2019 MATT, Round 2, Greeks vs. Carthage

Location:  Allen Kaplan's Man Cave
Event:        4th(?) 5th(?) Annual(?) Mid Atlantic Team Tournament.

Players:    Philip Gardocki representing Team Tri-State Area playing Hellenistic Greek

                     Kurt Holmes representing playing Carthaginian 
Theme:     Punic Wars

Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, about 200 points per side.

Something completely different:
I think I have built enough credibility that I can spend a little for a friend.  In honor of D-Day, Lostbattalion games is printing a set of normal playing cards with art of that fateful day.  If you are interested, here is the link:  D-Day 75th Anniversary Playing Cards.

The Forces:
The Achaean League, Commanders Larrilaus (competent), Diaeus (competent and a real name!) and Diaeus (also competent and a real name).
 

       8 Pike, 2 Mediocre

       2 Hoplites, Heavy Infantry, Spear

       2 Thorakatai, Medium Infantry, Armor, Spear

       1 Cretans, Light Infantry Bow
       3 Peltasts, Light Infantry Javelins
       2 Horsemen, Heavy Cavalry, impact
       1 Horsemen, Heavy Cavalry
       5 Light Cavalry, Javelin

       Break point 24

Since Carthage was ground into the dust by the Romans, little of their records remain to be studied. 

Forces seem to include:
      An Elephant, Mediocre
      Many Swordsmen, impact, elite
      You will have to make a judgement on the cavalry.

       Break point 24

Deployment:
The Carthaginians won the initiative and elected to attack in the plains.

The clever Carthaginians reveal their trump card with their first command, a mediocre elephant, barbarians and an odd cavalry unit.

Their center is dominated by 8 heavy infantry units.

While their left has 6 cavalry units.

Diaeus is on the right with his pike. 

Larrilaus dominates the center with his pike.

While his other brother Diaeus faces the Carthaginian horse.

Turn 1:
I missed the first set of pictures, so this battle report starts at the bottom of the 1st.

I had been running this Greek army for a number of games in preparation for the MATT, and frankly had not done well.  I made a last minute adjustment for the actual tournament reducing Diaeus's command from 4 pike to 2, but adding a couple of Thorakatai and a couple of cavalry units.  This gave the command additional flexibility, however I did not take into account the additional command points required to run it, and in this battle, that mattered a lot.

Diaeus's command sends forth it's lights to delay the elephant, while the heavy cavalry runs behind the plantation. 

The Carthaginian center stalls in the face of Larrilaus  and Diaeus combined pike block.

Diaeus's cavalry seems out matched with 4 elite mediums vs 2 impact heavies.  But at least his lights look like a favorable matchup for shooting, 4-2.

Turn 2:

Carthaginian cavalry approach the ambush marker but are beyond 1 UD.

Carthaginian foot advance.  Their plan is becoming clearer.

Using teamwork they plan on destroying the Greek right before contact in the center.

An ambush is revealed.  The Thorakatai advance just enough to ZOC the Carthaginian cavalry.

And a note here.  For most of the game I was under the impression there are two cavalry units, not one and a general.  This would cost me later.

The combined Greek foot slide right and advance.  This should take the pressure off of Diaeus's cavalry command.

Diaeus pulls back to a support position of the infantry command.

Turn 3:

The Carthaginian elephant command charges, Greek lights evade.

Carthaginian foot advance sliding left to match the Greek slide.

While the Carthaginian horse very aggressively advance.

Diaeus has a shortage of command points.  Mission 1 is keeping in line with Larrilaus's wall of pike.  He decides to send his Peltast to harass the elephant.  If I had realized that was only one cavalry unit, I would have advanced a Thorakatai and flanked them.

The wall of pike continue to advance.  On the right, the two units are Hoplites, and are much more maneauverable than their pike armed brethren.  They ignore the enemy lights and turn to face the Carthaginian cavalry.

Trapping and killing a Carthaginian horse unit, even if it means receiving a flank shot next turn.

Turn 4:

The elephant command announces multiple charges, fragmenting into 5 separate parts.  But they gain a lot of tactical advantages.

The main lines meet.  The dice pretty much average out with 3 hits apiece, and a tie.

