Tommy's Wargaming blog

 Warfare  2023 Game 1 This year at Warfare I took an MSU (Multiple Small Units) version of Later Republican Roman. The practice games had gone reasonably well in general. The list was 2 4s of Exceptional, 6 4s of Superior, 3 4s of Average, all Melee Expert Impact Weapon, and 2 4s of Poor Impact Weapon. All Shield Cover as well. My first game was against Keith Spedding. I have beaten Keith twice in the past but I feel both those times were luck rather than any particular skill on my side. I got terrain on both sides of the table and actually won Scouting by 20%. There was also a village on Keith's base edge to try and stop evading. It was going well in the early stages. At deployment however, I made an absolutely fatal error against the Sassanids. I put the Exceptionals together and should instead have had one on each flank. Black dice from the Sassanids were repeatedly rolling wounds, and 2 sequences of rolls even gave Keith 2 wounds. My Average Legions were going through a fo...

 For Warfare 2023 I'm reprising my Later Republican Roman but in a different version. A Legendary Professional CinC, a Competent Professional Sub, a Competent Professional Ally, and a Mediocre Professional Sub. This gives me 13 command cards and crucially in my opinion, 4 generals, to counteract the fact that one may be hesitant. The fact the generals are all Professional allows me to gift cards from the CinC to the Subs as and when he wants. More on that later. My 13 Tugs are as follows: 2 Exceptional, 6 Superior and 3 Average Impact Weapon, Shield cover, Melee Expert Legions. The remaining 2 are Poor Impact Weapon Shield Cover. Why all Legions? They can manouvre like extremely well, they are all very tough, apart from the poors, and they can all go into rough or difficult terrain as per the situation. Next why all 4s of Legions? There are more Kab tests potentially, but the army is also more manouvreable when it's in small units than large or Medium sized units. This next poi...

 Another Blink and you'll miss it game. Terrain consisted of a deep water secure flank and 2 vineyards on Keith's rear to restrict the placement of his Ilkhanids. Scouting was a draw but being the defender Keith deployed first. I screened his Ilkhanids with mixed units, and attacked his Knights with my Knights. His free Knight unit attacked 2 other mixed units and ended up breaking to weight of numbers and lucky dice. Better quality and Keith's bad luck in being on the wrong end of a mismatch for the 4th game in a row, I.e. he drew the short cross and faced 4 Later Crusaders, saw his army break. His flank charges came to naught. The highlight for the Armenians was that despite throwing 5 reds, 3 whites and a green, my Brothers only caused 3 wounds to his camp, obviously tired from their earlier exertions in previous games. I lost one unit of Superior Knights for a score of 15-2. 60 minutes or thereabouts. 44 points proved enough for 5th place in the end. On to Limerick, Ire...

 Should probably have attacked the flank of the Crossbows as opposed to going after the poor Spears. They had poor cards apparently had the mixed units. 3 big rough pieces dominated the table but with open areas in which to insert my Knights. Robin's Knights very subtly in reserve behind shooty Ayyubids. Round 3 vs Robin Spence I managed to outscout Robin by 40% I believe and the terrain consisted of a deep water flank with rough pieces spread around the table. First bit of luck was 3 wounds on white S dice against one of Robin mixed units with one of mine and then my beating it in one impact and Melee. I caught a couple of Mamluks with a Superior and an Average Knight eventually and was feeling very confident. I broke the unit facing the Superiors but I think in the long run lost both the Knights due to flank charges. I also had a run of 6 or 7 blanks on green dice. Before these units died however, I broke the poor Spear unit that was hiding in rough with my fanatics. I just could...

 Tough game for Rob. Full Armour made all the difference in the game by matching his Melee Expert. Some of Rob's casualties and my Average Knights back in the box.  Blew a Knight unit apart with Crossbow fire and started swinging around. Very fun and interesting game. My final casualties. The Brothers were a wound off breaking. 420 points to buy Fanatic was clearly worthwhile. Big clash on the right. My Averages have died but a lot of First Crusaders are about to be put to the sword. Probably slightly outwidthed my army's ancestors. Long First Crusade and Later Crusader lines opposite each other. Blink and you'll miss it game against Rob Brand's First Crusade. Terrain was more cluttered with a wood on the left and in the centre sector, and there was a coastal flank as well. "Well Captain, what are our orders? Charge hard". I eventually managed to beat up the enemy infantry, and my Full Armour gave me enough of an advantage against Rob's Knights that I kill...

Steve's and my initial deployment  A very rascally Ghuzz unit evading my mixed units The central clash Steve's casualties before it started slipping away. Surviving just about. Steve's waterway covering my left. The Ghuzz had taken casualties but too little too late. My Fanatics are playing "keep away from those people bearing points sticks!" All the competitors at the event, and I believe a Bloodbowl competition was happening at the same time.  I'll just preface this report by saying I had a wonderful weekend and 4 immensely enjoyable games. Round 1 Steve Stead with Almoravid in Africa I started Saturday morning with a very tough game against an army which counters mine. My advantage is my Cavalry if they're not facing Steve's Spears. I won PBS in a way, but getting the terrain into coastal with a deep water flank, which was abutted by Steve's gentle hill. I got outscouted by about 40%. I placed my poor Bows one on either side with mixed units in ...