Triumvirs vs. Republicans

[mbsparta]

For something a little different we fought a Late Republican Roman Civil War game. Each army is given the same core of Generals and Legionaries. One side, the Republicans gots "eastern" flavored mercenaries/auxiliares while the Triumvirs got "western" flavored. Cassius and Brutus commanded the Republicans while Antony and Octavian lead the Triumvirs.

Republicans: Cassisus (FC) CinC; Brutus (TC); Corvinus (TC); 6x4 Superior Legionaries; 1x4 Thracian Heavy Cavalry; 1x4 Eastern Horse Archers; 1x8 Greek Javelinmen; 1x6 Thracian MF (Heavy Weapon).

Triumvirs: Antony (FC); Octavian (TC); Norbanus (TC); 6x4 Superior Legionaries; 1x4 Gallic Heavy Cavalry; 1x4 Numidian Light Cavalry; 1x6 Spanish Scutarii; 1x6 Cretan Archers

I was going to add in some special rules for the generals such as Octavian taking ill and resting in camp or a possible mid-game suicide for Cassius or Brutus but we decided against it before the game started. In the event it was a very close fought battle with the Triumvirs winning 10-9. In his closing remark, Cassius proclaimed; "We might have lost the battle but we won the war!". Both Antony and Octavian fell during the battle. I wonder who gets Cleopatra??

Fighting two similar armies posed a lot of interesting challanges. Deloyment and match-ups were even more critical than in a normal game. Use of generals in combat was decisive and deadly. We plan to replay the game next week and add in some of the special rules we left out in game 1.

If anyone is interested we fought the battle on a 6x4 table, 28mm figures, using 1"= 1 MU.

Mike B