"...it could only happen to a wargamer." Topic

My friend Tim mailed me this anecdote from a To the Strongest! game he played on Saturday, which I thought I'd share here, as I coughed up my coffee earlier over it.

"Dave cautiously advanced his two units of Sassanid cataphracts and attached general towards the hill with the Roman artillery in place. At the start of his turn he ordered the first unit to charge and promptly drew an Ace – unit disordered! The general was in place so ordered a fresh card. A second Ace! The heat must have been intense that day as the cataphract unit disintegrated. Not to worry though as there was a second cataphract unit. Next turn after some ineffective shooting by the artillery the second unit of cataphracts declared its charge and, well yes you can guess, drew an Ace. It was disorganised. The general was in despair but called for another card and this one was …. not an Ace. The disorganised cataphracts charged and destroyed the Roman artillery (and then were promptly charged in their flank in the Roman turn and were themselves destroyed). It was Dave's first game and it left him uncertain about the rules! I would scarcely have believed this if I had not been there myself."

Poor Dave. :-)

No other rules give you so much enjoyment! I bet it was hilarious, on both sides of the table. And does it make the rules less historically accurate? No I don't think it does, the one universal truth is…. Sh*t happens.