Ancients vs Medievals - Ascot analysis

[clivevaughan]

It struck me that there were more Medieval armies amongst the winners at the Ascot BHGS Challenge. Coincidence? Good players like Dave Handley, Simon Hall or Bruce Brown just happened to have Medieval armies?
Looking at the results, there were 44 games where medievals played ancients.
Medievals won 22, drew 8 (counting scores of 9-11 as draws) and lost 14.
It seems that to beat knights an ancient army needs elephants (I took a Pontic army which has nothing that will stop a knight - fortunately I only had one game vs medievals).
The point of this post isn't to winge but to urge competeition organisers to stream us Foggies - at least into pre-knight and post-knight groupings. I note that Roll Call will be themed - what about Britcon? Warfare? Godendag?
Otherwise open competitions will end up comprising largely of medieval armies and pike/elephant combos

[hammy]

It struck me that there were more Medieval armies amongst the winners at the Ascot BHGS Challenge. Coincidence? Good players like Dave Handley, Simon Hall or Bruce Brown just happened to have Medieval armies?

True but they didn't have many knights.....

I am still not sure if it is a chicken and egg thing. I would expect Simon, Dave and Bruce to do well whatever they took.

[babyshark]

I agee with Hammy. In fact, a quick look at the top 10 finishers shows that only two knight armies made it up into the rarified air. Plus, with only two army list books available at the time of the tournament there was always a strong possibility that one or the other book would be "over-represented." Don't sound the alarm bells yet.

Marc

[nikgaukroger]

It seems that to beat knights an ancient army needs elephants (I took a Pontic army which has nothing that will stop a knight - fortunately I only had one game vs medievals).

A few thoughts.

You don't need elephants - in fact I think if you can't take at least 4 don't bother.

Pontics have pikes that will stop knights dead and enough other stuff to contain them if you can't get the pikes at the knights.

2 of the top 3 medievals had no knights.

Themed comps are good as are open ones - I like a mixture - and I'm happy that in the open ones the so called knight armies will not dominate because of the knights.

Stick with the Pontics - they're good fun

[shall]

Stick with the Pontics - they're good fun

Fun being top priority

Now off to try my SPARTANS

Si

[paulcummins]

Now that is a terrifing army in period.
As it should be I suppose.

[miffedofreading]

I don't really like competitions, though with the enthusiasm over FoG I may enter into one, possibly....

But whether friendly, competition or whatever I always prefer themed armies from the same time period.

New Kingdom Egyptians V Medieval Swiss, or Orcs, or Daleks all sounds too fantasy to really work. But that is just me

[robertthebruce]

In our first competition in Spain (Vilches):


1- Later Cartaginian
2- Seleucid
3- Later Cartaginian
4- Later Cartaginian
5- Santa Hermandad Nueva Castilian
6- Free Company
7- Andalusían (Me )
8- Medieval German
9- More Cartaginians
10- Ottoman

The best medieval army 5th.


Regards

David

[Scrumpy]

At the recent Cold Wars event I finished 4th with the Medieval Danes and was the top placed knight army. The top 3 were later Selucid ( that scored 70/75 IIRC ), Later Macedonian & Scots Highlands & Islands.

I was suprised that other peoples knight armies did not place higher.

[OldenTired]

Stick with the Pontics - they're good fun

ain't that the truth. i didn't chose early successors because they were a killer army.

now i just need to concentrate on rescuing myself from tricky situation after tricky situation!

[hammy]

I don't really like competitions, though with the enthusiasm over FoG I may enter into one, possibly....

But whether friendly, competition or whatever I always prefer themed armies from the same time period.

New Kingdom Egyptians V Medieval Swiss, or Orcs, or Daleks all sounds too fantasy to really work. But that is just me

Find a partner and try the Oxford doubles at the end of next month. The doubles is a much more sociable and less stressfull comp and IMO a nice gentle introduction.

[Malidor]

I really like the idea of themed tournaments, whether they are needed or not. It just feels better somehow.

[hammy]

The problem with themed tournaments is that you can end up excluding people who want to play. If for example I have Medieval, Feudal, Biblica and Arab armies and you run a Roman and Greek theme I am rather stuck. I think there is a place for both. Infact what would be nice at bigger comps would be to have one or two themes and an open comp which is I think how things tend to be run in the USA.

[nikgaukroger]

Yup, you do have to be careful not to exclude people - lack of a suitable army is one reason I won't be doing the next round of the SoA Doubles for example.

[hammy]

Nik, I would chastise you and offer a loan army but I have a feeling that I only really have one army for that period at most too

[nikgaukroger]

The fact I have little interest in the Immortal Fire armies, especially at 1000 points, is also a major factor (ditto for Pete) - otherwise I'd have gone begging

[hammy]

I could always have asked Martin to see if he could borrow Jez's Greeks

[davidandlynda]

Name your list Nik,I'm sure we can put something together for you
David

[davidandlynda]

Actually I'll take this oppotunity to remind you all to get your entries in ,only 4 so far,that dosn't compare with the numbers who said they were coming at the challenge
David

[hammy]

My entry will be in the post tomorrow.