ANCIENTS VOTING RESULTS:
Rules Regularly Played - Tactica

Played Might of Arms - Roman civil wars. Used many game options. [03 Sep 1999]

It was a fiercely fought battle between Hannibal's Carthaginians and the Roman legions, using Tactica. As Carthaginian commander, I blundered badly in my deployment of both skirmishers and my African veterans. My opponent, Steve Weiss, allowed no room for error... A painful defeat. [14 May 1999]

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]

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]

We use set-up points and not historical armies, usually. 80 set-up points this time. It's larger than the 12-stand DBA variant but just about as quick. Terrain played a factor since a river of unknowable depth passed through three quadrants. Using an 8-sided die to see how many units could move/turn was appropriate for 80 set-up points, but don't think that it necessarily allows anything like an Ancients "blitzkrieg." In fact, the side that lost had difficulty in the mid-game moving more than two of his five units in any given turn. The "good guys" (i.e. me) won, killing off some heavy chariots (classified as knights) and taking the camp. Light horse on both sides did an impressive job. [31 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]

Warhammer Ancient Battles 1200 points of Late Romans vs. 1500 points of Franks. The Romans had to transport a convoy of 8 wagons from one side of the board to the next. The Franks had to capture at least 4 wagons and to win. It was a simple solitaire scenario. The idea was based on a scenario in the Courier for Napoleon's retreat from Moscow. The terrain was lightly wooded up to one point near the Roman exit point, that was heavily wooded.

At the heavily wooded area was a concentration of 800 points of Franks. The remanider could appear at any point before the woods when a d6 was rolled. The dice weren't with the Franks. Too few appeared before the heavy woods to do any damage.

Before the Romans reached the heavy woods, they deployed, all the cavalry surrounding the wagons. The Roman Auxiliary infantry and archers deployed on the flanks.

The Franks charged from the woods, bad dice again, and the Roman cavalry and wagons counter charged. The convoy punched a hole in the Franks and continued down the road. The Roman auxiliary inf and archers repulsed the Franks charge. The game was over.

I was hoping that the Franks would have attacked the convoy before the woods to weaken the Romans. This didn't happen. [30 Mar 99]