Neo-Assyrians v Ne0-babylonians - TACTICA 2

[simonw]

After a few weeks off due to COVID, last week we reBumed our Monday evening TACTICA 2 games with a crushing victory by the Neo-Assyrians over the Neo-Babylonians. So for last night's game, I had stiffened the Babylonian army a little and we we had an excellent game; the Babylonians won!

I and Hugh were pretty confident of victory until just before the  sudden 'collapse' of the centre. The Kallipani had managed to skirt around the edge of the small wood on the right flank with Assyrian infantry the help of the large unit (24) of Light Infantry over there and were behind the Babylonian left flank. On the Assyrian left, my 4 units of (2) 4 horse chariots had  managed to defeat the Babylonian right flank camels, cavalry and chariots (albeit at significant cost; the Elite 2 model chariot units were carrying 3,5 ,7 and 8 'kills' out of unit Breakpoints of 9) but were in the process of swinging around to flank attack the right end of the Babylonian infantry line.

However, the Assyrian Heavy Cavalry archer units on the right end of the |Assyrian line were being very hard-pressed by the opposing Babylonian chariots and Light Infantry there. One had already passed a 'Fates Roll' (refer to photo with the 2 red dice score of 11) and then also had the temerity to  survive a second round of combat because the Babylonian Chariots didn't inflict a single 'kill'. This only delayed the inevitable 'Break' though for 2 Turns.

Meanwhile, the Assyrian Heavy Infantry in the centre were making only slow progress by and large with the leftmost unit attacking the Babylonian Guard and adjacent archer unit 'up the hill' struggling in particular to inflict any significant damage, causing me to have to throw-in my (Massed) Light-Heavy Infantry Slingers to help them.

All this proved irrelevant in the end though when one of the (valiant) Assyrian Heavy Cavalry archer units eventually broke causing the adjacent Assyrian Infantry Unit in the line to its left; in accordance with Melee Direction, failed its Routed Past Test and became Disordered. The infantry unit then, inevitably lost its Melee round and being outscored when Disordered was required to take another Control Test; which it failed.

The next HI unit on its left then had also to test for seeing the rout and it failed and became Disordered in turn and lost more casualties than inflicted in its melee and failed the Control Test required and so on; the Turn continued with 5 successive 'Breaks'.

The Assyrian Centre had completely collapsed in a single Turn!

Now this might have had something to do with the fact that the Assyrian CinC had been 'killed' very early on and so the army may have become somewhat dispirited (BUT I suspect not).

Personally, I (Vizier Simonneser) blame Tiglath Hughpileser IV for rubbish die rolling!!!!!

[Imperial Dave]

very nice Simon

[simonw]

Cheers Dave.