ADLG - Game Report 205

Seleucid (42) vs Early Imperial Roman (85)

It was time to gather at Entoyment for another Saturday round-robin meeting of the local ADLG chapter, including new friends to the mix (more converts from MEG). My first game of the day was the opportunity to bring out the 28mm Seleucids to take on Kevin’s Romans. This would be a very different Seleucid army from that used at Beachhead by reducing to one Elephant and no scythed chariots which boosts my army count to 24 units! I was invited to defend in the plain where I deployed the elephant command on the right to go trampling in the cunningly angled field I deployed; would it provide any benefit to me the way that it does for Harry?

The Greek Peltast javelinmen in ambush in the plantation advanced out to protect the elephant’s flanks, while the main pike phalanxes advanced to contact. Already the Roman light infantry are posturing to defend the field and take on the elephant.

The field is acting as a magnet by drawing in more and more troops. For the Greeks successful ownership of the field would open up the Roman flank, and likewise for them it was the cornerstone of their defence.

One might say, “what field?” as there are so many troops contesting it. There are going to be some interesting cohesion alignments to negotiate once contact is joined; depending of course who initiates contact! In the centre the two lines continue to close. The Romans trying to get the benefit of their bolt shooters before contact.

The lines have still to contact, but in the field the elephants and the Thracians have made contact, but the Peltasts have melted away in contact with the Roman Auxilia.

Outside the Javelins have opted to stand against the wounded Roman cavalry. While in the field the Elephants have the better of the Auxilia, while the Thracians are now behind the Roman flank. On the left a pike phalanx is wheeling around to take the auxilia in the rear, while the emain pikes stand off against the Roman legionaries.

After4 over two hours of mortal combat the battle if finely balanced. On the right the elephant has been wounded and the Thracians were prevented from flanking the Roman line by light troops in the field. In the centre there continues to be a stand off, while on the Greek left the Roman auxilia have retired from the threat of the pikes.

Outcome

With the other gamers waiting for us to finish, we declared it a draw with the Greeks suffering 10 to the Roman 12 cohesion hits.

Lessons Learnt

A much better balanced army than that deployed for Beachhead!

We both agreed that this was worthy of a refight in the future.