8th June, Bakewell

Society of Ancients UK DBA League 2019 - The Midland Open

So off to sunny Derbyshire for Round 8 of the SoA sponsored UK DBA League, the Midland Open.

As it says on the tin, it's an open tournament so you can take any army.  In some respects, that makes choosing more difficult - in default of something 'interesting' to sort out, I usually use these decisions as a way of spurring me to finish something or giving something new a run out.  That might have meant topping and tailing those Thebans.

Then I realised that although I'd prepared some Early Imperial Romans for Tarrington last year, they didn't get used.  As a result of the traffic incident, by the time I was ready to take over my berth, we were already up and running using Martin's reserve army.  So the EIRs were still sat in their box waiting to be played with.  Easy decision.

... and, indeed, on they marched ... with their world conquering aggression of 3, these determined footslogging Romans invaded all day ... India, Africa, Spain, Asia, Polynesia ... thank goodness for the hardy Roman marching boot!

But I'm skipping ahead ... We got stuck on the M1 because of the usual difficulties some of our species seem to have all going in the same direction in marked lanes (without colliding with each other)* so for round one I played my travelling companion Patrick and his North Africans ...

Patrick defended but ended up with too much terrain on his side of the table.

(DBA Midland Open 2019: the Romans invade North Africa)

It was a good game but the Muslims were always on the back foot ... I'm thinking about using a littoral army at Britcon so I do need to think about how the Waterway cuts the table down (or doesn't when you are invading a non-littoral, of course) ...

Anyway, things were going well, so it was off to Cappadocia next.

The Ariarathids seem to be a popular army at the moment - Knights and Auxilia.  I struggled to win a combat against them, that's for sure.  However, the game will be remembered (by me, anyway) for the incident where I actually spent the 2 pips to move a Camp Follower out of my camp - and jumped on the flank of one of those Kappadokians (which was otherwise relentlessly driving my Armenians back across the battlefield) ...

(sallying from the camp and attacking enemy cavalry: DBA magic from Bakewell, Midland Open, 2019)

I won the ensuing combat and rescued my cataphracts.  I always make separate Camp Follower elements for my DBA camps but, inevitably, seldom do they ever do anything.

So this was that rarity ... the opportunity (check), then 2 spare pips to use it (check), and then a win in the combat (even rarer, but 'check') to get the pay off.  It'll be some time before all of that comes together, I'm sure!

So it was looking like I might be on a roll.  In configuring the army, I took the Armenians to give that extra cavalry punch and to deal with all those pesky 'fast' Blades that seem to be the fashion.  Elephants?  Well, I eschewed any Psiloi, so the Auxilia would have to deal with any elephants!

And so it turned out ... against the Tamils, despite being down on the factors, the Auxilia got in enough combat rolls to pull out a couple of sparkling ones and bagged two of the elephants (one of which had a general on top!) ... and against the Celtiberians, the cataphracts managed to combine with the foot to give the edge in a largely infantry battle.

(Midland Open 2019: the Romans invade India)

(Midland Open 2019: the Romans will reign in Spain)

None of this was a forgone conclusion.  With an Ally in the mix - especially where it might need to mesh with the Roman infantry - you need enough pips (as they have to be commanded separately) ... and to get your desired outcomes, you do need to win the combats (especially, say, with Auxilia tacking elephants - OK, it's their job, but it isn't exactly 'Mission Easy').  So the dice have to be with you.

But I couldn't take the last game against Pete D's Polynesians ...  even with 3 elements destroyed and the (hopefully) 4th flank-lapped.  I couldn't win the combats and the game ended drawn.

