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Ottomans retreating, under the fierce onslaught of the El (X)

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So, with a 7-3 under our belts, life was going according to plan. All the other players in the frame had drawn or had narrower wins, so looked less likely to exceed their lowest scores, and we were interestingly placed, not too high, but out of he mire of the 5-5 zone....

After a great pub lunch at  The Hatch (sadly any recommendations are now useless, as the venue has been dropped for 2001 onwards - and you probably don't have many other reasons to go to Reigate....) we returned to find we were playing Nick Farrell and Richard Clarke, with Ottomans & Serbs. 

Having played this game before at the Worlds earlier this year, we were in confident mood - and clearly our opponents felt the same, as they flank marched the Serbs to keep them out of trouble, and flung out a huge LH screen as far as possible across the table, holding everything else back. We were immediately into tactical moves - and we made them as swiftly as possible, conscious that given the mismatch in armies, the clock was likely to be our most dangerous opponent in this particular game.

We charged forwards at full speed, and rolled forwards 3" with our entire line.

The Serbs rolled a 1 and didn't arrive

We charged forwards at full speed, with the rather surreal Elephant (X) at the tip of our flying wedge. Richard & Nick retreated slowly in front of us. We got a shot at the CinC with the El (X) - but missed.

The Serbs rolled a 1 and didn't arrive

We charged forwards at full speed, with the rather surreal Elephant (X) at the tip of our flying wedge. Richard & Nick retreated slowly in front of us. We caught a lone LH and killed it.

The Serbs rolled a 1 and didn't arrive

We charged forwards at full speed, with the rather surreal Elephant (X) at the tip of our flying wedge. Richard & Nick retreated slowly in front of us. A lone Cv got behind our flank and killed a Psiloi, but then got swamped by Ax.

The Serbs rolled a 1 and didn't arrive

We charged forwards at full speed, with the rather surreal Elephant (X) at the tip of our flying wedge. Richard & Nick retreated slowly in front of us.

The Serbs rolled a 1 and didn't arrive

We charged forwards at full speed, with the rather surreal Elephant (X) at the tip of our flying wedge. Richard & Nick retreated slowly in front of us.

The Serbs rolled a 1 and didn't arrive

We got in amongst them - and it started to be carnage - albeit slow carnage, as they wriggled and twisted on the hook of our elephants and auxilia, like wriggling, twisting fishes on big grey elephant shaped hooks. But time was running out - and we were slowly, slowly, creeping towards killing off all of their commands.

The Serbs rolled a 1 and didn't arrive

The smallest Ottoman command got squished between a wall of elephants and the back of the board - the LH were unable to escape, and they fell - 6-4 to us, and the clock was still running. In the center, elephants clattered into retreating bowmen, whilst over on the far side LH were fleeing from Auxilia advancing on them through the rough going. Blades hacked, psiloi snuck round flanks, and Ottoman LH danced and ducked and dived - but with nowhere to go. The Ottoman baggage started to get very sweaty indeed, as time marched onwards.

The Serbs rolled a 6, and would arrive next bound...

The ref blew his whistle as our last defenders bound got underway - everything was thrown into the fray, elephants, Auxilia, Psiloi all played their part... but on my half of the table the combat dice just weren't up to the job, and with half a element to go to defeat the command (and with it, the army), our tide of advancing Khmer washed up, just short of the high-watermark of victory. 

All now depended on Mick. A round of inconclusive combat between auxilia left us again within a couple of elements - and a LH was facing our auxilia in the rough going. We won by loads, he fled .... but where to? Looking at the picture to the left, you can see just how close we were to pushing the Ottomans off table - and the LH was forced to flee through it's own bowmen, and back off table. But, what happens to the Bowmen - they "flee with it, for the remainder of it's move"..? If they flee in front of it, we would win 10-0 - CALL THE UMPIRE !!!!!!!

He said they fled behind it. Oh well. 6-4 is better than nothing I guess...... Looking forwards to Sunday......

The Story is Continued .....

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Ottomans retreating, under the fierce onslaught of the El (X)

Ottomans retreating, under the fierce onslaught of Ax (O).

Time rushed onwards without me....

They think it's all over.....