Ancient Battles! Celts vs Arabs

Warhammer Ancient Battles 1000 pts @ Plastic Legions HQ 8/28

(My Celt Warlord in Chariot and 3 Light Chariots, Full Command
now to paint them!)



My first actual game of Ancients was played last night between myself and Rich from Chicago Terrain Factory. Rich and I are planning on playing in the doubles tournament at Adepticon 09' so its about time we figure out how to play. Both are armies are close to assembled and he's at least started painting, I am still waiting on my bases from Litko (currently 22 days out!!!!) before I can finish building mine. I took some photos, but since we had a majority of unpainted stuff and I was using dice to proxy guys I was short- I figured it made more sense to use some basic diagrams. Deployment was simple with minimal terrain. Rich won 1st turn. Above is the basic setup,# of models units are in ( ). Rich's units with out numbers are 20 strong each.




Turn 1- Both our infantries marched forward while the Arab horse arches swept around my flank. my right most unit of Warriors turned to face them while my Chariots headed straight for his Heavy Cav. My Warlord in his chariot moved and turn to charge his unit of archers all by his lonesome. on the left side My skirmishers and a unit of Arab archers faced off, I took a few causalties this turn from shooting but nothng major. The biggest problem was his Naffatun, inside his archer unit, these lone models shoot fire projectiles that cause Terror!!!



Turn 2- Celt leadership in skirmish formation is very low, (5) needless to one of my unit of Skirmishers flee after failing the terror check as soon as they get a look at that high tech fire gun. The other "fires and flees" while being charged by the religous volunteers. My largest block of warriors charge his Spearmen with his BSB, and the combat is locked. My other unit of Warrior with my Druid (who causes Fear) Charge his other unit of Spearmen and the Druid causes them to run away as they are outnumbered. My Chariots get charged by the Heavy Cavalry and dont do so well, one is destroyed and the other two break, this causes my Warlord to make a panic check and he flees as well. The horse archers fire at my warriors and turn retreat, so my warriors on the right side turn to face the oncoming heavy cav. Not going so well for the Celts.



Turn 3- One unit of my skirmishers and two chariots flee right off the table. My other unit of Skirmishers that fire and fled, fails its chance to rally and keeps running. My Warlord Rallies and it set up to join the fight with Warriors who successfully charges the heavy cavalry. (Diagram is bit off here), my Warriors fight the heavy cavalry and the combat is a draw. The other combat with the spearmen is a draw. The fleeing unit of Spearmen rally and the Horse Archers set up for a rear charge in the soon to be combat between my Warriors, Warlord and the Arab Heavy Cav



Turn 4- My Warlord joins the fray and his Chariot smashes into the Heavy Cavalry, They flee
and escape with both my Warlord and Warriors in pursuit. The Horse Archers charge and catch my Warlord in the rear, while my warriors escape continuing to follow the heavy cav. My Skirmishers all ran of the table, I am taking alot more losses from shooting with any units to counters. The block of warriors that had drawn 2 rounds of combat with the arab BSB and his Spearmen finally breaks and is Cut down. My BSB had join the unit with my Druid and I was all set to charge the Religious Volunteers, but seeing my largest unit cut down right in front of me caused my Druids unit to make a panic check and they fail! damn! I am in hot water now. My Warlord is rear charged my best unit is fleeing and my other unit is chasing Cavalry on foot and I am surrounded by archers, not good.




Turn 5- My Warlord hangs in there cutting down some horse archers, losing combat but holding firm, and unit of archers lines up to flank charge. the Arab Heavy Cav Rallies and turns my unit of Warriors pursuing moves ahead hoping to charge next turn. My unit with my Druid and BSB rally and reform to avoid direct charges from the surrounding Arab units.


( Diagrams kind of overlap last couple turns, but you should get the idea!)

Turn 6- The Arab heavy Cav moves and positions itself for my warriors to charge, Archers charge my Warlord in the Flank and between the Archers and Horse Archers, My Warlord falls in close combat. I take shooting causalites in my BSB/ Druid Unit, the Arabs restrain and don't charge me. I try to charge the only unit I can see, but am sort, My Warrior facing off with the Heavy Cav charge as well and are just short. Game over.


Results- Rich had about 500 in kills plus 2 banners, and a table quarter plus 100 points for killing my Warlord, I had about 150 in Kills and 1 banner, the Arabs win by 650 points and in a 1000 point game. that my friends is a massacre!. I learned alot in the match, Pyschology is huge in a game without a magic phase..Terror from the Naffatun is brutal and in WAB the odds of people like Skirmishers rallying is just luck..I shouldn't have fire and fled and leaving my Warlord alone and not putting him the unit with Chariots was a bad idea.. plus my BSB should have been a unit of 30 Warriors from the get go just for the combat res. Anyway while rules are basically 5th Ed WFB the game plays differently enough from current WFB that you really need to think about it. Every unit is pretty well balanced so things like 2 ranks of spears have alot of impact where I thought my 30 rabid Celt warriors would bust right thru.. well with only 6 attacks, hitting and wounding on "4"'s a bad roll and you will lose combat res...to 10 spear attacks more times than not. Anyway live and learn we'll get the hang of it...I think thou this is going to be a good team army, Arabs and Celts!...Who have thunk! .. Thanks Rich!