Last pre-revision reports

[jre]

I was waiting for my computer savvy opponent to do some nice graphics, and anyway the battles did not rise to many rules questions or doubts (which means that we are at a level when it is skill rather than knowing POAs and rules which decides the games) so that is why we did not comment on them. However, while we start reading and noting changes, I decided to comment on them before they all became obsolete.

Game 4. Republican Roman vs. Carthaginian. A historical game, somewhat reminiscent of Zama. We Romans did not handle well the mixed BG organization but the Carthaginians allowed us to align the legionnaires against the right targets (including Triariis against the elephants). The mistake was that in our eagerness to charge we ignored some skirmishers in one of the legion flanks, who made an interception charge. They held on for three bounds, which meant that the Princeps could not support the Hastati (who were fighting on two fronts against the Carthaginian cavalry and part of the elephants besides the skirmishers) so they broke.

Meanwhile the other legion was unable in six bounds to break a big group of Spanish Scutarii, despite the double advantage. The Left flank was a cavalry/ skirmishers melee, where the Roman superior numbers were offset by superior quality. The first game we did not manage to finish in four hours, with a marginal Carthaginian victory at the end.

That will show me not to ignore skirmishers again. On the other hand, Spearmen are quite good for Elephant control, and light foot is no match for light horse in the open.

Game 5. As we wanted to try Chariots vs Medievals we played a New Empire Egyptian vs a Medieval German. There was a lot of maneuver, which showed the superiority of the light chariots on the knights. The Egyptian right flank was rolled by pikemen vs the heavy infantry and good luck by some knights agains a chariot BG (which charged them to try to save the infantry). Meanwhile the left flank beat some too aggressive knights and their supporting cavalry. With the situation critical in the center, not sure of the effect of knights on his infantry, and with time running out the Egyptian charged a block of pikes with light chariots and breaking them with very good luck, enough to get a marginal victory when the time was over.

Unlike others we are finding that as we get experienced we are taking longer to play as we no longer do quick frontal advances and lines crashing, but more refused flanks and maneuvering, all of which means longer games. As we get to know the odds people are more cautious with unfavorable pairings, unless desperate. As well, as we tend to small disciplined armies there are lots of empty space for maneuver.

We will see now with the new changes.

Jos?©