Slitherine

Div C

Challenged for cnzmur set up

pw = snap

PW sent

Division B

principesromanes (Armenian (Tigranes) 83-69 BC with Pontic 84-47 BC allies) defeats Garokan (Syracusan 280-211 BC with Carthaginian 235-136 BC allies) 44-14

The more numerous Armenians faced off against the Syracusian army on a narrow plain between the ocean and a forest. The narrow front allowed the Armenian cataphracts to deploy in the main line with no real worries that the more nimble – and probably more numerous – Syracusian cavalry would exploit the flanks. And the large marsh beside the ocean provided an added advantage in negating the Syracusian cavalry when the more numerous Armenian missile troops made it uncomfortable for the Syracusians to hang back on their gentle hill.

As the battle lines joined, the lines quickly became uneven and ragged. This proved to (mostly) be an advantage for the Armenians, who had a deeper line with more units to sneak into gaps and exploit the holes that appeared. It was tense though when the Syracusian reserve cavalry surrounded a cataphract and almost used its destruction and pursuit to break though the lines.

Thanks for a great game that was closer than the end result suggests. I got lucky with one crucial irregular foot on the flank holding off a Spanish scutarii the whole battle.

Div A

Karvon Alans 651 AD defeated markleslie Auxumite 100-970 AD with Beja 42-4

Scattered woods covered all four corners of the field, particularly on the Auxumite right. A stream ran across the center. Quite a few small patches of rough or trees were found in across the central sectors.

We deployed two divisions of our horse archers on our right, one in the center deployed deep against our edge, and one on the left hidden behind some woods. Light horse screed each sector with a few light foot attached on each wing.

The Auxumites initially deployed off-set to their right, with their massed foot resting their flank on the neighboring woods. A number of camels were scattered along behind in support and a few light horse were visible on each flank.

We probed forward with our lights across the field, while our central and right mounted divisions swung wide to eventually press the Auxumite left flank. The Auxumites rather quickly sortied out of the woods on their right with a fair number of light horse supported by an almost equal number of light foot, about double our numbers, so we began a slow fighting retreat to minimize his shooting effectiveness. However, a handful of our lights managed to work around his and pressed on to scout the woods and chase off a light horse or two. These saw off his light horse and then began harassing some of his camels. The camels tried to drive them off, but only ended up in range of more lights and got shredded. He dispatched some infantry, which drove our lights off. A long, and mostly indecisive, skirmish continued in and around the woods between our lights, and his infantry.

The Auxumites began wheeling their center and left to counter our flanking attempt. We moved some of our horse archers up and began raining arrows on the camels in the intervals and on the flanks of his infantry. His foot and camels surged forward to drive this off, and these passed safely through our second and third lines to regroup. We used our generals to speed the rallying of disrupted and fragmented troops when we safely could. We move up more of our horse archers and repeated the process, and he surged forward again. His camels outran this infantry and were disposed of fairly quickly. Some of his infantry also got separated from the main body and got flanked and destroyed.

On our left, we shifted a few heavy horse archers to support our beleaguered lights on our far left in their delaying action against the enemy lights. This stabilized the situation and the enemy fell back.

Meanwhile, most of our lights and a few of our heavier horse archers moved around the end of his left into flanking positions. These finished off a few fragmented and disrupted units hiding in his rear, or charged into the flanks of nearby engaged units, leading to further disruptions and fragmentations. We dispatched mounted to chase routers and the Auxumites were unable to rally.

Final Score Alans 42 - Auxumites 4

Div B

Morat Carthaginian (Hannibal in Italy) 216-203 + Samnite 355-272 allies defeats principesromanes Armenian (Tigranes) 83-69 + Pontic 84-47 allies: 61-45

Wide plain with low hills to the left and right allowed the Carthaginians to spread out: they sought to take and hold the hills to the left and push on in the centre while disrupting on the right.

Plan rapidly came unstuck as the Armenian lights caused havoc, collapsing the forces on the right, and giving those on the left a really awkward time. Armenian cataphracts then started to create holes in the centre.

Salvation came with stubbornness of the Carthaginian heavies, who allowed the mediums to find some flanks and the Carthaginian elephant - who allowed the forces in the centre to gain the upper hand. In the end this proved just enough.

Fantastically tight affair. Many thanks to principesromanes for a great fight.

M.

Game Status Report

We have 30 days left to play, so make sure you allow yourself enough time to finish any matches yet started.

Current Rankings

Div B

Morat (Cathaginians and Samnites) challenges

anderarcos11 Gallic 100-50 + Spanish (Iberian) 300-10 allies
tmac11 Spartan 221-146 + Roman 280-220 allies

PM: on its way
PW: goth

M.

Div A

Morat (Visigoths) challenges

frederic02 Avars 558-631 AD

PM: on its way
PW: goth

M.

Div B

Morat (Normans/French) challenges

anderarcos11 German 933-1049 AD

and

Garokan Viking 900-1049AD + French 888

PM: on its way
PW: goth

M.

@Karvon,

I wonder if you can help. I posted a Division B challenge to Drudgep here and tried to send a PM. Unfortunately the PM is stuck in my Outbox and won't go to send. I even tried a second PM which also is sitting in my outbox. Would it be possible for you to nudge him please, as he may not have seen that there is a challenge for him.

Kind regards
Russ

@Karvon,

I wonder if you can help. I posted a Division C challenge to gcfl1 here and tried to send a PM. Unfortunately the PM is stuck in my Outbox and won't go to send. I even tried a second PM which also is sitting in my outbox. Would it be possible for you to nudge him please, as he may not have seen that there is a challenge for him.

Kind regards
Russ

Div B
Hari72 German (888-932)+Magyar (830-1049)
challenge
frederic02 Indian Rajput 650-1049AD

PM on its way

Div A

tyronec (Thracian) defeats Random (Babylonian) 41-7
Thanks for the game.

Div A

random27 andalusian defeats bagatrix1805 german 49-24

Thanks for the game

Div A

random27 indian defeats stones1985 christian nubian 61-57

Thanks for a close battle

Div B

random27 (hebrew) defeats frederic02 (roman) 61-55

Merci pour la bataille

Game Status Update

We have less than a month to go; please make sure you get any unplayed matches underway to insure you have time to finish by the deadline.

Current Rankings

Div B

All my games in this section are complete. Below are the results that are missing from the table, for whatever reason - my scores first.

w2512494748 10-41 (I lost)
grahamed 13-44 (I lost)
Rob123 47-22 (I won)

Cheers

Div B

Morat (Normans/French) defeated Hari72 German (888-932)+Magyar: 48-21

Couple of equally matched and organised armies met on a fairly open plain. Norman horse managed to get the upper hand on the left, while Norman spears performed heroics keeping the Germans at bay on the right (one set of defensive spears especially prominent in holding off a series of cavalry attacks). This gave time for the forces on the left to join the centre in getting the win.

Thanks to Hari for the match: the score could have been much closer - there were a large number of fragmented Norman units that just held on to secure the win.

M.