[DBA3.0] Solo battle: Later Carthaginians II/32a v Numidians II/40

In which Later Carthaginians (LCart) go searching for their first win, and get their ass handed to them by Numidians (Num).

Set-up

1. Home and away: LCart Ag4 rnd6=10, Num Ag1 rnd2=6. Num are defence.
2. Terrain: results on the random terrain roll are tweaked to portray Num home ground, in that 'hill' becomes 'difficult hill' and 'boggy' becomes 'woods'. The result of four rolls is a fairly symmetrical map with woods on one end, broken ground on the other, and two lengthwise difficult hills.
   (Later pictures have a stalagmite on each hill and a treestump on the woods to remind myself they are rough going.)
3. Deployment: LCart roll high again and deploy left, Num deploy centre.
4. The sides: Both have rolled attacking options, so once again LCart have no El and for their part Num go heavy on the LH. No El at all! Booo!
   LCart: 1xCvGen, 1xCv, 1xIberian LH 1xNumidian LH 'traitor', 3x4Sp, 1xLigurian 4Ax, 2xIberian 4Ax, 2xPs, 1xCF in camp.
   Num: 1xCvGen, 6xLH, 4xjavelin Ps, 1xsling Ps in camp.

The Game

Round 1

Num PIP3 axis 4=shift left, to left.
Reserving the right and centre, the left flank moves then Ps seize the heights!

LCart PIP1 axis 5=shift left, rotates to right.

All Ax wheel right. They are solid Ax and move 2BW.

Round 2

NUM PIP3 axis 1, remain left.

The centre LH race forward to join the left in a daring sweep! (Farthest element is now out of command, and the hill is threatening to block command to other LH.)

LCart PIP3 axis 5=shift left, to centre.

While reserve Ps (in woods) edge round to prevent a full encirclement, Ax rush the difficult ground, and reserve LH covers their flank.

Round 3

Num PIP3 axis 4=shift left, rotates to right.

The right flank is unleashed, Ps making extra moves to gain the right-flank heights!

LCart PIP6 axis 5=shift left, to left flank.

Skirmishing Ps race forward to the heights, Sp march slowly forward. Cv and LH move out, LH making one extra move. Command is becoming a problem.

Round 4

Num PIP2 axis 1=remain right.

LH cover the possibility of a thrust down the flank, and the 'traitor' menacing the Ps flanks.

LCart PIP5 axis4=shift left, rotates right.

The Ax are thrown up the heights into battle, gaining a lock, and one 4Sp is marched over rightward.

Melee 1: 4Ax rnd2+3 v locked Ps rnd6+2+1uphill-1locked=5:8. Recoil destroys locking Ax!
Melee 2: 4Ax rnd6+3-1flanked c Ps rnd4+2+1uphill=8:7, Ps recoil. (And looking at the photo, I notice they did not do that!)

Round 5

Num PIP2 axis6=shift right, rotates to left.

CvGen moves left, LH swing on 4Ax, 

Melee: LH rnd2+2 v 4Ax rnd6+3, LH flee (but are halted by friendly flank contact)

LCart PIP4 axis 6=shift right, rotates left.
Cv, CvGen and Ps all challenge for control of the left!

Melee 1: Cv are forced to recoil by pesky LH, exposing Ps to a double flanking.
Melee 2: Ps thus exposed is duly destroyed!
Melee 3: CvGen, flanked, manages an unsatisfactory recoil on the LH.

Round 6

Num PIP3 axis 6=shift right, to centre.

CvGen moves to centre enabling command over the hill, Ps lock on 4Ax on hill.

Melee: Ps rnd3+2+1uphill v 4Ax rnd3+3-1flanked=6:5, 4Ax destroyed!

LCart PIP3 axis 1=remain left.

CvGen closes, bringing traitor LH up on his right and 2x4Sp advance to cover heights.

Melee: CvGen rnd5+4-1 flanked v LH rnd3+2-1flanked=8:4, LH destroyed. At last!

Round 7

Num PIP2 axis 5=shift left, to left flank.

LH (the one in command line of sight) swing and charge!