Carthaginian horse charge with support, disordering the Greek Impact Heavies.  The Carthaginian Light horse flank shot the Hoplites, which should have held, but the dice were not kind, and were scattered instead.

Diaeus rolled a 1 for command points here.  So he has a choice.  Deal with the situation in the plantation, or protect the main line from being flanked.  In the end he chose to defend the main line.

And the major scrum in the center was leaning in favor of the Greeks.  2 units of Carthaginians were destroyed.

While on the right, the remaining Hopllite begins to hold up the Carthaginian cavalry command.

And Diaeus horse also manages to push back against his Carthaginian foe.

The Greeks are 8points towards their demoralization level of 24.
The Carthaginians are 11 points towards their demoralization level of 24.
Turn 6:

Earlier errors in judgement come to roost.  Gallic infantry charge into the plantation, destroying one  Thorakatai and disordering another. 

But on the plus side, the Gallic charge on the flank of the main line stalls on contact.  The main line of Carthaginian infantry is practically destroyed.

On the right, the Carthaginians flank the Hoplites, who continue to hold.  But a single favorable die roll by the Greek Heavy Horse would cause the Carthaginian horse to unzip in a hurry.  But alas, the fates were not so kind.

The Greeks are 13 points towards their demoralization level of 24.
The Carthaginians are 14 points towards their demoralization level of 24.

One problem with pike armies is when you win with them, they take forever to turn to into place for the exploitation.  Diaeus rolled decent command points, 3, just enough to turn one taxis of pike, and bring in his reserve heavy cavalry to flank the Gauls (next turn).

Larrilaus is able to turn a unit of pike as well, but his flanks are no longer secure.  One pike is destroyed, and their remaining Hoplite flank guard is gone.  Two units of pike in the center are not going to do anything useful the rest of the game.  They cannot turn fast enough, nor can they advance fast enough to get to the camp.

The cavalry fight is just so much noise at this point.  Neither gaining an edge.

The Greeks are 16 points towards their demoralization level of 24.
The Carthaginians are 16 points towards their demoralization level of 24.

Turn 7:

The Greek left flank is a wash, with both sides losing a unit this turn.  But the Greeks have an advantage as their lines are reforming faster.

The Greeks have won the center, but have not gotten enough points for a win.

On the right, the Carthaginian's have now managed to mass superior force.

Diaeus has the left well covered.  The elephants are facing harassment 101.

The Greek right has collapsed with a bang.  2 Heavy Cavalry destroyed, and a pike taken in the flank.

But the Carthaginian commander is also facing fragmentation problems, his cavalry command is broken into 7 blocks.

Final shot

The Greeks are 24 points towards their demoralization level of 24.
The Carthaginians are 22 points towards their demoralization level of 24.

This was a close game.  

But what went wrong?  It would be easy to say if a couple of dice had gone the other way, but then your strategy is depending on luck.   

My main mistake was not paying attention to the presentation of the troops.  I was treating generals as included units.  On the right, this was no big deal, on the left, it lead to errors in judgement.  The left flank could have been easily won and the game results reversed.

But the seeds of the loss was in the design of the army.  The main command was solid, 6 pike and 2 Hoplites.  The pike roll forward, and the Hoplites are there to keep things off of the pike's flank.  Simple missions which can be managed on any command roll save a 1.

Defending the one flank would be the cavalry command.  2 Heavy Cavalry Impact and 4 light horse.  A good mix for the Punic era.  My opponents, without fail, however went for numbers, 4 Medium Cavalry Elite plus lights.  So on a head on head confrontation, my heavies are at a disadvantage.  Elite pretty much balances out heavy armor, and numbers balance out Impact.  So my cavalry force is forced to go on the defensive.  Something that is fine until a mistake is made, or a bad die roll, and then it is over.  

