Editor's Note: WARNING! WARNING! DANGER! This article is a hard core, WRG/DBM article, submitted by a hard core, WRG/DBM player. Read at your own risk.
This article is about my experience playing in a DBM tournament at the "On to Richmond" Convention, held January 18th, in Richmond, Va. For "On to Richmond", I took my Patrician Romans to try them out for the NICT/Open at Cold Wars. Here it are the two lists I had, but I ended up only using the 1 st list in all 3 rounds.
Patrician Romans: 430 AD [E)
List 1: 350 pts, 45 EE/22.5 BP'
- Cmd 1: 1 x Reg Cv(S) CinC, 16x Irr Kn(F), 2x Reg Cv(O), 2x Reg LH(O), 12x Reg Ax(l) = 33 EE/ 11 BP
Cmd 2: 1 x Reg Cv(S) SubG, 6x Irr Wb(S) = 7 EE/3 BP
Cmd 3: 1 x Reg Cv(S) SubG, 2x Reg LH (0), 2x Irr LH (S) = 5 EE/2 BP
List 2: 350 pts, 51 EE/25.5 BP
- Cmd 1: 1 x Reg Cv(S) CinC, 18x Irr Wb(S), 2x Reg Cv(O), 4x Reg Bd(O), 4x Reg Ps(O) (to support Bd),
2x Reg Ax (S), I Ox Reg A.,,: ;) = 39 EE/ 13 BP
Cmd 2: 1 x Reg Cv(S) SubG, 6x Irr KN(F) = 7 EE/3 BP
Cmd 3: 1 x Reg Cv(S) SubG, 2x Reg LH (0), 2x Irr LH (S) = 5 EE/2 BP
This is the first time I opted for the 1 huge and 2 small command option for a list and it worked fairly well. Also, because it was a two list tournament, I could heavily unbalance both lists and choose the one I wanted to play. It also allowed me to keep a group of low grade filler troops in the rear to act as camp guards. I was the defender every time so I placed a 18" wide WW on one flank, a road down the middle of the central sectors, and a combination of 4x woods and wooded hills. Typically this was reduced to one or two small pieces of terrain. Each of my opponents also used a flank march which to their chagrin never arrived. The regular generals really help control the Kn(F) and Wb(S) in this list.
Game I vs; Jeff Hancock's Huns: Won 10-0.
This one worried me a little at the start, all of them Irr LH(S). The WW was on my right flank and Jeff reduced the terrain on my left flank to a small wooded hill and a small area of RGo:
Huns
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Romans
Romans 1,2,3,4 deployment locations of Cmds 1, 2, 3, or 4. The Hun Gepid Ally command was on a flank march. Roman Cmd 2 was in ambush on the small wooded hill.
- w waterway
r road
h wooded hill
b brush
I deployed Cmd I with its Kn(F) starting from WW and going to the left with the Cv and LH on the end of the line. The Ax defended the camp. Cmd 3 covered the flank of Cmd 1. Cmd 2 hid in the woods hoping for a shot at the camp. Jeff s Cmd 1 had his CinC, his Noble Cv(S), and LH (S), Cmd 2 had LH (S), Cmd 3 had LH(S) plus 3 or 4 subject but non-allied Kn(F), and Cmd 4 on the flank march was Gepid Kn(F).
Bad luck for the Huns on bound 1: The Gepids rolled unreliable. Jeff moved forward across the line and deployed Cmd 2 which was in a long column into two lines. I surged forward as well. I made it past halfway and charged into him across the line a little below the hill. Cmd 2 emerged from the hill and proceed to threaten the flank of the Hun Cmd 3 but it never engaged them. The battle ebbed and flowed as my Kn(F) were getting the better of his LH(S). Finally I broke his Cmd 3 which allowed me to attack the flank of his Cmd I and then after a few bounds I broke his Cmds 1 and 2 both on the same bound. His flank march was to arrive the next bound but it would have switched sides in any case. Game was over in about 2 hrs. My Cmd 1 lost 6x Kn(F) and I x LH(O). The Kn(F) did what they were supposed to do and kept pursuing and killing the enemy. In this one if his Gepids had rolled reliable and had arrived earlier in the game my camp in its guards would have dead meat as the Gepid Kn(F) would have overrun them breaking the CinC's command in the process.
Game 2 vs Jeff Ball's Later Carthaginians: Won 10-0.
This time I again used the Kn after looking at the Carthaginian list and looking at all the mounted he could have. The WW again was on my right flank and Jeff reduced the terrain on my left flank to a small area of RGo and a small H(G):
Carthaginians
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Romans
1,2,3,4 deployment locations of Cmds 1, 2, 3, or 4. The Carthaginian Numidian Ally command 4 was on a flank march.
