Stuff we probably wouldn't now be getting our hands on
The Last Game
couldn't come quickly enough. We still were in with a chance
of a place - if we won convincingly. No clever strategy, no watching the
other games, just 10-0 and crossed fingers that other results would go
our way.
Our opponents were Jeavons & Hood, with an Armenian army with
Byzantine allies - a wall of Sp (I) supported (erm, doh!), plus Kn (F)
and Cv, with what turned out to be a massive block of Bw (X).
In probably the most decisive dice roll of the game, it started
raining.... and it never stopped! With a wave of terrain on our left,
the Armenians deployed in the open right side of the table, with
Byzantines on the flank, then 2 big spear blocks in the center - a
fourth command was on a flank march. We did the usual charge across the
table, but with our last command - (no 3) deployed on our left opposite
nothing, they immediately formed column and marched over to the right in
expectation of the flank march.
On he far right our elephants were playing the Ryan Giggs role -
overlapping and pushing forwards, hoping to get in devastating
cross-fire (literally in the case of the El (X)) - and the Armenian and
Byzantine mounted had no answer - soon the casualties were racking
up.
In the center, things looked good, with us managing to get all 6 Bd
(F) deployed in a single line opposite the Sp (I) block - but when they
charged in, it looked for a while like the dice wee deserting us again -
they were driven back, and suffered casualties!
Opposite the Byzantines, things looked better - until a screen of
Psiloi charged through and started mixing it with the elephants and
auxilia. Things looked dicey for quite a while, but with our cohones in
our hands we toughed it out and eventually got in amongst them, and the
Bw(X) started to fall. Istanbul or
Constantinople - it's all a bit academic when an elephant is stomping on
your head, eh? .
However a huge (mostly Hd (F)!!!) flak march had now arrived - on our
left!!! The No3 Command went into partial reverse, and started casting
out lone auxilia like overoptimistic caltrops to slow down rather than
beat the 3 Armenian knights making a bee-line for our baggage.
Suddenly the Blades had created a hole as well - and with three
commands in play we exploited it in style - the Byzantines collapsed,
creating even more flanks, and, with the Armenian flank march within
sniffing distance of our baggage, a FZOD engineered by our blades, and
executed by the Burmese CinC pushing back a "oops,
why have my two supporting ranks turned round?" Sp (I),
the game was won !!!
10-0... or 30-2 !!!
After a very sweaty palm moment watching Terry & Simon miss the
chance to overhaul us in the last round of their game, we were back in
the silverware!!! 2nd Place in the whole thing is a pretty hot
achievement, but, as I drove back round the M25 I still couldn't help
thinking about what could have been....