Then on the other flank was a command of 2 pike, 2 medium foot (armor), a heavy cavalry, a light cavalry and a Peltast.  This was coined as a "Swiss Army Command".  It has a little of everything to deal with any problem, but not enough of anything to force a win.  The commands main mission is to add two more pike to the main battle-line.  The rest is to keep flankers off by contesting terrain with the mediums or open areas with cavalry and skirmishers.  But this means the command starts with 3 separate units, and one of those units is somewhat unmaneuverable.  And if it fragments further, then it is just too much for a +1 commander to run.  He will have to make unpleasant choices, which happened here, and other times just let units go unmoved because of a lack of command points.  It is just a poor decision all round.  He would have been better served to have left the Cavalry home, boosting the list with another Medium and Light, or dropped the Pike (mediocre) for Hoplites, which also are more controllable.

2019 MATT, Round 1, Greeks vs. Carthage

Location:  Allen Kaplan's Man Cave
Event:        4th(?) 5th(?) Annual(?) Mid Atlantic Team Tournament.

Players:    Philip Gardocki representing Team Tri-State Area playing Hellenistic Greek

                      Nickolas Begue representing team Bedlam playing Carthaginian 
Theme:     Punic Wars

Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, about 200 points per side.

Requiem for our God Father: Otto Schmidt passed away this week.  He was the God Father of the MATT.  Even though he never played the game, it was his "Weekend" event that provided the venue for the MATT.  

I first met Otto some 15 years ago over a game he had written titled "If You Build It, It Will Sink."  Naval combat in the age of Gilbert and Sullivan.  He would mention that it was an era of incredible technological advances whose pinnacle of achievement was the Titanic.  The game had in it actual ships of the era, including the American USNVesuvius, with it's pneumatic dynamite system, torpedoes thrown over the side by able bodied seamen, UFO shaped monitors, as well as other ships best left on the drawing board, like rocket propelled Patrol boats.  

His acerbic wit was summed up in the statement, "Forget the enemy, it is the sea that is trying to kill you."

In addition to his quick wit, he was an organizer and a doer.  He was a successful business owner and his skills lead to being a successful game convention organizer.  We have been blessed for his efforts and diminished by his passing.

The Forces:
The Achaean League, Commanders Larrilaus (competent), Diaeus (competent and a real name!) and Diaeus (also competent and a real name).
 

       8 Pike, 2 Mediocre

       2 Hoplites, Heavy Infantry, Spear

       2 Thorakatai, Medium Infantry, Armor, Spear

       1 Cretans, Light Infantry Bow
       3 Peltasts, Light Infantry Javelins
       2 Horsemen, Heavy Cavalry, impact
       1 Horsemen, Heavy Cavalry
       5 Light Cavalry, Javelin

       Break point 24

Since Carthage was ground into the dust by the Romans, little of their records remain to be studied. 

Forces seem to include:
      An Elephant, Mediocre
      Many Swordsmen, impact, elite
      You will have to make a judgement on the cavalry.

Deployment:
The Greeks won the initiative and elected to attack in the plains.

West Sicily, Tuesday, 8:12am.

Eléfantas Sicilanous was the preferred delivery vehicle for deep dish pizza preferred in the area.  It's gentle gait insured the toppings would arrive in a well distributed state in 30 mina or less.

Though, that means the pizza would weigh about 18kg or less.  We are not sure, so the actual translation.
The theme has now changed to Pun-ic wars 😉

The center of the Army of Carthage is mainly Heavy Swordsmen, Elite.  The Cavalry Mediums.

Diaeus's horse is unsuitable for his opponent, so his mission is to just distract and delay.

His other brother Diaeus will have to face off against the Carthaginian mercenaries, but they will be well supported by Larrilaus pike.

Well anchored to the river Halycus, the pike plan run the Carthaginian cavalry off the board.

There is nothing the Greek Cavalry wish to fight, so they head for the high ground.

Diaeus goes for the flank support position, letting Larrilaus lead the way.

Which Larrilaus does in a big way.

The barbarian hordes are trying to deliver the elephant in a timely fashion.

Facing a shortage of command points, the main Carthaginian line barely clears the gully.

The Carthaginian manages an even slower pace.

Turn 2:

In what I regard as ALDG's one "gamey" move, a unit of Peltasts moves a couple of millimeters behind a the Carthaginian Light Horse, preventing it from evading.  The Light horse is then caught by the Greek Pike for a +4 to zero roll.  And as karma rolls around for such a slime ball move, is not killed.

