MEG Pacto Sassanid vs Byzantine

 

Hi All

As I was on summer holidays I have a few games I played and have not put on the blog.

First up a game o MEG Pacto
My Sassanid Persian vs Nikiphorian Byzantine

I had a very nice mix of cataphracts, bow cav and elephants as well as a heavy foot ally

My opponent had lots of mix foot, good cavalry and some other foot for terrain.

We set the PBS and I was defender while some terrain was on the battlefield.

In the center I had my foot (ally) while the elephants and most of the cavalry was on my right opposite to the byzantine cavalry, on my left I had 2 units of cavalry only vs some enemy foot.

We started and the enemy on my left pushed forward, while I pressed with my right.
A gap was created in my enemy’s line exactly where my elephants were going to pass from J

A few charges were made on my left and I skirmished trying to gain time as my right could charge and my center could do the same.

I finally charged on the right and started picking of units.

In the center the mixed foot could not stand vs the ally foot, but the Varangian guard did it by itself (it took out 3 of my units all in the center including a unit of elephants).

By the end I had lost 3 units (all from the Varangian) and I broke the enemy army.

A great game and Takis my opponent was very impressed with the Varangian guard and the damage they caused

MEG Pacto

Hi All

Second MEG Pacto game and my Cyrenean Greeks faced off against Medieval Frisians.

As always I had lots of Hoplites (LS/SC) some chariots and one unit of Pike, my opponent had lots of Spearmen some archers (Crossbow, bow) and some cavalry.

My opponent won the roll off as he had a talented general in the PBS I did well and I lost the scouting.
I set up some of my units on my right (my ally first) my opponent put in his barricades and his shooters behind them so I opted to avoid that. Afterword we both set up our main battle lines. On my right I had my chariots and one unit of light foot (SUG) archers.

My plan was simple make him come to me so I don’t get in range of the artillery he had and then hit him from the side.

Turn 1

My opponent moved up with his entire army except the units in the barricade. I only moved my chariots and light foot up.

Turn 2

My chariots and the enemy cavalry came into contact in the charge phase. In the impact I rolled a skull and killed one of his cavalry units (it was a unit of 1 base), the unit next to it took a moral (KAB) test.

The battle lines closed in and charges would happen in the next round.

Turn 3

The battle lines can into contact, I started the battle from the Pikes and they gave me a shove which helped in the other battles. The wound and losses were even.
in the melee that followed we both had units break and in the end of the round thanks to moral (KAB) tests I had lost 3 units and my enemy ha 5 lost units.

Turn 4

My chariots managed to make a flank charge which broke an enemy unit and the moral (KAB) tests that followed gave me the game.

A very bloody game. My opponent had a very big army and even though I stayed away from the fortifications he still had the whole table covered.

As always with Pacto the moral (KAB) tests are brutal and can decimate an army.     

MEG Pacto

Hi All

Had some great Pacto games on Saturday

First up My Cyrenean Greek vs Catalan company in Greece

I Had lots of Hoplites (LS/SC/Shove) some chariots and a unit of Pike men

My opponent had lots of Almughavars and some knights.

I was out scouted and set up the first units.

As we finished the set up my left had 2 units of chariots vs 2 units of knights (one armored one protected) In the center my Hoplites and Pike faced of against the Almughavars and on my right I had my ally (Libyan) with nothing in front of him.  

Turn 1

I moved my left and my right while the Catalans moved up all along the front.

Turn 2

The knights and chariots on my left charged each other, in the center the Almughavars came close for the charge while on the right the ally moved up as to threaten the Almughavar line.

The impact and Melee of the units of cavalry was with few wounds on each side but no bases lost

Turn 3

The Almughavars charged in and in the impact some lucky shoves save my line. I started with the Pike unit which was equal with the Almughavars.
The Ally turned his chariots and my opponent had to keep 1 unit of Almughavars back as to protect the side.

In the Melee that followed I managed to destroy the unit of protected knights and my opposing chariots moved up as to threaten the side on the Almughavars

The two infantry lines had taken many wound and I lost 1 unit while the Almughavars lost 2 units. The KAB (moral) tests that followed cost me 2 more units (they had both taken wounds and the yellow KAB test took them out) while the Almughavars lost 3 more units.

