Akhaia - Carthago

Akhaian view:
I defended astride a road leading to Mykene. My camp was again anchored against a hill on my center right, Nestor's pike guarding it. Akhilles was deployed to his front, the myrmidons in a column on the road. Agamemnon and Menelaos were guarding the open flank to the left.
    Some of his light horse advanced towards Akhilles' chariots in the center right, and a melee which would last the entire game developed.
    The match degenerated into a relatively bloodless shoving match in the center right, with my pike slowly advancing to threaten the mounted carthaginians in the melee, both sides looking for openings which did not develop until late in the game.
    I might have been able to kill enough mounted Carthaginians to demoralize the flank command, as his lines started to disintegrate. Breaking his foot command would have been a lengthy affair, and no-one can tell which way the dice would have gone anyway.
    Afterthoughts Akhilles' myrmidons did well, and my light troops fought (or rather avoided fighting) with great skill.
    Once more the gods of pips were with me and I was able to dance at will with my chariot commands, withdrawing from various hairy situations. 		Carthaginian view:
Deployment Pretty straight forward. The only Achaian troops that had quick kill aqainst me were Wb(S). I placed Cavalry on the left, Center in the center and Flank on my rigth. A long gully divided my center section in half. All Achaian commands were placed on the right side of the battlefield in depth.
    Game started out with a manouver contest. I was able to move fast with my cavalry on the left and engage Achaians right flank. I got a couple of early kills there but then the line stabilized.
    Achaians advanced fast with their Wb(S) in the center. Late in the game they hit my cavalry and I lost a couple of elements.
    On the right side of the gully my Sp(O) advanced and tried to engage Achaian chariots but they promptly withdrew each time I reached striking distance. In an exercise of stupidity I sent single Sp(O) into the gully and heroic Achaian Ps(I) booked them with a meeting with Baal.
    My Flank command tried to engage Achaian light troops on the rigth flank but they were unable to do so before the game ended. Game ended at 5-5 draw. My Cavalry command was close to breaking but other command were nearly intact.
Afterthoughts Interesting battle. I was happy with my Cavalry command. They were close to breaking in the end but they were facing over two of the Achaians four commands.
    I mis-used my Wb(F) second game in the row. In this game they were pip-draining camp guard. It badly slowed down the advance of my heavy foot. In my opinion this game would have dragged on for another 3.5 hours had we played it to the end.

Egypt - Macedonia

Egyptian view:
Not yet available 		Macedonian view:
Not yet available

Hittite - Rome

Hittite view:
Not yet available		 Roman view:
King of the Hittites, Suppiluluimas I, gave battle to invading Romans on a hilly plain. On roman right, near their camp was a large, rocky hill. A road divided the plain. On roman left side were four small hills, one central and three on the edges of the plain.
    Immonius placed his princeps and hastati, in two ranks, in front of the camp. On left flank the triarii and cavalry were positioned in line with triarii double-ranked on ends, and velites supporting the Italian allied horse. The Spanish were given orders to secure a small central hill on legion’s right flank some 400 paces to their front.
    Enemy formation was a long line stretching from one edge of plain to another. Numerous war chariots were arrayed to face the four hills on roman right, but those were light vehicles. Immonius was more concerned with heavier chariots facing his left, partially hidden by a large, steep hill on that side of plain. Enemy also had swarms of lightly armed warriors, but those would not be difficult for the legionarii to overcome.
    Battle opened with complicated movement of the triarii and cavalry slowly wheeling and advancing up to the large hill on left. As they advanced, a party of velites was send to scout the hill. The main roman force also advanced slowly, keeping its left side covered by legate’s command.
    Meanwhile the Spanish raced to occupy most central of the small hills on army’s left flank. They met stout resistance by a small band of Syrian javelinmen. Three times the Spanish caetratrii charged, and were thrown back. Finally Immonius detached two maniples to help drive away Syrian light horse protecting the side of the hill. Then the caetratrii began to slowly destroy their opponents by flanking each band of javelinmen individually.
    Syrian vassals of Hittites slowly reinforced their hold on remaining three small hill, and a stalemate ensued on roman left for the remainder of the battle.
    Suppiluliumas manoeuvred his household heavy chariots and nobles behind a line of javelinmen to confront the triarii and Italian cavalry. Velites had secured the big hill on left, but a small group of rag-tag archers emerged from behind enemy chariots and managed to drive velites back with casualties. Another band of bowmen managed to kill a centurion, and in ensuing panic his unit was destroyed. Maniples from second rank plugged the gap, and legion advanced.
    Lighter chariots of the enemy were wary of the princeps facing them. Immonius would need to get in grips with them to beat the numerous ill-equipped infantry hiding behind them, but the enemy king and his heavy chariots threatened the left flank of the legion, should it advance. When velites of the legate destroyed opposing javelinmen, way was open to challenge the heavy chariots.
    On signal by Immonius, legate ordered his whole command forward. War chariots of Suppiluliumas thundered towards the romans. First clash was indecisive. Then, suddenly a shadow passed over the battlefield, and a thunder not unlike a voice was heard. Because of this Omen, both sides redoubled their efforts to win, and to win fast!
    In the last minutes before the day ended, a squadron of chariots managed to flank the triarii on utmost roman left, after velites covering the side of the formation had fled to avoid enemy arrows. But the triarii held! On the same Hittite charge Suppiluliumas himself was in danger after his escort on left and right had recoiled, but the king in his fury was impossible to overcome. [5-5, time. Romans needed to kill one more element of king’s command to get a 8-2, and the Hittites could have killed 3 elements on last bound and could so have demoralised roman cv command for 6-4 win.]

