In the week leading up to De Bellis Columbus, old friend Eric Luczaj had e-mailed me to say he was desperately trying to finish his Hindu Indian army in time for Friday evening's Book III/IV Tourney. Well, it's a good thing he did! His Hindu Indian (Book III/10a) army came out gorgeous, and is featured on the opening page of the DBC report. Eric has really blossomed as a painter in the last year or so, turning out drop-dead gorgeous armies -- many times under deadline pressure like this!
Eric's trampling of the field in the tourney began with a matchp against John Lawitzke's East Frankish. "Yikes!" is likely what his knights had to say when they saw Eric's 3 elephant elements barreling down on them, and they were flattened, 6-0. Eric drew fiendish pleasure from his second round matchup as his Hindus Indians baffled and defeated his old buddy Tom Graves' Yuan Chinese, 6-1. And in the final round, he trumpeted his victory over another army of knights, John Loy's Italian Condotta, 6-0.
We decided to end the tournament after three rounds as most of the players were tired from 7 games of DBA over the course of the day (only Eric did not play in the Book I tourney...hmm, fresh legs?). And the next day featured the Big Battle DBA tournament, which promised to be another all-day affair. Despite driving up from Cincinnati for just this event, Eric was willing to "call it a wrap" and bask in his status as Book III/IV Champion.
Eric Luczaj's Hindu Indians prepare to close with John Lawitzke's East Frankish army...who are wondering exactly WHAT those big, nasty painted things are...
The most gorgeous army to take the field in the Book III/IV Tournament was also the most successful, as Eric's Hindu Indians trampled all comers, going 3-0.
Looking mildly bemused, Tom Graves's Yuan Chinese try a flanking manuever to take on the Hindu Indians. It would fail as the Chinese were unable to find a crack in the Hindu battleline.
Tom's Yuan Chinese had more success against John Loy's Italian Condotta army.
John sees his flanks being menaced by the steady approach of Tom's Yuan Chinese.
Talk about guts! Kim Young brought his Mongols to a knight-dominated later period tournament. Unfortunately, success did not favor the bold this time. Here he tries to encircle his second opponent, John Lawitzke's East Franks.
Bob Boggs was another one who had to figure out a way to beat the encircling tactics of Kim's Mongols. Here his Norman knights form a battleline to hope to drive back the Mongol horse column in the center.