Battle In the Spanish Hills (Year 2) (Feb. 28 Complete)

[Blathergut]

Well, we're up to year 2 of the struggle. Below is the Roman army on the march as it approaches the lucky/fateful battlefield.



The Romans may actually be up by about 30pts in this one (if I can convince the Roman general Kurtius to go along with one legion of less than stellar boys!).

Next, Sertorius and his army, preparing to give Pompey yet another surprise: the hill boys have been drilled Roman-style now!



(Hopefully a run through battle tomorrow (Sunday, Feb. 22). Will post more soon. Dan T.

[Blathergut]

1. Drilled MF Spanish were a world of difference from the large undrilled mobs. We saw 5 or 6 flank attacks, all by 4pak Spanish foot, because the small units could turn (and sometimes even move!!) whereas the large mobs rarely managed to turn in previous games.

The 4paks were very susceptible to bow fire, but Sertorious, being IC, saved them many times. They were brittle to combat losses, but this particular game saw the least amount of blood spilled of any game we'd played.

2. Small 4paks moving in column sped through difficult ground quite well. The columns were much more susceptible to bow fire however, needing to test when even 1 hit was scored on them.

3. The Roman HF as average...debatable. It did give them another 4pak of HF...but the average 8pak was the one that went down first. Perhaps if a general was permanent attached?

Hmmm...think that's all...will post pics and a report sometime soon (maybe by next weekend).

Definitely sold on the 4pak drilled MF!!!!!!

Dan T.

[Blathergut]

Here's the Roman Left/Spanish Right of the battlefield. More terrain ended up on this one than I think we've ever seen. Though most of the manouevering and fighting took place out of it. (Spanish skirmishers were glad it was behind them though as they were fleeing Roman horse and elephants!)

Roman Left Flank:



Spanish Right Flank:



Roman Right and Centre (Oooppsss...photo is labelled Roman Left but it IS the Right Flank!):



Spanish Left and Centre:



(Feb. 25) By turn 4 both armies have moved into positions where some charges may go in next turn. The Roman left sees the heavier Roman troops preparing to scatter the Spanish skirmishers (but the devils always seem to come back!). On the Roman right, the Roman skirmishers retreat in the face of greater numbers.






More to come as the week progresses! Ah, for the joys of summer when thoughts only need to go to frolicking on the battlefield. Dan T.

[Blathergut]

At about turn 7, on the Roman left flank:



And the other end of the battlefield:



A few turns later on the Roman Left:



Those flank manouevers would never have been possible with the mob version of the Spanish army.



The Roman left at about turn 12:



View from behind Spanish lines at the battle so far.



END GAME...Centre



And the Roman Right:

[deadtorius]

having played both sides with large spanish undrilled mobs the sudden mobility of the new spanish drilled 4 paks came as a real surprise. Not sure I like the average legionaries who cant deal out the damage or stand up to what the superior troops can. Learned a lot from this game that I took into the next game we played. Have to work on keeping those Roman flanks secure from the small paks of Spanish. I love bows, especially medium foot massed bows, too bad they are not more manouverable.