 (house rules). [31 Mar 99]

My last game used Piquet/Archon and was a scenario in which a rebel Egyptian army with Athenian hoplite allies were attempting to break out of a besieged island in the Nile. Their opposition was a Spartan-led Persian army which started out in a scattered position. The Athenians easily over-ran the Persian infantry opposing them but harrassment by Persian horse archers and command indecision on the part of the Egyptians allowed the Persian heavy cavalry to hit the rebel flanks and a small unit of Spartan hoplites broke the Athenians. [31 Mar 99]

Armati Rules Later Carthaginians vs Republican Roman.

In a rather historical manner, I(Roman) managed to destroy his center before he could destroy my flanks. Bad deployment on his part allowed my skirmishers to engage his elephants without being threatened until it was to late. His cavalry never managed to threaten my flank seriously. Once his elephants were destroyed the Legionairres followed. It was only a matter of time at that point. [31 Mar 99]

Armati with 6mm figures. Gauls vs. Republican Romans. The Gauls hung back, trying to develop a left flank hooking manuever, but I was unused to how fast the Roman Triarii could redeploy themselves, and the flanking move failed miserably. Nevertheless, the brave Gallic charge nearly carried the day anyway. Better luck next time!

I'm more interested in results than processes, so for me games like Armati & DBM are superior to WRG 7th. Your mileage may vary. [30 Mar 99]

A 30 bonus pt game between myself playing romans and a friend who fielded the late cartaginians.We used Armati rules for a fairly short game.This was the second time we had used these rules and we were most impressed by the ease with which they could be mastered.The result was a nailbitting,tablethumping very narrow victory for the Romans! [30 Mar 99]

Subject:Wodenstag Ritter and Band of Brothers

Wodenstag Ritter met last Wednesday night at Jim Cocran’s new DBM center. Boy, Jim nice wargaming room, but just wait until your wife finds out that you remodeled your basement for DBM. I’ll keep silent for some more figures.

We had The ElephantSlayer Jim Cocran, Stormin Sam Salley, DeLaude Mike Barnes, Chris Cluckey as William Le’basturd, and myself play Stormin Normans vs Anglo-Saxons (Anglo-Danish list) at 400 pts. This was not Senlac hill, but nevertheless historical oppenents. Sam Salley, a friend of Mike’s, learned his name Stormin Sam by playing an excellent game. The battle terrain was largely open with a marsh on the right of the Anglo-Saxon lines, a road down the middle, a enclosed field to the left of the Normans.

Chris was the C-in-C in the center with 13 Irr-KN(F). Stormin Sam had the left flank with 6 irr-KN(F)s and the infantry (X-bow, PS, SP) with BP of 9. I had Bishop OTTO and 6 irr-KN(F)s and the Breton Ally all on the right flank. The Anglo-Saxons line covered the whole field from the left of the marsh all to the left border. The right flank of the Anglo-Saxons beyond the marsh was covered by Viking Allies mostly IRR-BD(F). Poor, Sam, was left facing Vikings and Saxon Huscarls, until Chirs covered some the blades.

The Normen plan was to charge straight with the KN, no dismounting, but if they had it would be as Irr-SP(O). The Bretons on the right were to try get around the left flank of the Saxon Fyrd. Stormin Sam charged the Vikings with his KNs, the rest of the KNs moved forward until 200P outside of the Saxon lines. The Bretons were slow in trying to turn the left, allowing the Saxons to deploy all the Fyrd across the field. Bishop (me) had lots of pips, but could not use them, due to waiting for the Bretons to get into position. Wm Lebastuar covered the center and most of the Saxon blades.

The Saxon king Harold Godswine (Jim) and Erwin (Mike) moved forward trying to close with the KNs. Sam, as the Norman subgeneral Raymond, faced the Vikings and also King Harold’s mercenary Norman KN and Huscarls mounted as Cv(I). The CV(I) and Bd(F) popped two KNs of Stormin Sam’s. On the Left the Breton ally general died to the Fyrd SP(O) just before Bishop Ottos KNs hit the Fyrd, however the Bretons rallied to stay in the battle. Bishop Otto plowed into the left Saxon Flank, but within a hour Bretons broke fled the field without slaying any of the Fyrd. Bishop Otto later became a hero and slaughtered 4 stands of Fyrd, but he died surrouned by Fyrd. At this point we had two dead generals and one demoralized command.

On our right, a cheer went up, Stomin Sam has slaying vikings and Saxon huscarls. William was slaying traitous Norman Kn and mounted Huscarls, Cv(I). Another, cheer has heard from the Normans as Willy slayed the false King Harold Godswine.

The death of the false King was too much for the Saxon center and they started to flee the field. Jim had lost a total of 8 elements and could not rally the command. Then disaster struck the Normans as the “soon to be King” William was killed by the lowly knaven Huscarls. The Normans were staring defeat and death in the face, we had only one element to go before the Norman army was defeated. The Normans need 9 elements to defeat the Saxons and we had lost three of our four generals..

A loud cheer was heard from Mike as he proclaimed his general King of England. But Stormin Sam was not done. Stormin Sam proclaimed, “ Once more my dear Friends, Once more into the beach my Band of Brothers”. He was able to destory two more Vikings units, demoralizing that command. And suddenly the battle was over with the Saxon army fleeing the Field of Honor. Sam’s general Sir Raymond was proclaimed king on the battle field and the Norman conquest of England began. Lessons learned. 1. Do not crow before all your chickens are hatched. 2. With a large C-in-C command do not lead with the C-in-C, but use him as a reserve. 3. To the victor goes the right to write the battle report. [30 Mar 99]

Armati game: Rome vs the Carthagians. We played the same set up four times and the wins were enely split between both sides. [30 Mar 99]