- w waterway
r road
h gentle hill
b brush
I deployed Cmd 2 next to the WW hoping to see his Sp there, but no such luck. Cmd I deployed with its Kn(F) starting at Cmd 2 and went to the left with the Cv and LH on the end of the line. The Ax defended the camp. Cmd 3 covered the flank of Cmd 1. Jeff s Cmd I was all Cv(O) and LH(O), Cmd 2 was 8x Sp(S), Ps(O), and a couple of Cv(O), Cmd 3 had Numidian LH(O) and Ps(S) plus Spanish Ax(S), and Cmd 4 on the flank march was Numidian LH(O) and Ps(S).
Numidians rolled reliable. Jeff moved forward across the line sweeping the forward RGo looking for ambushes and he sent out his LH(O) to delay me. I countered vs 1 group of LH with my own LH and Cv(O). His other group of LH limited my Kn(F) to I move a bound. This made Cmd 2 very happy as they kept up with everyone else. They also didn't take any part in the battle. I transferred 2 Kn(F) from the middle to act as a reserve so they wouldn't hit his double ranked Sp(S), I let the Cv(O) have that job. I charged into his mounted command halfway across the board, and eventually defeated it. My Cmd 3 and the LH and Cv from Cmd I held up his Sp(S) and protected my flank from his Cmd 3 which never really was able to fully engage my Cmd 3. Finally he rolled and his flank march was due to arrive on his next bound. That bound he decided to commit his CinC to the fray. It died under the hoofs of my Kn(F) in my half of the bound. Since his CinC had died he had to dice separately for each command. His CinCs command had lost 2.5 EE and he rolled a 1, game over. Game was over again in about 2 hrs. Cmd 1 again only lost a couple of elements.
Game 3 vs Kevin Kelly's Parthians: Won 10-0.
This time I again used the Kn. The WW was on my left flank this time and Kevin reduced the terrain on my right flank to a small wooded H(G). Weather finally played a part as we waited to start till dawn and had a mist to start with:
Parthians
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Romans
1,2,3 deployment locations of Cmds 1, 2, or 3. The Parthlan Cmd 2 was on a flank march and the Roman Cmd 2 as in ambush on the wooded hill.
- w waterway
r road
h wooded hill
I deployed Cmd 2 in ambush in two columns hopefully waiting to get a shot at his camp, Cmd 1 deployed with its Kn(F) starting from the WW and went to the left with the Cv and LH on the enci of the line, not intending to move forward alot until the mist cleared. The Ax defended the camp. Cmd 3 covered the flank of Cmd I and were in column on the other side of the hill. Kevin's Cmd I included his CinC, all of his Kn(X) except for generals, an El in the middle, and LH(F) covering its flank, Cmd 2 had a Kn(X) subjoin, some Ax(X) and some LH(F) all deployed in 3 columns to make it easier moving through the mist, Cmd 3 on the flank march, had a Kn(X) subjoin, some Ps(O), and the rest of the LH(F). Kevin was counting on the limited visibility to help bring in his flank march.
Kevin rolled ok and started to move Cmd 2 and some of his Kn(X) slowly into the mist. I then rolled 3x 6's on my 1'st bound for pips, no more mist. Cmd I moved forward 12", Cmd 2 left the hill to face the enemy Ax(X) and LH(F), and Cmd 3 moved forward and deployed into a line 200p from the front of his undeployed Cmd 2. He deployed his Cmd 2 and moved forward his Kn(X) and his LH(F) to threaten my Wb(S). On bound 2 1 rolled 3x 5's for pips. Cmd I again moved forward 12" with the LH(O) moving out ahead of them, the Wb(S) deployed some more, and my LH command 3, attacked his LH(F) killing 2 of them in the 1'st bound. His Kn(X) waited as my Kn(F) came forward again and came up short. Uh oh, such is life. My Cv, LH, Wb, and their Cv(S) general fought the LH(F) and Ax(X) of his Cmds I and 2 . He crashed his Kn(X) and El into my Kn(F). I lost 6x Kn(F) in that 1 st bound and I killed maybe I of his Kn(X). I didn't loose another one after that and his El didn't get to kill any more either. I think I killed I more of his Kn(X). I then broke his Cmd 2. Then I killed enough of the LH(F) in his Cmd I to break it. His flank march never arrived. Game was over again in about 2 hrs.
Lessons Learned:
- 1) If you live by the flank march, you can die by the flank march.
2) Irr Kn(F) are fun especially when controlled by a regular general.
3) I like the 1 huge/2 small command structure for this army and I may try it again with another army.
Final Results:
- John Shirey: Patrician Romans -- 30 Pts
Kevin Kelley: Indo-Parthians -- 19 Pts
Mike Kelley: NKE -- 11 Pts (Played 1st 2 rounds only)
Jeff Ball: Late Carthaginians -- 10 Pts (Played 1st 2 rounds only)
Bob Burnham: Selucids (Late) -- 9 Pts
Jeff Hancock: Huns w/Gepid Ally -- 1 Pt
Yes the results are correct and not a joke. I surprised myself on this one and ended up winning my 1st tournament.
"Remember, no matter where you go, there you are."
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