Warfare 2003

Although not one of resounding victory.

I ended up in the Hittite period being the only club member to volunteer
for it - suited me as I like these minimal LH biblical themes as they have a
different feel. I went for the rather predictable Ugaritic, however, I chose
a version that was somewhat different from the usual and didn't have the
"lose the fighting troops and survive" approach. My list was:

C-in-C: 6 Irr Cv(S) inc general, 1 Irr Cv(O), 6 Reg Bw(O), 2 Reg Bd(F), 2
Irr Ax(I), 3 Irr Ps(I), 6 Irr Bg(I);
Sub 1: 3 Irr Cv(S) inc general, 6 Irr Kn(O), 2 Irr LH(F), 9 Irr Ps(I), 6 Irr
Hd(O);
Sub 2: 3 Irr Cv(S) inc general, 6 Irr Bd(F), 2 Irr Wb(F), 8 Irr Ax(O), 2 Irr
Ps(I);
Ally: 5 Irr Cv(S) inc general, 6 Irr Ax(I), 3 Irr Ps(I), 6 Irr Hd(O), 4 Irr
Bts(S), 2 Irr Bg(I);

Army total 99 elements, 72.5EE, breaks on 36.5 losses.

Game 1 against Tony Robinson's Minoan.

I defended and there was no weather. Robbo invaded down a max width river in
winter. I chose some RGo which had no real effect on the game. Robbo
deploys, from the river, a large pike command, a large pike and Kn(F)
chariot command and finally a chariot, Ax(I) and Bw(I) command. I have
deployed, from the river, ally, sub 2, C-in-C and sub 1. The river is not
paltry so my navy can row up it which causes Robbo to move elements there to
avoid me shooting them into each other from behind. However, in general this
wing is quiet. Robbo brings chariots to threaten Sub 2 who spends all game
holding the impetuous foot, and I move chariots to deter his attack and try
and get the Bw(O) into a shooting position. However, close support from the
Pk and lousy PIPs for the command frustrate that. On my right the Kn end up
advancing towards the Bw(I) and are mostly shot down like girls in 2 bounds
flat. Things look grim here but 2 end up in combat with Robbo's Kn and
refuse to die preseerving the command. The game runs out into a 5-5.

Game 2 against Roger Greenwood's Middle Assyrian.

I again defend (as expected) and there is no weather. Roger invades down a
WW on my right not expecting my relatively large navy, and I choose some RGo
and an O - the only pieces thatt affect the game are one piece on my left
24" in and a piece opposite it in Roger's deployment zone about 12" from his
base edge. I deeploy, from the WW, ally, C-in-C, sub2 and sub 1. Roger
deploys, again from the WW, a command of mainly supported Ax(O), Bw(I) and
Cv(S) with 2 Bd(F) also his 3 Bts(I) hiding beached at the back, then his
C-in-C of similar composition but smaller and with no bd and finally a
command of supported Ax(O), Cv(S) and another couple of Bd(F). So minimal Bd
and Cv and loads of supported Ax(O) - quite surprising. I attack strongly on
the right aiming to get Cv(S) chariots into Ax with, hopefully, the Bts
shooting away some to give me overlaps. Roger pushes strongly in the centre
hoping to get at my impetuous foot with chariots, however I occpy the RGo
with Ax(O) and bring some Kn chariots round to help threaten the flank of
his attack. His main Ax body cowers in RGo due to my Kn - some of whom I let
go loopy to chase some Cv(S) he hrings up to delay my attack. My attack on
the right works, aided by a useful flee result that opens a gap for a flank
attack and I break the command. However, my C-in-C is badly mauled to within
0.5 element of breaking. Roger has to kill an overlapped Ps(I) with an
overlapped Cv(S) to get the command - so of course I recoil him and another
lucky combat up 2 gets 2 chariots and the army on total losses. 10-0.

Game 3 against Andy Wicox's Ugaritic.

Well this now makes 3 out of 4 Warfare's attended I've playeed Andy so I
guess it was inevitable. I invade with no weather and put down a minimum
width WW. Andy scatter some RGo which plays no part in the game. I deploy
from the WW ally, sub 2, C-in-C then sub 1. Andy deploys from his right (not
WW side) an ally with Cv(S) + crap, 2 commands of Kn + crap and then the
loopy infantry + crap command well away from the WW. He can lose all his
front bar generals and not lose a command. Fortunately as we have different
army compositions this will be an interesting game. He attacks with all his
chariots in a long line whilst I hold on my left and swing chariots round on
my right to both overlap his line and threaten his Bd command - I have the
Reg Bw(O) in the front line hoping to cause the Kn chariots trouble. There
are a couple of moves where my Kn command could get into real trouble if
they scored 1 on the PIPs, but they don't so I'm in good shape. I destroy
all the Kn from one of Andy's commands and right at the end get the general
as well to break the command. Our C-in-C's commands slug it out with both
generals entering combat at times with losses to both, however, my Bw are
destroyed by some Bd that Andy brings up with good PIPs from his Bd command,
but his C-in-C's command is in no position to exploit. On my right I have a
shot at the infantry command when a Bd of Andy's ends up at an unfortunate
angle infront of the command's general due to an impetuous move but he
survives. The game ends 4-6.

After this round I'm in =4th with one of us playing Sea Peoples the other
getting NKE run by the weaker player with a good win putting 2nd/3rd place
up for grabs. I get ...

Game 4 against Martin Naylor's Sea Peoples.

Ah well. I defend as expected with no weather and Martin invades along the
WW. I deploy from the WW ally, sub 2, C-in-C and sub 1. Martin deploys a
command with 5 Bts(O) on the WW plus crap at the back, then a massive Bd
command, then a Libyan ally and finally another massive Bd Command. The
Libyan starts unrelaible but comes on board just as I get into bow range
:-( This rather means Martin holds the 2 massive commands and awaits my
attack. On the WW his larger navy gets nowhere as mine can shoot and so he
is broken up and cannot get his Bd landing troops into the game - in fact
right at the end we have a bit of naval close combat where I destroy 1 of
his boats. On dry land I get my Kn into his Bd on my righ where they do
exactly no damage at all and all but one are destroyed. I also lose the 2
Cv(S) chariots whilst trying to push the attack and the command breaks -
after which the remaining Kn kills about 5 elemenst of Bd!!! My C-in-C's
command advances on the Libyans whose bowfire is deadly and I lose 2 Cv(S),
3 Bw(O) and a Bd(F) without getting much into combat. In the end I just miss
out on getting the Libyan command after killing 3 Bw and 8 Ps(I) needing 1
more Ps(I) but getting bounced (like Roger in game 2 I suppose). On my left
we don't gete to combat until late and then we swap a few elements to no
real effect. So another 4-6 but I could easily have lost 0-10 my C-in-C's
command was so close.

Overall I ended up 5th and all the games were great fun.

As expected the NKE I could have drawn was flattended and the winner got
2nd - a great if only from the draw :-)