So Cancon is fast approaching. For those not in the know, Cancon is OZ's biggest wargaming/nerd thang. Its hosted in January of each year and many of us travel to the nation's capital to drink, catch up with people we haven't seen since last cancon, eat too much, stay up past midnight! My little group of 20 or so have hired a house for 10 of us, the others have scattered to hotel rooms claiming they want a little peace and quiet.... soft.
Oh, we also wargame. ADLG is my drug of choice. Last year I spent half the tournament (well, three out of seven games, am rounding up) fighting elephants. It was like the plains of Africa at Cancon. Massed elephants are not so common in my home town meta, so a mate and I decided to see how we held up vs the tank of the ancient age.
Foot list with some heavy cavalry impact to flank or act as strategic reserve. I don't mind this list. Though I do think there is a lot going on in the CnC's command, even for a brilliant general. I am unsure on stakes. They make the longbow unassailable to knights and cavalry, but allowing the enemy to always dismount. Fun fact, not everyone packs minatures for this occasion, so it may not burn you. I actually didn't know exactly what stakes did to elephants at this point. For the sake of my inability to spell these guys will be referred to as the "Bugs" (Burgundian Ordonnance).
Woooo hooooo! I get to run the elephants first! Eight Elite elephants! Even the medium foot supporting it is not awful. Impact and impetuous providing that crucial +1 in the first round. The generals are all included for two reasons. One to save nine points. Two, so you are never tempted to not use the general in combat. This list does not manoeuvre well. It needs to hit and hit hard.
I always like seeing not completed minatures a week out from a tournament. Really adds to the pressure of getting it all together.
The stakes are positioned behind the archers to remind both players that they could be deployed at any point
Five of the eight elephants. Glorious. I had never run a list like this before, I am actually not a fan of elephants, much prefer camels and longbows.
bloody plantation smack bang in the middle of the Elephants attack vector. I eschew the traditional medium sword - elephant - medium sword deployment and give all medium foot plantation clearing duty. Hold my breath, and roll for the allied command.... it wasn't a one and that's all that's important!
The elephants move forward.
The Bugs slip a little to the West. The elephant line is actually longer and the heavy cavalry doesn't want to fight the elephants head on.
Elephants move forward. Medium foot breaks off in the West to stop the light cavalry getting round the flank. Elephant in the East wheels to face off against Bug hevy cavalry.
And here my inexperience with elephants come into play. Light foot can ZoC elephants in the open. So the Elephant in the East is ZoC'd to its rear AND takes a javelin in the butt! What makes this so galling is if I had wheeled the elephant a smidgeon further the elephant could have ZoC'd the light and stoped this! SO STOOPID!
Group of Bug lights try to mob the medium foot in the West. Despite being +2 up with furious charge and elite (light cavalry is impact elite with support. Medium foot is damaged so at 0) it losses and takes a hit.
I think I have disparaged elephant players for taking what is a 'simple' list. Line up and charge forward. I owe them an apology. Elephants are expensive, but in certain circumstance highly vulnerable. There is a skill to not exposing them to this vulnerabilities.
Eg don't let light troops flank them ya muppet!
Ha! But have not completely lost my L3ET SK1LLS (is that still a thing?) I use a light to block the other lights ZoC! Freeing the elephant who charges into the heavy cavalry. Good times! In the West I throw the other medium foot into the Light cavalry battle. He losses.
In the West.... in the West light cavalry continues to grind down the medium foot. Grrr. In the East the Bug Heavy cavalry wants nothing to do with this grey stamping mobile death tower (GSMDT). One withdraws from combat, the other tries to pick on a light which scampers away. There is now a bug heavy cavalry in the back line. Camp? Rearcharge elephants? Leave early and be home in time for supper?
The rest of the bug line drops stakes or covers a little.
Elephant CHARGE! Been waiting the whole game for this and it does not disappoint, as markers blossom behind the bug line. Two medium foot are held in reserve in the plantation incase anything decides to threaten the elephant flanks.
Here is how stakes work against elephants. They cancel impact and furious charge which is AWESOME. In the first round it is an even fight against the longbow (longbow + 1 in first round vs mounted), but really it is the removal of furious charge that really sings. Means the odds of the longbow simply evaporating on contact are one in 36. Must think on this.
In the East the Bug heavily cavalry routs. In the West... well in the West the light cavalry are not dead, but the medium foot are moments from rooting.
The elephant light troops can get into this position due to there being a slightly greater than one UD game between bug commands.
Bugs turn. Light cavalry win the war in the West, but the rest of the Bug line takes some hits and there flank is turned.
The Bug heavy cavalry in the East is barrelling towards the rear of the elephant, will it get there in time?
Go you great GSMTDs!
In the West the elephant commander pulls a Stalin. Just cause you have lost all your troops in one battle, no reason to not send in more. Two light infantry attempt, unsuccessfully, to flank charge a Bug light cavalry. I mean the charge was successful, the outcome of the combat not so much. In the East an elephant turns to protect his Generals exposed flank. Of course his flank is being protected by a medium foot one off breaking... who is facing down undamaged supported pike... this will be fine.
Bugs need to make some hey. They start with a bonfire and marshmallow party at the elephants camp. In the West the bloody Bugs light cavalry claim their third scalp for the match. The Bugs pike chew through the medium foot whose routing puts a hit on the light foot behind. however is not all Bug town. Two out of three Bug generals die this round! Both included generals have moved on. In the far East is 16 points of Elite GSMTD that has done nothing for turns.... well done elephant General....
It the elephants turn. Quick death count shows that if the elephants move a light foot to sack the camp they win... so they do!
Go GSMTDs!
My take aways.
Light infantry can ZoC elephants in the open.
You can never risk a missile shot at an elephant, just don't allow it to happen.
Elephants take a while to turn around.
Elephants must pursue
Elephants don't have to make a full charge move to chase evaders.
Stakes ROCK v elephants.
Elephants are a hammer, but still need some coddling before you throw them threw the enemies window.
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