I have added a new page to the blog (FOG Archives) and will be adding another to house old GCC Content. The impending demise of the Yahoo Groups finds our community with a need for storage of old content before it is lost forever. I am starting with the US FOG Team Tournament content first and will add more as I have an opportunity.
The GCC Archive page has now been added with the 1st year of the Gulf Coast Monthly Newsletter uploaded.
The US FOG Team Tournament results for 2009 are now up on the FOG Archive Page.
The GCC Archive page now has the Gulf Coast Monthly Volume I uploaded.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Sunday, October 13, 2019
FOG 300 Parthians vs Later Pre-Islamic Bedouins circa 220 AD
The perfidy of the usurper Artabanus IV knows no bounds...he has induced the tent dwellers of the southern deserts to invade the lands of the empire and directly threaten the true King of Kings, Vologases VI. The vermin of the desert under their lord have pillaged the lands on the western side of the Euphrates, crossed the great river and are now marching on Babylon. The true King of Kings has marshaled his forces and has met the enemy in the land between the two rivers.
The Parthian List and host:
The Pre-Islamic Bedouin list and host:
The Pre-Islamic Bedouins (LPIB) won the initiative and opted for Steppe. The Parthians took a brush and a gentle hill while the LPIB took both opens. The brush and the gentle hill both ended up on the Parthian side of the board and both opens ended up on the LPIB side.
The Parthians deployed with the lance armed BW* cavalry on the front edge of the gentle hill, both cataphracts deployed in a single deep line in the center and the unprotected cavalry and light horse on the other end of the line in the brush. Vologases deployed with the green flagged cataphracts in front of his camp.
To complement winning the initiative, the LPIB moved first. The two light horse BGs on the LPIB right advanced 7" towards the brush. The light horse-cavalry group double moved to just outside of 5" of the Parthian cavalry on the hill (including a single base slide towards the top of the picture in their first move). The center group of lancers moved 5" straight towards the cataphracts. With no shooting to be had, in the Joint Action Phase the LPIB leader moved to the closet BG in the center and the LPIB first turn ended.
To start the Bedouin 2nd turn, charges were declared all across the front with the exception of the disrupted light horse. One Bedouin light horse passed a CMT to charge the unbroken Parthian cavalry in the brush. The Parthian light horse opted to stand as they were less than 7" from the table edge and expected to go off the table if they evaded. The Bedouin light horse managed 5 total hits to the 6 stand Parthian light horse and only one to the cavalry in the brush. The Parthian light horse only managed 3 hits total in return and the cavalry only did 1. The Parthian light horse lost a stand to the death roll and disrupted. In the center, the Parthian leader attached to the Green cataphracts to lead them in the fight. The two Bedouin lancer BGs facing the Red cataphracts managed 7 hits. The Red cataphracts gave back 1 hit and 4 hits to the two BGs facing it. The Red cataphracts managed to lose two bases and disrupted in the impact. The Bedouin BG taking 4 hits also lost a base and disrupted as well. The Green cataphracts scored 4 hits and 2 hits against its opponents and took 7 in return. It lost a base but passed cohesion as Vologases did the "duck and weave" to survive the impact. The Bedouin BG in the direct center lost a base in the impact. At the top of the field, the Bedouin cavalry and the Parthian bow*/lance cavalry both managed only a single hit for a draw. In the maneuver phase, the disrupted Bedouin light horse at the top of the field, turned 90 and advanced 4.5" in a wheel. As everyone else was in combat, there was no more maneuver and no shooting. In the melee phase, the Parthian light horse managed 0 hits and took 1 in return while the Parthian cavalry in the brush gave 2 hits and took 1 hit. The Parthian light horse survived its death roll but dropped to fragmented on cohesion. The Parthian cavalry's opponent in the brush lost a base to the death roll and disrupted. In the center, the Red cataphracts scored 1 hit to each BG it was facing and took 1 from each for a draw. The Green cataphracts however scored 2 hits to the disrupted BG to its front and 1 to the BG with the Bedouin general (who was not fighting). The Bedouins managed only 2 from the one with the general in return. The disrupted Bedouin in the center lost a base on the death roll dropping it to 50% and casting it to outbreak. Both Bedouin BGs beside it survived their cohesion check for seeing a friend break. The Parthian bow*/lancer cavalry scored only 2 hits and took 4 in return. It followed up this performance with losing a base and then disrupting. The broken Bedouin BG routed 5" and then was picked up at the end of the Joint Action Phase.
