Cancon 2014 - DBA Competition Day 1

I used to play a lot of DBA, both in competitions and campaigns and 2014 provided me with an opportunity to attend Cancon after a break of three years.  It was massive and fragmented as can be seen from this direction board:

The DBA competition was run over two days, with day one for armies from books I and II.  

Here are the twenty armies that were fielded for the first day's games:

I/02a Early Egyptian 3000-1640BC

I/22b New Kingdom Egyptian 1543-1069BC

I/26a Later Mycenaean Achaian 1250-1190BC

I/26b Later Mycenaean Trojan 1520-1190BC

I/53 Saitic Egyptian 664-335BC

II/03 Classical Indian 500BC-545AD

II/05b Later Hoplite Greek Athenian 450-275BC

II/05h Later Hoplite Greek Siciliot 450-235BC

II/07 Later Achaemenid Persian 420-329BC

II/09 Syracusan 410-210BC

II/11 Gallic 400-50BC

II/15 Alexandrian Imperial 328-320BC

II/15 Alexandrian Imperial 328-320BC

II/19a Seleucid 320-280BC

II/19c Seleucid 204-167BC

II/25 Bosporan 310-107BC and 46BC-375AD

II/26 Later Sarmatian 310BC-375AD

II/33 Polybian Roman 275-105BC

II/49 Marian Roman 105-25BC

II/79a Chinese Northern Dynasty 317-589AD

Day one saw my Alexandrian Imperials take the field.  Perhaps a bit hesitantly as I had only played two games during the past three years.

Game one against some Greeks (the Athenians I think) demonstrated the superiority of pike over spear.

My lads closing in.  General already committed!  Well, he is aggression level 4.

Victory!  Alexander breaks the line, the pikes beat spear.  Only downside was throwing a one with the companions on the left.  I killed five enemy for the one loss.

Game two against some classical Indians demonstrated my superior dice rolling.

The end.  My pikes finished killing the fourth enemy element for no loss on my side.

Game three against some late Chinese was a near run thing, but I was out generaled by David L, one of the master DBA players in Canberra.

My left has been pulling back, but I was very happy to get my pikes in.

My left has collapsed.  Pikes are doing well and one of my cavalry units pushed the enemy off the board, but oh dear, Alexander is in a tricky spot and throws a one ending the game.  I was down four elements, but had inflicted three losses on the enemy.

Game four against Seleucids saw a lot of terrain, but a very much split enemy force which failed to gather enough command resources to get their act together.  This left their brave general a bit exposed.

Dead enemy general, end of game.  He was in a tough spot, but a roll of one to my six didn't help.

Game five was a fiasco against some horrid Egyptians.  Trapped between a marsh and a forest my army was shot up and eventually surrounded coming to a very inglorious end.  No photos unfortunately.  While I did have some poor command rolls it is fair to say I was comprehensively out generalled, not surprising as the player went on to win the day and the competition.  However I did kill one element (on a good die roll).

Game six was the final game of the day and was against some old but nimble Greeks (Achaians).  It was a hard fought affair but victory again went to my superior dice rolling, although it took a good while to achieve victory.

Tough going.  I was down three elements, but my superior dice rolling combined with pikes versus spears, allowed me to get four kills on the enemy and victory,

Six great games against noble opponents.  I was the attacker in all six games.