My final game of the tournament v the Picts of Nick.
I invaded greater Pictia and when I got there was nearly no one there….
A thin green line of Irish allies screened the middle of the table. When they looked around they saw their only supports were a largish block of Pictish fast stepping pike. A column of light horse. A couple of chariots and some few Auxilia and psiloi covering the open left of the pre-shiltron.
It appeared two or so Pickish command were approaching the table some time later.
I thought, well no one’s close. Let’s turn the Praetorian command to the open flank and squash that when it arrived. And face the flank they did for seven or eight turns….
I did also deploy the four legionarii clubmen I had in ambush behind the ridge line of the gentle hill on my left flank I expected a flank march to arrive. This so they did not flee.
Nick marched his six or so light horse from his left to the right to get involved if things kicked off.
Around turn six a delayed command with another fast pike block and supporting friends arrived and filled the gap in the middle of Nick’s table edge…. Right next to the gap I’d opened in my line as I wheeled my legionaries to deal to the initial fast pike block.
The next few turns I grabbed cavalry, light horse and knights to screen that gap. They did largely stall that advance.
Then the flank march arrived. Six or so chariots, eight-ish light horse supported by Auxilia and Psiloi.
A ding-dong battle with much drama over half a dozen turns. It ultimately ended in Nick’s flanking command being broken…. My C-in-C, Julianus died 1-6-ing himself plugging a gap he really should have had someone else doing. But needs must.
On my right my eight legionaries (plus Auxilia) threw themselves gleefully on the initial pike block ready to quick kill there way to victory….
…. four legionaries dropped dead-as, before a single Pict fell.
This fight became a fraught struggle for me to not collapse on my right. The second line of legionaries, spare Auxilia, psiloi and even their general all joined the straining but mostly holding last line before disaster.
All three generals ended up doing actual desperate fighting. Not my usual planar all.
The only other part of the story to tell is the amount of fighting my small, low dice, command of sub-general Genialis. It’s four clubmen, two cav O plus Genialis had a wild time assisting the defeat of the flank-marching chariots, hairy out flanked, fighting against those light horse that came over from Nick’s left, and the now aroused Irish.
Somehow they survived.
A novel and highly enjoyable game coping with Nick’s cunning plans..
Ended 14-11 to me.
Now, what if I’d charged everything across the table at what was initially deployed, banking on greeting the job done before off table reinforcements arrived….????
62 points over the weekend for third place (and got to fight David and Andrew who finished above me).
The photo is from the point of view off Nick’s arriving flank march.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/824840264342234/posts/2366132003546378/
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