Tuesday 6 February 2018

Sparta v Argos (Re-Run Take III): The Sands of Time Start Slipping Through my Hands (Part 3)

The Argive General (aka me) can feel the sands of time slipping through his clenched fist. His problem? The Spartan right needs to be decisively defeated on this hill (apologies to scholars of ancient history, we got our lefts and rights mixed up on our deployment, so we are strong where we should be weak and weak where we should be strong, if you get my drift), but quickly. The Spartans can match us spear for spear as we expand but the Psilio in the rear is my "ace" card to play (see below, they are out of camera shot at the moment): 


On the Argive right things look grim as I could easily lose the isolated base of spears by being doubled (Spartans attack with 6 - Argives have 2)! As I am pinned the best I can hope for is to hold my ground and be flanked, the "door closed" and then rolled up (see below):


The "20,000 Foot General in the Sky" can see my Psilio scampering to position themselves in the rear of the Spartan Phalanx (see below, middle left. Alas my ingenious plans come unstuck as I roll a "1 PiP" (see below, middle bottom right). All I can do is expand by a base on my left and "hope for the best" with the combats I am forced to make via existing points of contact (see below, the circling whirlwind of rotating wings begins): 


The Argives only menace with a developing overlap and future rear attack but only provide a tickle to the Spartan salient of two bases (see below):


That pushes one spear back but leaves the other isolated but in a stand-off. These Spartans can expect help from their fellows next turn (see below):


Remarkably the Argive right-most spear wins and pushes the Spartans back, but this success rather weakens its future position ("Doomed" as Fazer from Dad's Army would say). The Spartans immediately to its right can "close the door" next turn (see below):


The Argives await the Spartan riposte!

Next: Go Tell it to the Spartans!