Chariots galore!

 Let's start with some workbenchy updates this week. First off, as part of the insane project clearance focus, getting the last of my TY off the decks has started. TY you say? Yes! Blogger Pooch gave me some Sheridans:

So I have started working through the very dregs of my Vallejo IDF Sand and doing the 1000 layers of base coats and then starting on the rust orange. From here it's green, a gentle wash, and then 1000 more layers of IDF Sand again. Doing these has reminded me that I'm keen for some more 7DttRR so will break that out with Blogger Pel in a month or so's time. I've also knocked off the last two Semovente 75/34s Blogger Tank and I will need for Panzerschreck:

They didn't take long. I'm now debating whether I should base these two OR de-base all my other tanks in that army. Right now I'm leaning towards de-base but that's a lot of cleaning polyfilla and glue off tank tracks for the next month...

Chariots galore! 

I defended Greece from the well documented Q'in invasion of the last 1000s BCE. On the plains of Greece, fortress Achaia settled in between a hill and a marsh and let Q'in come to us: 

Q'in attacked across the front, moving it's Heavy Spear aggressively towards the Greek chariotry. The Achaians held their right flank on the hill but advanced in the centre while their chariots aggressively harassed the Q'in skirmish line:

 Nestor led his Pylian Spearmen and attempted to pin the Q'in chariots and light cavalry in place thinking that Heavy Spearmen can easily face down these chariots.....<hubris incoming>

 

This pretty much reflects my engagement with Scotty's heavy spear for the whole game. After he sensibly withdrew the skirmish line to safety - my Light Chariots rode up, threw javelins and evaded away when charged. I think I managed to plink off about two or three points but was trying very hard NOT to fight them. Looking at the combat factors, I probably could have - I just needed to do a bit more plinking first!

 

After one spearmen broke from the Q'in line and scattered the Greek skirmishers, he was roundly set upon by the Myrmidons who then formed up and waited for the Chinese charge. This is where we learned that Impetuous Medium Swordsmen Polearm are fricking HORRIFYING as they can, relatively easily, delete LMI and Medium Infantry in a matter of one round of combat.

 

And then I forgot to take photos... 

Basically, I came off my hill and sacked Scotty's left flank - the Myrmidons didn't have much trouble rolling up the Q'in spearmen once the one on the end of the line routed. On the other hand, on my left, I lost a Heavy Spear in two rounds of combat to a light horse (this was the hubris!) and Scotty's chariots made pretty easy going of my Heavy Spear (which I thought would have held on better.) In the centre, my Medium Spear and Bowmen held off Scotty's Medium Spear and Crossbowmen and he broke before I did.

What did I learn?

I'm running included Ordinary generals which meant that while I mostly had enough pips to do what I want, I slowed right down with some bad dice and couldn't patch as many gaps or take advantage where it was in the offing. I'm also going to have a good play around with the structure as I'm not sure I'm super happy about how I've put the list together. I think there's a better command structure for the Mycenaean list in particular.  

We re-racked for a second game and I swapped out for the regular Mycenaeans. It went....badly. Very badly. I lost pretty much all my strike capacity in one round of combat - turns out Light Chariot fighting Heavy Chariot is fine unless all you roll is 1s and all Scotty does is roll more than 1s! This was why I started thinking about new ways to run this list in particular as I spent half the game trying to get out of my own road!

Next Time

 Finished Sheridans and a bit of a gallery of the Panzerschreck army I think, especially as I should have the decals on the flying saucers by then too!