Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Age of Myths, Gods and Empires => Topic started by: vodkafan on October 04, 2020, 11:16:35 AM
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Has.been and I faced off for a pleasant morning of socially distanced 25mm DBA yesterday. We got 3 games in and immense enjoyment was ours. I was Carthage for the first two games and lost all 3 games through totally inept generalship lol.
We changed the terrain around for each game so we had a different tactical problem each time. The playing area was 3 x 3 feet.
It won't be a proper battle report , we just took photos when we felt like it so anyways here goes!
The motley Carthaginian army on it's tray, these Essex models are likely 40 years old now but still charming!
(https://i.postimg.cc/9Fn0Frv9/20201003-092921.jpg)
Here is the first game before battle was joined. I didn't have a coherent plan, to be honest. I had a vague idea that my cavalry would storm down the hill and roll up his weak flank after I had crossed the river and made him commit to battle in the centre . But the river was an unknown quantity.
(https://i.postimg.cc/26r8XvBs/20201003-093906.jpg)
My light horse tested the river and found it passable.
Seeing this my enemy promptly crossed the river with scouting elements and cavalry
(https://i.postimg.cc/PqktPZKC/20201003-100053.jpg)
I tried to contain them with my Numidian light horse while my infantry crossed the river,
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZRb4LSGZ/20201003-100451.jpg)
but in the end had to commit my elephant too
(https://i.postimg.cc/xjFnLBtD/20201003-101126.jpg)
My heavy infantry are across and get stuck in
(https://i.postimg.cc/zGTNZv58/20201003-101849.jpg)
My cavalry finally come down the hill to help
(https://i.postimg.cc/7LVyhRfR/20201003-103013.jpg)
But by this time my Light Horse are gone and my elephant is surrounded and slain so the battle is lost
(https://i.postimg.cc/4dxR91cx/20201003-103041.jpg)
The second fight was a mess. The first one should have taught me not to divide my very heterogeneous force either side of a fast flowing river. But my adversary did exactly that so I rather lazily followed suit. Then again he might have had a proper plan though whereas I didn't.
But still, don't my Essex blokes look smashing standing on this hill here?
(https://i.postimg.cc/1Xbkbhj8/20201003-104550.jpg)
One thing about DBA it teaches you to respect the Romans. Great race, the Romans....
(https://i.postimg.cc/ryb2Dxwq/20201003-104632.jpg)
Off we go!
(https://i.postimg.cc/Njvh4tXV/20201003-105107.jpg)
Get some for Carthage!
(https://i.postimg.cc/MGzhCYdm/20201003-105736.jpg)
Oh no the general is in a spot of bother over the river
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZRRXR5k9/20201003-105918.jpg)
Oh wait bollocks now the elephant is surrounded again
(https://i.postimg.cc/vTxjr2Zb/20201003-110308.jpg)
My general and what's left of the cavalry are pushed back ignominiously into the river while the Roman meat grinder chews up my army piece by piece. Great race, the Romans....
(https://i.postimg.cc/7PpPpp71/20201003-111829.jpg)
I didn't take any pics of the third game which is probably just as well lol
Hope you enjoyed reading as much as we enjoyed playing.
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One thing about DBA it teaches you to respect the Romans. Great race, the Romans....
All right... all right... but apart from better sanitation and medicine and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater system and baths and public order... what have the Romans done for us?
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All right... all right... but apart from better sanitation and medicine and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater system and baths and public order... what have the Romans done for us?
The wine?
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“the wine”?
Clear not a Monty Python fan sir! ;)
As for the games....looks good fella, but clearly you need to up your game! Three straight losses....that what happens when Gandhi is on your shoulder! Lol
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We did have a good time. Nice to throw dice again & move figures around the table.
First game.
Romans (me) opt for deploying on the left of the table.
A lone velite unit defends the high ground on our right.
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The Carthaginians (Vodkafan) split their forces either side of the river,
(In DBA the river's passability is an unknown until someone tries to cross.)
Will it prove a mistake ?
The Romans are happy, especially if the river proves to be difficult to cross.
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Carthaginians test the waters with some Numidian cavalry, it is NOT a
difficult river. The Carthaginian General, Hanomag (Hanibal's Germanic half brother)
opts to re-unite his army & starts to cross the river.
Skippy Kanga (Scipio Africanus' Australian half brother) moves his fastest troops,
the cavalry & velites across the river & gain a temporary numbers advantage on that wing.
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Vodkafan has to throw in his elephant to try & redeem the situation.
meanwhile there is a big clash in the centre with Phoenician spearmen
shoulder to shoulder with wild Gallic tribesmen facing Republican legionaries.
