Mortem Et Gloriam - Avar versus Carolingian

Another outing for MEG this time at Stephens and trying a 'Maximus' game.
Stephen picked Carolingian and I fielded Avar and I struggled to field the 10,000 points for Maximus game.
Some Hun figures had to substitute for 'true' Avars (not much of a stretch).
Even Stephen with his copious amounts of figures had a couple of substitute stands.
Units of Light Infantry in groups of 8 or 9 stands is bit different to other sets we have armies for.

Another fun game as we tried out different troop types.
I tried charging with Avars and also Skirmishing with them.

These 'shooty-horse' type armies need a bit of practice (and dare I say a plan).
Certainly compared to the 'line-em-up and charge' Franks they need more subtle and varied tactics.
The lack of suitable cards in any given turn can be a real bind.
Was unsure if Shooting and Skirmishing was best tactic as always a risk of being caught and in Impact and Melee the Avars are quite decent.
Carolingians did have a nasty unit of Exceptional Cavalry and several Superior Cavalry (I had but two Superior noble units) and had an advantage at Impact with possible Shatters.

Biggest problem I faced was Stephen rolling Skulls against files I had 2 General fighting in and then killing them both !

Games are certainly bloody as whilst I lost the requisite 6 Tugs Stephen had lost 3 in victory and we both had ton of dead stands.

Mortem Et Gloriam first try with new edition

Game with Stephen using new edition of Mortem Et Gloriam.
We last played MEG back at start of 2018 so pretty much starting afresh with rules.
I fielded trusty Punic Romans and Stephen had Hannibals chaps.
We tried the new Magna sized game (essentially 2/3rds scale) which uses a 4' x 3' table.
This was mainly due to my Romans not having enough Triarii or Legionaries for full sized game (now termed Maximus).
My Romans having been re-based as 'doubles' for L'Art De La Guerre not optimal for MEG which allows for unit expansion and suchlike (like Field of Glory) but doable with a few pipe cleaner markers.
Thankfully the cards and dice from first edition are still perfectly usable with new set.


Game was great fun despite our having to re-learn even the basics.
The card 'activation/orders' system is great linked into its colour coded system and similar dice system.
Moves are large (base widths) and armies get into action in at most 2-3 turns.
Shooting (we had few shooting types) and Combat all very easy to relearn.
The QRS is comprehensive and clear but maybe a bit small in it print for aging eyes on either side of the table.

Game saw a clash of Infantry type all along the table with Cavalry on flanks.
To and fro with dice rolls although for some reason rolling a 'blank' seems less traumatic than rolling a 1 :-)

Carthaginians were in ascendancy when we finished (game not completed) but no bloodless victories in MEG as both sides taking a lot of casualties.

Fun stuff and we will be trying these again.

Stephens comment of game being Ancients "how Barker intended" seemed apt but we are novices with intricacies of tactics.

Interested to try the Pacto version (single file units) as a direct comparison to LADG scale.

Not much to report..............

Not done much in gaming realm this past week but herewith a short update.

Ulster Wargames Society had a Zoom meeting on last Saturday of May in lieu of actual Club Meeting and was great to see the same old faces and we had a fun History quiz using an app called Kahoots.



Couple of rule sets on order but none delivered yet (post still slow).

Have SYW Russian and Prussian forces set up ready to try out the new Seasons of Battle system from FOB3.

Mortem Et Gloriam: Sogdian versus T'ang Chinese

Game at Stephens today and he selected MEG rules once more as he wanted to try his T'ang force circa 620AD.
I chose Sogdian (using a mix of Central Asian Turkish type figures).





This was another cracking game which went right down to the wire.
I was trying to sack Chinese Camp at end and needed just one more kill to destroy the camp and thereby break their army but rolled poorly (the story of my wargame life !) and was then contacted to rear and trounced causing my army to break first.
Excellent stuff once again.





Sogdian center and left

Sogdian Light Horse on right wing

Massed lancers in center

T'ang center foot with mounted reserve

T'ang right

Sogdian light horse holding up T'ang left

As they try to attack on own left

Sogdian left begins to crumble (but skirmish types do not count against army break)

Sogdian lancers get to grips in center and left wing

T'and camp under threat

Piecemeal fighting on left

T'ang camp under assault (to rear) but with game winning unit approaching besiegers

Mortem Et Gloriam this time Sassanid versus Early Byzantine

Another outing for MEG rules today with Stephen fielding Early Byzantine and I the Sassanid Persians.

No time for an AAR but what a bloodfest this one was !!

Mortem Et Gloriam another game: Minoan vs Hittite

Another outing for MEG rules today (we intend to play 2 or 3 more to try to get a decent grasp of rules) this time Stephen using his Hittites and I my Minoan (Early Mycenaean).

Lots of Chariots on the table (some 50+ including Generals) with the Hittite types being more numerous.

The Hittite Chariots were quite effective being Superior and with Bows and as Drilled troops were very maneuverable being able to skirmish and stay away from my Battle Chariot types whilst peppering them with arrows.

Stephens foot were fairly weak but he was able to retire them efficiently (good cards) until forced to fight near table edge.

We ended the game both needing to destroy a further 3 units each however as my right wing and center were essentially in tatters I suspect his rampant Chariots would have carried the day. 

Another good game with lots of action.





Minoan spearmen in center

Chariots (light and battle types) on Minoan right

The impressive massed Hittite chariotry

Hittite foot lingering to rear

Spearmen advance

Clash on Minoan right

Minoan chariots advance on left

Hittite chariots let loose