Well, in our imaginations anyway. Bruce provided 2 generic ancient Greek hoplite armies for our most recent game of DBA 3.0. The armies were nearly identical; mostly hoplites (Spear) and peltasts (Auxilia) with a few light troops in support. Bruce had a few Psiloi and I had a couple of archers (Bow) and one Light Horse. Bruce wanted to play a double-size game - 24 elements - but with only a single command with one general, instead of 2. The limited command seemed like a suitable "Greek challenge" but I was pretty sure we were going to be wishing for more Pips later.
I placed my General with my mounted troops in the center behind my front line; with only one general I knew command range was going to be an issue. I was the Attacker, but managed to get Woods placed on my left flank, so I deployed a group of several Auxilia opposite the woods and hoped for good Pips early.
Bruce placed his General on his far right flank opposite the Woods, which meant any movement on his left flank was going to require extra Pips.
I got the early Pips I needed to take possession of the Woods on my left Flank with Auxilia and sent the Light Horse and some Auxilia to skirmish on my right flank.
We both fed elements in to the skirmish on my right, which was costing Bruce more Pips than me, while our main lines of Spear slowly marched toward each other.
The lines of hoplites stared at each other a charge move apart for a couple of bounds until I moved my Spears into contact. I had an overlap advantage on the right side of the line but a disadvantage on the left, so started combats on the right.
The initial round of combat rolls went in my favor; a couple of Bruce's SPears were eliminated and several more were recoiled.
The new side support rules for Spears have made clashes between lines of Spear more decisive - a single recoil or elimination can start a chain reaction that is hard to come back from. . . and that is what happened to Bruce's line. . .
The Auxilia in the Woods on my left flank more than did their job, pinning Bruce's entire right flank. That is where he had stationed his general but never moved to clear the Woods or go around it. The skirmishing on my right flank also occupied enemy elements while the center did the real fighting, but there was one heroic enemy Psiloi that kept recoiling my Light Horse, turn after turn. Then, on the last turn of the game, they finally killed the horsemen! Luckily, it was too late to cost the overall victory.
In case you're wondering, the new F&IW terrain for Recruits is all finished. See ya this weekend, maybe?
You will be...you will beeeeee.....
ReplyDelete