Battle of Taurus 39BC using 8x8 modified Phalanx

 Introduction

This was going to be game 63 in testing my Ancient Battlelines Clash rules. I have been going through lots of design changes over the last few years with these rules and I think I have finally got to the stage where, after 10 years of enjoyment with them, they are not meeting my needs any more.  The main one is that I find I want to play ancients games without markers!  I think this is more of a “I like to set it up and play easily and markers get in the way” rather than not liking markers 😊.  I went back and looked at my ABC rules with markers and other rules.  After much vacillation, I played a few test games with Phil Sabin’s Phalanx and after reorganising the combat modifiers to be based on the defending unit I found them quite easy to use.   I deploy the units for battle rather than use the Phalanx deploy from camp, and use an 8x8 squared grid.  But still 90% Phalanx rules.

Why not DBA/DBM?  I find that I am not fond of recoils as a main combat result.  And recoils are a critical cog in the Dbx rules – without recoil you do not get command and control impacts, combat advantage/disadvantage, movement restrictions etc.

Note I am using my 15mm figures on an 8x8 grid with 43cmx43cm squares (squares just a bit larger thna the 40mm wide bases). 

Battle of Taurus aka Cilician Gates

The Parthians invade Syria alongside the Rebel Roman Labienus taking Asia Manor.  Antony sends Venudinus to stop them and takes up a defensive position on a hill as the Parthians, eager to attack, do not wait for Labienus forces to assist.

Troops

Roman

Romans - the light infantry on the flanks

3 HI (Heavy Infantry)

4 LI (Light Infantry)

1 MC (Medium Cavalry)

 

Parthian

Parthians.  Cataphracts at the rear

2 CAT (Cataphracts)

7 LC (Light Cavalry)

 

Scenario changes

Reduced the number of figures.

The Parthians must attack with their Light cavalry uphill on the first turn.

Deployment

Deployment - Parthians on the left, Romans on the right

The Parthians need to get 3 units onto a Roman LI unit to rout it due to them being uphill and in difficult terrain.   It will not be easy.  The Romans need to sit there and do local counter-attacks but not subject themselves to being surrounded.  And don’t leave the hill!

Phalanx is all about getting a certain number of units able to attack an enemy unit.  It is then routed.  3 units Vs infantry, Elephants and Chariots, 2 Vs everyone else.  There are situational modifiers tha my increase or decrease the number of attacking units required.   

Game

Parthians advance on both flanks 

Parthians advance

They contact the Roman light infantry and rout one on each side.

The Romans retaliate and rout two light cavalry units

Two light cavalry units following two Roman LI routed

The General Cataphract advances up the hill to assist in routing another Light infantry.

The General helps rout another Light infantry

The Romans keep getting one command roll and so their Cavalry barely moves.  They do manage to rout another rlight cavalry on their right flank.

Romans rout another unit on their right flank

The Parthians see an opening to take out a legionary unit.  Thy have got the numbers but roll a 1 meaning they need one more unit that they don’t have.  Unliucky!

Parthians attempt to rout a legionary unit

The Romans fnally manage to get there cavalry (with general) into the action and rout another unit. The Parthians have reached their breakpoint (4 units) but victory is decided by losses at the end of your own turn.

The Roman cavalry enters the fray

The Parthians destroy a legionary unit on their right flank.  The Parthians having reached their breakpoint flee.  The Romans have not suffered more units lost (both have lost 4) else the game would have continued unit one side had lost more than the other.

The Parthians destroy a legionary unit but it is not enough and they flee.

Checking losses gives the Romans a Narrow Victory.

Verdict

In Phalanx you can normally activate three groups of units, I have made it two due to less units.  On a roll of a 1 at the start of the turn you reduce the number of groups that can be activated by 1.  I rolled a lot of 1s for both sides in this game.

I also realised I missed some of the modifiers that would have helped the Romans and it should have been harder for the Parthian light cavalry to clear the light infantry from the hills.  Ah well; more games will get me more familiar with them.

The game did not last very long but was very interesting.  Not many dice rolls as the game is about concentration of force while minimising your own exposure.  There are nuances I had not realised until playing such as the victory conditions (checking at the end of your own turn gives a chance for a side to inflict more casualties and stay in the game).   I am liking them for a broad brush approach to large battles.  They are very chess-like and I think for solo I need more chaos.  I am creating some rules based loosely on Phalanx as I post :-)

Battle of Philippi 42BC using Ancients Battlelines Clash

Introduction

This is game 62 in play testing my ancient rules by replaying historical battles.  They are definitely a work in progress as I again vacillate between mechanisms.  These rules now require no markers, are based of a gridded version I did previously but the movement rules owe a lot to Phil Sabin’s Phalanx game.  Games are designed to be played solo on a 50cmx30cm table and finish in under 30 minutes.   Note the 50cmx30cm – I am playing on a 60cmx60cm.  The depth does not matter greatly as just deploying the opposing sides closer to one another.  They are still at their core Ancient Battlelines Clash so still calling them ABC version 6.

