Pereant proditores.

 I have been fairly quiet or it seems that way, I did have a complete week there with no wargaming which is unusual for me but I had a post operation appointment and my wife's birthday to sort along with a visit from my son and granddaughter. The appointment was pretty much a waste of time as they should have organised a scan before it but didn't, so one was organised immediately and it will be two weeks before the results are known, pardon me while I chuckle, it has never taken two weeks yet.

 A naval game was looking for a fourth player and I jumped in with two feet, it would be a pre-dreadnaught game involving a French force against an Egyptian one with the Suez canal as a back story. I was welcomed back and told how well I looked, I get told this quite often as people expect me to look very ill indeed, but I don't. Anyway I took command of the French 1st Squadron while Paul took the 2nd, a bit less impressive as mine, the Egyptians (with mostly British designed ships) were under the command of Dan and Ian. I simple went forward intending to trade shots with Ian, but as Paul opened up the gap between us I was hit by both Egyptian squadrons, Ian's gunnery was on target while mine was dismal. My flagship was soon left a floating, burning hulk while a second ship took a rudder hit and simply ran around in circles, this left me with one battleship which now took the brunt of the enemy fire and soon headed for Davy Jones' locker. Paul had now taken the second enemy squadron under fire but his gunnery was as bad as mine and despite Dan's assurance that 'the Egyptians are rubbish' they are fine if you cannot hit them. With me out of the picture both enemy squadrons now turned on Paul, despite Dan's ships being savaged they had dealt out punishment and with Ian's almost untouched ships now closing the range it was declared an Egyptian win. Despite my naval background my reputation was in tatters but not my reputation for poor die rolling.

My doomed squadron.

I was supposed to be heading for Penrith this Wednesday but Matt called off due to having a cold, so I asked if anyone at the club was free, Big Ed got back and offered a War and Conquest game, I jumped at the chance and we decided on another Roman v Roman clash, Ed with the Twelfth and me with Thrax's boys. The armies are almost identical so we both went for legionaries and auxiliaries supported with some skirmishers and cavalry, Ed had one less cavalry unit but a unit of massed archers, I had Contarii to give my cavalry a bit of steel.

Thrax on the right, rebels on the left.

We lined up our infantry and I put all my cavalry on my left, Ed had his cavalry opposite, I was quite happy with this as I knew the Contarii should(?) be able to beat the weaker enemy horse. The Thunderbolts advanced their centre and took station on a hill in the centre of the battlefield, I pushed against both flanks with the main effort being my cavalry on the enemy right. I managed at last to get the Initiative but unusually for me I handed it back to Ed forcing him to move before me, this was going to hopefully allow me to get into charge reach with several units as he came forward, Ed helped me out and moved his cavalry closer to the waiting Contarii, I smiled inside. 

Contarii.

 

The rest of my cavalry.

Contarii threaten the rebel flank.

The last men standing for the Twelfth.

It's all over for the rebels.

In quick succession the Rebel cavalry were routed as were the skirmishers on the opposite flank, the Twelfth's flanks had gone. The long suffering cohort of Auxiliaries on my right, V Dalmatarum, who had been acting as pin cushions for Ed's massed archers managed to charge their nemisis and get their revenge as the sagittarii fled. I now decided to test the resolve of the enemy on the hill and ordered the Thirtieth to charge the Auxiliaries above them while Thrax with the First waited for the outcome at the foot of the hill. More of Ed's troops now fled as the Thirtieth planted their standard on the hill, this caused him to try a desperate charge downhill to try and kill Thrax and turn the tide of battle. In a brutal struggle Thrax did indeed take a wound but First Minerva held against the veterans of the Twelfth's First Cohort and eventually they broke and their leader captured. Thrax had pulled off a second crushing victory against another Roman army.

My missus popped her head into the Bunker and asked if anyone wanted anything, "Luck" said Ed. I think luck was pretty much even but mine turned up just when needed while it deserted Ed at the wrong time. Again it was great to get the armies on the table, wargaming at its best for me. We have pencilled in a return match for later when I think I will push my luck and take Barbarians against a Roman army.

I have some fun coming up, my son will be here on Saturday to try out Chain of Command, Matt has rescheduled for next Wednesday and I have Erik's on Friday, both ECW, I will need some R&R after that.

I have noticed a few coincidences over the last week, the Yorkists came through Carnforth on their way to Stoke Field in 1487, the Jacobites came past in 1745 on their way to Preston and the Scots raided Penrith in 1385.

I was greeted with howls of laughter at the club when I intimated that I had finished collecting armies, but I really have. I will admit to now having the time to maybe, maybe turn to a couple of things which have nagged me for ages, adding an extra file to my Seleucid pike phalanxes and adding the same or maybe two, to the Twelfth's first cohort to make it larger than the others as it always was in the early legions.

 I have finished the lovely gift from Matt Smith, I have kept it simple and believe it has turned out OK. The last of my BEF are on the tray and should be finished sometime this weekend and ready for battle.

 I think that is it for now.