Turn 4

As the Catalans were 1 unit away from breaking and I needed 3 more and as I had 2 flank charges we did the impacts and the Catalans lost the final unit needed.

 

As always Pacto is a very nice and fast game which keeps many of the Maximus concepts but is much easier (very good for new players to start the game). Or if you want to have a 3-4 game tournament in one day.
The 3 BW range for the KAB tests is very deadly and can cost you the game.

MEG Pacto

 

Hi All

Yesterday I had two very nice game of MEG Pacto
Second Game

My Syracusans vs Later Republican Romans

My list was comprised of 7 Tugs of Hoplites, 3 Tugs of Gallic, 1 Tug of Greek Cavalry and an Ally Numidian (1 Tug,2 Sugs)

My opponent had exceptional Legion, Superior Legions, Average Legions and 2 Tugs of Roman Cavalry

In the Second game I was out scouted.

I put all of my cavalry on my left flank, the Hoplites in the center way back, the Gallic foot was on the right .

My opponent put his 2 cavalry one per side and the foot in a line opposite to my foot .

I was attacker and moved up with my horse at full speed (double move) while the Hoplites did not move and the Galic foot moved up. My opponent move his foot forward and his horse came to protect the foot.

In round 2 My cavalry on the left came in contact with the Roman cavalry while some roman foot came to help, on the left the Gallic foot was charged by the roman cavalry.

The Roman foot kept moving up but was still away.

Round 3 I won the battle on the left only to be blocked by foot, on the right the Romans were very strong.   

In round 4 The two foot lines came into contact while I charged the foot that was blocking me on the left.

At this point I had lost 4 Tugs and my opponent 3 tugs and we had to stop (not enough time).   

We had a chat and it was obvious why the Romans lost the battle.

In this battle the Roman commander played much better. He kept the cavalry close to his foot so the foot could support them.

I am sure I would have lost if we had continued.

MEG Pacto

 

Hi All

Yesterday I had two very nice game of MEG Pacto
First Game

My Syracusans vs Later Republican Romans

My list was comprised of 7 Tugs of Hoplites, 3 Tugs of Gallic, 1 Tug of Greek Cavalry and an Ally Numidian (1 Tug,2 Sugs)

My opponent had exceptional Legion, Superior Legions, Average Legions and 2 Tugs of Roman Cavalry

In the first game I was out scouted.

I put all of my cavalry on my right flank, the Hoplites and Gallic foot were far back in the center .

My opponent put his 2 cavalry vs my horse and the foot in a line opposite to my foot .

I was attacker and moved up with my horse at full speed (double move) while the rest of my army did not move. My opponent move his foot forward and his horse came to counter my horse.

In round 2 The Roman horse charged my horse and lost one Tug from the skilled jav of my light horse, the other Tug was in contact with my sup Numidian cavalry Tug.

The Roman foot kept moving up but was still away. 

Round 3 I took care of the enemy horse and started moving my horse to be ready for flank charges.   

In round 4 The two foot lines came in contact while my horse started charging the flank of my enemy.

After the melee the enemy force broke after losing 5 Tugs, I had lost 3 Tugs.   

We had a chat and it was obvious why the Romans lost the battle.

The Syracusan (Numidian) Horse which was Skilled jav (2 Sugs), Sup (1 Tug) and average (1 Tug) had devastated the 2 Tugs of average Roman horse, further more the enemy foot did not turn to help the cavalry and was flanked.

MEG Pacto

 

Hi All

Today I had a very nice game of MEG Pacto

My Seleucid vs Cyrenian greek

My list was comprised of 3 Tugs of Pike, 2 Tugs long spear, 2 Tugs Cataphracts, 2 Tugs Bow, Thracians and Hillmen  

My opponent had 6 Tugs of Long spear, 3 Tugs of Chariots, 2 Tugs of loose foot warriors, 1 Tug Xystophoroi

I was out scouted and had to start setting up first.

I the center close to my opponent table edge there was some rough ground the rest of the field was open.

I set up my Thracians and Hill men opposite to the terrain while right of them I had all my heavy foot. My Cataphracts would attempt to hold the sides.