 

Interlude

I have been soul searching for a while on why I am actually using my own rules to play these games.  Originally it was to create some rules that were fast and solo friendly for a small table and chronologically playing historical battles was a good way to test them.  But more recently it is the reading of and the playing of the historical battle that if more important.  I still will be using my own rules as I want something fast and very solo friendly but these historical battles will be less about the testing of the rules (although they do get tested by playing the battle scenario) and more about actually playing the battle.  So I expect the rules will continue to change, they already have gone through three major rewrites anyway!

Between this battle (done back in April 2022) and this one in September I have played about a dozen games with my 6mm forces on a 12x12 gridded table. These are using a mashup of Phil Sabin’s Phalanx for movement and my older rules for the reactions and results. 

 

Post script

This is the last outing with a variation of my Ancient Battles Clash rules.  I have been tweaking them for 12 years and after several hundred games with them I have moved to my own rules based on Phil Sabin’s Phalanx for movement and 1d6 with some simple results for combat.  The next replay is with Phalanx and then after that is the mashup. 

 

Battle of Philippi 42BC

The last battle in the Wars of the Second Triumvirate between the forces of Mark Antony and Octavian.

 Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Philippi

 

Troops

Roman Second Triumvirate

Right Wing (Octavian)

3 HI, Legions

1 MC, Cavalry

1 Camp

1 Leader

  

Left wing (Antony)

5 HI, Legions

1 MC, Cavalry

1 leader

Breakpoint: 11

 

Roman Liberators

Left wing (Cassius)

4 HI, Legions

1 MC, Cavalry

1 Camp

1 Leader

 

 Right wing (Brutus)

4 HI, Legions

1 MC, Cavalry

1 Camp

1 Leader

 

Breakpoint: 11

 

 Scenario changes

Reduced the forces by about 80% and flipped the battle map (the Marsh on the left is now on the right).

 

Deployment

Deployment

Quite a different deployment to the usual battle.  There are two wings facing one another but also the flanking force of Antony’s (1 HI in my scenario on top of the hill on the left) is facing most of Cassius forces.

 

Game

Note: originally I had the narrative going back and forth between each flank.  As each flank was a distinct battle I have split the game report into Antony Vs Cassius and Octavian Vs Brutus.

Antony Vs Cassius

Antony (left) Vs Cassius (right). Antony's flanking force is on the hill

Antony advances and engages with Cassius forces on the defensive line but all locked in melee.

Antony and Cassius’s forces engage

Cassius rearguard forces advance up the hill and are locked in melee with Antony’s flank force.

Antony’s flank force is engaged by Cassius’s forces

Antony Vs Cassius sees Antony’s cavalry flank attack a legion that is destroyed, the cavalry pursue and being looting Cassius’s camp.

Cavalry helps destroy a legion and then loots the camp

Cassius routs Antony’s flanking force.

Antony flanking force is no more

The Antony holding force at the defense line is routed and some units loot the camp, others are going around.

Looting the camp

Octavian Vs Brutus

Octavian (left) Vs Brutus (right)

Octavian advances.  Brutus also advances legions only into Octavian’s legions, also now all locked in melee.  Did not charge the cavalry as that is a straight 1:1 and no advantage there, unlike the legions that is 4 legions to 3.

Brutus engages with Octavian’s legions

Octavian manages to rout an opposing legion

Routed a Brutus legion

Final moves

Antony manages to rout the cavalry unit and Octavian routs another legion.  This results in the combined Cassius and Brutus army reaching their breakpoint.

Antony routs Cassius’s cavalry

Octavian manages to rout another of Brutus’s legions

Rule changes

None.

 

Verdict

I should have done them as two distinct games on the same table as there is no interaction between the two combats.  It then could have had one side win while the other side loses.  Instead it was overall losses that saw the Liberators lose.  It was a very close game and could have gone either way.

 

This the last game played with Ancients Battlelines Clash.  They have been fun but I am have currently moved to 8x8 grids and a mashup of Phil Sabin and 1d6  combat.  So still playtesting via the Peter Sides’ scenarios, but with different rules!  They actually have similar results but less complex and still reflecting my view of ancient battles.

