Battle of Immae, 272 AD using Ancient Battlelines Clash

Introduction

This is game 70 in play testing my ancient rules by replaying historical battles.  I started by using my own rules Ancients Battlelines Clash (ABC) but recently using a similar set of my rules, When Warriors Collide (WWC).  I recently updated ABC with some learnings from WWC, so back to using ABC! I have also gone (back) to a 10x10 grid this time.  I was considering a grid again and then after playing Dominion of the Spear I then creating 3x3 grid rules for them.  I realised I could replace my movement rules in ABC with those in the 3x3 rules.  The new ABC rules are similar to the old ones but movement is more flexible.   I am play testing rules by replaying all the Peter Sides scenarios from his Historical Battles books, and some others I find along the way.  ABC is designed to finish in around 30 minutes on a 2’x2’ or smaller table; I am currently using a 40cmx40cm table.

Battle of Immae, 272 AD

Aurelian's veteran legions reconquest of Palmyra from Queen Zenobia's mixed forces.

Scenario source: Bill Banks Ancients.

Link(s):

World History: https://www.worldhistory.org/Battle_of_Immae/

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Immae

Troops

Romans (Aurelian)

2 LDR, 2 HC, 2 LC, 2 HI, 2 MI, 1 LI.

Breakpoint: 3

Palmyra (Zenobia)

1 LDR, 2 KN, 2 LC, 3 LI, 2 LA.

Breakpoint: 4.5

Scenario

Map: Open.

Special rules: Palmyrene KN have missile capability and their LC are camels.

Deployment

Romans (Aurelian):

LC HC MI HI* HI MI HC* LC.  1 LI in front of the HI

Palmyra (Zenobia):

LC KN LA LI LI LI LA KN* LC

Deployment (Romans on the left)

Game

Only the Roman left flank manages to advance.

Palmyrenes advance the flanks only.  Their centre is no match for Roman centre so will delay as long as possible.

Palmyrenes advance the flanks

Romans advance.  The general charges the Cataphracts but they shoot and the generals charge fails.  The Camels shoot the opposing Light Cavalry and the Light Cavalry are destroyed.

The Palmyrene right flank is not going well for the Romans

The Camels advance and manage to destroy the leader.  This is not going well at all for the Romans.

Roman leader dies at the hand of the camels

And then the Heavy Cavalry on the other flanks mandatory charges the Cataphracts and also is routed.  The Romans have lost all their Heavy Cavalry already.

Roman right flank Heavy Cavalry charges the Cataphracts

The Roman battleline advances.  The Auxilia charge the Cataphracts, they shoot but fail to stop the charge.  The Auxilia is routed in the ensuing melee.

Roman battleline advances

Both Palmyrene Cataphracts fail to move, Palmyrene left flank Camels fires at the light cavalry and disorders the Roman cavalry  Further missiles exchange sees the Roman LC rout.

Roman battle line advance, except for a legion that engages the left flank Cataphracts and the Legion is disordered.

Roman battleline continues to advance, Legion engaging the cataphracts

In the next melee, the Cataphracts routs the Romans.  Enough of the Romans have been destroyed that the Palmyrenes have won!

Endgame

Verdict

A very quick game (as designed).  The Romans roll appallingly than the Palmyrenes rolled really well. The Romans lost 6 units compared on one Palmyrenes, and the latter is was a light infantry unit.  Does go to show the difference in luck. In a game with a few units and fast combat resolution, this has occurred in the past and did so for this game. I did expect the Roman flanks to hold a little longer for the Romans in the centre to engage and rout  the opposing missile units.  But it was not to be.  Liking the new rules - these are still mostly ABC but with generous movement rules, stripped back a little from previous rules and a slightly faster combat resolution.  Liking the grid (again!).

WW2 20mm battle report British Vs Germans 1944 using my own rules

Introduction

I play a game with my 20mm WW2 forces – Late war British Vs Germans – on a 4’x5’ table.

Background

In the last few months, I have had 4 games using One Hour Skirmish Wargames with 2 people a side.  I do like the rules but they are not as fast as mine 😊 The half a table tennis is still setup from a previous game so I just repurposed the table and figures for a solo game using my own rules.  These are the same rules I used for the half a dozen or so games on the 2’x2’ board from last year.  These rules are fairly similar to my WW2 Advance to cover but close combat uses the same mechanics as ranged fire.  One day I will write them up - currently a one page QRS.

Scenario

A British Recce company needs to make its way through a German occupied town in late 1944 and take the church to facilitate opening up the road.

Battlefield

Forces

Each figure represents about 3-5 soldiers (so around 6-10 figures for a platoon).

1:1 for vehicles and crew served weapons.

In this game, platoons are around 6 figures.

British

1 Company HQ of 3 figures

3 Platoons of 6 figures each

2 Cromwells

1 81mm mortar

German

1 Company HQ or two figures

2 Platoons on 6 figures each

2 MMGs

2 Panzerschreck teams

Deployment

The German MMGs are situated on the two flanking hills.  While a bit of a forward deployment, hopefully they can inflict enough casualties to slow the British down as they advance through the wheatfields.

One platoon is deployed to defend approaches the bridge and any approaches via their right flank. The other platoon defends the left flank approaches to the church as also a possible counterattack into the church.