The Carthaginian Cavalry remaining on their hill for what turns out to be far too long.
Even the elephant can't hold back the Roman Cavalry & velites. Game over.
Close up of the Punic base camp. The only figures on the table that I painted.
The shield is a free hand painted copy of an actual Carthaginian shield.
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Second battle.
Carthaginian battle line up & the Romans.
Then they close.
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Possibly to make up for being late for the fighting in the previous fight,
Punic Cavalry charges forward. Brave or foolhardy? 2 bases take on 4 !!!!
Turns out to be a bad move & the surviving cavalry (General) is forced to retreat,
towards the difficult river. Narrowly avoiding drowning in the raging torrent he
survives, but without his dignity intact.
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Yet more bravery (foolishness?) the elephant takes on, single handed, almost
half the Roman army!!!! To add to its glory/misery more Romans prepare to
cross the difficult river.
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The Roman's failure to cross buys the Carthaginians enough time to
move the Gauls over & cover the far bank. From there they jeer &
the Romans & dare them to cross. When they do it is when the Gauls
have had to turn & fight Legionaries on their side of the river.
Game over.
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Game three, which we squeezed in before Vodkafan had to head off to work,
(hence only one picture from me). Vodkafan changed sides & tried commanding,
rather than facing, the Romans. He decided on a mighty (unstoppable?) armoured
fist, to punch through the polyglot Punic peasants.
I meanwhile had the plan of...
let him come on, hold the centre with Gauls etc., win with better cavalry on the wings,
then surround the Latin infantry. Remind anyone of Cannae?
As it was my left wing refused to flipping move all game. never mind I did win.
Of note, Vodkafan won every throw for aggression! (even when Roman!?!?!)
The aggression throw was Romans 1+dice V Carthaginians 3+dice.
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As always you got some excellent good close ups! Many thanks for the games and all the food and drink, and not forgetting the lift to work.
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You're welcome. Do it (or similar) again, hopefully soon.
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Of note, Vodkafan won every throw for aggression! (even when Roman!?!?!)
The aggression throw was Romans 1+dice V Carthaginians 3+dice.
Did I? I didn't remember that.
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James!
You were the attacker every time.
I put my base camp down first every time.
I deployed my army first every time.
I had the option to swap some deployed bases, every time.
You had the first move every time.
That means you won EVERY aggression roll.
Face it, you are a naturally aggressive tough dude!
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Very enjoyable read, thanks :)
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You call those armies?!!!
Oh my god what utter ****! lol lol
Glad you had a fun time guys and yes those Essex figures do still look pretty good - oh the times when all we did was purchase Essex!
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Two more DBA games yesterday, in between finishing off a storage shed and moving some furniture.
Same two armies as before. I took Carthage again as I wanted to see if I could learn from my mistakes. I was the attacker. The first game saw us facing off over a good open field with the Romans lined up behind a wall.
I actually gave some thought to my deployment this time.
(https://i.postimg.cc/xdbDbhTY/20201016-153646.jpg)
Anchored my left flank in boggy ground with the light troops who were best suited for that, the main body in the middle and concentrated all my cavalry on the right flank.
Here is my view of the opposition:
(https://i.postimg.cc/YChTJZFg/20201016-153657.jpg)
Great race, the Romans....
(https://i.postimg.cc/132bPB0d/20201016-153706.jpg)
So, I kicked off with a pretty good command roll and advanced forward in 3 blocks in what I hoped was a menacing fashion
(https://i.postimg.cc/cHNjtJbM/20201016-154102.jpg)
I had an idea to go around and attack through the wood with my cavalry, and Peter sent a block of infantry that way
(https://i.postimg.cc/WbkkKsng/20201016-154202.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/HWJzYDzs/20201016-154308.jpg)
Then I realised that with all his men bottled up behind the walls there was nothing to stop me directly attacking his base camp so I sent my light horse racing ahead before he had a chance to stop me
(https://i.postimg.cc/8CPdxqsG/20201016-154747.jpg)
In the meantime the Roman cavalry appear on my flank and I pull my light troops into line . I plan to retreat into the marshy ground if I can.
(https://i.postimg.cc/Jz3BrKSh/20201016-154207.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/SxG7TySV/20201016-154742.jpg)
The Romans are too late to save their Base Camp!