My opponent put his warriors (ally) on the rough and next to them all his heavy foot while the cavalry (chariots mostly) would attempt to surround me from both sides.

I was attacker and started by moving my heavy foot up the board double time. My Thracians and Hill men moved for the rough ground supported by archers. My opponent waited with his heavy foot (smart) and moved his cavalry on the sides.

In round 2 his chariots charged my cataphracts (hoping in numbers) while one of my archers that i had moved up was charged by some Hoplites (not smart on my part).

Round 3 saw all of my heavy foot charge in while the cataphracts on one of my sides were wiped out. In the center I was giving better than I was taking.

In round 4 my opponent turned his chariots to come to my flanks and set up a charge. My other cataphract was killed after taking a chariot with him. While my opponents center started breaking (Pike Pike Pike).

Starting round 5 I needed to break 1 tug to get victory while my opponent needed 3. He killed the Hillemen the Thracians. We both needed 1 Tug and the final dice roll would be my Archers vs his Hoplites (one base left on each) I rolled a sword on my white dice while he rolled a skull on his dice and we both broke.

As usual Pacto is Quick (it took us 2 hrs with terrain set up) and bloody       

As it was my opponent first solo game he commented (in Greek)

Q

Πολύ καλό και ενδιαφέρον...το μόνο άσχημο ήταν ο περιορισμένος χρόνος που είχαμε που μας επέτρεπε να παίξουμε το pacto. Αλλά ακόμα και η μικρή έκδοση του παιχνιδιού δεν έχανε σε τίποτα (τουλάχιστον αυτή την αίσθηση μου έδωσε). Υπήρχαν και οι αναμενόμενες καθυστερήσεις εκ μέρους μου καθώς ήταν η πρώτη μου ουσιαστικά μάχη και προσπαθούσα να βρώ τα πατήματά μου). Ο Γιάννης εξαιρετικός τόσο ώς αντίπαλος όσο και ώς δάσκαλος (υπομονετικός όπως πάντα) μου έκανε τις απαραίτητες διευκρινήσεις σε οτιδήποτε και άν δεν ήμουν σίγουρος ή πήγαινα να κάνω λανθασμένα. Ανυπομονώ για την επομενη μάχη...

Τον μηχανισμό τον βρήκα αρκετά ευχάριστο χωρίς να βαραίνει το παιχνίδι ή να μπουκώνει τους παίκτες με περιττές λεπτομέρειες.

 

UQ

MEG Solo Pacto

 

Hi All

As we have entered the second lockdown in Greece I had  my second solo Pacto games.

My Nanzho faced off against my Free company (well crusaders figures actually).

The terrain was evenly placed with a woods on each side and a rough hill in the middle in the free company deployment area.

After scouting and set up the Nanzhao started off.

The Nanzhao plan was to attack on their left where 3 Tugs of Cataphracts and a Superior Nanzhao cavalry faced off against 1 superior knight, 1 Tug of crossbowmen, 2 Tugs of dismounted met at arms (one was superior). They also wanted to attack on the right where 3 superior Tugs of Long spear and 1 cavalry (unprotected) was up against 2 Tugs of dismounted men at arms and 1 Tug of Brigands. In the center 2 tugs of spearmen (1 Short spear + 1 long spear)  were locking at 2 tugs of longbow men on the hill.

The Battle was split up in 3 separate actions.

A. On the left the Nanzhao ally Cataphracts charged the enemy foot while the cavalry tried (in vain) to stop the knights. After 2 rounds of combat the crossbow men first and the men at arms secondly broke taking many Cataphracts with them, while the knights destroyed the Nanzhao cavalry.

B. In the center the Nanzhao foot pressed up the hill as to prevent the longbow men from assisting the two sides but they were shredded from the shooting, when they finally charged it was bad for them.

C. On the right the Nanzhao foot charged in while the cavalry was moving to flank charge the Free company units. The battle was intense and both sides didn't have good dice rolls, but in the end the cavalry arrived and helped the Nanzhao win.

A very nice battle and a good test as I am thinking of playing the Nanzhao in an Open tournament (COVID permitting)