The Dustbin

[devoncop]

I feel that the priority order of picking (lowest rank to highest within a division) already works to limit the ability of players to ride a single army to victory. The better the army list, the more likely someone else is to pick it ahead of you the higher ranked you are.

I also think players are more likely to pick new armies the more the play and the more bored with one approach they get. Honestly, I just don't see the advantage in not allowing people the freedom to stick with an army they like.

The only reason I play Classical is to take my favorite pike army through a tournament. If that's off the table due to rules (rather than an increase in their popularity), then I'll be less interested in participating in that division. At some point I'll get bored and experiment, but that's not gonna happen for a few seasons.

Agree fully with the above.

[Cunningcairn]

Div A

Cunningcairn - Viking 900-1049 AD (Irish ally) beat CheAhn - Byzantine 988-1041 AD (no allies) Won 63% by 39%

[paulmcneil]

Div C

paulmcneil challenge for bluefin

pw=bluefin

[stockwellpete]

I feel that the priority order of picking (lowest rank to highest within a division) already works to limit the ability of players to ride a single army to victory. The better the army list, the more likely someone else is to pick it ahead of you the higher ranked you are.

At the moment players who are rated in the top places in a division, particularly in the A divisions which tend to be more stable in their composition from season to season, never know which army they are going to get, whereas players who receive their army allocation before the better players have a much greater chance of getting their preferred army. For instance, players who finish 6th, 7th or 8th know that they are very likely to get their first choice of army in the next season.This means that certain armies are never, or hardly ever, available to the higher rated players. One way to mitigate this a little bit is to say that players cannot have an army from the same nation in consecutive seasons. I think it is a very mild regulation, to be honest, given the number of armies (with different allied options) that are available now.

[Supervark]

Division D

Supervark (Lombards) yes the horsey types, Beat MikeMarchent (Romans) the footy types 49%-9%

The terrain did not favor the Romans being open on his right flank and middle while the left flank had scattered trees. Whittling the superior Roman units down with light troops was a boon even then they put up an incredibly tough fight when I attacked them. Fortunately, his right flank took a mauling and I was able to get some of my units in behind his army. Though his CinC performed heroics, at one point holding off 4 of my units, it was not to be for the Romans. Eventually, he attacked with a lot of auxiliaries from the woods but it was too little too late as I had finally managed to rout a couple more legionary units. A very interesting and enjoyable game thanks Mike

[deve]

Div C
Draw in a battle between deve (Dailami) - Karvon (Arab-Bedouin) 29-40

(2-2)

[Bluefin]

Division D

Bluefin (Syracusan) ends up in draw with uneducated (Jewish) despite getting nearly routed 6-32.

(0-2)

[harveylh]

I'm voting no because I do not want to discourage any player.

[klayeckles]

Div A
klayeckles (persians) vs ruskicanuk (indo greek) 53 to 28
persians won the sprint to the forest where they were able to weather the arrow storm while their hoplite mercenaries set a trap for the indogreek pike blocks getting a flank attack on both...leading to access to the soft gooey center of the indo part of the indo greeks. very different match up requiring some unique strategies...fun one and GG!

[SpeedyCM]

Div B

SpeedyCM (Spanish 300-100 BC) defeated rexhurley (Numidian/Moorish 220-56 BC) 41-11.

[Geffalrus]

Division B

Geffalrus (Palmyra) defeats IMC (Romans) 60-37. Yet another good game against IMC (third time this season).

To be thematic, the Palmyrans opted not to include any of their optional Roman units. Nothing but skirms, massed archers, and Cataphracts as far as the eye could see. The relatively open map, combined with the Roman's dense marching formation provided the Palmyrans with ample space for maneuver. The Roman skirmishers were quickly eliminated, but the elephants and cavalry remained protected behind the scutum wall. The Palmyrans were able to pounce on a few stragglers here and there, but eventually, the Roman infantry caught up with the back-pedaling Palmyran infantry. Realizing you don't have the 25% margin for victory just as the Roman legions slam into your massed archers is a rough feeling. Most of the Palmyran foot was slaughtered, but their death throes bought enough time for the Cataphracts to flank isolated Roman cohorts.

As was stated in the recent forum discussion, for skirmishing to be decisive, you need to have that armored fist to eventually back it up. Or be some sort of wizard like Rexhurley.

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[klayeckles]

i will just comment that the LOEG did definitely encourage players to explore other armies...and i think playing other army types greatly improves a players skill set. I guessing my opponents will agree that my Having played predominant cav-shooter armies in early spear eras several times has made me a much better cav commander (and a bit more humble). definitely don't want to lose players...but encourage folks to look at all sides of the issue...mixing it up keeps things fresh and your tactics progressing. (and freshness might keep some folks involved that would otherwise not). so i'm not "voting", just adding to the discussion.