Battle of Munda 45BC using Ancients Battlelines Clash

Introduction

This is game 61 in play testing my ancient rules by replaying historical battles.  They are definitely a work in progress as I continue to vacillate between mechanisms.  At least for this game I used the same rules as game 59 and game60!  Games are designed to be played solo on a 60cmx60cm table and finish in under 30 minutes.  They are still at their core Ancient Battlelines Clash so are calling them ABC version 6.

This is the 2nd last game I played using rules loosely based on Ancients Battlelines Clash.  It is posted a year after I played it.

 

Battle of Munda 45BC

The final battle of Caesar against the Optimates takes place in Spain.

 Wikipedia entry:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Munda

 

Troops

Roman

Romans

4 HI (swords) elite

3 MC

2 LI

Breakpoint: 8

 

Latienus (Optimates)

Latienus’s troops

5 HI (swords)

2 MC poor

2 LI

Breakpoint: 8

 

Scenario changes

Reduced the number of units, and also added 2 Light infantry to Caesar’s side.

 

Deployment

Romans on the left, Latienus on the right

Game

The Caesarean side big chance is the left flank and equal chance in the centre.  Will advance the left flank and centre into attack.  They do this.  The Caesarean side generally comes off worse –Latienus’s forces have a first turn advantage of being uphill.

Clash in the centre (from the Optimates point of view)

The Caesarean left flank charge in.  Latienus’s LI routs, as does Latienus’s cavalry.

Caesarean left flank in combat

The Caesareans loses a legionary unit.  The left Caesarean cavalry charges a Latienus legion unit in the flank and it is destroyed.

Caesarean cavalry charges into the flank of the opposing battleline

Another two rounds of melee in the centre and the rebels are holding on, just.  But then they quickly lose two legionary units and their army flees the field.

End game

Rule changes

None!

 

Verdict

Another short game that was fun.  I am still toying with rules with no disorder markers and grids so will see whether I stick with these or the gridded rules. I do find they are similar to play and not hard to move from my own gridded rules to non-gridded rules, and vice versa.

Battle of Thapsus 46BC using Ancients Battlelines Clash

Introduction

This is game 60 in play testing my ancient rules by replaying historical battles.  They are definitely a work in progress as I continue to vacillate between mechanisms.  At least for this game I used the same rules as game 59!  Games are designed to be played solo on a 60cmx60cm table and finish in under 30 minutes.  They are still at their core Ancient Battlelines Clash so are calling them ABC version 6.

This is the 3rd last game I played using rules loosely based on Ancients Battlelines Clash.  It is posted a year after I played it.

 

Battle of Thapsus 46BC

In Tunisia, Caesar engages the remaining Optimates forces gathered against him.

Some internet links of interest:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Thapsus

https://prufrockian-gleanings.blogspot.com/2017/11/thapsus-refight.html

https://www.commandsandcolors.net/ancients/maps/78-caesars-civil-war-49-45-bc/352-318-thapsus-46-bc.html

Troops

Roman (Caesar)

Caesarean Romans

3 HI (swords) elite

4 HI (swords)

2 LI, elite (elite to represent anti-elephant tactics)

2 MC elite

1 Leader

Breakpoint: 12

 

Roman (Pompey)

Pompeian Romans

5 HI (swords)

5 HI (swords), poor

1 Medium infantry

2 LI

4 MC

2 LC

2 Elephants, poor

1 poor leader

Breakpoint: 20

 

Scenario changes

Reduced the number of units to fit into a 2’x2’ space.

 

Deployment

Deployment

Game

Caesar advances just the flanks.  The Pompeian right flank falls to move, the centre advances (best chance to win in the infantry clash) and the left flank enters into combat with the Caesar’s right flank

First blood on the Caesarean right flank

The Pompeian light infantry manage to disorder Caesar and his cavalry and then retire from the field.  The anti-elephant light infantry inflict a disorder on the elephant before being destroyed.  The Caesarean cohorts behind advance and rout the elephant that depletes the Pompeian cavalry behind them.

Caesarean left flank engages

On the left flank, Caesar’s units did not do as well – both sides Light infantry did nothing before routing, but the Caesarean cohorts did deplete the elephant.  In the next round of melee the elephant routs. The cohorts pursue straight into the Pompeian cavalry.  The Pompeian cavalry inflict 2 depletions on the cohorts (heavy infantry require 3 depletions before routing, most other units are 2)

Caesar’s flank cohorts pursue into the opposing cavalry but take a lot of damage

Back on Caesar’s right flank, Caesar and the cavalry and cohorts charge into the enemy cavalry. One Pompeian cavalry is routed.  This is the same on the Caesarean left flank (one Pompeian cavalry unit is routed.).  But in a later melee the Caesarean cavalry is routed.

