ADLG - Game Report 191

Seleucid (42) vs Triumvirate Roman (83)

For the final game of the day I brought out my Seleucids to fight Robins Triumvirate Romans, an army I had fought before. So, this would be another test of the army design before Beachhead. Seleucus deployed with the elephant command on the left, cavalry on the right way, with a solid phalanx of infantry in the middle. The Scythed Chariot was on the right hoping to get into contact before Robin’s Bowman did “The Dirty” on them – again.

The chariot managed to avoid being killed by enemy bow fire. The enemy bow fire from their light troops was confined to engaging the Greek light cavalry. Behind them a line of Pikes are moving forward as fast as they can to engage the Roman Legionaries. On the right the Greek cavalry remained in support ready to exploit any opportunities for attack. It all depends, of course, on what the Roman Cavalry is trying to do in manoeuvring round from there right. The elephants and supporting Thracians are moving forward to bring the Roman Legionaries into contact.

The Greeks have finally persuaded the Roman legionaries to come out to fight against the Pikes. Behind them the Roman Cavalry is still trying to manoeuvre itself out of the position onto their left flank to face off against the Greek Cavalry. The elephant supported by the Thracians and Peltasts are continuing their advance and now supported by the Scythed Chariot. The Chariot managed to persuade the Roman Light Cavalry to evade contact.

All along the line contact has been made! The Elephants against the legionaries haven't done as well as one would wish. However the Scythed Chariot has inflicted losses on the Roman Legionary unit facing it! In the centre one of the Pike blocks has managed to penetrate the line and it is now able to come into contact with the Legionary flank. In the centre there is a heavy contact between the Pikes and the Legionaries, with honours broadly even. The Greek Cavalry is still waiting for the Roman Cavalry.

The Roman Cavalry is getting closer but not close enough. However, to their flank their Legionary colleagues have managed to destroy a Pike block and have lapped out and trying to push the line forward. While on the right of these Legionaries the Greek pike blocks are manoeuvring to bring pressure on the enemy centre. On the Greek left the Roman Legionaries are continuing to advance after destroying the Thracian Peltast and one of the elephants. The remaining Peltast and the remaining elephant are continuing their advance into the enemy position.

We have finally made contact with the Roman Cavalry and after the wait we seem to have the upper hand in the combat. In the centre the pike blocks have now realigned themselves to face off against the Roman Legionaries of the Roman right. The final elephant was destroyed by Roman Legionaries but now they've stopped because the Peltasts withdrew into terrain which the Roman Legionaries didn’t like.

The Roman Legionaries seem to have worked out how to attack, and have actually made some significant progress on the centre left against two of the pike blocks, both of which are hanging on for dear life. In the centre the Auxiliary Gaulish Cavalry have fixed in place two pike blocks. But on the right the Greek Cavalry are winning the fight against the Roman Cavalry, and may now be in a position to defeat them entirely.

Outcome

A Seleucid win by breaking the Romans on 21 and suffering 21 in return!

Lessons Learnt

In spite of the win I need to explore whether this Army design is fit for purpose.

ADLG - Game Report 190

Ostrogoth (95) vs Kushan (107)

For the second game of the day I decided to bring out the Ostrogoths. I had finished these very recently and they were ready for a try out before the Oxford one day event at the end of January. However, I'm not sure that Paul’s Kushans were the ideal opponent for the Ostrogoths in their first meeting. Nevertheless, my deployed with the infantry in centre and the cavalry out on the wings. Everyone was impetuous apart from the bowmen, the camp is fortified.

On the right flank. The cavalry successfully manoeuvred to avoid hitting the elephant directly in the face. Well, despite this good fortune, the cavalry didn't come off entirely scot free in the combat round. In the centre. Infantry have manoeuvred and split their line. With three units of heavy infantry and bowman facing the medium cavalry, while the remainder move to the left to support the left wing against the Kushan’s Cataphracts.

As one might have predicted, the heavy cavalry on the left did not do well against the Kushan Cataphracts. There are now lots of gaps where the Kushans simply blew my cavalry away. In the centre the Kushan Medium Cavalry have skillfully avoided the infantry and now advancing towards the rear of the remaining cavalry on the right wing.

