480pts Early Imperial Roman Vs Mithradatic 25mm
A slightly unhistoric match up, but not too bad. Based on the resounding success of the Republican Roman in the last game, the Romans were back in a later incarnation to try and repeat the job and perpetuate the empire.
The lists were :-
Early Imperial Romans
FC Cavalry Armoured Light Spear Swordsmen x 2 @ 50 100
Legionaries Heavy foot B Drilled Armoured Impact foot Skilled Swordsmen x 4 @ 11 44
Legionaries Heavy foot B Drilled Armoured Impact foot Skilled Swordsmen x 4 @ 11 44
Legionaries Heavy foot B Drilled Armoured Impact foot Skilled Swordsmen x 4 @ 11 44
Legionaries Heavy foot B Drilled Armoured Impact foot Skilled Swordsmen x 4 @ 11 44
Legionaries Heavy foot B Drilled Armoured Impact foot Skilled Swordsmen x 4 @ 11 44
Auxiliary Medium Foot C Drilled Armoured Light Spear Swordsmen x 4 @ 7 28
Auxiliary Medium Foot C Drilled Armoured Light Spear Swordsmen x 4 @ 7 28
Auxiliary Medium Foot C Drilled Armoured Light Spear Swordsmen x 4 @ 7 28
Aux Cavalry Cavalry C Drilled Armoured Light spear Swordsmen x 4 @ 13 52
Numidians Light Horse C Undrilled unprotected Javelins Light Spear x 4 @ 6 24
480
Mithradatic
FC Cavalry Armoured Light Spear Swordsmen x 2 @ 50 100
Pontic Cavalry Cavalry B Undrilled Protected Light Spear Swordsmen x 4 @ 10 40
Pontic Light Horse Light Horse C Undrilled Unprotected Javelin Light Spear x 5 @ 4 20
Bosporans Cavalry B Imp-Undr Armoured Bow Lancer Swordsmen x 5 @ 15 75
Thureophoi Medium Foot C Drilled Protected Off.Spearmen Spearmen x 6 @ 7 42
Imitation Legion Heavy Foot C Drilled Protected Impact Foot Swordsmen x 8 @ 8 64
Javelinmen Medium Foot C Undrilled Protected Light Spear Light Spear x 6 @ 4 24
Javelinmen Medium Foot C Undrilled Protected Light Spear Light Spear x 6 @ 4 24
Archers Medium Foot C Undrilled Unprotected Bow x 6 @ 4 24
Archers Medium Foot C Undrilled Unprotected Bow x 6 @ 4 24
Archers Light Foot C Undrilled Unprotected Bow x 4 @ 4 16
Scythed Chariots Expendables C Undrilled ?? ??
First thing to note is that there were some errors in the army list costing. Maybe it a unfamiliarity thing, but working out the troop cost was a bit error prone...
Also, we wanted to give the expendables a go and there were some discussions on the profile, which is not listed. Anyway, the lists were pretty close. I thought it was good to present it warts and all.
Again we had 3.5 hours to play the game. We therefore missed ... scouting, order of marches, ambushes, flanks marches.
We depoyed in what we thought was a 'historical' manner.
Initial Deployment
Romans went first ...
Bound 1.
1. Impact Phase
None
2. Normal Movement Phase
The Roman army marched forward with a purpose. The legions marched at maximum speed toward the Pontic centre. The Auxiliaries moved to occupy the flanking terrain , while the outnumbered cavalry advanced, at least to 'threaten'
3. Shooting Phase
None
4. Melee Phase
None
5. Break Off Phase
None
6. Interbound Phase
None
Bound 2.
1. Impact Phase
None
2. Normal Movement Phase
The Pontic troops did seem to have quite a numeric advantage on the wings, so they advanced at full speed. The centre held, not wishing to trigger the impulsive Bosporans. The Scythed Chariots advanced to disrupt the lines
3. Shooting Phase
None
4. Melee Phase
None
5. Break Off Phase
None
6. Interbound Phase
None
Bound 3.
1. Impact Phase
None
2. Normal Movement Phase
The Roman infantry continued their advance. The Cavalry flank held, not wishing to get too close to what seemed a sea of cavalry and archers.
3. Shooting Phase
None
4. Melee Phase
None
5. Break Off Phase
None
6. Interbound Phase
None
Bound 4.
1. Impact Phase
None
2. Normal Movement Phase
The left flank wheeled trying to bring all the archers to bear on the Roman & Numidian cavalry. The light troops continued to contest the two areas of rough ground. The chariots continued forward
3. Shooting Phase
None
4. Melee Phase
None
5. Break Off Phase
None
6. Interbound Phase
None
Bound 5.
1. Impact Phase
None
2. Normal Movement Phase
The Legions advanced again, slowed due to proximity of the scythed chariots. The auxiliaries were now firmed ensconced in the bad going. The Mounted wing held firm
3. Shooting Phase
None
4. Melee Phase
None
5. Break Off Phase
None
6. Interbound Phase
None
Bound 6.
1. Impact Phase
None
2. Normal Movement Phase
The left flank re-organised into quite a solid formation to pressure the Roman mounted wing. The Thureophoroi moved to contest the Romans aux in the center. The expendables fell short just! On the right the mob of lights advanced.
3. Shooting Phase
The Pontic light archers opened the batting with a light shower of arrows on the Romans. Splitting fire at two armoured units of Romans was a little pointless. No chance to fail a death roll, or very little chance to inflict 1 in 3 to force a COH test.
