DBM Club Tournament 2004
A Player’s Perspective
Battle 8 (the final mash) – Late Carthage
Well, having taken Bob’s Early Carthaginians to bits, I’m
quite confident about this one. I think Lee’s spears are
better (so I’ll avoid these even more) and he’ll have
elephants (better bring some artillery then!), but I’m assuming
it’ll fight fairly similarly. I think the same basic plan
will suffice for this one as for against Bob. If I can pull off
a second 10-0, this will raise me finally out of the mid-table
to 3rd place behind John with his Sciri. As he’s fought all
his battles, this is my target to aim at. I can’t beat it,
but I might be able to pull out a bronze medal! Hehe…That
said there are a lot of players aiming at this so if I come in
the top half I’ll be happy. I think its safe to say that
the winner will be Gary with his Tudors. Admittedly he benefitted
from a couple of forfieted games (free 10-0’s) but a win’s
a win.
Lee’s a strong player and delivered a sound slapping to
Malcolm’s Sung Chinese last battle (which is rather misrepresenting
what was a very tense battle that hung in the balance until Lee’s
warbands sacked the Chinese baggage) so this’ll be a hard
fought contest. The pressure will be on as well, given that I can
take 3rd place in the rankings if I score a 10-0!
And so to the battle. All concerned must have been apprehensive
as the lines were not drawn up finally until 2pm, as the Mongols
invaded Carthage on a fine winter’s day.
Lee deployed a fair amount of terrain but nothing that unduly
worried me. He placed a hilltop fort in his setup zone to my
right, and
a scattering of gentle slopes covered with rough ground, bush
etc. I placed nothing and so set-up began. Lee deployed a strong
centre
of mixed elephants, cavalry light horse and psiloi. Facing my
left, in his rear were spearmen and auxilia that arrived in
column. Lighter
infantry defended the hill fort and attempting to hide behind
were some more light horse. Assessing the size of his force
I suspected
a flank march or that further hidden troops were waiting to pounce!
I deployed my Light horse on both extreme flanks, formed in column.
My cavalry sat forward on my left and the centre was held by
the now typical swarm of hordes. Artillery defended the baggage.
Night would soon fall so we set about things and I began the assault
by advancing my left light horse across the hill and into Lee’s
flank zone. Suspecting an ambush I sent a single element over the
hill first just to make sure. This flank was my main attack. The
success here would dictate the winner of the battle. The cavalry
wheeled in but otherwise made no advance. My right flank light
horse stayed put as they were facing a hill fort and I saw no reason
to commit them yet. This flank was my ‘holding flank’ and
would only need to react to Lee’s moves and delay whatever
he put forward.
As I wasn’t coming out to play on my right, Lee took the
initiative here and advanced his hidden cavalry across the crest
of the hill. Supported by the light horse and another elephant
they came steaming down onto me and the light horse decided to
withdraw behind the hordes. Lee aslo met my left flank advance
by wheeling his central command to face may cavalry and with a
frankly inspired spear formation. His infantry here had no open
flanks so my light horse were totally negated. Although basically
immune to the spears, the light horse have no chance of killing
them frontally so to engage in this manner would simply result
in stalemate.
It was about this time that the Mongol command went to sleep with
a spectacular series of dreadful PiP dice. For the majority of
the critical mid battle, my mobility was severely restricted by
PiP rolls that averaged 2 across three dice for several turns.
As a result, my right flank light horse were unable to withdraw
quickly enough and were caught by Lee’s advancing cavalry.
Although by brave mongols put up a good fight, ultimately their
luck couldn’t hold and the losses started piling up.
With my right, pinned and suffering, I could see the battle slipping
away. I’d already lost the initiative and so times were desparate
and I had to throw the left flank into Lee’s infantry. Picking
off the warband I struggled to make headway and with no lovely
flanks to turn my losses mounted here as well. Finally this command
broke. Lee’s light horse had sprinted through the gaps in
my hordes and was steadily ravaging my baggage. This together with
the demoralised command and my losses on the right broke my army
for a crushing 10-0 loss. Curses!!
This was a very tough game with headaches all round at the end!
Three factors lost me the battle:
- Lee blocked my left attack
with some frankly masterful positioning that denied me the flanks
I so desparately needed to take his infantry
apart. This really was the game winner for him, as once I’d
stalled here the second factor came into play to stop me recovering.
- Poor
PiP dice. For most of the middle of the game, I had appauling
PiP rolls. This would not normally be too bad and on its own
didn’t
lose me the game, but when my attack was blocked I seriously
needed to redeploy. The low PiPs stopped that happening. With
such a mobile
and fragile army, high PiPs are vital and with 3 regular dice
I can usually rely on at least one good dice roll each turn.
Sometime
that just doesn’t happen and a stuffing results!
- Finally,
Lee took the initiative from me on the right. Again, with poor
command rolls I was unable to withdraw quickly enough
and as a result I was fatally pinned.
So, in the final account, in the last battle of the tournament
for me, I was out-fought by a better opponent and hampered in my
own efforts to recover by a betrayal from the great dice goddess…
Lee is a hard fighter, very smart and dare I say; tactically masterful.
The game ws played in the best spirit of sportsmanship and it was
a joy (as much as a defeat can be) to be beaten by him. My dreams
of a podium place in tatters, this result has vaulted Lee into
the laurels. With a small number of clashes left, the final places
are still in contention.
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