The Company HQ is in the church.

The British will advance to the house before the bridge and also on their left flank.  The left flank offers better protection than via the right.  The house will be used as a base to advance across the bridge.  The Cromwells will deploy on each flank and then hopefully set them on each hill to support the infantry advance across the bridge and into the village.

Game

British 1st and 2^nd  platoon advance.

The British 1st platoon is shot at by the MMGs.  Only one casualty (average would have been 2).

British view after advance of 1^st and 2^nd platoon

The 2^nd  platoon get one casualty from the machine guns .

The Cromwells come on the battlefield but don’t spot the MMGs as the latter are concealed, even though they fired.  The 1st platoon race up to hide behind the building

1st platoon find cover behind the central building

The second platoon continue to advance to cover.

Second platoon managed to get behind the hedge

The second platoon fail to spot the MMG and cannot even fire in the general direction as the platoon has moved

The first platoon move into the building, manage to spot an MMG on the hill and fire, but do not hit them at all.

1st platoon firing at the MMG

The second platoon fire at the MMG as they managed to spot it.  They destroy the MMG (very lucky dice).  The British third platoon enters.

Overview, 3rd Platoon in foreground

MMG manages to destroy another figure in the building (first platoon). The first platoon fires back and reduces the MMG to one crew.  Again the MMG removes another soldier in the first platoon. The platoon have to do a morale check that they fail and have to retreat (6”) and are suppressed.

First Platoon retreats

Cromwells fire on the MMG but for no effect. Another turn and another firing of HE and the Cromwells take out the MMG. The Third Platoon move up to the house formerly occupied by the first platoon.  The Company HQ also enters and advances towards the building.

The company HQ arrives

There is a general advance for the British and also the first platoon recover from suppression.

3rd Platoon move out of the house to hide behind the wall near the bridge (apologies for the sun!)

Second platoon makes it to the hill on their left flank

The Cromwells take up position on each Hill.

The British are ready for the assault - either third Platoon across the bridge or second Platoon dashes down the hill across the Ford to the left of the bridge.  Third platoon will try the bridge.  They enter the bridge but fails to spot and the German infantry nearby and so the British have nothing to shoot at.

3rd Platoon advancing over the bridge (German view)

The Germans are distracted and this enables the British on the bridge to continue to move. They advance straight to the building with the German first platoon and a melee ensues.

Melee in the building

The Germans have the better position being in cover and not moving.  They manage to inflict three casualties on the British.  The British only inflict one on the Germans. The British pullback and are suppressed.

Retreat to the bridge

To add insult to injury the Germans fire at the British at the retreat and score another casualty. The British platoon check the morale again and the platoon decided to retreat back to their own lines (left the battle).

The Cromwells fire on the building and between the two of them manage to score another German casualty.

The British Major manages to call the 81mm mortar onto the German occupied building and scores two casualties.  The Germans pass their morale check.

Second platoon race down the hill to occupy the building

Second platoon race down the hill to occupy the building.  The British platoon now manage to spot the Germans behind the wall and fire for no effect. The Germans return fire that is also ineffectual.

British facing off to Germans

The Germans get off some more fire and score one casualty on the British.  The British return this fire to wipe out the Germans (wow excellent dice!). The remaining British platoon decided to cross the bridge.

Crossing the bridge

On the other side of the bridge is the Panzerschreck team but the British don't see it.

The Panzerschreck team fire at the running British soldiers, misses; the British soldiers return fire and destroy the team.

Panzerschreck firing at the soldiers on the bridge

The British have so few units left.  They will not be able to spot any Germans in the buildings until they get within 6” so the Germans will sit tight.  The British need to decide where to move next and if the Germans open fire then the Cromwells can blast them with HE.

The British on the bridge move forwards closer to the church. The Germans take a risk and the three figures in the opposite building fire on the moving British soldiers. Amazing dice roll and destroy all three British figures!

British soldiers under attack by the Germans

The Cromwells open up on the building but the first shots miss. They get another chance and destroy a figure and suppress the building.

The British soldiers in the building race across the street to get closer to the church

Racing close to the church

Germans unsuppress and fire on the British Platoon, score a casualty but the British platoon - even though at half figures - is still okay.  The British really have no choice for victory but to charge the church.  They do so - it is occupied by the commander and one other soldier and a melee occurs

Melee in the church (after the Brits have driven off the Germans)

The Germans fire first but fail to inflict any hits. The British then rout both of the enemy and occupy the church.

The remaining Germans fail morale and retire from the battlefield.

Remaining Germans

The British succeed!

Verdict

I was not sure how hard or easy this scenario would be.  The defending Germans had 2 MMGs and two platoons, compared to the attacking British 3 platoons and 2 Cromwells. And the handheld anti-tank weapons have a shorter range in these rules (6") compared to 18" in One Hour Skirmish Wargames.  The British are advancing across wheatfields but to offset that the Germans need to defend the town.  In the end it was very close.  About two-thirds through the game I did not think there was much chance of the British winning but they managed to win two major firefights (against the Germans behind the wall and then in the church).  So they were quite lucky.  Poorer dice in these two instances could have easily seen the British lose some more casualties and morale checks would have seen them retire from the battle.

It was a great game.  Never tire of getting out the 20mm WW2 figures on half or a full table tennis table.