Britain - Gaul

British view:
Not yet available 		Gaul view:
Armies met in a crossroad of many roads placed by the british. Some rough going was placed in the gauls right flank, and some hills ended up in the british deployment area.
    The allied gallic tribe was sent for a flank march. Most of the foot were deployed in centre, against the British baggage. Cavalry guarded the left flank of the warband. British sent a command on the flank march as well. A group of pedyt with some archers for rear support was defending the baggage with Arthur and his knights in their front. Some cavalry were deployed against the gallic horse.
    Gauls advanced rapidly, trying to close with the British as soon as possible. British light horsemen started to flank the gallic cavalry, so some cavalry had to be sent agains them.
    British flank march arrived in the first bound, but it was driven back by its larger gallic equivalent. Some knights were quickly deployed to face the gauls which would arrive soon. The light horse flanking the gallic cavalry managed to flank the few cavalry elements sent to deal with them and promptly ran over them.
    British cavalry charged the gallic horse, but only managed to get their general killed and the command demoralised. The gallic doctrine was working again.
    Knights facing the gallic flank march were quickly ran over, but some British cavalry from their flank march had evaded the gauls and were attacking against the flank of the big warband. Some warriors were sent to deal with them, but the british horse just massacred them like cattle. Finally some javelinmen managed to flank some cavalry and drive them into each other.
    Having massacred the knights, the flank march charged the fleeing spearmen while the gallic centre met the british spearmen supported by archers. Gauls were pushed back and killed with arrows raining down on them and with their longer spears the British simply stabbed and killed the brave gallic warriors. The gallic centre almost fled, only a lucky 6 rolled for the last double overlapped warband at 5:2 odds managed to save the gauls from defeat. The pedyt fleeing from the flank march was massacred as well, gallic warriors chopped them down as they were trying to reach safety of their camp. British morale collapsed, and not a moment too late.
    This was the closest game I had in the tournament, only a lucky 6 saved me this time. I would never have figured that 6(I) vs 4 (F) would be that hard to beat. Even phalanxes can be crushed by warbands, but I lost the first combat and the overlaps made most other combats 6:3 or 6:2. I lost maybe 6 or 8 warbands against those spearmen!
    Again, the cavalry battle was a total failure. I sent way too few cavalry to deal with the light horse (2 Cv against 3 LH), when I should have sent 3. If the British general had stayed alive, I would have lost that fight, even though I had much more cavalry.
    Another brilliant idea was to send 9 warbands and 3 psiloi to engage the 4 British cavalry. I let them charge impeteously against the cavalry, and lost totally. It cost me 4 or 6 warbands, I can't really remember. It was a bloodbath. I should have delayed them with some sacrificial psiloi, as I had lots of it to spare. It's strange to see how many mistakes I can really make and still win. Usually if I play well, my dice is only average but when I play terribly I can't lose because I keep rolling sixes all the time.
    We both thought that the game was decided when the British flank march was pushed back, but still we got a great game. Gauls were luckier this time, but I fear I won't be that lucky next time

Burgundy - India

Burgundian view:
The Indians invaded Bourgogne. They had two commands, one large with elephants and footmen (Bw(X/S) and another with cavalry.
    After an initial LH vs LH skirmish, the Indians slowly advanced and the battle became an archery duel with Bw(X/S). Meanwhile the Burgundians had marched the gendarmes and bows in charge and firing position and after shooting up two Cv(I) they prepared to charge together the Indian Bd(F).
    The archery duel ended up badly with theBurgundians, losing one DBE of Bw(X/S) and one Pk(O): the Duke decided to teach some two-hand sword fighting to the heathens and charged the Indian bows on foot.
    The Indian Bd(F) decided to go Rathor and charged the gendarmes and bows. They slaughtered two gendarmes and two bows, losing one of their own.
     The battle was decided only when the Burgundian mice (3 Ps(S) and one (X)) charged the jumboes. They bagged two of the elephants, one carrying the enemy C-in-C with them. As the gendarmes finally began to work (they slew some four Bd(X) and the bowmen one in close combat) the Indians collapsed.
    Wine at 10-0, but should I have lost any of the mice against the fants, I would have lost my C-in-C's command. A very even game. 		Indian view:
Not yet available