Age of Arthur WAB Day. Game One

And so the day finally dawned - WAB day in Peterborough!
I collected Steve and then we headed over to James' for a bacon butty (and to collect James) before heading down the mighty A1 to Peterborough (past the drive through Sex Shop south of Grantham which engendered a short and diverting chat about Yorkies and Rampant Rabbits)
Along the way we discussed various topics including  wargaming projects (Crete, more Dark Ages) rules (WAB great, others not so much) the part played by Steve in the downfall of WAB and James' Hobby Nemesis.
Despite being almost blinded by the sun for most of the journey I managed to get us (and our soldiers) into the St Johns Ambulance hall where the Peterborough club has their home. We were greeted by Andy, Mike and the rest of the chaps and found our way into the hall.
And then went back downstairs again to get our first generous gift from the sponsors of the day Footsore Miniatures who gave every player a blister of soldiers (lovely Saxon characters) and a rather jolly metal shieldwall token.

Then on to the gaming! We were divided into factions and it was announced that in the free and fair elections I'd been pulled from the hat elected as King Ambrosius, rightful heir to the throne threatened by usurper Vortigern (boo!).
As a result I was to divvy up the scenarios between my men and lead them to glory. I wanted to work up a Powerpoint and set some challenging year on year targets for the team, but in the end just asked who fancied fighting what.

That over with I led Team Ambrosius back to the hall and discovered I was to face Vortigern himself in a battle to finish nearer an ancient Roman fishtank ornament temple.

Kim (Vortigern - booo!) also had a Late Roman army. Also made up of Footsore miniatures models. However he had some sneaky Saxon allies holding his right flank.
I went with a unit of milites on the left to counter the Saxons, hoping shieldwall and a Decurio would tip things in my favour and plumped the Commitatus unit closest to the temple.

 The battle line of Ambrosius

 Pedyt await their fate 

As we both had quite defensive armies things started quite cagily. I advanced and then formed shieldwall. My archers had a shot or two and began whittling the milites. And my slingers ran forward and winged an enemy slinger. The archers also grabbed themselves a mysterious and ancient Arthurian artifact - now all they had to do was hold on to it.

In return Kim's slingers pinged enough of my unit to make them run away. They were the last unit I'd finished painting and this was their first battle so inevitable, really. They never came back.

For the next turn or two Kim's army crept closer I stayed in shieldwall and arrows bounced off both sides. I did however push the Pedyt up in an attempt to drive off the annoying slingers.
At this point Kim advanced and placed a rather tempting flank that the Bishop decided to bash!

 In nomine Patris et Filli et...stick 'em lads!

I wasn't expecting too much of the move - they're only Pedyt but well, a flank's a flank.

 General in the flank! Thing be getting serious

The Pedyt duly chased off the milites and then crashed into another flank. At which point Vortigern himself got involved.

The battlelines all got a bit confused at this point (such is the way of WAB)

 Some of these men may be fleeing

The Saxons, finally had had enough, failed a warband test and charged.

 Right, lets dooo this!

Sadly for the Pedyt Vortigern's help had arrived and they were caught from behind.

 Oh dear

Face off

At this point I forgot to take any more pictures.
Which is perhaps just as well.
Over on my left the Saxons were chased off and cut down. However the inevitable death of my Pedyt had a disastrous effect on my battle line as the famous WAB "panic bomb" saw a unit of milites and a unit of archers both turn and flee, never to return!
Without the milites to support I was unable to take advantage of Vortigern's confusion in the centre and the game drew to a close with Kim having four or five units close to the temple to my two.
A minor defeat to start the event.

A good fun game with an interesting scenario - and one I had in the bag until panic in turn five completely flipped the table. But that's how WAB goes (and one of the reasons I love it).
Kim was fun to play against with a very jolly looking army - splendid start to the day.