Inevitably the Medium Cavalry attacked the Bowman and rolled straight through them leaving in the centre a gaping hole. On the left the Cataphracts are trying to mop up the remaining cavalry, and will be soon engaging the remaining infantry that was sent over to support them. On the right we're now down to 2 remaining cavalry units to face the Kushan horde they aren't going to survive long either.

Outcome

A Kushan win by 25 to 13.

Lessons Learnt

Not the ideal enemy to confront on the first outing.

The infantry line was relatively sound, but the flanks protected by the Bowmen were weak and unable to really support anyone.

The right wing attack against the enemy left was in principle a sound idea but perhaps could have been executed better.

ADLG - Game Report 189

Seleucid (42) vs Classical Indians (79)

Two weeks later we were all back for another day’s gaming at Entoyment as a post Christmas gift to ourselves. For the first game I decided to try a further refinement on the Beachhead theme by bringing the Seleucids out to play against Kevin’s Indians (which he would be using at Beachhead.) The orbat was subtly different from previously with a left flank with a mix of Cavalry and pikes, a centre of all pikes and an included General, and once again a right flank of Elephants and supports. However, I think the terrain was simpler and better suited for the army.

The Indians attached in echelon with their right leading and we responded in kind. The Chariot has made contact and has survived the initial contact.

On my left the leading Indian elephant has trampled the opposing pike block beneath its feet in one round of combat. Leaving the rest of the left looking fragile. In the centre we avoided the elephant in the first round of combat and after the chariots contact rolled over the enemy with a pike block. However, the remaining pikes are less than healthy. On the right I foolishly left the wounded lights behind and therefore failed to protect my elephant from bow fire on the way into the attack. On our far right there is an irritating Indian Cavalry unit waiting to pounce on our flank, irrespective of the potential benefits of the Peltasts trying to block the way.

The Greek cavalry are playing hard to get and refusing to charge the enemy, while the Pike block pursues in to the Indian centre. The central block of pikes is now at 50% with open flanks. On the right the Greek Elephants have dispersed the Indian light troops but this is unlikely to be of great value to the cause.

Greek casualties are mounting. As expected on the right the Indian Cavalry unit has made its presence felt and is now in a position to secure the demise of the remaining Greek Elephant.

Outcome

An Indian win by 10 to 23.

Lessons Learnt

The arguments for a different orbat are getting louder with each game. Research is needed.

I am not sure Javelinmen, despite their pretty shields, are worth it in penny packets: a lot of them might make a difference on a flank with rough terrain.

ADLG - Game Report 188

Ptolemaic (43) vs Kushans (107)

After a narrow loss to the Vikings, I brough out a trial for the Ptolemaic, in their potential fighting orbat (Order of Battle – for those not aux fait for the abbreviation) for Beachead in February against Paul’s Kushans. The theme for the competition is the “March of the Funnies” with an army that must have at least 2 camels, 2 elephants or 2 war wagons. Which all means for me that my Army must have elephants!

As is oft the case I rather messed the plan up and was caught between ideas and in the end fell between two stools (mixing my metaphors). I failed to anchor myself to the marsh on the left and protect the left flank, and over fixated on the two hills. Hence the early commitment of two Heavy cavalry to the flank of the pikes.

To aggravate the error, I then started to move the pikes en column of march to the left, and decided to vacate the hills which the elephant secured. In doing so I exposed the Peltasts with their Javelins to try and hold off the enemy cavalry. I rather do this to myself rather too often.

The pikes trundle slowly to the left, while the cavalry form in the centre. This only leaves some light cavalry to protect the left flank, if needed.

Eventually the pikes line up against the Kushan Cataphracts. The elephants have been committed in an uphill battle, where they are looking for support from the cavalry on their left. The Peltasts protecting their flan are supported by Greek Cavalry, and at least we have caused some small casualties.

One of my elephants has succumbed to its wounds, while the supporting troops and the rest of the right flank is a heartbeat away from crumbling.

The right has crumbled while the Cataphracts move in to attack, with a well-placed Kushan cavalry unit moving through the marsh to outflank the line of pikes.

Outcome

A significant loss to the Ptolemaic by 22 to only inflicting 11.

Lessons Learnt

Once again there was too much inviting terrain for me to decide to where to place my troops.

In retrospect this classical orbat, with troop types in specific commands, is what also causes tension when doing the plan; I didn’t have the right troops in any of the commands for any of the positions.