Field of Glory Renaissance in Wallenstein in Slimbridge, 2011
- Game 1 vs Swedish
- Game 2 vs Poles or something
- Game 3 vs Samurai
- Game 4 vs Swedish Again
- Random Photos from the other tables
The second day dawned, chill and crisp across the hills of the Welsh Borders as a posh fryup followed a pretty decent curry the night before in an extravaganza of artery hardening. The day also brought a confrontation with the army of the Master of the Rules, the baleful Dr Boldly Scroat, who deployed a legion of fiendish midget orientals, or 20mm plastic Samurai as they might better be known
The table was cluttered with some rather imposing terrain - hedges surrounded fields, and it would take a brave steed to jump over any of them indeed, mighty as 28mm terrain is...
The Japanese were puzzled by the monstrous Gaijin facing them - they started by cowering at the back of the board. Well, who wants to move anyway...too much of that sort of behavious has largely ruined the Ancients game !
It was as if the author was trying to retrospectively redefine the deployment rules by attaching his entire army to the back of the board. But then again, many of them were rather poor Samurai followers rather than proper Samurai, so maybe they could be forgiven..
The "proper" samurai were not as cowardly, and soon developed their agricultural skills by occupying the enclosed fields immediately before the German army. The German Dragoons, already (some might say unsurprisingly) ensconced in the field marvelled as the darkly-painted malnourished dwarves milled aimlessly in front of them.
The German Foote had spotted that at least some of the Samurai were not entirely in the cruddy going and made a stately bee line towards the exposed infantrymen. The advantage of being partly HF had told in the previous game, and the Germans saw no reason why it might not work again.
There was almost no clear ground on the entire table, but that which there was was a clear corridor down the German right. All the German Horse were immediately deployed to charge down the bowling alley and try and skittle whatever was in their way
As the Dragoons pinned back the advancing Samurai, the German artillery park barked out ineffectually - and a tidal wave of Horsemen created what looked very much like a threatening flanking maneuver, with only some cheapskate 2-to-a-base Samurai Cavalry to halt their headlong rush into the endzone
With only a Japanese toehold outside the rough terrain, the German infantry blocks had to jostle for position in their attempt to get into combat.
Some of the madder German Horse spotted an early opportunity to cause trouble, and charged optimistically against some Samurai warriors who had incautiously emerged from the fields. With little else to do the Germans thought it was a worthwhile risk to take, despite the size of the Samurai unit
Despite throwing many noble leaders into the combat, things went south immediately for the hapless Japanese shorthouses, and picked up some exquisite oriental beads as markers with alacrity. The German horse were in severe danger of actually winning - what would they do next?
The jaws of the German trap were closing in as the advance guard (comprised of all the good troops) of the Samurai army was being slowly enveloped
The Samurai started to come under a hail of shotte from all sides, as the German Horse continued to hack away at the exposed infantrymen, and the rest of the German mounted wing advanced unopposed in the distance
Aided by heroic generalship, the Samurai fought back! The German Kurassiers were thrown back in confusion, and deployed a far more impressive and expensive marker of their own to signify their DISR status
As the German dragoons wisely got out of the way, the two lines closed. At the top two units of Horse have turned to threaten the Samurai advance guard, and the 2 bases of Commanded Shotte are also joining in. The third unit of Horse is starting to look exposed as it pushes forwards relentlessle (or recklessly), whilst the many shooting units are yet to really make their mark on the enemy
The three units of German Horse have gotten themselves into situations in which charging home is the only - if not the wisest - option for them all to follow. But the Commanded Shotte, maneuvering silkily and somewhat overly efficiently for this period, are in a position to threaten the flank of the Samurai Guards!
Well, they were until the Samurai wheel a bit. Everyone charges in, with mixed success. The best result comes as the column of Kurassiers catches the evading Samurai cavalry, which surely spells the end of them. In the middle the Samurai Guard have lost a base and gone DISR - a disaster for such a high morale (and small base strength) unit. And the third unit has again failed to achieve much with it's own charge. But pretty much all the Samurai generals are now in this one spot - creating weaknesses elsewhere no doubt?
The Kurassiers hack at the defenceless Samurai on horseback, with the edge of the table dangerously near.
The Samurai Guards are now dangerously shaken, with two little glass beads. The Samurai Generals throw everything into ensuring they hold firm, wth 2 generals helping the combat!
But to now avail! The Guards break - and flee through two of their own units, causing both to drop to DISR!! It's Christmas for the Kurassiers!
The armoured Horsemen pile into a target rich environment, freed even of the need to choose a target as they wade forwards in a direct line to their front.
Yep, that's the end of the mounted Samurai too...
Astonishingly, the Ashigaru bowmen and some more cheapskate 2-to-a-base Samurai mounted Guard hang on against the obviously somewhat blown Kurassier's pursuit. But for how long?
Well, possibly for quite some time, as both units recover full cohesion.
This is more like it! The Ashigaru have come out to play, and face off against a wall of German Pike and Shotte (and flags, and some little tiny guns as well)
The crazy, tiny Ashigaru pile into the waiting lines of Germans, but generally come off far worse than their Teutonic targets
The Germans take some base losses, but those glassy pebbles are appearing behind the Ashigaru with frightening speed. And with all their Generals committed to stemming the tide of Kurassiers, this is a risky situation indeed for the tiny 20mm Japanese warriors.
They are taken off in bucketloads - at least they are lightweight and easy to pick up and put back in the box..
A dangerous Red marker sprouts next to the the Ashigaru bowmen - the Kurassiers have done for them as well !
A Pike and Shotte unit delivers the fatal blow, and the Result is in - a huge victory for the forces of Wallenstein!
Post Match Summary
Well, the enemy really set their stall out to park the bus in this one. We were the only team really looking to fight a proper battle, but credit to them,they fought hard and made it really difficult for us, and what looked like a tricky fixture ended up as a good day at the office.
Getting in the decisive shots against the heavily armoured Samurai Guard was clearly a turning point for us - and to be fair, normall they'd expect to deal with that sort of shooting all day long and not worry about it. But when we opened up I think the musket balls must have got a bit of a bobble,or picked up some pase off the wet grass and snuck through their defensive armour. However, my boys hard work throughout laid the groundwork for them to capitalize when they got the opening
I spoke to the guys who got in those vital shots straight after the game, and their only concern was that we got the win as a team.
I know we are now in touching distance of a record clean sweep,but I don;t want to get carried away with things -0 we still need to approach it one game at a time,however we can only play whatever gets put in front of us,and if we keep on playing with the same spirit and organisation we have been displaying up until now I don't think we need to be afraid of anyone.
Hannibal's Post Match Analysis
"Luck be a lady tonight", as a famous minstrel once implored, but tonight Luck was a debased harlot, doing your bidding in ways which would shame a courtesan in the royal household of even the vilest French King.
Make no mistake, Luck played an enormous part in this result - and all I can credit you with is driving home the advantages it created with your usual gusto and abandon. Although, as you have proven many times before, you would no doubt have driven home situations of bad luck, poor planing and reckless execution with equal enthusam as a "two-speed" approach to following through on an attack is hardly a common discovery within your military repertoire
Life is treating you well - almost all too well - at the moment, and it cannot only be me who is numbered amongst the readers of this noble epistle who expects, nay, is eager to welcome back the cold dead hand of humiliating defeat to it's customary resting place gripped tightly around your fundamentals.
"Bring on The Hand" I cry - and hark carefully, as thousands cry it with me, mark my words.
- Game 1 vs Swedish
- Game 2 vs Poles or something
- Game 3 vs Samurai
- Game 4 vs Swedish Again
- Random Photos from the other tables
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