ValleyCon: Thracians vs Samnites - posted by Vince Cholewa, 28 April 2023

ValleyCon game 3, vs Samnites

Sunday morning, round three, my Thracians vs Graham Starkey’s Samnites was a completely different proposition to my previous games. We played with a wooded hill in Graham’s centre almost on the base edge and anther wooded hill on his left flank to the table edge.

I was the invader and doubled Graham’s deployment die and deployed first. I put the command of peltasts (Irr Ax(S) and Ps(S)) and light horse on my left to cover the open space and screen the wood in the centre. The King with the nobles (Irr Kn(I) in wedge) and lots of pletasts (Irr Ps(S)) was in the middle facing the gap between the woods. The hoplites covered the wood on the right and the light horse command was a reserve in the rear.

Graham deployed fixed obstacles between the woods (bugger!) with Samnite infantry (Reg Ax(S)) behind them, there were more infantry on the hill on his left, with scouts (Irr Ps(I)) on the hill in the centre and behind the infantry. There were also one or possibly two commands missing.

In his first bound, Graham unleashed an all-cavalry command (Reg Cv(O)) that had been hidden in ambush on the edge of the table on the wooded hill. Samnite infantry rolled forward down the hill with them. I rolled good PIP dice for the first few bounds and was able to redeploy to a curved line with the nobles on my right near my base edge, the hoplites inside them and the mixed command screening the obstacles. I held the reserve in case Graham had a flank march.

As the game played out the nobles supported with more and more light horse from the reserve were able to push back and eventually break the Samnite cavalry and the hoplites monstered the Samnite infantry, disheartening them. Eventually, the fourth die rolled six. It was a dummy die. At the end of the game Graham revealed he had a second ambush – this one all Samnite infantry on the wooded hill in his centre. A 14-11 draw in my favour and, in hindsight, a couple of thoughts and musings.

I have flank marched the light horse command in three of the six games in which I have resumed using Thracians – that has given me no tactical advantage in any of those games. In this game, having them and their sub-general’s PIPs available to support the nobles was crucial – they could not have done that if they were flank marching. Secondly, the nobles were a bit lucky against the Samnite cavalry. None were doubled in the first round of combat (3 vs 3 but the nobles are (I) and the cavalry are (O)) and it is only in subsequent rounds that being in wedge and not able to be overlapped gives the nobles an advantage. Clearly, not the best shock troops to lead an attack.

Thank you Graham, it was an excellent game. Your company, as always, was a pleasure and I have plenty of food for thought. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/824840264342234/posts/2340344062791839/

The start of the game: Dirk Heinsius is watching, Graham is leaning on his dice cup pondering. A command of cavalry is lurking in the wood closest to Graham and more Samnite infantry are hidden in the centre in the wood closest to Dirk. My hoplites have moved towards the centre to make room for the nobles to move to the right. Luckily I had enough PIPs for the hoplites to later turn back to the right to line up with the nobles. You can see the light horse reserve in the rear. It would be crucial in saving the nobles from being overwhelmed and, eventually, breaking the cavalry ambush.

The position at the end of the game. A face-off in the middle - more posturing than action. The hoplites have disheartened and are pushing back the Samnite infantry command that came over the hill. The Samnite cavalry command has broken. Much of the reserve light horse has been committed to support the nobles.

Gavin Pearson

Another great account…and a nice photo

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  Vincent Cholewa

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  Gavin Pearson thank you 

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John Edmundson

I'm always interested to see how Samnites go as I have an (unfinished, ho hum) army of them in 15mm.