IWF Roma 2004

An account of my games at the IWF Roma.

Being unable to decide on what army to take to Roma I decided to stick with
one I already had lists for - Late Imperial Roman.

List 1 was the general purpose list:

C-in-C: 6 Reg Ax(S) inc. general, 6 Reg Ps(O) supports, 3 Reg Kn(X), 3 Reg
LH(O), 2 Reg LH(I), 2 Irr LH(S), Baggage;
Sub 1: Reg Cv(O) general, 4 Reg Kn(F), 3 Reg LH(O), 1 Reg LH(F), 3 Irr
LH(S), 5 Reg Ax(S), 5 Reg Ps(O) supports, 1 Irr Ax(I);
Sub 2: 5 Reg Bd(O) inc. general, 5 Reg Ps(O) supports, 6 Reg Bw(O), 5 Reg
LH(F).

List 2 was the heavy foot version:

C-in-C: 8 Reg Ax(S) inc. general, 8 Reg Ps(O) supports, 3 Reg Kn(X), 3 Reg
LH(O), 1 Reg LH(F), 1 Reg Art(F), Baggage;
Sub 1: 6 Reg Bd(O) inc. general, 6 Reg Ps(O) supports, 3 Reg Kn(X), 3 Reg
LH(O), 1 Reg LH(F), 1 Reg Ps(O), 2 Irr Ax(I);
Sub 2: 6 Reg Bd(O) inc. general, 6 Reg Ps(O) supports, 4 Reg LH(F), 2 Reg
LH(I), 1 Reg Art(F), 1 Reg Ps(O), 2 Irr Ax(I), 2 Irr Bts(S).

First proper game was standing in for Dave Handley in the GB Vs US test
match (Dave had to go to the IWF meeting and I was the highest ranked
available!). The draw for opponents dished me up Ethan Zorick using Ugaritic
(not an easy match up for LIR), and the best US player. List 1 was the only
choice. I invaded, there were strong winds, and chose no terrain. Ethan
choce a number of woods all but one of which landed in my left flank sector
leaving a mostly open field. I deployed (l to r) C-in-C, Sub 2 and Sub 1.
Ethan deployed as far to my right as he could with wheelie bins up front and
filler behind (shock!); the centre commands had Kn the flanks Cv.

On my right I extended my Ax to the table edge and pretty much sat and
stared at Ethan's C-in-C's command. In the centre my LH fell back in front
of his Kn (shock!) and sent one in to break up their line in a suicide move.
On my left I pushed LH round the flank to threaten the line and advanced the
Bw towards the Kn(O) and supported Bd against Cv. Whilst I nibbled the flank
command for a few elements I managed to take 5 Kn of it's next door
neighbour (a couple a bit luckily) and then shoot it's Cv(S) general dead in
the strong winds. Things going against him Ethan attacked strongly with his
C-in-C supported by Kn. This attack bounced off or stuck apart from one
combat where I destroyed a Kn exposing a flank. Next move I counter attacked
and with the following combat rolls: 5-1, 6-1, 5-1, 6-1 destoyed 4 chariots
(inc C-in-C) and 2 Ax(I) behind to take the command and army. 31-1 to me,
with Ethan dice being somewhat co-operative.

The 1st round of the IWF matched me against Ziead Leggieri's Teutonic Order.
List 1 again. They invaded down a river and I got a BUA and H(S) in suitable
positions in either flank to play around. The rest of the terrain was of no
use apart from a patch of scrub accross the Rv. I deployed (l to r) C-in-C,
Sub 2 then Sub 1. Ziead deployed a Kn(S) centre with Kn(O) flanks, the one
on my righ having Sp and Bw as well whilst the one on my left Ax. A few LH
were with each command.

The game went pretty much to plan with my LH falling back in front of the
heavy metal advance drawing them on to positions where flanks would be
available. My Bw & Bd were a bit exposed so I expected to lose that command
in exchange for his army (and 9-1 is a good start as it keeps you just a bit
away from the really good players <g>). Things all went well with my LH(I)
tempting Ps and LH(F) into combat in the RGo and my right getting his right
a couple of elements off breaking. Then in order to get my Kn(X) into Ax(O)
to really set up the win I felt I had to leave my C-in-C in a +2(S) Vs +3(O)
for one bound. Lost that, command broke quickly followed by the army. His
command that I'd nearly broken also survived. 2-30 in a game where I had the
enemy just where I wanted them.

2nd round in the basement was against Paolo de Medico who used Pict. I used
list 2 thinking a hard infantry slog was the way to go. He invaded and I put
down a BUA + E on my left and got a H(S) on my right. I deployed (l to r)
C-in-C, Sub 2, Sub 1. He deployed 3 Pict commands with the Ax(X) pretty much
on the base line with 20+ LH out front. Basically we spent the game with me
trying to tempt him in as his army was more mobile than mine, without me
leaving too much exposed in silly positions. For reasons I could not work
out he seemed reluctant to come to grips even where he should ahve been able
to get an advantage. However, I managed to kill 10 Ps and a couple of LH
from one command and then slip a last bound LH(F) into the flank of an Ax(X)
block and roll up to take a command. 20-12, but any chance of placing was
now gone.

