30 games in 30 days - games 24 to 29

Introduction
Attempting to play 30 ancient games in 30 days using my own small table fast play rules to test out a programmed opponent.  A few more details at this introductory post.
Game 1 to 5 here.
Games 6 to 12 here.
Game 13 to 18 here.
Games 19 to 23 here.

Note this may be a bit of a dry read - there are only few pictures of each game and a lot of the text is about playtesting lessons learnt.

Game 24  Spanish/Italian Goths Vs Late Goths  (Day 24 - Monday)

Later Goths Vs Spanish Goths

Near end game, both sides are one unit from breaking and the Spanish goths have the edge.  The lone Spanish foot troops charges the remaining disordered warband in the centre.  So long as he does not roll a 1, all will be fine.  Rolls a 1 and retreats onto the steep hill.  Warband pursues - warbands are slightly better in rough and so long as a 6 is not rolled, the melee will continue. Warbands rolls a 6 and and the Spanish Goths units is routed and the Spanish Goths lose.   That 1 in 36 chance.

Warband on the left that eventually routs the Spanish Goth foot on the right.

Later Goths won in a close game.

Another great game!  Full of tension.  The Later goths won their right flank but lost the left flank.  this was predictable from the deployment.  but the skirmishers in the middle managed to rout 3 of the Warbands.  Quite incredible.  Very unlikely and it requires lots of 1s, that the later Goths rolled. So rare.  The breakpoints for both armies are quite different (due the the Later Goths high army command value and larger number of poorer units.

Lessons
None but I have forgotten to mention that in reality I only roll for possible changes to zone order for about the first 3 turns.  Once the zones are in melee, zone orders don't mean much.  Zone orders are really important for the first 2-3 turns but not much after that. Possible changes to zone orders is optional anyway and I may drop it for the games I play as it is extra rolls per turn for only a little narrative benefit.  Not moving it already covered by having to roll for movement.  Strangely enough, the WRG 7th rules that the orders are derived from also have zone orders not applying after 3 turns too, and likely for similar reasons.

Game 25  Spanish/Italian Goths Vs Lombards  (Day 26 - Wednesday)

The list for the Spanish/Italian Goths may need to be split between Spanish and Italian.  I have not changed it and it really needs more research.
The rise in the centre will not be placed as the stream runs though it (I have not done the excel formulas required to remove terrain from squares with a stream).


I started the game and realised I had not taken a picture but did take one after turn 1

Spanish Goths (left) Vs Lombards after turn 1 for each side

Lombards walk over the Goths

Each side won the cavalry dominant flank.  The Lombards did their flank faster, and cleaned up the centre as well.  this left them free to move over to the other flank and rout a unit to win the game.  The Goths only managed to rout one of the Lombard cavalry units.  They (ok, me) should have redeployed some of the cavalry on their right flank earlier than I did.

Game 26  Celts Vs Early German  (Day 26 - Wednesday)

Light warbands Vs heavy warbands, With same orders.  The trick will be for the Gauls to get local superiority over the Germans to get the +1 advantage.  It will be a bit of a slogging match  I think.

Celts (left) Vs Germans (right)

The Celtic general that I have wanted to get onto the table for awhile.

end game

Germans won but it a close thing.

Game 27  Later Imperial Romans Vs Vandals  (Day 27/28 - Thursday/Friday)

Another game where I forget to take a picture at the start and so the first picture is after the first Roman turn.

Rome (left) Vs Vandals after Roman first move

End game with a Vandal victory.

Vandals won.  The Roman right flank was ineffective and just could not engage as fast as the Vandal right flank.  I tried putting the Auxilia in front on the Legionaries to disrupt the Vandal Heavy Cavalry and this worked - two Vandal cavalry were routed in the centre. 

My 8yo daughter helped me roll some dice.  So here is the picture to prove it and the mapdrawers I am playing the game in.  Three other drawers have games setup in them, and many other drawers have gaming stuff.

The map drawers, the game and the helpful 8yo daughter.

Game 28  Sea PeoplesVs New Kingdom Egyptian  (Day 28 - Friday)

Skirmisher should not be impetuous - error in the lists.

New Kingdom Egyptians (left) Vs Sea Peoples (right)

Sea Peoples won

Sea Peoples won.  The Egyptians did not use the chariots effectively.  I keep forgetting that ancient near east infantry is not the same quality as later units - the archers are 1 less combat value.  It was still a close game.  The Egyptians lost their general that caused them to lose.  It could have gone either way, although the Sea Peoples had won the centre clash.


Game 29  Early Roman Vs Gaul  (Day 29 - Saturday)

Celts (left) Vs Early republican Roman (right)

Celts won, despite losing their general.

The Gauls won, despite the Gallic general fell in the centre.  The two generals met in the centre.  A lot of the Gallic army was disordered as a result and a few routed.  The Gauls just kept rolling really well and all the two-on-one combats took their toll on the Romans and they were defeated.

Thoughts near the end
Well, another week another seven games.  I had a head cold most of this week but it did not slow me down,although at game 24 I did have a brief moment when I was ready to give it all up.  Then I got better. I am one away from achieving 30 games in 30 days.  The last game -game 30 - I will write up as a decent battle report with some highlighting on how the programmed opponent works.