Melee: LH rnd1+2 v 4Ax rnd3+3=3:6, LH flee again! (And once again halt on friendly flank contact.)

LCart PIP4 axis 1=remain left.

2x4Sp ascend heights and their fellow 4Sp reserve shift left. The reserve LH is pulled to centre. (This could have been a decisive punch through to trap the Num CvGen, axis dice said otherwise. A race forward would leave most of the LCart army out of command, so a more prudent advance makes sense.)

Round 8

Num PIP5 axis 2=remain left. 

Ps and LH team up to tackle 4Ax. With spare PIPs far-left LH sweep round to enter reserve Ps' ZOC.

Melee: Ps rnd2+2 v 4Ax rnd3+3-1flanked=4:5, Ps and LH recoil.

LCart PIP1 axis3, remain left.

Reserve 4Sp closes. A little.

Round 9

Num PIP3 axis 6=shift right, to centre.

Pull back!

LCart PIP5 axis 5=shift left, rotates right.

Reserve Ps in woods tackles the LH in its ZOC while 4Ax and Iberian LH attack the now-isolated LH, and traitor LH shift to cover.

Melee 1: Ps rnd4+2 v LH rnd2+2=6:4, LH recoil.

Melee 2: 4Ax rnd2+3 v LH rnd3+2-1flanked=5:4, LH recoil.

Round 10

Num PIP6 axis 5=shift left, to left. 

Two disengaged LH sweep round to attack and lock the traitor LH, while remaining elements cover.

Melee: LH rnd6+2 v traitor LH rnd4+2-1flanked=8:5. Traitor destroyed, 

game over, Numidians win 4:1.

[DBA3.0] Solo battle: Later Carthaginians II/32a v Iberians II/39a

Another in the Punic-themed battles with sides I've recently built. This was an intriguing game of shifting flanks. The axis dice really played its part giving changes in tactics I would never try in a normal solo.

This wargame includes some tweaks to the random terrain rules that the previous game suggested.

Brief reminder of solo tweaks

1. Selection: Each side dices as usual on Aggression to decide aggressor, but also adds a POSTURE based on aggression d6, evens being attacking selection (if options) and odds being defensive selection (if options). I have now decided that Elephants are defensive, since they cost an extra PIP to move.
2. Deployment: Each side rolls a second d6 and adds it to aggression d6 above. The result decides concentration in the deployment zone: 11-12 is left-weighted, 9-10 is right-weighted, 5-8 is centre-weighted, and 2-4 is reserved.
3. Terrain is laid out using either a 'defender selects, attacker removes' system or random. The random method is now:
   Divide board into quadrants as normal. Roll three distinct d6, one for x axis, one for y axis, one for terrain type/size. If x=y and value 1-3, feature is a river; or if value 4-6, feature is a road.
   Otherwise:
   1   Plough if arable, boggy otherwise
   2   Gentle hill, or dune if dry
   3   Woods if arable, broken ground otherwise
   4   Long gentle hill if arable, gully or difficult hill otherwise
   5   Scrub if arable, long difficult hill otherwise
   6   Difficult hill if arable, difficult hill with 2+ edges impassable otherwise
   If plough or waterway, roll again. 5-6=BUA is added.
4. Axis: Each round, each general rolls an additional d6. This determines where he must focus, though surplus PIPs can still be spent elsewhere.
   1-3   Continue with existing axis
   4-5   Shift left. If already left flank, rotate to right
   6      Shift right. If already right flank, rotate to left.

Choosing up sides

Later Carthaginians II/32a (LCart) fight Iberian II/39a (Iber)

LCart Ag4+rnd2=6; Iber Ag0+rnd5=5. Iber (arable) are defender. LCart posture attack, Iber poster defence.

Deployment: LCart rnd6=8, centre. Iber rnd3=8, centre.

Terrain: I roll plough, scrub, off the board, and a long gentle hill with axis across the x. Its centre line may have an effect.

Base lines: LCart naturally take the plough and hill, to deny them to the defenders!

