Asterix and co?

 Today, we had a change of plans as Tony couldn't bring his figures, so I got out my Early Gauls out to fight an early Republican Roman army. Phil and Lawrence got the Gauls, and I had Tony commending the Romans.

We rolled for attacker and Rome was attacking again today.

Apologies, I forgot to take pics before the Roman first move!

Tony took our left and got his 2 units of Leves (lt Javelinmen) into the wood, supported by the Allied and Roman Cavalry.

Tony got his legions advancing (I failed 4 out of 5 second moves this turn so got left behind!)

Opposite me, the Gaesati mercenaries.

In the centre of the Gallic line, normal tribal troops.

(We had our Horse on the left as) the Gauls had their Cavalry, Chariots and Light Infantry on their right.

I had failed to get my Light Leves into the wood on our right, the Gaesati had no such problems.

The Gallic centre seemed happy to hang back.

The Gallic right wing expanded to their right.

On my wing, I had javelined a Gaesati unit with no effect, and then failed to evade with my Leves, when the Gaesati charged!  It was 7 against 7 dice, I lost! 

On Tony's flank he had fought a draw with his Allied Cavalry against their opposing Gallic Cavalry, so he threw in the Roman Horse which routed them.

I Charged in with my second Leve unit, and their Hero, but we still lost!

My first Leve unit broke and ran.

My other Leve unit retreated behind my Campanian allies.

Tony's Leves had fought a damaging draw, but his other unit was wiped out by the Gallic chariots.

The second Gallic cavalry unit charged the damaged Allied horse and broke them.

On my wing, 2 Gaesati units had engaged my Campanians and drove them from the wood.

On Tony's flank, the Allied Cavalry had been so badly beaten, the Roman horse had taken a stamina loss too! At least the Hastati in front were beating a Gallic warband!

The Principes next door to those Hastati were beaten by their Gallic enemy though.

I, too had charged my Legions in.

On Tony's wing, his last Leve unit broke and ran.

Tony charged the victorious Gallic warband, just as the Hastati broke their enemy.

Great roll, Tony!

1 Hit! - out of 15 dice!!

The Gallic Cavalry and Chariots charged and beat the Roman cavalry.

They turned to face the Triarii, where the Cavalry Hero had fled.

In the centre, Tony broke another Gallic Warband...

...but lost another Principes unit.

My Hastati broke their opponents, but elsewhere I was drawing or losing.

My Campanians broke, sweeping my last Leve unit away with them!

At the end of this turn, Tony was fending off flanking Gauls.

We had a hole in our centre!

My right wing had gone, even a unit of Hastati was being driven back by the Gaesati.

Our Rep was -8, the Gauls +9

I think the Gauls had been drinking Gatafix's Magic Potion!

Our dice were awful today!!!

Boudican revolt

 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. Amazingly, I got 3 hits from 3 shooting dice and damaged the Equites!!!

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!