[MikeMarchant]

Division D

Supervark (Lombards) yes the horsey types, Beat MikeMarchent (Romans) the footy types 49%-9%

The terrain did not favor the Romans being open on his right flank and middle while the left flank had scattered trees. Whittling the superior Roman units down with light troops was a boon even then they put up an incredibly tough fight when I attacked them. Fortunately, his right flank took a mauling and I was able to get some of my units in behind his army. Though his CinC performed heroics, at one point holding off 4 of my units, it was not to be for the Romans. Eventually, he attacked with a lot of auxiliaries from the woods but it was too little too late as I had finally managed to rout a couple more legionary units. A very interesting and enjoyable game thanks Mike

Taking to the field against a Gepid army is always a challenge for a Roman army that lacks auxiliary cavalry support. No German cavalry, no Gallic cavalry, no Sarmatians, just a few equites cohortales and equites alares. That’s not a matchup the Romans are going to win on an open field. And so it all comes down to terrain.

It wasn’t the worst, a flat open field, but nor was it the best. The Roman line anchored its left flank on a wood, but the right flank was open. An auxiliary heavy Roman force deployed medium foot in the woods on the left flank, in the woods even further left of those and in woods to the Roman rear near the right flank, to attempt to challenge any encirclement from the right.

And then the Romans waited.

The Gepids, clearly suspicious of the trees, kept well away from the Roman left and sent massed skirmishers to the Roman front backed up by vigilant lancers, and a strong force to encircle the right.

The Roman second line was stripped as they turned to meet the threat to their right flank, and the front line was scourged by Gepid skirmishers. It was a tough fight on the right flank, and Rome can be proud of its sons for the way they fought to protect the army, but they were always too few and too late. Even with support from the auxiliaries in the woods, the Gepids finally broke them down.

In the meantime, tired of the rain of missiles, the main line had advanced to push the lights away, but even a small advance was to put the army in danger. The Gepids skirmishers fled, but then returned to continue the harassment as they had before. The Romans could do nothing but fall back and reform their line.

The attrition on the legionaries was beginning to tell and while all of the Roman reserves were tied up in the battle for the Roman right, the Gepids started a tentative probe against the right side of the Roman main line.

Seeing what appeared to be a fairly helpless situation the Roman legatus ordered a general advance before it was too late. Remaining as they were the skirmishers were going to continue to slowly destroy the line and there was not much longer to go before the Gepids defeated the Roman forces fighting to preserve the Roman right and then the Romans would be surrounded and slaughtered.

The legions advanced at the same time as auxiliaries poured out of the woods to their left, taking to open country against Gepid lancers. Gepid lights and Gepid lancers retreated ahead of the advance and looked threatened by an encirclement themselves.

But it was too late.

The Roman right flank crumbled and Gepid lancers swarmed to the rear. Caught between hammer and anvil there was only one outcome and that was an outcome that would be met with the gnashing of teeth and the tearing of hair in the Forum Romanum.

A really tough battle this one, and yet again highlighting the weakness of Roman armies against horse armies without either solid cavalry support or sympathetic terrain. Supervark marshalled and manoeuvred his forces masterfully. I suspect the Romans were handicapped by my timidity too. I was left feeling that I ought to have advanced two turns earlier. If I had ordered that advance a little earlier we might have stood a chance – not a big chance, but a chance nonetheless.

Well done, Supervark, a well deserved victory and really fun battle to fight.


Best Wishes

Mike

[rexhurley]

Current restrictions with allocation based on stats is the best, why punish us for being noobs? Take away our choices you just condemn us to be forever cellar dwellers...not thats a bad thing the lofty heights of Div A and getting constantly boringly massacred by Pantherboy is just yawn...

[rexhurley]

Division B

rexhurley (Numidians) defeats Xlegione 49/14 the terrain gods were not kind to the Huns once again

[desertedfox]

Div C

desertedfox - Byzantine 988-1041 AD defeated KiFi - French 888-1049 AD - 40 to 13.

An interesting battle that seemed to end early with the French losing heart at 40% loses.

[stockwellpete]

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Late Antiquity C-D charts.jpg (775.47 KiB) Viewed 2125 times

[stockwellpete]

Current restrictions with allocation based on stats is the best, why punish us for being noobs? Take away our choices you just condemn us to be forever cellar dwellers...not thats a bad thing the lofty heights of Div A and getting constantly boringly massacred by Pantherboy is just yawn...

Can I have a pint of what you've just had please? Quite how your answer relates to the question is beyond me. No-one is being "punished" or having choices taken away in a way that privileges the top players. Everyone will be affected equally by this very mild adjustment to the army selection process.

[stockwellpete]

I'm voting no because I do not want to discourage any player.

I don't understand. How will players be "discouraged"? At the very most players will be asked to choose just one different army in their selections each season.

[Karvon]

I think the current restrictions are sufficient, though I wouldn't be bothered if such a change was implemented. While I personally like to try new lists, I wouldn't begrudge someone the option of sticking with their favorite. Depending on seeding, they may not get it anyhow. Has this really been an issue so far? Have a significant number of players played the same lists? Do you really want the added work of checking lists against the previous season to insure no one's duplicating?