3rd round I played Alessandro Parlanti using a Later Carthaginian. List 1. I
invaded and the important terrain was a Wd in his central sector. I deployed
Sub1, Sub 2 then C-in-C. He had a Cv(O) heavy right a Cv, LH and sp centre
and a Sp, Ax and El left (he'd got the last 2 commands the wrong way round).
Looked good for me. I send LH around his left to tie him up and make
opportunistic attack, and attack strongly with Kn(X) and Bd in the centre
and Kn and Bw on the left. The central Sp of his C-in-C last longer than
they should given that I sandwiched them between Bd and Kn(X) from each end
and this allowed Alessandro to march his C-in-C + Cv(O) around my right and
beat up my LH - I've not paid much attention to their formation as they
should have been very safe, ah well! I break his C-in-C and then fairly
quicky take out his right to take the army. However, I have been unable to
avoid a single Ax(S) vs Ax(S) combat with my C-in-C's command which I lose
6-1 to break him :-( 23-9 which should have been 30-2.

4th round was against Ottaviano Miceli's Alexandrian Imperial. List 1 again
and I'm invaded down a Rv and I get RGo in my centre and on my left. I
deploy (r to l) as per the last game with 3 LH accross the Rv and my Bd in
the central RGo anticipating something they can kill (Ax) attacking there.
He deploys a Pk heavy command next to the Rv but also has a Bts. His centre
is Pk(S), El and a couple of Kn and his right is Kn, LH and Ax(S). No massed
Ax for my Bd to attack though. Deployment takes 50 mins most of which was
his, however, he played at an OKish speed and I played very quickly so we
got 13 bounds in. Initially the action was by the Rv as I skirmished his
phalanx and disrupted it with LH into the flanks when he left a gap wide
enough. Eventually he was broken when his general was causght by LH infront
of an El and my Kn(X) got into Ax(O) and the flanks of the Pk. In the centre
my LH(F) mugged his Ax(S) who came out and were isolated whilst his Kn and
LH stared at my LH, Kn and Bw. With one command gone and no real
opportunities he pulled his troops back (with good PIPs) and we finished
with me 1 element off his army. 20-12. I rather feel that if deployment had
been in a reasonable time I'd have got the army easily :-(

5th round on Sunday morniong and I was still pissed from Saturday night. So
Paolo Vigano's Samurai was quite welcome as needing little thought. List 2
invade down a Rv which turned out to be paltry - no Bts(S) then. He had a
BUA on his left and not much else. I went Sub 2, Sub 1 C-in-C. He lined
Bw(S) and (O) from the Rv, then a Monk Bd(F) command and then another Bw
command with some mounted Samurai. His Monk was unrelaibale most of the game
and my C-in-C and his command opposite were happy to sit and stare at each
other - apart from 1 Art(F) who advanced and shot causing a few casulaties
amongst the Bw. The main Bd and Bw lines advanced and clashed. The archery
caused minimal damage and in my bound 3 were wer in close combat on a 12
element frontage - 3 of which were aginst Bw(O). Well it took me until bound
10 to break one of his commands and in that time he'd broken my centre by
running 2 Cv(O) generals over 2 supported Bd(O). My hierarchy of killing
went Ps(O) kill Bw(S) better than Bd(O) who can kill Bw(S) better than they
can kill Bw(O)! Thus the game finished18-14.

6th and last game was against Theodore Galanis from Greece using Komnenan
Byzantine. I invaded with list 1 and we eneded up with a scattering of H(S)
and H(G) of which only a couple of the latter were of any use to either of
us. I deployed Sub 1, Sub 2 and C-in-C. He had a Kn and LH command on my
left, a LH, Kn and Bw(O) command on a hill on my right, a small LH and Kn
command in the centre along with an Armenian command of expendable Kn plus
filler (hiding on a steep hill). Theodore's PIPs were appallingly bad and
must have averaged about 6 on his 3 regular dice thus rather limiting his
options. The Cilician Armenians charged off to their doom and despite
fighting themselves into a good position against LH(F) promptly died under a
hail of wild dice rolls. At this point Theodore was having a miserable time
and due to this I wasn't enjoying the game at all, and so I offered him a
16-16 (game position at the time) to avoid a rather unpleasant end to the
competition (in terms of enjoyment, he was a most gentlemanly opponent).
After a short discussion where he said he didn't want to deprive me of
points we agreed on the draw.

Overall it was a great competition, even if the games didn't go quite how
I'd hoped :-)

Many thanks to all the organisers and all my opponents who were great to
play against.

Next year Australia, unfortunately that is well beyond my finances :-(