Today we had a battle using Boudica's army against the army of Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, but rather than fight the battle of Watling Street, we fought in an open battle.
We randomised who was playing who, and I for a change got to be the Ancient Britons, along with Lawrence, While Phil, and a new member of our club, Paul, got the Perfidious Romans!
The Romans got to be defenders, so deployed first, but it gives the defenders a much better chance to get charges in, we find.
The table at game start
I took the British right, facing Phil, I had 4 Warband units, 2 units of Javelinmen, and some light Cavalry.
In the centre, Lawrence had Boudica, the Chariots and 8 units of Warband
Supporting these 2 units of Horde (The families!) and a unit of Slingers.
Facing me, Phil had his legionary Slingers, Auxilia and some Legionaries, supported by the Roman Equites cavalry.
The rest of the Roman line intermixed Auxilia and Legionarii.
The Roman machine...
...The British swarm.
The happy players, Paul (waving) and Phil, Lawrence pretending he wasn't there???!
My Movement die was awful in the first move so got put in my Dice Jail...!
(Sorry its Blurry) I finally got my Light troops moving toward the wood.
The centre of the British line advanced slowly.
Lawrence put his slingers into the wood on that side of the table.
The Romans sent their own Slingers forward to engage me.
My Light Cavalry went into the edge of the wood, my Light Infantry, failed second moves again (!) but I got one unit into the wood.
Lawrence sent his slingers forward to harass the Auxilia there.
On my wing a unit of Equites moved close to my Javelinmen who had driven the Roman Slingers away.
The British centre advanced in echelon.
My wing held back.
The Roman cavalry threw javelins at my light troops but failed to hit.
The Javelinmen moved backwards then wheeled round just out of range. My other Javelinmen damaged the Roman Slingers!
Phil charged a Legionary unit against 2 of Lawrence's Warbands, and absolutely minced them, only taking 1 Stamina loss for the destruction of 1 Warband, and damaging the other!
In the centre another Legionary unit (with Paulinus) won their battle with a Warband.
On our left, Lawrence got 2 Warbands to charge a unit of Auxilia and of Legionarii.
The first battle ended quickly, the Legion suffered 1 damage, but the Warband was destroyed!
To the right of the Chariots, a Warband was pushing back an Auxilia unit.
However, the units next door were smashed.
The Warband which had been winning in the centre also broke.
All over the British were losing.
The Romans held fast and did not pursue, I guess they wanted their Javelins back!
On my flank, I had a Warband in trouble too.
Chariots always look cool, at least to me!
Another Warband broke on our left, they had cut through to the Horde!
Paul! Not while I am taking pictures!!!
The Families fought like warriors and held the Legionarii!!!
My battered unit on the right rolled really well for once, and held the Legionarii!
Boudica charged and rescued the Hero from the previously destroyed unit.
Lawrence lost another Warband!
...as did I, the heroes from my phase (sigh)
Seeing the end was nigh, I charged 2 units of Warband, and a Javelin unit into the flank of an Auxilia unit.
The Romans were surrounding Boudica!
The Legion started pushing back the Horde!
My attack failed, we almost destroyed the Auxilia, but my fresh Warband failed to destroy the weakened Legionarii.
Phil moved his Equites Alares to support his infantry, so I raced my Light Cavalry to outflank them.
On our left the Family Horde was cut down.
Phil judiciously used a 'With me' to ensure his cavalry could charge my Light Cavalry, who failed to evade, of course!
His other Equites came to rescue the Auxilia and rode down my flanking Javelinmen.
My other Warband actually broke a Legionary unit!
The Chariots Boudica was leading were destroyed.
The last of the Warbands in the centre were broken too.
The British were looking pretty thin on the ground...
Boudica was last seen fighting bravely in a sea of Romans!
My wing was more or less intact.
But we were at -4 Reputation and the Romans +12!
Despite getting trashed, It was still a fun game!
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