Early Macedonian versus Late Samurai

This was my first game in the NWS Impetus League competition.  I was feeling confident having devised a new plan and army list based on having a smaller frontage protected by terrain and using the flexibility of Light Foot (my Peltasts and Thracians) to screen my main force before retiring to protect the flanks, which would also be protected by my cavalry.

My army as seen from the Japanese lines.  

As the supposed attacker the Japanese have adjust the terrain so two of the forests provide them with flank protection.

The game starts slowly as I decide to shuffle my skirmishers across to take on the enemy artillery.

Doh!  I should have looked at the factors before I started on this course of action.

The skirmishers on my right also shuffle to the centre.

The enemy artillery is protected by fortifications.

What are fortifications?

I do know the range and my skirmishers are keeping out of it until they are ready.

On my right I attempted to outflank, 

only to be surprised by the appearance of troops with shooting sticks.

Ready to advance now.

The omens are good.

My expert commander finds himself upgraded to charismatic

Hmmm, for the enemy as well...

They go from fair to expert.

The artillery first shot gets straight sixes!

My second in command decides he is having a bad day and gets rated down to poor.

I'm starting to learn about artillery.

Need to not advance in a column so must get the peltasts forward.

On the left, not such a surprise this time, but more enemy with shooting sticks.

The enemy artillery and men with shooting sticks take their toll.  

I discover the only chance I have against the artillery with my skirmishers 

is to get to point blank range.

I get impatient and charge the artillery with my peltasts. 

 There are samurai that are behind the guns that countercharge. 

 It doesn't end well for my guys.

On the right we are under fire.

Another enemy commander decides he is having a good day and gets uprated to Expert.

The previous turn I had tried to close quick and I'm now slowly coming out of the disorder.

At least the enemy artillery has been neutralised, 

however the samurai have now manned the fortifications.

Not to be out done the third enemy commander gets uprated.

I'm busy shifting troops to protect my right flank.

I've pulled what's left of my Thracians back, getting ready for the big push.

Left flank is also busy being protected.

Well, big push came to nought.

Time to concede.

My pike units, while they still have some fight in them, are uncoordinated with their flanks at risk.

The flank covering forces are also run down.

550 points gives a decent sized force but possibly a bit too much to handle with the time constraints of a club game.  From the time stamps on the photos we started at 7:19 and finished at 10:37.  It seemed longer.

I found I'd been doing javelin armed troops wrong.  If they make one move and fire there is no penalty, but if they make two moves and fire there is a -2 modifier the same as applies to any other troops.

I also found that attention needs to be paid placement of terrain pieces in the deployment areas as, with six pieces, only two can be so placed.