2nd Beneventum scenario completed in ongoing Vassal Punic Campaign with Mike and next scenario Castulo commenced.
2nd Beneventum was another close run contest which could easily have gone to Carthage had my Romans failed in last turn we played.
New scenario Castulo has interesting terrain set up and victory conditions (Romans lose instantly if Scipio killed but can gain Victory Banners if able to push units of enemy board edge)
Completed Dertosa scenario with Mike on Vassal with my Romans gaining a rather too narrow win.
Despite having a superior Command Card limit (6 vs 4) I had no 'special' type cards until last hand, whilst Mikes Carthaginians seemed to obtain every one through course of game making it difficult for Rome with myriad extra moves and attacks.
We are now onto next scenario '2nd Battle Of Beneventum 214BC'.
Starting deployments
Just completed another C&C scenario with Mike in our ongoing Vassal PBEM 'Campaign' with his Carthaginians under Hannibal handily dealing with my Punic (Puny ?) Romans.
We are now onto scenario entitled Dertosa which is an encounter I know of as Battle of the Ebro (Scipio vs Hadrasbul in Iberia) but hopefully Rome can exact revenge.
Starting positions
Finished another scenario of ongoing Commands & Colors campaign with Mike and his Carthaginians were victorious once more.
The extra command cards Carthage gains when under Hannibal is a definite advantage but Mikes shooting dice were awesome this game as constantly caused a drain of attrition to my units.
On to Cannae next.........................................
End of another C&C Ancients Vassal game with Mike and this time his Carthaginians were victorious at the Trebbia braking my winning streak when the outflanking force under Mago appeared inflicted telling losses.
But boy was it close as the previous Roman turn I was a mere 1 hit from destroying enough Cartho units for an auto-victory !!
A slick playing and fun light system that works well on Vassal
Another Commands and Colors Ancients game on Vassal versus Mike completed with a victory for my Romans (on a roll at present) at Ticinus River.
I was lucky early on to get a card that boosted my medium cavalry and allowed me to inflict a good deal of hurt on Cartho heavy cavalry force and thereafter it was a matter of picking off light units.
Mike was pretty unlucky with his attacks overall despite having superior force and three generals
Next up is Battle Of The Trebbia with this light but fun C&C system
End of battle
Also ordered new edition of Chain Of Command despite not being a set I overly enjoyed (preferring IABSM) but new changes do sound positive and anyhow its another set of shiny new rules :-)
All those practice games and his last two with actual army, the 'difficulty' of choice when he has so many armies.
I used Normans against him in first game and this saw my Knights fail to perform yet again and my lowly spearmen hold well against superior Berber types, well up until they didnt
Second game was a very close affair with my Vikings in action this time.
I tried a flank march with Breton Ally which worked quite well drawing off several Berber units and PIPs.
The bulk of my Norse foot then moved obliquely to engage Berbers but unfortunately my General included with Huscarls was killed by a Berber General included with Knights and this saw my center collapse.
The Bretons rolled out of their skins (its a game of skill I tell ya !) and sweep all before them and this led to probably a first for us as I took enemy camp and he took mine.
I reached auto defeat level first but it was a close bloody game this one
Best of luck to Stephen and he has as much practice as we could manage so hopefully will do well again.
Pics backward again
Vikings come at angle to Berbers, Bretons arrive later deep on right flank
I brought Normans and Khazars but ended up using Teutonic instead (his brothers figures).
Both games against Normans one under William in 1066 the other under Guiscard with Arab allies.
Both two straight up slogs which is kind of what you get with knights I guess.
Of course as ever dice just not on my side although several of my lowly types rolled endless sixes to embarrass their noble Knightly superiors who conversely rolled endless ones and twos !
Of course 'The Dice Demon' thrice cast his spell upon my dice with the old "you don't want to roll a 1" its uncanny and frankly slightly worrying :-)
First up I used Maurikian Byzantine against Abbassid Arab and this was a game with lots of terrain (despite my choosing to attack in Steppe) and manouvre but with Arabs on top as ever.
Second game I used my Vikings again against Stephens Feudal English (a repeat of last week but with tweaked army lists) and again the Knights just too good for Viking foot.
Viking game showing my wall of warriors with Breton Ally on left in a gully
In better gaming news I completed second Vassal game with Mike with my Syracusans winning against Carthaginians in a very quick game, that was kind of decided on my first turn when I crushed 3 of required 5 units for no loss, was then a matter of picking off a couple of other units.
These are an old army of Essex figures that were done in Humbrol enamels back in mid 90s.
Stephen used his very nice Pre-Feudal English so not strictly a contemporary match-up but good game nonetheless despite losing yet again.
We also had a second game when I used Early Bulgar against Normans but I neglected to take any pics of this for reasons unknown.
Game plays pretty well PBEM and quickly once we decided to reduce file exchanges to minimum by often rolling for enemy during Evades and Battle Backs.
Already started second scenario Crimissos River 341BC
On much sadder note we lost our remaining 'fur baby' Joy on Saturday as her wee heart just gave out (as did her pal Lucys last July) and our house feels empty and so very downbeat.
Seems like no time since they were new arrivals with us back in 2016
Dogs really dig deep into your soul..................
I decided to use my Normans selecting the Norman list but with Sicilian options for first game and then the 'proper' Norman Kimgdon in Sicily list for second game.
Been awhile since I used Normans and good to get them on table again, they were first 'Ancients' army I ever collected/painted being a mix of 2 starter armies (One Essex the other Minifigs) and bought back around 1987/88 I think and for 7th Edition.
First game the Normans faced a Berber force (with wall of supported spear) and whilst my Normans managed to get in enmasse (I had 10 Knights and favourable terrain ie mostly open) they of course failed to deal with Berbers.
Although it was quite bloody in the end with Berber suffering 17 VP losses (26 units) when my 22 unit army was defeated.
Second game was against a Feudal English force with mix of Knights, Longbowmen and a Welsh ally, bit of an anachronistic match up for my tastes but still fun game.
Again I got all my Knights into action all along the line (good terrain again) but again failed in the combats and again pretty bloody with my small (20 unit) army succumbing after inflicting 16 VPs on English (24 units in size)
