ITC round 4: emotions and report

Italian Condotta (Piccola Armata) vs WOTR (Barbarossa)
It's fourth round of tournament.
Barbarossa team is 1st (199 points); Piccola Armata is 3rd (176 points).
If we score 62 points we are up.
We can play for victory. We waited for this moment.
And now… now it's that moment!
My friend Giorgio is just beside to me.
I say him: "do we wish to defend a 3rd/4th position?
Let's attack!"
After 3 victories and 9 draws it's time to risk.

I concentrate my attention on my opponent (WOTR) and on the battefield.
I have 2 Italian Kn commands (7 Kno + 2 Kns + Kns c.in c. and 3 Kno + Kns
subgen) and 24 Swiss ally Pks.
Juergen has 2 infantry commands (10 Bws + 6 Bds + 1 Bdo + Kno subgen each) and 1
mounted command (the King Kns with other 2 Kns and 6 Lho).
I hope to close the battlefield, leaving an open area 40/50 cm long.
In that gap, exploiting interpenetration rules, I can try to win.
But... Damn!
There is 1 big rough hill just on the centre and 2 woods flanking the RH.
There aren't chances for a frontal attack.
Bds supported by Bws will wait for me there… on the top of the RH.
I have to invent something…
I decide to deploy on the left of RH, leaving my weakest command (Kns subgen, 3
Kno –2 of them dismounted-, 4 Pso and 4 Hd) on the right, almost in front of RH.
Maybe Juergen will move in order to threaten my right wing.
He deploys first. All the army is on RH of course.
My Swiss ally is between the 2 Italian commands.
I need Pips, a lot of Pips, to turn right 24 Swiss Pks and 5 Bds and 5 Kn (3 of
them superior).
But at first I need he leaves that damned RH to threaten my right.
He moves and... he does!
Almighty Lord, WOTR is going to attack my weak left wing!
Maybe there is still 1 chance for Condotta.
It's my bound and... Swiss ally is unreliable!
Subgen rolls 1!
It's frustrating.
I pay 3 Pips to Swiss. They cannot betray me just now...
WOTR advances. 6 Lho are in front of my Hd.
I have to sacrifice them.
I need to gain time.
I roll dices again. Swiss ally scores 6. I can move! Yeah...
My army turns right.
In time of a few bounds my Hd are killed and our armies are facing each other.
In those 50 cm, from the border of my table edge to RH we have Kns vs Kns, Bds
vs Bds supported by Bws, Pks vs Bds supported by Bws, and Bds and Kn vs Bds
supported by Bws.
I charge everywhere and he countercharges too.
It's a terrible clash.
Juergen is looking for a victory too.
Both our armies are suffering.
We are close to time limit... and we are both close to break.
I reiceve bad news: Thomas defeated Giorgio. The other guys are drawing...
Tournament victory has gone.
But not the match.
The umpire calls the end, but Juergen discovers we still have 1 bound each more.
We have 3 dramatic extra minutes more each to finish the match.
This is the situation: my Swiss are disheartened, 1 WOTR infantry command is
disheartened too and the other one lost many ME.
Juergen attacks and he breaks my Swiss...
It's to me: I have chances to win the match, but not the tournament.
No matter: Condotta will charge everywhere for honour.
I do it.
First dices are good.
Now both WOTR infantry commands have lost 9ME on 27... and we have to roll dices
other 3 times...
But nothing.
Nothing to do. 8 penalty points to me, 6 for Juergen: final score is 11-14.
Glory to Barbarossa, honour to our small piedmontese army (Piccola Armata).
Thanks to Juergen and to my teammates Riccardo, Giorgio and Enzo.
And of course to all the other friends who took part to ITC.

Rgds

Luciano