Somewhere in Attica, 86BC

Mithridatics vs Augustan Romans

Background

The Mithridatic forces of Archelaus had been forced back towards Athens in an earlier battle, but they were far from beaten. With over 100,000 troops on the move around Greece it was only a matter of time before they were all concentrated against Sulla. To keep the pressure on the Romans operating in unfriendly territory with few supplies, Archelaus sought to bring them to battle wherever they were found hoping to keep them on edge and hopefully wear them down. 

The Mithridatic forces came across a Roman force of two legions foraging away from the main body of Sullas' army. The scouts from both armies skirmished as the remaining forces came up... 

The Armies and the Field

The Romans had 4 commands 2 of 5 legionary bases including a 1st Cohort and a skirmisher base each (Rhodian slingers and some local Greek scum with javelins) plus a light cavalry command with one base of Numidians.  The heavy cavalry had a base of Equites and a base of Gallic MC. 

The Mithridatic forces had a heavy cavalry base of Pontic nobles, Rhoxolanii and Armenian cataphracts.  Their light cavalry featured two bases of javelin armed Cappadocians and a base of Skythian horse archers.  The infantry were divided into two brigades each featuring a scythed chariot and archers.  The heavy brigade had the Brazen Shields, two bases of slave phalangites and some unwilling Galatians.  The light brigade featured two bases of thureophoroi (peltasts), Thracians with rhomphaia, and Bastarnae with falx. 

The battlefield was fairly open in the centre with woods either side mainly closer to the Romans and a ridgeline extending from the centre of the Mithridatic deployment zone on an angle into the centre of the field.  

Initial Deployment

The Romans deployed their bases fairly conservatively with all six bases spread across the centre half of the baseline.  The Mithridatics on the other hand had deployed two bases in the open directly across from the Roman right flank bases, two behind the centre ridgeline and two outside the line of the Romans left flank. 

Early in the battle the Romans only spotted three of six Mithridatic bases (peltast brigade, light cavalry and a false leader) whereas all the Roman bases were spotted in the first turn.  Consequently the Romans were in two minds as to where the main Mithridatic forces were located.  Were the two bases on and behind the centre ridgeline the heavy infantry brigade, the heavy cavalry brigade, or both? 

In turns two and three the Romans realised they had deployed the Legions too close together and consequently the next two turns were spent just trying to sort the mess out.  A bright spot though was that all the enemy bases were spotted and it was with some surprise that it was revealed the centre bases were the heavy cavalry and a false leader.  The heavy infantry were deployed in the diagonally opposite corner!  This would, their General thought, give the Romans plenty of time to re-deploy. 

The Battle

In turn four, the heavy cavalry came together as the Romans attempted to give their Legions time to manoeuvre.  The skirmishers moved forward to engage the Mithridatic light horse and the Numidians raced around the right-hand woods to get into a better position to engage the Mithridatic lights.  The Mithridatic heavy cavalry only managed to get the Armenian cataphracts into combat and they had the worst of the combat with the Gallic cavalry though they managed to hold for at least another round. 

The shooting of the Skythian horse archers was totally ineffectual whilst the Rhodian slingers managed to hit one of the Cappadocian LC bases. 

Turn five arrived with the Armenians losing to the Gallic cavalry and routing with one strength point left straight through the Rhoxolanii nobles.   At this point the Mithridatic heavy cavalry decided to retire to the top of the ridgeline and await the arrival of the infantry brigades who were approaching, rapidly preceded by both scythed chariots and the archers. 

The Roman cavalry who now had a base badly mauled and down to strength six decided that the best course was to consolidate while the Legions moved forward.  Unfortunately the Mithridatic LC didn't want to play ball and after chasing away the skirmishers sat in front of the Legio precluding any forward movement.  The Numidians moved around to face one of the Cappadocian LC bases, which had turned to face them, but combat would still be a turn away. 

Turn 6 arrived and so did the scythed chariots and archers, now within range of the Roman cavalry. The Mithridatic infantry continued to plod towards the combat in the centre.  The Mithridatic LC pulled back from in front of the Legions with now two Cappadocian bases facing the Numidians who managed to charge the first Cappadocian base that also declared a charge with both Leaders joining in.  The ensuing combat saw the Cappadocian base damaged but able to hold on but now the other Cappadocian base was on the flank of the Numidians.  The Heavy cavalry charged each other, the Roman general feeling that it was now or never and as his Roman Equites were the most powerful base on the field he may be able to remove the Mithridatics biggest advantage. 

Unfortunately the damage the Gallic cavalry had suffered earlier now left them at a huge disadvantage against the Rhoxolanii who rode over them as though they weren't there.  The Equites fared better inflicting heavy casualties on the Pontic nobles but the lack of Roman troops close by meant the Nobles stayed to fight.  Turn six was the turning point as the Numidians routed their opposite numbers then were charged in the flank by the other base of Cappadocians and destroyed them utterly. 

The Equites won their combat against the Nobles, forcing them to rout, but were also charged in the flank by a scythed chariot as well as the Rhoxolanii.  This ruined their day entirely as they were swept away by the heavy chariots.  This left the Romans without any mounted support.  The following turns saw the Romans slowly surrounded by cavalry as they tried to use the woods as an anchor for their right flank.  The light cavalry ducked around that flank and saw off the skirmishers while the heavy cavalry moved off to the left flank to await the arrival of the infantry. The archers moved forward and peppered the heavily armoured legionaries with arrows only managing to inflict a single casualty. 

The scythed chariots then did what scythed chariots are meant to do and charged headlong into the Romans inflicting a few casualties but ultimately being routed.  In the following turns the Mithridatic infantry arrived and formed up out of charge range of the now surrounded legionaries.  Because of the cavalry, several legion bases were facing left and towards the rear so their numerical advantage over the Mithridatic infantry was nullified.  

Over the last two turns of the game the Mithridatic heavy cavalry engaged the Romans facing them with the Rhoxolanii inflicting huge losses on the cohorts opposite them, while the nobles needed a supporting charge into the flank of their enemy by Cappadocian light cvaalry to win though with only two strength left.  

On the last turn the Rhoxolanii destroyed their opponents while the Nobles were removed but their opponents were down to less then half strength and contacted to the flank.  The last turn also saw the Mithridatic infantry charge while the Rhoxolanii also charged a damaged Roman base (scythed chariots) in the flank while it was contacted frontally by the Brazen shields. The end result was that several Mithridatic bases were damaged badly and would probably be destroyed next turn.  The Romans lost two bases and almost all were damaged. The difference was that the next turn would see Mithridatic bases charging into flanks or rear and two infantry bases bracing other bases. 

With five bases gone already and the prospect of more in the following turn the Romans surrendered!

Notes

I have played quite a few games of VB and more lately and have yet to lose or even have damaged any leaders! Mind you one did roll three sixes and a 5 in turn one!