Thursday 15 November 2018

ADLG: Kassite Babylonian vs Elamite 1100 BC

A game using Andrew's 'ancient' Ancient figures. Babylonians vs Elamites in this clash of chariots, about 1100 BC.

Below is set up with me invading. Note fields on left and plantation on right, each of which has an ambush marker. I have my chariots in the centre (mix of ordinary and elite), and infantry on wings (spearmen and mediocre archers), Andrew's composition is the opposite with chariots on the wings (ordinary and elite again), and ordinary class archers in his centre.

Elamite chariots and archers.

My chariots.

Andrew's archers in the centre.

Andrew's chariots.

Game


I launch the attack advancing most of the line, with some chariots held back as a reserve, and sliding across towards the flanks to counter any ambush.

Andrew responds by moving forward his archers to release a volley at my chariots, hitting one of them. 

But I charge the archers with most of my chariots. Some light archers in the fields on my left which have been lying down in ambush stand up and fire, and my archers back at them.

The chariot charge is mostly successful, with three blocks of archers taking 2 out of 3 hits and likely to be finished off next turn.

Next round Andrew sensing his centre is about to collapse, reveals more light archers on my right, and advances his chariots, inflicting shooting casualties on my force but also taking them in return.

My chariots break through the centre of the Elamite line, though Andrew has a second line waiting to reinforce.

Andrew's chariots and light archers disrupt my left flank infantry with shooting.

Casualties accumulate rapidly on both sides with practically everything able to shoot and little armour available to stop arrows!  Elamite chariots run down some infantry on my left and right but others are shot down, and my chariots continue to wreck the Elamite centre.

Elamite light infantry on the flanks is chopped down by spearmen (only just on the left where they had taken heavy casulaties before charging), and more Elamite chariots are lost. The Elamite army breaks with over 25/25 units lost. Victory to the Babylonians, though their break point is at 16/22!

Conclusion

A quick and deadly game with everything light armoured mediums (3 hits each) or lights (2 hits), and lots of dangerous shooting.  The Elamite archers exposed themselves by advancing too far forward of their line, and without their flanks supports were run down by the elite Babylonian chariots.  This early disadvantage led to the battle of archery and melee attrition tipping towards the Babylonians, and the Elamite counterattack was unable to swing the tide! Keen to try a couple more 'ancient' Ancient armies soon.

Sunday 11 November 2018

Epic 4K: AMTL vs Skitarri 2.1

Another outing with Skitarri list, this time vs AMTL (by special request Greg!)

Here's the AMTL list, with some proxying of weaponary on some of them.

Incompertus, 4000 POINTS 
Legio Gryphonicus (NetEA v3.24 *APPROVED*) 
================================================== 

WARLORD TITAN [875] 
Carapace Landing Pad, 2 Quake Cannon, Legate, Laser Burner

WARLORD TITAN [675] 

2 Plasma Blastgun, 2 Vulcan Megabolter  

REAVER TITAN [700] 
Carapace Landing Pad, 2 Quake Cannon

REAVER TITAN [600] 
2 Turbo-laser Destructor, Laser Burner

WARHOUND TITAN [300] 
Turbo-laser Destructor, Plasma Blastgun

WARHOUND TITAN [300] 
Turbo-laser Destructor, Plasma Blastgun

WARHOUND TITAN [275] 
Vulcan Megabolter, Plasma Blastgun

WARHOUND TITAN [275] 
Vulcan Megabolter, Plasma Blastgun

Here's the Skitarri list used by Andrew, Majoris being proxied by double tanks.

2752 Secutors, Magnus, 8 Hypaspists
3252 Secutors, 8 Hypaspists, Ordinatus Minorus (Assault Pod)
3252 Secutors, 8 Hypaspists, Ordinatus Minorus (Assault Pod)
2252 Secutors, 8 Hypaspists
2252 Secutors, 8 Hypaspists
1254 Crusader Robots
4503 Ordinatus Minorus (2 Gattling Cannon, Volcano Cannon)
4503 Ordinatus Minorus (2 Gattling Cannon, Volcano Cannon)
450Ordinatus Majoris (Sonic Disrupter)
450Ordinatus Majoris (Sonic Disrupter)
500Ordinatus Majoris (Armageddon)
2002 Avenger Strike Fighters

Turn 1

Setup below. Armageddon is in the Skitarri centre, Sonic Disruptors both on their left flank (right of photo below).


First activation, I advance the Gatling Warlord and target the front infantry using all weaponary, killing three of them. I figure I need to blast away the front screen to get to the Majoris units and neutralise them, especially wanting to take out the Armageddon as quickly as possible.

The Skitarri then break two of my Warhounds with the Sonic Disruptor Majoris using the templates to get two formations. Oops. No damage but broken isn't good.

Artillery Titans rain down artillery fire, killing Hypaspists.

The Minoris and Armageddon gang up on the lead Warlord. The Minoris strip 3 shields. The Armageddon has to double to get it in range, and it is in cover so needs 5's to hit. But it gets luck with 3 hits and 8 damage which leaves the Warlord with only 3 hits remaning, and a reactor breach, but still not broken.

Then disastrously on top of this, the other two warhounds are too close together and the other Majoris Sonic Disruptor breaks them too!

End of turn, two Warhounds remain broken and two rally.

Turn 2

Skitarri win Strategy Roll, and the Armageddon destroys the lead Warlord.  The Skitarri Ordinatii roll forward blasting anything in their way and my Titan legions are sorely lacking a few volcano cannons to scare them in return, settling instead for killing more infantry with the Artillery Titans. The Reaver artillery Titan is broken by Minoris and retreats.


Turn 3

AMTL win Strategy Roll, and on the left flank the Reaver wrecks a Corvus Minoris and its passengers.

Efforts to slow down the advancing Minoris on the other flank are futile though.

Warhound on the right flanks the Minoris but is unable to do damage.

Minoris continue to advance, and another Warhound is destroyed.

Warhound that had advanced on the right is broken due to blast markers. Unable to contest objectives, AMTL loses due to Skitarri achieving Take and Hold and Defend the Flag victory conditions.

Artillery Warlord holding firm but not able to do enough this game...

Nor the Artillery Reaver.

Two Titans lost.

Skitarri casualties.

Conclusion

A rather shameful outing for the AMTL! There were definitely some powerful toys in the Skitarri arsenal, but poor positioning and poorly thought out aggression was also a problem for my Titans here.  I should have played defensively utilising the artillery, and counterpunching with other Titans when the Skitarri tried to approach, aiming for an attrition victory.

I also thought 4 Turbolasers, and 6 Plasmaguns on top of other firepower would be enough to deal with some War Engines but it was an undergunned force and the Ordinatii were able to move largely with impunity. Sonic Disruptors were able to auto-break Warhounds and range on Ordinatti units outclassed that of the AMTL leading to some awkward and limited options.

Back to drawing board with AMTL, must paint up a few more units and magnetise options!