After a partially successful first game against Persians (which can be found HERE), my second BadCon game was against Classical Indians.
Could I do better than my first game? Read on to find out ...
The second game was against Cid. We nearly always seem to play at some point in a competition; suggests we are quite equally matched I guess, and I think we have about the same number of wins against each other which supports that 😁
Cid was using a Classical Indian list, and army he has had quite a bit of success with. To remind you, my list was:
The PBS sequence saw me invading India which was a bit of a pity as I'd have been happier defending and having a better chance of controlling the terrain. However, in the end it wasn't bad. We had one table edge, my left, designated as a Deep Water secure flank and a couple of pieces of Rough Ground on that side of the table as well, but the rest nice and open. Probably gave us both enough to work with.I was slightly outscouted, but not by enough to make much difference. I also suspect that given how the terrain fell it didn't really affect how either of us deployed.
I went with most of my Spearmen in the centre of my deployment, hoplites flanked by the Africans. On the right I had all my mounted and the Sacred band. I was expecting Cid's chariots (which I knew he had 2 units of) to be on this flank and these would be my best troops to take them on. I also expected to be able to use the space on this side to my advantage. The Loose formation infantry and the skirmishers were on the left facing some rough terrain.
Cid deployed with his chariots and weak cavalry on his left, and then extended to his right with numerous elephants and infantry units. The elephants mixed with the infantry made it very difficult for me to attack the infantry which would, ideally, be my targets.
So after the deployment phase the table looked like this. My camp is just out of shot on my left.
First moves were over quickly partly because Cid had awful cards and could not do too much. I advanced quickly on my right, threatening to get round the side of Cids wing whilst the left hand half of my line advanced towards Cid's right where he had fewest elephants. My centre was cautious but one unit advanced to cover the flank of the advance on the left. I was teeing up the balearic slingers to shoot at one of the elephant units - with a little luck I could blow this away quite quickly and move onto a second; I was relying quite a bit on the Balearics here, but they are Skilled shooters who would get Green dice against the elephants.
The poor cards now switched to me (it all evens out over a game), especially on my right and this led to an error on my part. As best I could I kept up my advance on the left and pushed the Spanish javelinmen up to shooting range to hopefully cause attrition before fighting. Cids unit can shoot back but my Spanish are skirmishers and so no big deal if I lose them. Cid wisely keeps his elephants out of my slingers shooting range.
My mistake is on the right. Somewhat stymied by my cards instead of sweeping, albeit slowly, my cavalry round the flank, I veer my greek cavalry off to the left. I am thinking that they may be able to get into an infantry unit, however, Cid is too good a player for that to happen easily and all I have done is taken pressure off his chariots 😖
The game carries on in this way for the next turn and I get within charge range of one of Cid's infantry units. The combats here will be pretty even but I hope that by having 2 units involved I will have an advantage. However, Cid's elephants will be able to intervene - but my slingers are going to be in range. All to play for.
We charge in on the left. Results are a bit disappointing to be honest. The slingers do take out an elephant, but no more, and the Spanish Loose infantry who have a charge advantage fail to exploit it. All a bit of a damp squib really. I bring up my centre in an attempt to see if I can force anything there. On my right I continue to stall with iffy cards. My earlier mistake is pretty clear now and Cid can just sit and be happy enough.
The fighting on my left is going slowly although maybe just in my favour. My Balearic slingers have changed to shooting at a different elephant unit as it can no longer shoot at its original target as it is fighting. The slingers prove to be utterly incapable of hitting a mass of elephants and will cause no casualties before the game ends. Remind me what I am paying them for 😒
I finally get my arse in gear on my right and advance forcing Cid to pull back - a bit of a clue as to what I should have been doing for the past few moves. I was pretty much waiting for the "perfect" cards rather than making the most of what I had. Rookie error 😞
On the left I lose both my Loose infantry units for no losses for Cid - bit of bad luck for me there - but I have reduced 2 of his units to 1 Wound off breaking. The slingers performance we will not mention ... The centre is pretty much in stalemate with nether side really able to do much unless they want to commit suicide.
So, as we are getting close to running out of time we agree to call the game a bit early with Cid giving me the points for the 2 units that are about to break.
A bit of one of my fingers has crept into that last picture. I'm probably making a gesture towards my slingers 😁The game ended with a score of 6-7 in Cid's favour. I'd lost the Libyan skirmishers along the way as well as the 2 infantry units.
As always, a fun game against Cid but my mistakes did affect the game. Whether I'd have got more from it is, of course, unknowable, but I'd have had more chance to do so.
The evening involved beer, a good meal, and seeing England beat Wales in the 6 Nations 👍
The third game can be found HERE.
And some extra pictures of the armies at deployment.
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