ANCIENTS VOTING RESULTS:
Voters, By Setting - At the local club

The last round of the BHGS competition in Leeds. Due to a lot of bad luck and some poor play I was in last place going into the last round. I was using a Hindu Indian army designed to beat the kinght armies that I expected to be there. Up till this point I had not me a knight army, this tine I did and the Feudal Spanish had no chance and what little they had was not helped by a late arriving flank march. The Hindu Indiand won 10-0 with the loss of 2 and a half elements [25 Sep 1999]

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

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]

DBM Ch'in vs Indians at 400pts, Ch'in spear centre rolled over the Indian centre of Bows and Elephants into the Indian camp whilst Chariots and cavalry of both sides skirmished indecisively. [17 Sep 1999]

Phalanx & Legion. Club rules of the Bundaberg Wargames Society. Byzantines vs Arab Conquest. 15mm. Played on a 5' x 9' table. No terrain in the centre, but hills and some woods on both flanks. The armies are divided into 4 wings each, each moving when its card is pulled (like OTR). The terrain helped the Byzantines, since they had fewer, if heavier, units initially. By mid game, the Arabs had worked themselves around the Byz. left, allowing them to get behind that flank, which quickly collapsed. The Byzantine centre was unable to crush the arab centre before it also was engulfed, and the battle over. [15 Sep 1999]

Played DBM Late Roman Eastern (me) against Horse Barbarians - I got slaughtered! He used heavy cavalry to punch a hole in my battle line splitting my right flank off from the rest of my army. My knights were on my left flank and they could not really catch his light cav - largely useless. My right flank consisted of cav - he killed these first! and aux supported by psiloi (later died fast); my general was the last to die of cav, whereupon the whole command became demoralized. He sent 5 elements into my rear and they killed by baggages, by which time I had lost one third of my command. I felt quite despondent!

I could use some advice on how to play with a Roman army! [7 Sep 1999]

Last ancients game was a 25mm meeting between Carthago and Rome, and it was glorious. There were stampeding elephants, skirmishers doing "rude" things in the scrub, and legionaires who (led by their commander) stood in the line until the last man died of blood loss!! By the way, the rules used were Might of Arms, which I highly recommend as a very fun rule set.

Exploits of this and other battles can be seen at http://www.netcolony.com/members/odms under "After Action Reports". [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]

Our side had two Roman Armies against two Briton Armies. We did a frontal assault with our cavalry placed in the center. When my ally rolled low for pips at the beginning of the turn. I was left alone and and was overwelmed by the Briton warbands. Oh well. [31 Jul 1999]

Got my Celts stuffed by Early Imp Romans, used a rosta system (archon) and felt that up until the last moment that my Celts were in with a chance, then it all went pear shaped, [2 May 99]

In our local tournament I deployed Graeco-Bacttrian facing Yuan Chinese. I lost after 3,5 hours. My opponent was superior with experience of years. But I went good too. I wanted to get 1/2 element from his C-in-C command or 1 element from his second command to get the victory. [21 Apr 99]

We fought an Archon game between a combined Greek force versus Persians and Mendizing Greeks. The Greeks won, but it was a very close battle. I can't remember all the details since it was about 3 months ago. You can see pictures of the battle at the following website. http://www.garrison-clubs.org/clubs/charlottegallery.htm - Eric Burgess [27 Apr 99]

My last Ancients game was Early Imperial Roman vs Marian Roman. It was 400Pts, pre-set terrain. I chose Western Roman with Sarmation Allies and 4 commands. My opponant had 3 commands. Simply I was able to hit my opponants line of blades with the Sarmations which were supported by Light horse, Cavalry and Auxilia infantry. The

Sarmations then proceded to destroy every element which they contacted. I was very lucky with pip and combat die rolls and destroyed 20 elements wich demoralised 2 commands for the lose of 2 Light horse elements. Basically I was very lucky. [4 Apr 99]

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

A general presentation of the rules Legions & Lions at Kit-Con in Elgin, Illinois [3 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]

Polybian Roman (with celtiberian allies) against Later Selucid. DBM A perfect ambush broke my opponents mobile command. His scythed chariots got nowhere against the celtiberian caetrati. A fight for the wood in the centre was bloody and inconclusive (but almost cost me a command).

When we ran out of time, his C-in-C was attempting to take on an entire command almost single handed. A few more turns would probably have resulted in a 9-1 victory. [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]

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]