Pikes don't Suck Video is Up

[Rod]

But might be a little tougher to play than Elite Foot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq8PvrYP0PU

[Rod]

I filmed the rest of the battle and it is now up youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K9Mwv-7x-0&t=107s

[Bill Hupp]

Worth watching! Well done.

Any tactical thoughts you'd like to make Rod?

I think the Romans could have used their 'man advantage' to get out to the right and mess up the pike block.

We have played Successor armies (Eumenes vs. Antigonus) at 48 points a bunch (I'm always up for civil wars) and the tactical issue seems to be whether to go wide or to go up the middle.

BTW, if you put the elephants (2 vs. 1 in that combat) on the wings, they never seem to make it back to the middle, although we did have one elephant break through and roll up of the line which was very cool.

Bill

[Rod]

Thanks Bill, I was hoping it was not too boring watching me play.

I frequently find these sort of matchups come down to the flanks, i.e. nobody has enough advantage in the center to really break through.

So frequently the flank battles will ultimately decide it. The Romans might have wanted to go wider initially with those heavy foot, but then they would not have been in a position to catch and stop the knight general from taking their camp?

The main point was to show that these two historical enemies make for a fun and challenging game. The point system gives enough balance to make this a decent match up and the flank support units are critical in a pike army.

[Bill Hupp]

To continue the tactical discussion, your breakthrough by the mac General presumes that there would be no Mac reaction to the Roman right flank maneuver I was suggesting. The Romans would not rush into the attack either, but draw the Pike on, while the flank attack pulled the line apart. Of course, if they got the command points.

Anyway, THIS is more dull to read than to replay! So, we will need to replay this with some historical battles.

Here is a good posting listing out the history of the legion vs. Pike battles.

http://www.ancientbattles.com/WAB_Succe ... Legion.htm

Bill