I used a Maurikian Byzantine army with Sassanid allies (mainly so I could try Elephants) against a Dailami army.
A very good game it was too and we both find we enjoy FOG much more than we did with initial version.
We put this down to the tweaks which we feel generate a better game and to the fact we are more akin to FOG systems in general now after using the Rennaissance and Napoleonic sets.
Whilst it still feels to be a lower level game than DBMM, and lacks the inertia system of the PIP dice rolls, its nice to have distinct units rather than groupings of elements.
Pretty much happy to play either set now and as they use the same 'toys' this is fine.
My dice rolling today was fairly abysmal throughout as I lost all but one combat (!!!!) and lost numerous bases to death rolls in contrast to Stephens super rolls in all combats and not one lost base to death roll, how is that even possible !!!!!
The Dailami foot with General fighting in front rank are rather tough as they are superior to begin with and count Elite with Generals.
I had a unit of Sassanid Cataphracts which died to a man against bloody medium foot bowmen aarrrggghhh !!
Oppossing lines arrayed
Byzantines
Byzantine view of the Dailami
Battle joined
All further pictures have been censored as just way too terrrible to behold the bloody and gory decimation of the Byzantines !!!
(plus I forgot to take any more)
Great looking game!
ReplyDeleteWe're torn between keeping to the original FOG or going to Version 2. The £28 price tag may have something to do with our hesitation.
ReplyDeleteBut it looks like someone had fun.
Great report - I think I'd like this set more than DBMM but if I was to get back into ancients :-) I think I would wait for Pulse of Battle. I used to own Hinchliffe Sassanids for WRG 5th ed JUST for the elephants so I know what you mean about them...
ReplyDeleteNorman
Looking forward to POB myself but suspect it will need decent scenarios/match-ups to shine ?
ReplyDeleteOne attraction for us with FOG/Dbmm is their use of the oft maligned points based games and terrain generators. This suits us for quick games with minimal preparation if our time is limited (as it often is) and gives us a good game anyhow. 5th edition eh ? I have a set someplace.....
How is v2 different than v1 of FoG?
ReplyDeleteHereunder a list of some of the changes (some stuff better defined in new rulebook obviously) nothing very dramatic but overall I like it better in particular the new restriction of numbers of units a Leader can influence as oppossed to earlier Command Distance.
DeleteCHANGEs in Version 2
• Many clarifications made to wording.
• Skirmishers less slippery, with reduced ability to slow enemy movement and less ability to concentrate shooting without risk.
o Shooting range reduced to 3 MU for LH (and single-ranked cavalry) with bow.
o Effective range reduced to 3 MU for LF with bow, longbow, crossbow or sling.
o Evaders cannot turn at any table edge to avoid evading off the table.
o Second moves can go to just beyond 4 MUs of enemy skirmishers.
o Turn and move and expand and move – distance reduced by 2 MUs.
• Drilled troops less manoeuvrable and undrilled troops less unmanoeuvrable:
• Move with 90 degree turn or expansion reduced by 2 MUs.
• Turn, retired and turn again move reduced to 2 MU, but also possible for single ranked non-shock cavalry, camelry, chariots.
• No wheel or double wheel can exceed a total of 90 degrees.
• Wheeling/short-moving by Other Undrilled without a commander only complex within 4 MUs of any enemy skirmishers or 6 MUs of any other enemy (including the enemy camp but not an enemy commander’s base).
• Undrilled other troops with a general can make a stationary 90 or 180 degree turn without taking a CMT.
• Move Distances:
• Movement distances of HF increased in Uneven and Difficult.
• Armoured Knights move distances increased to same as Cavalry.
• Elephants move increased in Difficult.
• Heavy Artillery can pivot.
• Bonus movement distances for columns in terrain removed.
• FRAGMENTED troops have their maximum movement distance reduced by 1 MU (after any other deductions). However, they do not need to take a CMT to move.
• Commanders limited in how many battle groups they can command as a battle line – making Field Commanders more worthwhile:
o A Troop Commander cannot command a battle line of more than 2 battle groups.
o A Field Commander cannot command a battle line of more than 4 battle groups.
o An Inspired Commander cannot command a battle line of more than 6 battle groups.
• Interpenetration anomalies prevented:
o Leapfrogging prevented.
o “Teleport” interpenetrations prevented.
• Elephants improved:
o Get 3 dice per base in impact combat.
• Shooting:
Deleteo Ranges changed as above.
o Non-single-ranked Protected and Unprotected cavalry less vulnerable to shooting.
o Crossbows (and longbows) get + POA vs non-single-ranked Protected and Armoured cavalry.
o Support shooting no longer on a - POA.
• Close combat effects of superior armour reduced:
o A single level of armour advantage does not give a + POA if this would result in an overall ++ POA.
o This means that Barbarian foot are no longer a walkover for Romans.
• Changes to rules for rear support and routing make historical multi-line formations more viable:
o Rear Support:
Bases from other BGs do not have to all be directly behind the supported BG – bases in edge contact with such bases also count.
• Ability of high quality troops to keep fighting despite heavy losses reduced:
o CT modifier of -1 for each 25% of original strength lost.
o Broken battle groups at or below 50% of their original strength cannot be rallied, and are removed at the end of the JAP.
• Cohesion test:
o First three Cohesion Test modifiers altered to:
Battle group suffered at least 1 HP2B from shooting or close combat -1
Battle group testing for losing impact phase combat -1
Battle group testing for losing melee phase combat in which it received at least 2 more hits than it inflicted -1
o Modifier for losses is now -1 for each 25% lost.
o Extra -1 modifier if testing for seeing C-in-C lost.
o Heavy chariots inflict a -1 CT modifier on enemy they beat at impact. (Like lancers in V1)
• Other miscellaneous changes:
• Wheel in a charge must be at the start of the charge and direction is declared before any charge responses are declared.
o New rule prevents enemy from blocking turns.
o VMD not taken into account when decided whether shock troops need to test not to charge.
o Skirmishers MUST evade non-skirmishers in the open.
o FRAGGed troops charged in flank or rear which would drop a cohesion level on impact, instead break immediately without testing or waiting to be contacted.
o Heavy weapon capability no longer cancelled by skilled swordsmen or skirmishers.