Burton 2001

A game of two halves Brian (and about eighteen pints, some vodka, lots of fried food, and, of course , Red Bull...)

(all small pictures are thumbnails - clicking on them throws up a bigger, better version) 

Game 1 - we are fighting Phil "SOA" Steele and his partner.....with the almost de-rigueur Libyan Egyptians complete with a vast horde of Mighty Mighty Meshwesh.

Oh how happy I was, having being persuaded to take a Middle Assyrian army by Mick - despite my protestations that having an army that relied on supported ordinary auxilia and Bd (F) was not really such a good idea anymore now that Cv (S) are pants, and Knights are the new Rock and Roll, at least we weren't fighting any Knights in game one. OK, OK maybe 30+ Wb (S) and a load more Wb (F0 is not quite the matchup I wanted, but....

As our army set off at full tilt - well, almost - the Meshwesh reconsider ..... 

"...and you said you saw ships like this exactly WHERE in the British Museum ....?"

Luckily, the initial Libyan dice were poor, allowing us to throw our army across the table - well, avoiding the Meshwesh of course. Things got going on the right pretty soon, with the Assyrian navy (appearing here in special Halloween fancy dress courtesy of Citadel's Sea's of Blood gaming pieces) lurking menacingly offshore as the Assittyipabaruttipoo supported Auxilia got to grips with some Libyan Warband in the rough area outside the city walls

Over on the right flank, poor pips had kept  the Libyan chariotry almost nailed to the back of the table....... 

- here, in the near total darkness under the outside gallery of the hall,  the Assyrians wade in regardless, treating the checkerboard defensive tactics with contempt, and contacting all of them at once!

Whilst both wings were caving in, the Libyan center was still advancing remorselessly. The Assyrian bowmen, fresh from the painters, suddenly were in fear of their lives as the Egyptian Axemen advanced on them. 

.......Would victory be gained in time - or would their nice new paintjob be wasted ?

Well, luckily it was the former - the Libyan left collapsed, and with it, the resolve of the Hupshupsuhhurrami-abara Guard.  

They Fled!

As nightfall drew in (OK - as I took photos without enough flash) it all started to look poetically dark for the Libyans. The Assyrian noose closed around the Meshwesh's neck, it was time for their moment of doubt and faith.

Would they remain true to their name, and strike back at the Assyrians, poisoning their ,moment of glory with one last act of defiance? Or would they too fall like autumnal leaves to drift down the Nile to some far off paradise...?

Well, unfortunately we will never know - the army went down before they could fight, and they remained invincible....

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