ADLG - Game Report 243

Ptolemaic (43) vs Early Imperial Roman (85)

For a Thursday's veteran's wargaming opportunity at Entoyment, Kevin leapt at the chance to shout "Roma, Roma, Roma" and bring his Romans out again to battle my Ptolemaics on their revised. There is something deeply engaging about 28mm ADLG, especially when the Army is arrayed and deployed for battle. With my Army of Ptolemy.

Set against the might of Rome.

Back to the battle, after all one can only spend so much time admiring one's army, in which Rome won the initiative and decided to defend in the mountains. The threat presented by the Roman Equites advancing on our flank dictated that the Xystophoroi were redeployed to confront them. Meanwhile the Phalanx advanced to contact.

The Roman Equites decided that discretion was the better part of valour and withdrew to the centre. The Thracians advanced to engage the Auxilia, only for one of the two units to be destroyed on contact (the first of what we think were seven six-one results in combat during the game). 

However, the Numidian's advanced in support to even the odds. The Roman artillery was extremely effective causing a great deal of attrition on the pikes before they could even come into contact. They found their range early in the battle and made a significant difference.

From this point on the battle became one of the most fragmented engagements we had seen for classical armies. No longer did we have nice lines of infantry pushing against each other. Rather each of us punching holes in the opponent's line, which would then try and exploit. In the middle of this mayhem what one does not need is poor command and control, which was about to befall the Ptolemaic Cavalry Commander!

The Roman's have destroyed the Elite Pikes with its included General. However, the Pikes continue to fight on, even to the extent of seizing the opportunity to try and seize the Roman camp. And the Ptolemaic Cavalry stubbornly refuse to move.

However, despite their best efforts the Pikes heading for the enemy camp were destroyed by being charged in the rear; we will draw a veil over the plus eleven they accrued in the combat. By this point the results were swinging in the direction of the Romans. It might have been different if the Ptolemaic Cavalry had been able to be committed to battle. (Three consecutive command rolls of one for a competent general isn't going to go very far.)

Despite being flanked the Ptolemaic Cavalry General destroys his opponent in combat, but it is the last gasp for his army as the losses mount.

Outcome

A Roman victory by 17 to 24, and one in which we had over seven six-one combat results, and that doesn't include those that came up in the shooting!

Lessons Learnt

A poor Ptolemaic deployment meant that 29% of the army, imitation legionaries and cavalry, was unable to engage in support of the main attack.

I remain committed to using the Numidians as shock troops, however, perhaps Kevin's alternative orbat using mediocre elephants instead has merit.