(https://i.postimg.cc/J4Nb01km/20201016-155412.jpg)
The battle starts in the centre and Carthage is initially repulsed
(https://i.postimg.cc/ncb4nsM0/20201016-155407.jpg)
The Romans are just too strong. Both sides fight hard again with no casualties
(https://i.postimg.cc/fyx0VKk5/20201016-160535.jpg)
Seeing a hole, the Carthaginian cavalry try to follow up quickly avoiding the troops in the wood altogether, but The Romans catch them and bring them to a fight at the edge of the wood. The woods ring with the sound of metal on metal and shouting men and horses. Both sides are hampered by the woods and the Romans lose this combat, losing a base and being pushed back. Meanwhile part of the Numidian Light Horse carry on sweeping through to the Roman rear
(https://i.postimg.cc/xCNm2Y2w/20201016-160411.jpg)
The Roman cavalry splits off a detachment and circumvents my light troops. He is after my own Base Camp which is the other side of the marshes.
(https://i.postimg.cc/W4WmVXJk/20201016-155018.jpg)
The Light Horse attacking from behind make the difference and break the deadlock in the centre.
(https://i.postimg.cc/VsMtZY4M/20201016-161426.jpg)
The Roman line is broken and enraged warband surge through.
(https://i.postimg.cc/65fvwYkp/20201016-161608.jpg)
The Romans have lost 4 bases in total and I win the game!
I was happy to have a win. I think I have begun thinking more tactically... but it could just be that I have got better at playing the game of DBA.
The second game my phone camera packed up so I will leave that one to has.been to describe . We kept the same terrain but started on different base lines. It was an interesting game though. Here are the only pics I have , of the initial deployments.
(https://i.postimg.cc/y8f33WYq/20201016-173139.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Dz8JrF8S/20201016-173158.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/CKXZJtqm/20201016-173239.jpg)
Comments welcome as always.
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Great to see a win James! Like you say....thinking through the dilemma is vital...and often, the obvious stares you in face. Taking their camp clearly gave you a boost.
Interested to see how you did in the second....
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The day did turn into a game (sorry games) of two halves (sorry Base Camps).
First adding my view to game one.
Initial deployment, with my Cavalry hoping to make an outflanking dash for James' Camp.
James went for massing his Cavalry on HIS right. He had never before shown ANY interest
in grabbing a Base Camp, so I felt safe especially behind my wall. Local rule was that we
would have a dice off only when someone fought over the wall. Winner to decide if the
defender got a +1 bonus or not.
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Curses! Punic treachery!!! He IS moving towards my (I now realise) exposed Camp.
Legionaries are quickly ordered through the wood (Fore-shadowing of Teuter Burga?),
though ordered quickly, they don't move quickly & once out of range/sight of the Legate
must have sat down for a picnic!
Meanwhile James is doing a more credible job of delaying my flank turning plan.
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Meanwhile at the Roman camp the cry of, 'Dig faster!' is heard, as the Numidians gallop in.
At the wall the order is, 'Brace yer-selves lads, ere they come!'
On my right the Spanish, auxillia & Balearic slingers, dare the Roman Cavalry to come and
fight in the marshes. I decide to threaten/pin with my General while sending the rest of the
cavalry further around his flank.
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Legionaries tramp through the woods, but use up too much time & too many command points.
The Camp has fallen before they get through.
Bitter fighting at the wall sees the Punic polyglot of nations & troop type sent reeling back twice!
(No thanks to defending the wall! James won the throw & I gained no advantage because of it).
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Carthaginians throw their centre in against the wall, for the third time, & are repulsed for a third time!
The Legionaries finally emerge from the wood & catch the enemy general before his Gallic cavaly
can come to his aid. Can I turn this battle around?
No!!! is the resounding reply from the gods.
The first legionary base is wiped out!!!!!
Then the Numidians attack the defenders of the wall from behind, while they fight Carthaginian's
centre FORTH attack to their front. The line crumbles & near berserk Gauls stream over the wall.
GAME OVER !!!!!!
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Game Secundas (2nd).
As Vodkafan said the battle was at 90 degrees to the previous. Different challenges.
James deployed his Spaniards in the marsh, solid infantry & elephant line, with
the Numidians off to his left & the remaining cavalry in reserve behind his right.
My battle line was in three blocks. Right wing mainly legionaries. Centre more
legionaries with all my Cavalry on the road (hoping to use it for a rapid thrust at his left wing).
Off in the distance are all the Triari (spears) backed by velites (Psiloi).
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Carthaginian centre & right wing.
Their left wing (Bloody Numidian light cavalry) start a gallop towards my base camp.
It couldn't happen again...could it?
De je vous...My camp falls (twice in two games) I feel just like the Romans in the
second Punic War, 'I've gotta get me some of them'.
Emboldened by this James brings his General, & all the rest of his cavalry from their
hiding place behind the army. He also advances his main battle line. Gauls, Phoenician
spears & elephant.
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Looks like I am heading for my second defeat of the day.
Like the Republican Romans I refuse to give up.
