1. Boudicca Refight

Ancient British vs Augustan Romans

2.  Pike vs Pilum

Augustan Romans vs Later Macedonians

25mm Gallic/Celtic Infantry from Newline Designs

Boudicca Refight

Thurlac is inspired by Time Commanders!

After receiving inspiration from Time Commanders, we placed an Ancient British army against an Augustan Roman on a 4'x3' table with a sloping hill flanked by woods at one narrow end and the rest of the terrain open and good. 

The Romans (with Laurence as Paulinus) set up on the hill with the cohorts to the front flanked by the Auxilia and a cohort in reserve. 

The Iceni (with Yours Truly wearing the moulded breastplate of the Queen) set up with slingers to the front, the warband behind and cavalry and chariots on the flanks. We naturally sent a flanking force round the left flank but it did not arrive until turn 5. 

The battle started with the cavalry trying to work their way through the wooded hills to get round the flanks.  In this they were not particularly successful.  The Auxilia moved to block them and it looked like stalemate. 

In the centre the Celts advanced until the slingers reached the bottom of the hill and let rip.  The effect on the Roman cohorts was negligible.  However, the Roman commander decided that this was the perfect chance to charge downhill into the Celtic skirmishers only to see them leap backwards and evade.  

This was the key mistake of the battle.  The cohorts were now clear of the Auxilia defending their flanks and the greater number of the Celts were able to tell as the warbands hit the sides as well as the front of the Romans.  

It was also at that point that the Celtic flanking force arrived and tied up the Auxilia on the left preventing them from intervening.  

Four cohorts including the Primum Pilum and the standard broke and ran:  the Roman was centre collapsing. 

On the Celtic left the flanking force had managed to force back the Auxilia and broken them as well.  Only on the right had the Auxilia managed to crush the Celts struggling through the woods. 

As evening drew on (my wife indicated that she would like the table back to serve dinner please) it was decided that the matter had been a clear Celtic victory but at least not a massacre. 

Paulinus recognised his main error had been coming down off the hill without ensuring his flanks were covered adequately. The Celts just felt lucky that their flanking force had arrived at the right time to stop the Romans from correcting their initial mistake.

Thurlac

"It's me old war wound, Centurion!"

Picture Courtesy of Wargames Journal

Pike vs Pilum

A pretty village dominated the centre of the table with a ford at the South end of the table and a vital supply road to the North in this tactical clash. 10 VPs were to be awarded to whomever held each of these key points by the end of the battle. 

The Romans (under Laurence) set up in classical formation with the cohorts going for the village and the Auxilia on the flanks to contest the ford and road. 

The Macedonians (under Tim) sent a flanking force consisting of all the Companions round on the left, two phalanxes plus a few hypaspists to contest the ford, the main phalanx to contest the village, while the light cavalry and skirmishers went over to fight for the road. 

The battle lasted 8 turns:  brought to a close by the arrival of dinner.

Although the Roman cavalry arrived first at the ford, they were driven off by the Hypaspists.  The arrival of the Companions in the Auxilia's rear led to their extermination and it was quite clear that the Macedonians had marked this as their key area. 

In the centre, the two foot units met in the village with much disorder.  The cohorts drove back the phalanx but it was a slow grind.  The Macedonian commander's (SubGeneral) presence served to bolster the pikemen's morale.  Slowly, though, they were driven back out of the village and it was felt that the Romans had at least partially secured it, and they were awarded 5VP. 

On the right, the Macedonians rapidly secured the road with their light cavalry but, oddly, failed to advance their skirmishers in support. The Roman Auxilia advanced and attacked firstly with their cavalry, which was overwhelmed by superior numbers, but then kept up the pressure with their Auxilia and archers.  The Greek cavalry broke and ran and the Greek light troops were several turns away so it was felt that the Romans had clearly held the North road. 

Casualties were roughly equal with the Roman Auxilia at the ford being balanced out by the loss of the Greek cavalry on the right. 

The battle was given in Laurence's favour by 5VP.  Tim realised his main error had been to leave his cavalry on their own without missile support from the lights.   He also felt that sending all of the Companions off on a flanking march was a bit of a waste when all they achieved was a flank attack into already pressured Auxilia by the ford.   Had they been in the centre on the North road it might have been a very different tale.   Laurence's Romans seemed fairly happy except for their Auxilia getting rolled up by the Companions but against that there seemed little prospect of success.   Indeed, Laurence decided to get on and take the objectives rather than worry about the arrival of the Heavies.  The imbalance between the phalanx and the cohort was noticeable.   The Macedonian classification as Av MI versus Roman Vet HI meant that they never really stood a chance of winning going forward.   However, had they had support from the Companions it might have turned the tide.

Thurlac