To start the Parthian 2nd turn, there were no charges to be had so in maneuver, the Green cataphracts shifted a base to cover the overlapping Bedouins. There was no shooting so into melee the turn proceeded. The Parthian light horse again scored no hits while taking 2 in return but managed to roll out of the death roll and cohesion test. The Parthian cavalry in the brush managed only 1 hit and took 1 in return for a draw. In the center, the Red cataphracts scored 1 hit to the BG on their left and 0 to the one on their right. The left BG managed 0 hits in return while the right did 2. The losing Bedouin BG lost a base to the death roll and then dropped to disrupted on cohesion. The Red cataphracts survived the death roll but dropped to fragmented on cohesion. The Green cataphracts scored 2 hits to its opponent and took one in return. The Bedouins lost a base on the death roll but survived cohesion. The Parthian bow*/lance cavalry continued their dreadful performance and lost 3 hits to 2. Even though they survived the death roll, they failed the cohesion test to drop to fragmented. The Bedouin leader moved in the Joint Action Phase to the BG on the right of the Red cataphracts and attempted to bolster but failed.
To start the Bedouin 3rd turn the disrupted light horse attempted a CMT to charge the fragmented Parthian bow*/lancers but failed and settled for moving forward 5"and turning 90 to be on the Bus flank. Again there was no shooting so into melee the turn proceeded. The Parthian light horse managed 1 hit total and took 2 in return bit somehow managed to pass both the death roll and the cohesion test. The Parthian cavalry in the brush swapped 1 hit for 1 hit to end in a draw. In the center, the fragmented Red cataphracts only had 1 dice and opted to through it against the BG with the Bedouin leader. 1 hit was scored by both sides in this melee ending in a draw. The Green cataphracts managed 2 hits to 1 in its round causing the Bedouins to its front to disrupt. The Parthian bow*/lance cavalry scored 2 hits to 3 and subsequently broke on cohesion routing off the table. Their Bedouin opponents pursued 4". In the Joint Action Phase, the Bedouin general attempted to rally the BG he was with once again and failed a second time.
The Parthian 3rd turn started with both sides knowing that this would be the final round. With no charges, maneuver or shooting the turn moved straight into melee. The Parthian light horse managed only 1 hit and took 3 in return while the Parthian cavalry in the brush scored 1 hit and took none. The Parthian light horse passed its death roll but failed cohesion breaking. The Bedouin light horse in the brush took a total of two hits and passed its death roll but failed its cohesion dropping to fragmented. The Red cataphracts managed to hit with its only dice but took two in return. It passed its death roll but failed cohesion, dropping to broken. The Green cataphracts scored 3 hits and took 1 from its opponent who passed its death roll and dropped to fragmented. With the end of the melee round, both sides stepped back to count their losses and the Parthians come out on the negative side.
The Parthian List and host:
The Pre-Islamic Bedouin list and host:
The Pre-Islamic Bedouins (LPIB) won the initiative and opted for Steppe. The Parthians took a brush and a gentle hill while the LPIB took both opens. The brush and the gentle hill both ended up on the Parthian side of the board and both opens ended up on the LPIB side.
The Parthians deployed with the lance armed BW* cavalry on the front edge of the gentle hill, both cataphracts deployed in a single deep line in the center and the unprotected cavalry and light horse on the other end of the line in the brush. Vologases deployed with the green flagged cataphracts in front of his camp.
The LPIBs deployed with one light horse and one cavalry BG opposite the Parthian lance armed cavalry, 4 BGs of cavalry in the center and 2 light horse opposite the brush. The LPIB leader started with the force opposite the hill.
To complement winning the initiative, the LPIB moved first. The two light horse BGs on the LPIB right advanced 7" towards the brush. The light horse-cavalry group double moved to just outside of 5" of the Parthian cavalry on the hill (including a single base slide towards the top of the picture in their first move). The center group of lancers moved 5" straight towards the cataphracts. With no shooting to be had, in the Joint Action Phase the LPIB leader moved to the closet BG in the center and the LPIB first turn ended.
For the Parthian 1st turn, the light horse/cavalry grouping in the brush moved to within 3" of the Bedouin light horse to their front. In retrospect, the cavalry should have moved as far forward as possible in an effort to get out of the brush. The bow*/lance armed cavalry on the hill moved to within 4" of the light horse opposite them at the top of the picture below. The cataphracts moved as a group 4" straight forward. In the shooting phase, the Parthians shooting out of the brush managed a few hits but to no effect while on the other end of the field, the bow*/lance cavalry disrupted the light horse opposite them.
