Pontics versus Late Republican Romans Mortem et Gloriam Game

 

Romans deployed on the left, Pontics on the right

Opposite end

Pontic light horse, cataphracts and cavalry

Romans defend the hill near their camp

Pontic left wing advances

Last Friday afternoon Garry came over to my place with his beloved Pontic army. He used to run the Pontics in comps back in the days of WRG 5th and 6th edition. We played a 6000 point Magna Mortem et Gloriam (MeG) game with my Late Republican Romans taking on his Pontics. The Romans deployed defensively on a hill, while the Pontics were more aggressive and had a hard time fitting all their troops on the table edge. We had a late start to the game and were pretty slow playing it as we both haven't played MeG for a while. In the end we ran out of time and the game was a draw. It was good fun to get the troops out and a highlight for the Romans was when they broke the Bastarnae. Hopefully we will get some more MeG games in soon.

Pontic centre advances

Bastarnae charge the legions

Bastarnae break

Game is a draw

Libyans versus New Kingdom Egyptians Chariots Rampant Game

 

Egyptian village with the forces arrayed

Libyans on the left, Egyptians on the right

Libyans advance

Libyan chariots suffer from Egyptian bow fire

Invincible Meshwesh?

Egyptians hold and fire, killing the Libyan leader

Egyptian chariots on the right flank retreat battered

Last Monday afternoon I played a solo Chariots Rampant game out in the shed. Libyan raiders attacked an Egyptian village in search of supplies, while an Egyptian force defended the village. The Libyans advanced recklessly and were soon on the receiving end of some withering Egyptian bow fire. The Libyan leader's chariot unit was destroyed but the remaining units were unconcerned by his demise and continued to advance and attack in a haphazard fashion. Several rounds of combat ensued but the Libyans were unable to crack the Egyptian defenders. In the end the Egyptians easily prevailed against the Libyan raiders, losing only a single unit, while the Libyans had lost their leader and three units, with another battered as well.

Egyptian chariots charge the Libyans

Egyptian chariots on the left flank retreat battered

Libyan warriors in the centre retreat battered

Libyan warriors charge the Egyptian chariots

Libyan archers keep their distance

Egyptians easily prevail against the Libyan raiders

Libyan Chariots

 

Here are three Bronze Age Libyan chariots and crew that I've just finished painting. Two are  Warlord/Cutting Edge figures and the other is Essex Miniatures. I now have four chariots in total, and with all the other Libyan warriors and archers I've painted, have enough figures for a thirty two point Libyan warband for Chariots Rampant (see photo below). I'll try out a game this week with my Libyans in a village raid against my New Kingdom Egyptians.

Elephant Victory 273 BC - Seleucids versus Galatians Command and Colors Ancients Game

 

Galatians deployed on the left, Seleucids on the right

Opposite end

Seleucid elephants attack Galatian warriors

Galatians attack on the left flank...

and on the right.

Last Wednesday afternoon I played a solo Command and Colors Ancients (CCA) game  out in the shed. The scenario was the Elephant Victory of Antiochus I in 273 BC, his Seleucids taking on the invading Galatians. The Seleucids start the game with a mounted attack card that applies only to the elephants. I decided to attack the Galatian warriors rather than the Galatian chariots, which in retrospect was not a great choice. Disaster struck for the Seleucids and all their elephants were killed in the first two turns! The Seleucids never really recovered from the calamitous start and despite counter attacking on the flanks and in the centre were unable to make any headway in the game. In the end it proved to be a very easy and well deserved  6-2 victory for the Galatians. 

Seleucids counter attack on their left...

and their right.

Seleucid pike attack in the centre

Galatians destroy Seleucid light cavalry with a double retreat

Seleucid cavalry attack Galatian light infantry

Galatian light infantry score a hit to seal victory 6-2

Libyan Warriors and Archers

 

Here are more Bronze Age Libyan warriors and archers, that I've just finished painting, for my Libyan Chariots Rampant force. The figures are by Foundry, Warlord/Cutting Edge, Newline and Old Glory. I now have five infantry units painted, three tribal warrior units and two archer units, worth 20 points. Once I've finished the three Libyan chariots I'm working on at the moment, I'll have a 32 point Libyan force to fight against my New Kingdom Egyptians.

Early Imperial Romans versus Britons - First Infamy, Infamy Game

 

Romans deployed on the left, Britons on the right

Britons evade charging Auxiliary cavalry

Legio XX Valeria Victrix step out

Briton Noble Warriors step out 

Earlier today I played a solo Infamy, Infamy game out in the shed. The scenario was a general engagement (Scenario Seven p.29), with a Southern Tribal Briton Warband (105 points) taking on an Early Imperial Roman force the same size. This was my first game with the rules, so it was slow going, and sub-artic weather conditions (it's snowing on the east coast of Australia today) did not help. I'd read the rules and watched all of the TFL's Infamy videos on YouTube, which were very handy. They're quite a detailed set of rules and you tend to play a lot of turns in a game. In the end I ran out of time, the Britons had the upper hand but a result was still a fair way off.

Legionaries throw pila and brace shields

Briton warriors fall short in their charge

Auxilia retire due to shock

Britons have the upper hand