The sides: 

Iber don't have options. They are:

1xCvGen

1xLH

6x3/4Ax (I have 2x4Ax)

4xPs

LCart are:

1xCvGen

1xCv

2xLH

3x4Sp

1x4Ax (Ligurian)

2x4Wb

2xPs

Each side has an element in camp. Mainly due to absent-mindedness the LCart lose their Cv, the Iber lose 1x3Ax.

Deployment

Iberians

LCarts

The game

Round 1

Iber PIP6 axis4=shift left.

Iber CvGen shifts himself and the reserve left and spreads his left flank Ps forward.

LCart PIP3 axis3=remain centre

Lights move up. Wb shift left.

Round 2

Iber PIP2 axis2=remain left. Left flank is developed.

LCart PIP3 axis6=shift right. LH are brought right.

Round 3

Iber PIP6 axis6=shift right (to centre). Entire centre advances, CvGen moves back to reserve, Ax shake out, and LH join that shielded flank.

LCart PIP4 axis5=shift left (to centre). Get those Wb out! Ps shake out as well. And with a spare PIP one of the LH pony up forward of the hill.

Round 4

Iber PIP1 axis3=remain centre. Heavies move up flanked by lights, leaving original reserve on left.

LCart PIP4 axis1=remain centre. Wb advance, 4Ax Ligurians shift to make room, Libyan spears roll forward and CvGen is reserved.

Round 5

Iber PIP5 axis3=remain centre. Heavies join battle-line. Reserve 3Ax move to line.

LCart PIP6 axis1=remain centre. LH join the general line of battle with Sp and Wb. Left flank extends and CvGen advances.

Round 6

Iber PIP3 axis6=shift right. LH race right!

LCart PIP1 axis1=remain centre. Battle line rolls forward!

Round 7

Iber PIP4 axis6=shift right (rotate to left). CvGen inserts into line opposite LH; reserve 3Ax hurries back left.

LCart PIP5 axis2=remain centre. Only 2 PIPs are spent leaving LH and CvGen retired. ZOC is applied to most Iberian elements.

Round 8

Iber PIP3 axis1=stay left! CvGen and Ps charge LCart LH, while 3Ax switches with another Ps.

Melee 1: Iber CvGen rnd4+4 v LCart LH rnd3+2=8:5, LH recoil.

Melee 2: Iber Ps rnd2+2 v LCart LH rnd3+(2-1)=4:4, both stay.

LCart PIP1 axis5=shift left. CvGen commits to left.

Melee: LCart LH rnd1+(2-1) v Iber Ps rnd5+2=2:7, LH destroyed!

Round 9

Iber PIP6 axis1=remain left. CvGen and Ps go for remaining LH, no other PIPs used.

Melee: Iber CvGen rnd6+4 v LCart LH rnd5+(2-1)=LH recoil-flanked-destroyed.

LCart PIP5 axis1=remain left. CvGen and supporting Ps charge LH and flank. Heavies slot in to prevent negatives.

Melee: general disappointment for LCarts! 

Round 10

Iber PIP2 axis6=shift right (to centre). CvGen and Ps form column and race right!

LCart PIP6 axis4=shift left (rotates to right). CvGen commits all Sp forward and peels Wb off to cover Iberian CvGen. Pulls battle line out.

Melee: another disappointing set of recoils, even though 4Sp are supporting each other.

Round 11

Iber PIP6 axis4=shift left to centre. CvGen charges Wb and Ps locks in. Heavies ZOC Ligurians and other Wb, Ps and LH on right flank ZOC LCart Ps and CvGen.

Melee: Wb destroyed.

LCart PIP6 axis6=shift right (rotates to left). Everything charges!

Melee 1: LCart CvGen rnd4+4 v Iber LH rnd1+2, LH destroyed.

Melee 2: LCart Ps rnd5+2 v Iber Ps rnd1+(2-1)=Ps destroyed.

All other melees result in recoils.

Round 12

Iber PIP5 axis1=remain centre. CvGen and Ps repeat their charge and lock on the second Wb. Reserve Ps moves to lock on Sp with 3Ax.

Melee: Both Wb and Sp are destroyed.

Final result: Iberians win 5:2