BHGS Challenge 2006

Game 5 vs Sinhalese

The Sinhalese list was here

So, after muddling around mid table, I suddenly found myself propelled to the stratospheric heights of table 2, looking over a likely Reigate 5-5 Draw on the top table. 

The position was not quite as it seemed - I was tied in equal 3rd with a host of other people, and Mr Simon  "Bookies favorite" Hall was a good few points ahead. But all things seemed rosy in my seedless approach to the competition, and with luck and a good result for me and on the next table, there was even an outside sniff of the big prize! Not bad for my rubbish brittle army of silly hat wearers!

However, I had reason to be positive. Voila - an opponent who I had never seen on the circuit before!  And with a novelty army - Sinhalese. And not even the Chola version - instead it was full of irregular blades and bows, lots of allied commands, a few elephants - but hey, who's scared of those huh? Surely this guy has lucked out and accidentally ended up at the top ? Billy Bonus time for the boy Porter ! 

I attacked and the terrain failed to fall kindly - none of my lovely hills (S) fell in the middle of the table, and neither did any of the Jungles of Sinhalia. Oh well. I would have to come up with another plan...

 The Sinhalese deployed in a tight knot in one corner - allied commands in the middle, and each of the main commands deployed in what appeared to me to be an almost incomprehensible formation

An Almost Incomprehensible formation for impetuous and non impetuous troops.  The Irregular blades are highlighted in orange.  Other elements are either Ps (O), Bw (I) or (of course) elephants.   A few funny recoils and surely they are an impetuous disorganized mass ??

This only added to my sense that opportunity was not only staring my in the face here, it was leaning across the table unfastening its brassiere whilst eating a Cadburys flake. Slowly....

Faced by this wonderful prospect, I decided that I probably didn't really need a plan. Or maybe I could conjure on up out of thin air half way through the game. 

Surely my 4 regular command dice would allow me to close in on the Sinhalese, exchange a few shots with their bowmen (killing a few, as I was (O) and they were (I), and then we could tactically outmaneuver them in a Bd vs Bd fight, feeding in my Cv as required?

I might even get to shoot down the odd elephant - after all, my army can dance better than his ?

So, bereft of any plan save "we'll be a bit cute at close range and wing it - its going to be fine!" I deployed in a big line and lurched forwards. 

The Sinhalese moved like lightening ! Well, to be fair, they kind stood there and waited. 

I at last came up with not one plan, but two! 

First of all, it was the "advance at a slight angle so as to concentrate shooting and also mess up his possible impetuous moves". Then it was the "slip my little command round his flank and hope he doesn't get enough pips to deal with it" 

Genius! 

But now I had been busy brilliantly conjuring all of these ideas out of the Genius Book of Generalship, I had neglected a few other issues. Like "when faced with a larger enemy, concentrate your forces", "Look to exploit the enemy's weaknesses", and " you don't need to attack because you are the attacker". 

Soon I found myself in a frantic fight along the whole frontage of my line. The Sinhalses had unsportingly refused to start the game with an exchange of missile fire, and had let loose the blades as soon as I closed to within range. I, in contrast, has relied on the shooting of my nice hat wearing guys to try and kill off a few blades before they closed in - but this had failed, and now I was fighting with MY bowmen against HIS blades as I simply did not have enough frontage to cover the whole line. 

Everything was being thrown into the fray as I struggled to cope with a tidal wave of impetuous blades, as the Sinhalese CinC continued to roll decent pips against the main thrust of my attack, giving me no respite from the supporting elephants either!

My CinC was hanging on - but defeat was now inevitable. But in the centre it was worse - what was supposed to a a supporting bystander command was fighting for its life - and doing so quite unsuccessfully! Sinhalese blades were carving their way through whatever we could throw at them with impunity and distain. 

In a pathetic and badly executed heap, the Egyptian army crumbled, and was swept from the field. A weekend of skill, maneuver, and bravery consigned to the Pyramid shaped dustbin of history by a final ignominious defeat!

Post Match Summary

In retrospect I got this wrong on so many levels - and even worse, I knew I was doing it during the game as well! Underestimating an opponent (who was apparently leading the Reigate Club Championship with this army at the time!), underestimating his army, not having a plan, placing too much faith in my Bw(O) troops - probably on the basis that they were nicely painted and had done well in previous games rather than any analysis of the factors. Even attacking when I would have been far better sitting back, concentrating on one command and waiting for the pip dice to unhinge the rest of the Sinhalese army of their own accord. Oh well - competition rustiness and the end of a long weekend.... You live and learn !!

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