4. Melee Phase
None
5. Break Off Phase
None
6. Interbound Phase
None
Bound 7.
1. Impact Phase
Two units of Romans charged the expendable chariots. There didn't seem to be a lot of point to hang around. There seemed to be no difference to who moved into contact factor wise. The dice were favourable to the pontics, who with a good throw of the dice, against a small Roman unit, followed up by an appalling DR & COH test, the Romans wavered. The Romans lost and element (suddenly 1 away from an autobreak!)
2. Normal Movement Phase
The Auxiliary on the Roman left advanced. The Pontic lights were pushed back to make room. The legion on the end of the line both did a 90 degree turn + expansion to try to box the Pontic light troops in. The Numidians wisely retired...
3. Shooting Phase
Again the Pontic light archers showered the Romans to no effect.
4. Melee Phase
The combat in the center continued, the Romans getting the upper hand, although it didn't matter as the expendables would be removed at the end of this phase. It was a draw when totally up, the Romans failed another DR on the other unit (d'oh). The Scythed chariots were removed. However, they had removed 1 element from each of the Roman legion in the center. Being small units they were now only 1 element from breaking. Not good - note to self - 4 element units brittle!
5. Break Off Phase
None
6. Interbound Phase
The general joined the wavering Roman legion to try to rally it.
Bound 8.
1. Impact Phase
The Peltasts in the centre crashed into the Roman Auxiliaries. Unit of 6 (offensice spearmen, spearmen) vs a unit of 4 (light spear, swordsmen). The Thureophoi had the edge being in 2 ranks and more men. I think that might have been a POA up too? Anyway it was a slight advantage. The Romans disrupted...
2. Normal Movement Phase
The left flank shuffled forward. The proximity of the enemy was slowing things down. The Bosporans lurched into life advancing with the imitation Legionaries. On the right flank, Pontic archers lined up a shot against the legion and javelin tried to worm their way around a flank.
3. Shooting Phase
Pontic arrows bounced of Lorica Segmenta - unsurprisingly.
4. Melee Phase
The ensuing melee in the centre continued to favour the greeks. The Romans now losing dice, also lose an element. 3 Elements remain, close to break.
5. Break Off Phase
None
6. Interbound Phase
Legion failed to rally in the centre.
Bound 9.
1. Impact Phase
The flanking Roman legions moved in on the flanks on the left and right. On the left it didn't go too well. The disrupted Aux lost, failed the death roll and lost another element. They then automatically broke (unable to rally). The legion to the flank charged in but was wholly uneffective. They were disordered because of the rough. The fact that only 1 element in contact meant that the number of dice thrown were low - even if the factors were in their favour. The Pelasts now were disrupted (we missed that they should have been disrupted by flank contact anyway !!)
One the opposite flank the auxiliaries to front happily removed light archers, while the legion struggled against the javelinmen in the flank. Even while the POA was ++ to the Romans, 2 dice each on 5's v 3's didn't seem that descisive. The javelinmen disrupted
2. Normal Movement Phase
The Numidians retired. The remaining legions pressed forward a best they could. The attack looked to be stalling
3. Shooting Phase
None
4. Melee Phase
On the left the Peltasts fought back, despite being ++ up the Romans failed to hit while the Peltasts scored a luck 1. The Romans failed to COH, and wavered.
On the opposite flank, the lights now wavered. The javelinmen passed their COH, so were OK
5. Break Off Phase
When the auxiliaries broke, the legion on their left had to test, already wavering they score average, but had a lot of negatives, wavering , enemy to flank etc. They broke!
6. Interbound Phase
Legion failed to rally in the centre.
Seemed a grim round for our Italian chums!
Bound 10.
1. Impact Phase
The Pontic bowmen thought they may chance their arm in close combat as shooting was to no avail. The legion's open flank a too tempting target! The Javelinmen working around the edge of the board, with their route now cut off, decided to charge and re-inforce the failing attack. Both of the above were ineffectual. The bowmen bounced (becoming disrupted) and the Javelinmen the same.
2. Normal Movement Phase
There was a general press forward on the left flank and centre as the Pontics sensed a breakthrough soon.
3. Shooting Phase
None
4. Melee Phase
The light archers then broke. Even in this uneven fight it had taken several bounds (didn't seem quite right). The fight on the very right hand flank filtered out but it was turning against the Pontics on this side.
5. Break Off Phase
None
6. Interbound Phase
Legion failed to rally in the centre.
Bound 11.
1. Impact Phase
The auxilary on the right flank, who had pushed back their oppenents and done a CMT to NOT follow on then charged again. The attack was good and caused the javelinmen to waver.
2. Normal Movement Phase
Numidians retired. The reserve legion moved into the center
3. Shooting Phase
None
4. Melee Phase
The continuing fight above when the Romans way and the Pontic javelinmen broke.
Next to them the legion and auxilliary fight surprisingly ended with the Roman lights being disrupted! That wasn't in the plan!
5. Break Off Phase
None
6. Interbound Phase
Legion failed to rallied in the centre - to disrupted - at last !! the Roman general was poised to rescue the legion that was currently fleeing past him!
When looking at the clock, our time was up. So, we went through the morale checks for the Pontics which they all passed.
Conclusion.
When we toted up the score the the Romans had lost 5, Mithradic 6 ... so a 7-5 result to Rome. Looking at the game I think it still could have gone either way. Both sides had bloody noses. The Pontics did have their Bosporans bearing down on the somewhat battered Roman center!
cheers
S