Caesar’s left flank

Finally the Pompeian battleline clashes in the Caesarean one.  The Caesarean line has not moved on the assumption that they will not come away as well from the clash.  So they have waited for the Pompeian lines to engage.  Disorders here and there.

View of the main battleline from Caesar’s side

On the Caesarean right flank Caesar’s forces have defeated the opposition.

Caesarean right flank is now Caesar’s.

Overview

On Caesar’s left flank the Caesarean forces are overwhelmed and that flank belongs to Pompey.

It is now a race to see which flanking cavalry makes it first to the battleline to make a difference to the combats going on there.

The flank cavalry form each side race to the centre

Caesar makes it first.

Caesar in the rear of the Pompeian battleline

He routs one of them in contact (can only inflict damage on one unit per melee)

The Pompeians then get their chance to melee and roll really badly.  Pompey is wounded as his unit routs. 

The battered battleline

This is enough for the Pompeian side to reach their breakpoint and flee the field.  Caesar’s side was only one legion away from their breakpoint as well.  It was a close game!

End game

Rule changes

None.

 

Verdict

My rules have survived playing twice with no changes. I do enjoy them.  They are a little different but I like them.  Admittedly only two games but hey, it is keeping my interest!

I have been leaning on the last few years to try and minimise the units on the table.  This game had a lot of units, mainly as I could not see how to do the battle justice without deploying so many different units into the battlelines.  Looking ahead to the next few battles Thapsus seems to be an exception and I can get back to much smaller battles. 

Battle of Pharsalus 48BC using When Warriors Collide

 Introduction

This is game 59 in play testing my ancient rules by replaying historical battles.  I have gone back to free form movement on a 60cmx60cm table, compared to a 12x12 grid.  No other changes to the rules other than now using a ruler.  I don’t know whether I will go back to gridded for ancients or not.  Who knows?  This is the third time I have gone to gridded and back out again. (Spoiler: I did for Game 63 onwards)

Update: After the first melee, I changed the results table for melee and missile and added back in disorder (hits) and some reactive moves.  So it reintroduces some of my older mechanisms back in but the results table is cleaner (it looked more like DBA with each unit type having their own results – now it is a single table with limited unit types referenced.   I could not help myself but adding in reactions for solo play.

This is the 4th last game I played using rules loosely based on Ancients Battlelines Clash.  It is posted a year after I played it. 

Battle of Pharsalus

In the midst of the Roman civil war, the two opposing generals face off in Greece.

Troops

Roman (Caesar)

Caesarean Roman line

4 HI (swords) elite

1 HI (swords) (represents the cohorts with the cavalry on the right flank)

2 LI

1 MC elite

1 Elite Leader

1 leader

Breakpoint: 10

 

Roman (Pompey)

Pompeian Roman line

8 HI (swords)

2 LI

4 MC

1 poor leader

Breakpoint: 13

Scenario changes

Mainly reduced the number of bases to fit onto a small table.  I used a normal HI (swords) to represent the 3000 (or thereabouts) legionaries Caesar had placed with the cavalry.

 

Deployment

Deployment, Caesar on the left, Pompey on the right

Game

End of first move of both sides see them closing quickly.

The battlelines close in.

Caesar, the cohorts and his cavalry charge the light infantry and rout them.  They then pursue into the Pompeian cavalry.  A few depletions.

Caesar in melee with the opposing cavalry

Another round of melee sees a Pompeian cavalry routed, and the accompanying Caesarean light infantry retire.

The opposing Roman legions meet.  Caesar’s legions roll badly, but then so does Pompey’s and it evens out.  Caesar’s legions are elite so may hold out longer.  The cavalry melee continues.

Legions melee in the centre

Two Pompeian legion is lost but the Caesarean legions are being depleted.    On the cavalry melee, two Pompeian cavalry are routed.  Caesar pursues one of them.  The remaining Pompeian cavalry unit wheels and charges the reduced legion in the flank but both remain in melee.

Cavalry flank now has less of Pompey’s units.

Another legion of Pompey’s lost in the centre.  The cavalry on the flank of Caesar’s heavy infantry rolls badly and routs.

Pompey’s side is broken.

This breaks the army of Pompey and Caesar has won.   

 

Rule changes

I updated the movement rules to work without grids.  I added in some reaction moves when fired at or an enemy moves into a Zone of Control.   While most units can take two hits, heavy infantry can take three.  I have wanted to do this for a long time and it really works here showing the grind of heavy infantry melees.

 

Verdict

I really liked the way the game played out and the interactions.  I did play about a dozen games previous to this game with the 12x12 grid and no “hits” (mostly with 6mm figures),