Scores etc.:

1 Phil Johnson: Palmyran with Pre-Islamic Arab ally; 2 Phil Steele: Early Imperial Roman (Armenian Ally); 3 Scott Russell: Tamil Indian; 4 Craig Allen: Late Tang; 5 Peter Duckworth: Polynesian; 6 Patrick Myers: Ancient Spanish; 7 Arnaud Marmier: Guti; 8 Rob Rush: Hattran; 9 Mark Johnson: Siamese; 10 Andy Wheeldon: HYW English; 11 Stephen Finn: Palmyran;12 John Saunders: Palmyran; 13 Keith Brown: Late Imperial Roman; 14 Baldie: Bosporan; 15 Patrick Dale: Early Muslim North Africa; 16 Martin Myers: Polyperchon Macedonian Early Successor;17 Nick Wright Carter: Polybian Roman; 18 Frank Shaw: Ariarathid Kappadokian.

And so on a day when everything seemed to be working, I ended up first equal ... then on count-back (sum of enemies' points scored) second.  So, after a bit of head scratching, it was well done to the other Phil.  

A great finish to a day that had had a seemingly unlucky start.

And a vindication for the combination of Romans and Armenians.  I seldom use allies but it worked in this instance.  

(DBA Midland Open 2019, Medway Centre, Bakewell)

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*it has always seemed straightforward to me (pretty much both straight and forward, indeed, so what could possibly go wrong?) but other drivers do seem to struggle - after we got free of the first accident, we passed another, with cars spun around, just a few miles up the road.  I don't want to jinx myself so let's just leave it there ... 

9th February, Bakewell

Wars in the Mediterranean BC 400 to 275

So this was a new addition to the UK DBA scene and a brave attempt to get us all into the Derbyshire peaks in the dead of Winter.  Actually, there was no Beast from the East this year and the weather was as good as many a Springtime.  22 players made the final score sheet.

(my new Galatians went as Gallic cousins)

In his charitable clearout, David Constable gave me a Galatian army to use for Telamon, and I have been painting it over the Winter.  Gallic/Galatian is a bit of a loose distinction to me and the configuration I was working to fitted this theme better as 'Gallic'.

They have turned out very nicely I think, but by the time of the event I had not fancied up the shields.  I will do one my standard DBA specials when I get back to them and complete the work.

The format was to pay 3 games with your chosen army - and 3 against.

Here are set up shots for my six games.

I was defender 3 times out of 6 (once, against Pyrrhus, with the Gauls) ... it's all down to the dice, of course (and they have no memory!) ...

All good games despite the Gauls under-performing a tad.  They have St Paul preaching to them in the background so may be they will do better, as intended, as Galatians?

A good win for Mark with Early Libyans (maybe not a great pick for standard format events ... ), and some familiar faces supporting him on the rostrum (which suggests it isn't just 'all down to the dice').

For those of you with an eye for army selection, there were 3 Later Achaemenid Persians, 2 Theban, 2 Sarmatian and 2 Gallic.  Otherwise all single selections.  In addition to the winning Libyans, the top 3 included one of the Thebans and one of the Persians.

*apologies to those who saw an earlier truncated version of this post which went to 'publish' rather than 'save' after the first picture was added!

20th October, Bakewell

So this is another pairs format ... historical armies but open choice of terrain.

Having used my 'work in progress' Byzantines at the Midland Open, I decided to carry on the good work and dust off my generic Gothic collection to see if there was a Lombard-ish option.  I think it passed muster.

(my guys: Early Lombard and Maurikian Byzantine)

The pairing is based on the wars of the Lombard Dukes in Northern and Central Italy in the 570s and 80s ... notionally Duke Faroald of Spoleto and his historical adversary, the Romanised German Droctulfo.  Ravenna in their sights.

The pair gave some nice games, and for a change, I won my 'home' games.  Of course, that risks it looking like I know what I'm doing.

Here's the 'away' games ...

(Marian Roman vs Slave Revolt)

This gave me something of a chance - Romans vs Spartacus is a pair I have in my own collection (and took to Alton I think) ... so I know it quite well.  Also I think Nick was uncommonly generous to the Romans in letting them have an elephant.

(Khmer and Malayans)

This was Simon's set up.  I always seem to mishandle these elephant armies.  And did so again.