A third of my army (all legionaries) is given the order, 'Sink the Bismark!' SORRY
'Get rid of the Numidians!' It takes a lot of my limited command points, as well as time,
but thankfully the enemy seems content to sit & watch.
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With the Numidians forced to flee the battlefield, Carthage now has nothing on the
field that I can't at least match for speed. I am seeking revenge, 'Carthago Delendo Est'
(Carthage must be destroyed). My first wargaming opponent, some 54 years ago, was
a worshiper of Baal i.e. Carthaginian, and ancient enmities rise to the surface.
With no hope of support the Triari & velites on my left advance to take on his Cavalry.
They destroy his Gallic cavalry & (not for the first time in our games) James' general
is forced to fight for his life, he manages to extradite him, also not for the first time!
On the right legionaries advance into a wood to clear out his slingers. Note to Republican
self, 'invent Auxillia' for this kind of job.
The battle breaks up into two big wings. On his right his general wisely falls back to the marsh
& digs in with the Spanish auxiliaries. I have absolutely no intention of going in after them.
Nor do I want to fight his fresh Gauls, spears & elephant. My brave legionaries drive his
slingers out of the wood & crush them against an impassable area of scrub...
his forth lost base, game over!
A very enjoyable pair of games.
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Good close ups again! Thanks for leaving your base camp undefended again lol. Curse that area of scrub! I could have held out a bit longer if I had skirted it.
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Locks like you both had fun...the key ingredient to a good game.
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James, am I seeing a tactical genius at work?
Nice to see others gaming in these restricting times.
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We recently got two more DBA games in. Pictures & (rambling) comments follow.
To introduce new troop types to Vodkafan I raided my 25mm DBM matched pair,
(Sassanid & Late Roman). This allowed us to use 'Knights' & 'Horde' bases.
The initial deployment, I was the Sassanids while James (Vodkafan) took the Romans.
'Great race the Romans'.
I had lots of Cavalry & deployed most in my centre & right. On my left (across the river)
were my cataphracts (Knights), Light Horse (LH), Tribesmen (Auxiliaries) & Slingers (Psiloi).
James opted for two main blocks. On his right the Legionaries (Blade), Auxiliaries & Bows (Psiloi).
His left was were he concentrated all his Cavalry, Cataphracts (Knights), Cavalry & Light Horse.
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James sends his LH forward, good idea to limit my manoeuvre room. Just as long as
they don't do something silly like charge my entire line.
On his right he moves the Psiloi (Ps.) to cover the river bank, but declines my invite to
cross over, 'Come over to the Dark Side lucus'.
Next move & the LH... charge into my entire line, elephants & all !?!? Brave or stupid?
On my left the mighty wing (4 bases) advance towards the Roman skirmishers (2 bases)
who are nervously defending the river bank. At this stage neither of us know how difficult
the river will be to cross.
Big surprise the LH (2 bases) fail to make a dent in my line (5 bases).
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Light failing as the evening moves on, but we continue.
James rushes his Auxillia over to aid the worried Ps. on his right.
He then launches his main attack in the centre, but too late to help the LH.
Darkness is falling fast as the LH retreat.
Good news for the Romans, the Cataphracts near the river BREAK THROUGH !!!!!
This does leave his general nervously looking around for someone, ANYONE to help him.
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The Roman general prepares to sell his life dearly while taking on my elephant when...
a previously fleeing LH base come to his rescue. The elephant turns to engage it, but
leaves itself no room to retreat. Even worse, if it is pushed back it will SQUISH two
bases of Persian Levy (Horde). That would take ME up to game lost status.
Tense dice throw! A quick prayer to Zoroaster (Persian god) & I throw a 6! James' throw
is low, the valient LH fall.
'Down by the River-side' the previously victorious Cataphracts are heavily outnumbered,
and pushed back into the river. As it turns out to be a difficult river James must throw,
at least, a 3 or drown. Enough to say it is very difficult to swim when both you, and the
horse you are riding on, are covered in metal armour.
Game over.
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Bad luck James!
Good fight!
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Our second game saw the same table set up, & as I have a knack of throwing ones,
the same orientation. James said, ' It must be the second day of the same battle'.
As the light failed the pictures (& the Romans) got gloomier & gloomier.
Despite better use of his light troops (he pulled them back into rough terrain)
it was not to be a Latin victory.
He risked it all in the centre, where he had twice as many Cataphracts, but...
I'd brought a CAVE TROLL!!! well an elephant really, though the effect was similar.
The light faded and with it any Roman hopes of snatching a draw out of this two day battle.
2:0 to the Sassanids.
Had the dice gods been a little kinder to James he might have actually won,
still it was nice, for us, to throw the dice & play with the toys again.