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Stuff we probably wouldn't now be getting our hands on

The Last Game couldn't come quickly enough. We still were in with a chance of a place - if we won convincingly. No clever strategy, no watching the other games, just 10-0 and crossed fingers that other results would go our way.

Our opponents were Jeavons & Hood, with an Armenian army with Byzantine allies - a wall of Sp (I) supported (erm, doh!), plus Kn (F) and Cv, with what turned out to be a massive block of Bw (X). 

In probably the most decisive dice roll of the game, it started raining.... and it never stopped! With a wave of terrain on our left, the Armenians deployed in the open right side of the table, with Byzantines on the flank, then 2 big spear blocks in the center - a fourth command was on a flank march. We did the usual charge across the table, but with our last command - (no 3) deployed on our left opposite nothing, they immediately formed column and marched over to the right in expectation of the flank march. 

On he far right our elephants were playing the Ryan Giggs role - overlapping and pushing forwards, hoping to get in devastating cross-fire (literally in the case of the El (X)) - and the Armenian and Byzantine mounted had no answer - soon the casualties were racking up.  

In the center, things looked good, with us managing to get all 6 Bd (F) deployed in a single line opposite the Sp (I) block - but when they charged in, it looked for a while like the dice wee deserting us again - they were driven back, and suffered casualties! 

Opposite the Byzantines, things looked better - until a screen of Psiloi charged through and started mixing it with the elephants and auxilia. Things looked dicey for quite a while, but with our cohones in our hands we toughed it out and eventually got in amongst them, and the Bw(X) started to fall. Istanbul or Constantinople - it's all a bit academic when an elephant is stomping on your head, eh? .

However a huge (mostly Hd (F)!!!) flak march had now arrived - on our left!!! The No3 Command went into partial reverse, and started casting out lone auxilia like overoptimistic caltrops to slow down rather than beat the 3 Armenian knights making a bee-line for our baggage. 

Suddenly the Blades had created a hole as well - and with three commands in play we exploited it in style - the Byzantines collapsed, creating even more flanks, and, with the Armenian flank march within sniffing distance of our baggage, a FZOD engineered by our blades, and executed by the Burmese CinC pushing back a "oops, why have my two supporting ranks turned round?" Sp (I), the game was won !!!

10-0... or 30-2  !!!

After a very sweaty palm moment watching Terry & Simon miss the chance to overhaul us in the last round of their game, we were back in the silverware!!! 2nd Place in the whole thing is a pretty hot achievement, but, as I drove back round the M25 I still couldn't help thinking about what could have been....

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The sound of history repeating....? Elephants close in on the Byzantine Bw(X)

decisive advantage personified