(Viking and Sub-Roman British)

I made a mess of this one too ... being too 'speculative' in my attacks - pushing the pace and paying the price.  Hmmm.

I generally got 'given' the Goths, which was nice ... here's a view of the pairing from the Gothic point of view:

(Early Lombard III/2 vs Maurikian Byzantine III/17)

(From my game with the eventual champion, the Lombard warriors defend a Romanesque chapel from its rightful owners ...)

So, what happened ... well we all had a good time and ... Richard Pulley won with his match: Nubians I/3 and Libyans I/7a.

Followed by 2: Scott Russell (Viking and Sub-Roman British); 3: Martin Myers (I/50 Lydian and I/60b Early Achaeminid Persian - Cyrus); 4: Mark Johnson (Early Libyan  and Nubian); 5: Paul Murgatroyd  (New Kingdom Egyptian and Hittite Empire); 6: Phil Johnson (II/56 Early Imperial Roman and II/25 Bosporan); 7: Phil Steele (Lombard III/2 and Maurikian Byzantine III/17); 8: Simon Wilson (Khmer III/23a and Malay IV/37a); 9: Reece Bettison (II/9a Syracusan and II/32a Later Carthagenian); 10: Craig Allen (II/6 Bithynian and Pergamene)*

Then ... John Saunders (Post Mongol Russian and Golden Horde), Graham Fordham (Early Achaemenid Persian and Lydian), Rob Rush (II/78a Western Late Roman and II/72c Suevi), Frank Shaw (Yueh and Warring States Chinese), Baldie Storey (Ancient British and Ancient British), Tamara Fordham (New Kingdon Egyptian and Early Bedouin Midianite Arab), Christine Rigby (III/19a Welsh and III/72 Anglo Danes), Keith Murphy (Lombard and Nikephorian Byzantine), Andy Wheeldon (East Frankish and Italian Lombard), Nick Wright-Carter (II/45c Spartacus and II/49 Marian Roman)

*voted best army

What?  You want to see more of the players?  OK then - here you go ...

These events are part of the UK DBA League sponsored by the Society of Ancients.  Players who are Society members often count their games towards the Society Championship

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16th June, Bakewell

The Society of Ancients UK DBA League 2018: The Midlands DBA Open

Or ... Timur and the lads go to Derbyshire ... 

I was very pleased to complete the Timurids for this tournament.  I have various bits of Turkish/Arab/Nomad troops loosely allocated to such a project for years - actually I think originally it was an Armati project.  So a jumbled box of unpainted figures with a mental note saying 'Timurid'.

 

(2018 Midlands Open ... Simon and David C man the command desk)

... and they did OK so no lame jokes.

 

(the DBA army of Timur Lenk - or Tamburlaine as we said at school)

It's a 'medium power' army, reliant on 6 cavalry elements (5 + Gen) ... it's 'special' tweak is that it can have an elephant.

The elephant seems to die in most battles - ity's real value being that it sucks in a lot of enemy focus ... they're all bothering about the beast while your cavalry set them up and kill things.

Sometimes it works.  Here are my 6 games:-

 

 

 

The first two games were random vs players you had not played before ... thereafter 'Swiss Chess'. 

Apologies for the poor picture of the Rajputs game.  Not sure what happened there (but I included the photo for completeness.  Paul M's Hindu Rajputs are a splendid army and doubtless will feature on the DBA Yahoo site so give them a visit.

I did just a bit better than average.  I won things like this:-

(do or die vs Patrick's Lydians)

So the Lydian Kn Gen is overlapped and reared ... my Cv Gen is not overlapped but has an enemy in edge contact (4 v 3 to me but neither of us can recoil)

We both did our best ... 6 plays 6!  So the Lydian Gen goes down and the Timurids take the game.  Well, as an idea, it worked ...

Here's some scores ... 