To start the Bedouin 2nd turn, charges were declared all across the front with the exception of the disrupted light horse. One Bedouin light horse passed a CMT to charge the unbroken Parthian cavalry in the brush. The Parthian light horse opted to stand as they were less than 7" from the table edge and expected to go off the table if they evaded. The Bedouin light horse managed 5 total hits to the 6 stand Parthian light horse and only one to the cavalry in the brush. The Parthian light horse only managed 3 hits total in return and the cavalry only did 1. The Parthian light horse lost a stand to the death roll and disrupted. In the center, the Parthian leader attached to the Green cataphracts to lead them in the fight. The two Bedouin lancer BGs facing the Red cataphracts managed 7 hits. The Red cataphracts gave back 1 hit and 4 hits to the two BGs facing it. The Red cataphracts managed to lose two bases and disrupted in the impact. The Bedouin BG taking 4 hits also lost a base and disrupted as well. The Green cataphracts scored 4 hits and 2 hits against its opponents and took 7 in return. It lost a base but passed cohesion as Vologases did the "duck and weave" to survive the impact. The Bedouin BG in the direct center lost a base in the impact. At the top of the field, the Bedouin cavalry and the Parthian bow*/lance cavalry both managed only a single hit for a draw. In the maneuver phase, the disrupted Bedouin light horse at the top of the field, turned 90 and advanced 4.5" in a wheel. As everyone else was in combat, there was no more maneuver and no shooting. In the melee phase, the Parthian light horse managed 0 hits and took 1 in return while the Parthian cavalry in the brush gave 2 hits and took 1 hit. The Parthian light horse survived its death roll but dropped to fragmented on cohesion. The Parthian cavalry's opponent in the brush lost a base to the death roll and disrupted. In the center, the Red cataphracts scored 1 hit to each BG it was facing and took 1 from each for a draw. The Green cataphracts however scored 2 hits to the disrupted BG to its front and 1 to the BG with the Bedouin general (who was not fighting). The Bedouins managed only 2 from the one with the general in return. The disrupted Bedouin in the center lost a base on the death roll dropping it to 50% and casting it to outbreak. Both Bedouin BGs beside it survived their cohesion check for seeing a friend break. The Parthian bow*/lancer cavalry scored only 2 hits and took 4 in return. It followed up this performance with losing a base and then disrupting. The broken Bedouin BG routed 5" and then was picked up at the end of the Joint Action Phase.
To start the Parthian 2nd turn, there were no charges to be had so in maneuver, the Green cataphracts shifted a base to cover the overlapping Bedouins. There was no shooting so into melee the turn proceeded. The Parthian light horse again scored no hits while taking 2 in return but managed to roll out of the death roll and cohesion test. The Parthian cavalry in the brush managed only 1 hit and took 1 in return for a draw. In the center, the Red cataphracts scored 1 hit to the BG on their left and 0 to the one on their right. The left BG managed 0 hits in return while the right did 2. The losing Bedouin BG lost a base to the death roll and then dropped to disrupted on cohesion. The Red cataphracts survived the death roll but dropped to fragmented on cohesion. The Green cataphracts scored 2 hits to its opponent and took one in return. The Bedouins lost a base on the death roll but survived cohesion. The Parthian bow*/lance cavalry continued their dreadful performance and lost 3 hits to 2. Even though they survived the death roll, they failed the cohesion test to drop to fragmented. The Bedouin leader moved in the Joint Action Phase to the BG on the right of the Red cataphracts and attempted to bolster but failed.
To start the Bedouin 3rd turn the disrupted light horse attempted a CMT to charge the fragmented Parthian bow*/lancers but failed and settled for moving forward 5"and turning 90 to be on the Bus flank. Again there was no shooting so into melee the turn proceeded. The Parthian light horse managed 1 hit total and took 2 in return bit somehow managed to pass both the death roll and the cohesion test. The Parthian cavalry in the brush swapped 1 hit for 1 hit to end in a draw. In the center, the fragmented Red cataphracts only had 1 dice and opted to through it against the BG with the Bedouin leader. 1 hit was scored by both sides in this melee ending in a draw. The Green cataphracts managed 2 hits to 1 in its round causing the Bedouins to its front to disrupt. The Parthian bow*/lance cavalry scored 2 hits to 3 and subsequently broke on cohesion routing off the table. Their Bedouin opponents pursued 4". In the Joint Action Phase, the Bedouin general attempted to rally the BG he was with once again and failed a second time.
The Parthian 3rd turn started with both sides knowing that this would be the final round. With no charges, maneuver or shooting the turn moved straight into melee. The Parthian light horse managed only 1 hit and took 3 in return while the Parthian cavalry in the brush scored 1 hit and took none. The Parthian light horse passed its death roll but failed cohesion breaking. The Bedouin light horse in the brush took a total of two hits and passed its death roll but failed its cohesion dropping to fragmented. The Red cataphracts managed to hit with its only dice but took two in return. It passed its death roll but failed cohesion, dropping to broken. The Green cataphracts scored 3 hits and took 1 from its opponent who passed its death roll and dropped to fragmented. With the end of the melee round, both sides stepped back to count their losses and the Parthians come out on the negative side.
As his forces streamed from the field, Vologases vowed to get revenge on his perfidious brother, Artabanus the Snake...
Game note: The Later Pre-Islamic Bedouin Ally list maximum numbers were increased to allow for a 300 point to be fielded as the max that can be fielded under the current list is 202 points.
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Broken Rays of the Sun Inspirational Reading
Whenever I start a new project, I will grab everything I can find to provide more depth to my knowledge and give more flavor as well as to continue to inspire my zest for the period. To that end, I have put together a document of all of the background information I have been reading through for others who might be interested. I have made it into a Google Doc viewable by anyone with the link for ease of access. Follow the link below to check out the collection:
Broken Rays of the Sun Inspirational Reading
Broken Rays of the Sun Inspirational Reading
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