Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Impetvs- Carthaginians v Gauls (400 pts)

Kent popped round this evening for our (almost) weekly game, once again pitting his Carthaginian vs my Gauls. He had made a few changes to his last list taking a few more skirmishers and javelinmen at the expense of his Libyan infantry. He too two commands. He fielded something like:

2x Punic cav
2x Vets
2x Spearmen
4x Spanish javelinmen
3-4x skirmishers
2x elephants

I had also tweaked my list, also taking 2 (average) commands.


2x        CM Cavalry 
1x        FL  Vet Warriors-large (Gen)
2x        FL Warriors
2x        S Javelinmen
           
2x        CM Cavalry 
2x        FP Soldurii (Gen) – large units
2x        FL  Vet Warriors-large VBU 5
2x        FL Warriors
3x        S Javelinmen

 The Carthaginians deploy.




 At the top of shot the larger command with the Soldurii (VBU 6), the smaller command take my right flank.
 On my right I throw my cavalry forward early, driving back the punic cavalry but then I bounce off the Spanish javelin armed Scutari.

 On my right the small warband and cavalry advance while the large warband stay on opportunity.
 I pull back my cavalry on my left.
  On my left Kent's Spanish javelinmen destroy one of my cavalry units and the other pulls even further back.
 Kent' centre is covered by his skirmishers and his elephants are converging towards my centre.
 I see your skirmishers and raise you mine. Kent's Italian infantry being used as skirmishers, VBU 3 trumps VBU 2 and my skirmisher screen starts to melt away.
 Still, we try to nibble away at the Scutari before the screen is totally gone.
 My skirmishers are driven back, opening room for the elephants to charge.
 On my right things are looking up. I have destroyed the punic cavalry and my warband are eying up the Spanish scutari.
 Ha! My small warband charge from the direction of woods and hit the Spanish, not quite in the flank but still doing enough damage to destroy them. 
 One FL Javelinmen unit is destroyed, one more unit and that command is broken...
 Meanwhile, on the left Kent charges my heaviest troops (my FP Soldurii) with his elephant, causing casualties but in my next turn my general's unit is thrown in and the elephant is killed.  
 Then the other elephant charges causing even more damage. Suddenly my larger command is feeling a tad fragile.
 Kent's right pulls through. My last cavalry unit is destroyed and that takes me over my break point so my left flank collapses!
 The elephant is driven off but it is too late. With my left flank gone my right flank command calls it a day, retreating back to their homeland.

Result
A rather decisive win in the end (I lost about 27 points, Kent 8!) but I was one unit shy of breaking Kent's force too so closer than it looked. Kent had learned his lessons well and designed this force to really maximise its missile potential. I really though I had a great chance when he sent his javelin armed Scutarri so far forward from his main infantry unit and was confident of overwhelming them with my impetuos troops, but alas it wasn't too be.

I think both forces were well balanced and we both tried to exploit the weaknesses of the opponent while maximising our own strengths, so it was a very enjoyable, and rather quick, game.

Craig

16 comments:

  1. Greate pictures! Veru nice AAR !!!

    best regards Michael

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  2. Looks great Craig! Very nice report.

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    1. Thanks Rodger, how are the preparation for Gettysburg coming along?

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  3. Enjoyed that - good AAR and some lovely photos.

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    1. Thanks Phil,

      So did I, till I realised a rather rash charge on the last turn by my cav cost me the game.

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  4. Nice report, and great looking troops too!

    Steve

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    1. Cheers Steve, those elephants of Kent' are fantastic. It is almost a pleasure having my troops squashed by them.

      Craig

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  5. Very nice batrep, and great looking figures...elephants and warbands are my favourites!
    Phil.

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  6. I really enjoy these Impetus reports and hope to continue seeing more. Very nice looking game as well.

    Christopher

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    1. Thanks Christopher. We are enjoying playing both these armies but also need to get involved with the guys at the club a bit more and get our Crusades armies out so hopefully the reports will continue. Kent has to stop playing in a few weeks for a month or so due to other commitments so will try to get a few more games in then.

      Craig

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  7. Great report and two good looking armys.
    Cheers

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    1. Thanks Kiwi- I do like the look of massed Celtic or Germanic warband.

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  8. Thanks for posting Craig, great report and stunning looking game. Superb.

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    1. Cheers Tarty

      Your latest Romans were almost enough for me to break down and change to 12cm bases- they are stunning!

      http://tartys.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/late-roman-light-cavalry.html

      Craig

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