1 Arnaud Marmier (Tamil), 2 Martin Smiith (Tamil),  3 Tony Green (Lydian), 3 Martin Myers (New Kingdom Egyptian), 5 Scott Russell (Late Tang), 6= Craig Allen (Ariarathid Kappadokian) and Phil Johnson (Palmyran), 8 Colin O'Shea (Zanj Revolt), 9= Paul Murgatroyd (Hindu Indian) and Tamara Fordham (Italian Condotta) ... that's the top of the table (well done Tamara, on breaking into the top ten!) 

The rest of us followed  ... Phil Steele (Timurid), Richard Pulley (Palmyran), Patrick Myers (Lydian), Graham Fordham (Early Achaemenid Persian), Mark Skelton (Wu), Keith Murphy (Italiot), Tim Kohler (Late Achaemenid Persian), Philip Donald (Late Roman) Keith Brown (Mongol Conquest), Simon Wilson (Early Polish), Reese Bettison (Later Carthaginian), Baldie Storey (Ancient British), Dale Needham (Norman), Tim Rogers (Alexandrian Macedonian), Rob Rush (Hatra), Nick Wright-Carter (Post-Monol Samurai), Tris Gale (Marian Roman) and Andy Wheeldon (Norman).

A splendid 28 players in all.

 

(well done Arnaud and his Tamils!)

For those of you fascinated by such stuff ...  there were 2 each of the Tamils, Lydians and Palmyrans ... the Tamils coming first and second, with one of the Lydians in third.

But otherwise it was a wide spread of army selections.  Everything from Chinese to Ancient Brits.

In addition to a prize for the winner, Simon made an award for the highest scoring 'weaker' army (based on a ratio of the scores you got to the total fighting factors of the army you selected) - Craig won that with his Kappadokians - and an award to the newcomers who gamely toughed it out with those of us who have been round the block more times than we can remember.  Well done to all of them.

And here we all are (thanks to Alison who assumed camera duties) ...

 

I will do a feature on the Timurids in a few days.

Excellent day out, Simon .. great event!

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14th October, Bakewell

 

Round 12 of the 2017 Society of Ancients DBA League

Following the success of the Midlands Open, Simon has decided to run another event - this time quite similar to the Alton Pairs format (so establishing this option to players further from the South)

Basically players take an opposed pair from the DBA lists (i.e. enemies of each other) to a fixed list, with terrain.  The 'visitor' player picks which army to use.

Slightly different to Alton, Simon used a simple rule where if either player had used their own pair fewer times then this was the option to take.   If usage was equal, then you rolled dice.

It seemed to work - and certainly I ended up exactly 3 and 3  for the 6 games.

 

I like the format as, instead of obliging you to pick kind of cynically (to maximise your own chances), the system encourages you to pick a balanced pair.

Armies that might otherwise be dodgy choices are fine (and indeed quite intriguing) when matched with something of equivalent utility.

I was pleased with the Axumites and Arabs ... and tallied a W D and L - so just about par ... and scored 13 points (just behind par and just under half of my 30) ... I got given the Arabs twice and I think the Axumites did just about shade it (so might make a small change for future outings).  

But it's a good game.

 

Of course, there are always a number of good pairings out there so, compared with, say, the Northern Cup, you do miss out on some other options by playing your own pair 3 times. 

Here are my games.

 

 

 

 

 

So you get the picture ... in addition to the Abyssinians and Arabs, I got to play with New Kingdom Egyptian, Sassanids and Macedonians, all in plausible set ups.   That's a nice cross section of what you might call 'proper ancients'.  That's why I like this format.

And its the UK DBA League crowd so everything's nice and 'happy go lucky' amongst a diverse player mix.   And a healthy mix of new faces and veterans.

 

Paul Murgatroyd topped the order ... must be all that practice putting together the Northern Cup scenarios!   Good to see Paul able to enjoy a day just as a player!

Paul and Tamara were the bookends, Scott was just pipped into second on count back - I came bottom of the top half.

OK ... everybody smile:

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The Final Round is the English Open in Portsmouth on Sunday (29th October 2017)