ANCIENTS VOTING RESULTS:
Rules Regularly Played - Warhammer Ancient Battles

Camapaign game from the Antiquity Campaign I run at the Humberside Wargames Society. I take the part of independent provinces when invaded by players. Yesterday I was Rhoxolani Sarmatians against the player controlled Sarmatians. I lost.... [19 Sep 1999]

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

Roman vs Egyptian/Roman in a semi desert battle with low hills and asingle oasis. The Egyptians were flanked and crushed by two chorts before their Roman alllies coud interven. [03 Jun 1999]

We played 2000 pts. Warhammer Anients battle, Carthagian vs. Alexander. [14 May 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]

Currently, my Late Imperial Army is fighting a pitched battle against a horde of Alammani in 15mm to play-test my own rules "Legion & Empire."

My left wing, containing the bulk of my cavalry is sweeping in on the Alammanic skirmishers. In the center the first line of Auxilia and allied feoderati are advancing on a hill.

My right wing which is rather weak (only 4 vexilationes of cav and some Lanciari) are facing all of the barbarian cav and are very worried. They'll probably get squished next weekend (sigh).

Last weekend I played a terrific "Classical Hack" game with Phil Viverito at a convention. I ran a few cohorts of Auxilia in a border outpost getting overrun by the Dacians while waiting for the Legions to come to my rescue. Ended up as some pagan sacrifice in a Dacian sacred grove, but it was fun....! [3 Apr 99]

Using Warhammer Ancient Battles at club. Imperial Romans vs Byzantine. [3 Apr 99]

the dread Visigoths had the termidity to attack the feudal French forces. The french had them right where they wanted them, when, the visigoth Horse overran the weak French Foot, demorlaizing the entire army. somuch for the power of the pike to ward off mounted attacks. [2 Apr 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]

persian vs indian. that persian 'spara' formation is formidable! a few people (including jervis) have said they think elephants are too powerful, i disagree my ellies suufer badly from massed bow fire and tend too run, sorry 'stampede' off the table carrying my boss with them argh! [31 Mar 99]

British Celts v's Roman. Romans set up on a hill facing Britons across a clear vally. Britons had left their chariots behind but pushed on regardless. kept advancing then charged up hill. On the left flank the British cav outnumbered the Roman cav 2-1 but still went down in a screaming heap ruining the expected envelopment. In the center the impetuous charge of the warbands broke one cohort but couldn't catch in persuit the other cohort held firm. On the British right flank skirmishers kept each other busy. Next turn the Broken Cohort rallied only to be charged again, this time they held Roman cav returned to main battle charging a warband in the flank causing the warband to rout never to return. The skirmishers kept doing their duty however the second warband was surrounded and broken causing a general withdrawl. In the end more Romans than Britons died however the Romans were left holding the field. But we shall return thistime with ye olde British panzer brigade. [31 Mar 99]

Warhammer Ancients: Roughly 3000 points Normans vs. Later Sassanids.

WAB was selected as my favorite largely because of the numerous problems with the remainder of the rules currently available. The ideal set of rules for me would combine the best elements of WRG 7th and DBM. WAB is not ideal, but at least it is enjoyble to play. Overall it it probably too much of a step back in terms of simplicity, but as said, it is fun. The ideal set of rules should be unit based (not element based), incorporate fatigue into shooting and combat, and have some limitation on command and control (DBM does a good job at this). The rules in turn should not require a fixed number of units per army or a fixed army list per army. Finally the ideal rules should be clearly written (i.e., not written by Phil Barker), and have a well organized index that allows quick resolution of questions as they arise, and should not have an excesivley complicated series of modifiers to any combat, shooting, or morale resolution. [30 Mar 99]

My last game I was teaching a newb the game system. He had just bought a Carthaginian army, and faced off against my greeks. I actually was doing pretty well pushing his battle line back through the center (thanks Sparta!) until his elephant finally rode around my rear and started wreaking havok. But it was fun. [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]

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]