Brian’s army was IC + TC, 4 x 6 Falxmen, 2 x 10 Warriors, 4 x 8 Warriors, 1 x 8 MF Bow as rear support, 1 x 6 LH Javs and 1 x 4 Sup Prot LtSp Sw Cav. 12 BGs breaking on 12. Brian won initiative and chose Developed. I put a couple of vineyards down to slow the MF and needed to move first to exploit this but Brian had 1st move. I was expecting to see a Sarmatian ally and was quite relieved that one had not appeared.
This is the Dacian horde. It begins with Falxmen, Warriors, Warriors, Falxmen, Warriors, Falxmen and then 3 more Warriors. The Bow are in rear support as is the 4th Falxmen BG. The cavalry and LH are on Brians’ left.
This is my deployment. I have both Thracians on my left, hoping to rush forwards and catch the Dacians in the vineyard. They are supported by a BG of Companions. My pike phalanx is in the centre with the 2nd Companions in reserve and the Thessalians, LH and slingers on the right.
The Dacians need to do well at impact otherwise they are in trouble against pike. Brian pressed forwards whilst I prepared as best I could for the dice fest which was to come. With just 2 Generals I thought Brian’s flank looked a little vulnerable so sent the Companions to assist the Thessalians.
The Dacians were making slow but steady progress through the vineyard. I have pushed 1 Thracian BG forwards whilst the 2nd now provides rear support. The Companions are a serious threat to the MF in the open so Brian’s IC does not stray far.
On my right, my slingers and LH combine to disrupt the Basternae cavalry. With my Companions and Thessalians arriving on the scene this is quite timely.
On my left the presence of the Companions means the Falxmen do not have to charge but the Warriors go into the lead Thracian BG. I lose a base but with the IC and rear support they remain steady. Brian brings up the adjoining Warrior BG to add overlap dice. Brian is using movement trays which really speed up normal moves but can start to get in the way during melee.
On the right my Companions make an uncontrolled charge through the LF sling and into a BG of Warriors. The Thessalians have also charged into the now steady Basternae. The Companions fail to disrupt the Warriors and have to break off. The Thessalians are up in melee but are struggling to make that advantage felt.
In the centre the main lines have clashed and I run out of dice there are so many combats to fight! The initial impact largely goes my way. My Companions disrupt the Falxmen and the Thracians have an amazing round to disrupt the Warriors facing them despite being overlapped. Only 1 of my pike has disrupted at impact which is quite a relief.
In the ensuing melee I have the run of the luck as the Dacians are on a minus POA virtually everywhere. Even the Falxmen are on a minus. And Steady pike are on a double plus vs Warriors.
With several BGs disrupted Brian’s limited command structure began to tell as he was unable to bolster. As a result the Falxmen and Warriors on my left both routed as did the Faxmen fighting my Superior Pike. Both Thracian BGs are in trouble though. 1 is fragmented whilst the other is hit by the reserve Falxmen and disrupts.
Over on the right my LH have been sacrificed to stop the Dacian LH charging my Thessalians in flank. The Thessalians have performed poorly and the LH sacrifice is in vain when the Dacian LH hit them in the rear. The Companions make their 3rd charge into the Warriors and finally manage to make a dent.
Sadly both Thracian BGs rout and the victorious Companions drop to disrupted in sympathy. On the right the Thessalians are being ground down.
Fortunately the pike are holding steady and the Dacian morale is failing. The right hand Companion BG breaks the Warriors and pursues into range of the unprotected MF bow.
Brian managed to get the bowmen away from the Companions but in doing so put them in range of a pike block. As the bowmen went down so did Brian’s army.
It had been a thrilling game with both armies in melee for most of it but Brian needed to win more of the impacts to change this outcome.
The final result was 29 -12.
In the other 4th round game Phil Powell's LRR had beaten Paul’s Successors so I was only 1 point behind Paul and I would get to use my 900 AP army vs Phil in the final game. Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together!