This Themed competition was based on the Punic Wars. Only certain lists and time periods were allowed and it was to be played on set terrain. I chose to take my Gauls and lent my Polybian Romans to another competitor. I felt that with the small table size that Wb(F) would be a disadvantage so opted for the all Wb(O) version of Gauls. . This is the list I took:

1 Irr Cv(O) C-in-C, 7 Irr Cv(O), 16 Irr Wb(O), 1 Irr Ps(S) - 24.5 ee

1 Irr Cv(O) Sub-general in Chariot, 6 Irr Cv(O) Chariots, 4 Irr Hd(O), 1 Irr Ps(O), 8 Baggage - 9.5 ee

1 Irr Cv(O) Ally-general, 1 Irr Cv(O), 16 Irr Wb(O), 1 Irr Ps(S) - 18.5 ee

1 Irr Cv(O) Ally-general, 1 Irr Cv(O), 16 Irr Wb(O), 1 Irr Ps(S) - 18.5 ee

Game One vs Alec McTurk - Gallic

Alec is classed as my Arch Nemesis under the Glicko ranking systems, and this was destined to be "hot Gaul on Gaul action" in the words of a bystander. My two allies were capable of changing sides in this Civil War encounter, and given my previous history with Allies (see the Celtic Championship report) I felt this was more than possible!!

We had drawn the preset table with woods on one side. Alec defended and opted to place me on the side with the woods, presumably because he felt I would have little room to deploy. However my cunning decision to take Wb(O) rather than Wb(F) meant my troops took up a lot less room with their 15mm base depths. I deployed from my right, C in C's command with the Wb in the wood, but capable of clearing in one move, then my Sub General with Chariots and then an Ally with his Wb in a one deep column down the edge of the wood. The second Ally was flank marching on my left.

I advanced with the cavalry commands supported by the C in C's Warband. The Cavalry kept Alec's Psiloi and Warband back in the rough, enabling my Ally Warband to attack on my left. The flank march arrived and put the pressure on his right flank. The fact that he was F and I was O saved my Warband on a couple of occasions and resulted in his dying on a couple of occasions, so the decision was justified. Eventually I took down his large C in C command and his Sub General on his left for a 110 to 0 victory under the Irish scoring system.

Game Two vs Dave Houston - Phyrric

A repeat game against Dave Houston, currently top of the Irish DBM rankings. We drew the set terrain which had the fortified built up area on it. I defended and chose to take the non BUA side of the table giving Dave the problem of the BUA. On deployment I placed the hordes and psiloi from the Sub General's command in the BUA. Then from my left the Sub General, one of the Allies and then the C in C. The second ally General was flank marching on the right flank.

Game Three vs Dave Taylor - Early Carthaginian

Time to play David Taylor, the second ranked player in Ireland, and his Early Carthaginian. The inital deployments weren't good, Dave's Kn Chariots facing my Warband!! He promptly accepted the invitation to ride me down and break one command. On my left my Sub-General worked his way past some rough going to get at allied Numidian Light Horse. For reasons I can't explain I decided to get him involved with fighting the Auxilia in the terrain !! He died, the command went down, this plus the loss of the ally and other losses meant I went down !!.

In my defence Dave T was very, very close to losing his army, and whoever won this game, won the competition !

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