The rest of the Greek Cavalry retreats to a safe distance to avoid similar tactics.

The main battlelines are drawing themselves up.

With a surplus of caution, the Carthaginian line advances.

One gap appears on the Carthaginian left.  Two units of foot left behind as they belong to the cavalry command.

For the Carthaginian cavalry charges in mass, causing the Peltast to flee, allowing the "caught" Light Horse to escape.

An interesting end for the bottom of the turn.

Turn 3:

Diaeus decides to show a brave front.  His Heavy Horse is in a good position on top of the hill, while his Light Horse probes around the rear.  The Carthaginian camp is fortified, so there is no profit to be gained there.

The Greeks have set themselves up to be engaged either on the end of this turn, or the top of the fourth.

On the far right, the Carthaginian horse is sent running. 

The Carthaginian Elephant command decides to acknowledge the threat to it's flank.

While the Carthaginian center decides to attack while it still has any advantage. In a series of rolls that were even(ish) the Carthaginians pull a number of wins.

The Carthaginian Cavalry postures in front of the Greek Pike.  Just to keep the out of the main action.

Turn 4:

Diaeus decides not to play the circle round game and recalls his probing lights.  Those Heavy Horse are going to be needed to flank the main Carthaginian line.

The Greek center is holding up.  The phlanking phalanx just has to destroy two units of medium sword and then crash into the Carthaginian rear.

Repeat: "The phlanking phalanx just has to destroy two units of medium sword"

With gaps all around, the Carthaginian horse are showing their skill at being a nuisance.

The Carthaginians brought that elephant all this way, and damn it, it is going to see action.

Though at this rate, it is going to have to move faster.  The Carthaginians are running out of Greeks.

The Carthaginian demoralization level is at 4 of 22
The Greek demoralization level is at 9 of 24

Turn 5:

Diaeus leaves his hill and is heading for the center.  Will he get there in time?

Probably not.

Desperate measures for desperate times, a Greek Light Horse stands in the way of a flanking Heavy Spear, and wins.  The Medium Swordsmen in the rear held the pikemen up for long enough to earn special awards after the fight (posthumously, of course) 

There is a chance this pike will actually run the Carthaginian Cavalry off of the board.

Both sides are trying to get their odd commands to do something useful.  And neither are going to get there.

For the win is in the center.

The Carthaginian Cavalry has managed an escape.

The Carthaginian demoralization level is at 7 of 22
The Greek demoralization level is at 12 of 24

Turn 6:

The Greek center has taken a drubbing, but there is still hope.  The Carthaginian horse has slipped away from the frontage of one pike block, but in front of another, then the camp awaits.

A unit of Greek Light Horse goes down, but that opens a Heavy Spear up to a flank shot from a Greek Heavy Horse.  And somewhat pinning a bunch of Carthaginian units in the center.

But the brave Gauls, or what ever those foot troops are, have managed to avoid defeat again.  Its +3 to zero in favor of the Greeks to win and pursue.  That will expose the Carthaginian horse to being run off and the camp to looting.

But, it was not to be, as Gauls continue to fight on.

Emboldened by the Greek disorder, the Elephant corps charges forward, dispersing Diaeus's lights.

Carthaginian Heavy Infantry, turn and charge, catching a Greek pike in the rear.

The Carthaginian Cavalry leave one horse unit behind, just to keep things interesting.

The Carthaginian demoralization level is at 7 of 22
The Greek demoralization level is at 17 of 24
Turn 7:

With adroit horsemanship, Diaeus recalls his blown horse, replacing them with two more.  A Carthaginian goes down, his companion just avoiding destruction. 

While in an act of "2 little, 2 late" Larrilaus finally cleans up the Gauls facing him.

The Carthaginian elephant finally makes his delivery, but in over 30 minutes, so the charge was free.  The Greek Horse stays in an attempt to kill off a heavy infantry, but to no avail.

Final shot of the game

With that, the Greeks reached their demoralization level.  It was a hard fought game against an unscrutable and wiley opponent.

The Carthaginian demoralization level is at 12 of 22
The Greek demoralization level is at 24 of 24