Battle of Arausio 105BC using D3 Ancients Clash

Introduction

This is game 51 in play testing my ancient rules by replaying historical battles.  I am using my new rules d3 Ancients Clash (the previous games were with ‘Ancient Battlelines Clash’).  I am in the process of writing the rules up from the scribbling it is currently.  D3 Ancients Clash is an evolution of Ancients Battleline Clash but uses d3s and designed to assist with replaying these historical games.  I am play testing the rules by replaying all the Peter Sides scenarios from his Historical Battles books.  D3AC is designed to finish in around 30 minutes on a 16”x16” table.  I may go back to 2’x2’ in future.

Battle of Arausio

Here is the only internet link of interest I used for this replay:

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

Troops

Roman

Army 1

2 Legions, Heavy Infantry, line relief, medium missile protection

2 Allied Legions, Heavy Infantry, line relief, medium missile protection

2 Velites, Skirmishers, javelin

2 Allies, Medium infantry, javelin

2 Heavy Cavalry

1 -1 General with the Heavy Cavalry on right

All trained.

1 Camp

Breakpoint: 8

 

Army 2

2 Legions, Heavy Infantry, line relief, medium missile protection

2 Allied Legions, Heavy Infantry, line relief, medium missile protection

2 Velites, Skirmishers, javelin

2 Allies, Medium infantry, javelin

2 Heavy Cavalry

1 Camp

1 -1 General with the Heavy Cavalry on right

All trained.

Breakpoint: 8

German 

18 Warbands

6 Skirmishers, javelin

4 Heavy Cavalry

1 General with the Warbands

All untrained

Breakpoint: 22

Scenario changes

I reduced the forces by about two-thirds.

Deployment

Game

German right flank heavy cavalry charge the allied medium infantry.  The latter retreat, the cavalry follows and routs them.  The cavalry have broken past the first line and are lined up to charge the second army.

German heavy cavalry on their way to the second army

The centre sees a clash of skirmishers.

The German left flank cavalry charges the Roman heavy cavalry.   The Romans succeed is pushing the cavalry back.

German cavalry charging the Roman cavalry

The remaining skirmishers fires at the Roman line that sees the two fired on units advances into melee with the warbands.

Two Roman units break from their lines to charge the skirmishers and hit the warbands.

The Medium infantry retreats, warband charges into the Roman heavy cavalry and the warband retreats.

The legions retreats and a warband pursues but the legions gets the better of them and forces the warband to retreat.  The legion pursues into a warband and routs.  The warband follows up and runs into the allied medium infantry that had previously retreated and the medium infantry routs and the warbands pursue.  All of this narrative generated by the dice.  So at least that carries over from my old rules.

The successful warband breaks through the first army

And then the rest of the warbands move into clash with the line of Roman legions.

Warband horde Vs the thin legion line.

In a run of some appalling Roman dice rolls, two legions rout in the centre and the warbands break through.  With no damage to themselves.  The dice gods were definitely not with the Romans today.

The Germans have broken through in the centre.

The Roman first army has reached their breakpoint so flee (effectively rout).  The Germans are racing towards the other army.

Battlefield after the destruction of army 1

The Warbands charge the second army and the skirmishers do little damage but do manage to stop some of them from contacting the legions.  The warbands are carrying some shaken status on some of the units, and the Romans are rolling average this time.  No legions are lost and some warbands are pushed back!

Warbands contact the second army.

The German cavalry charge into the medium infantry and the heavy cavalry follow them off the table.

German cavalry about to rout the medium infantry.

The roman right heavy cavalry wheel into the flank of the warbands! (the other warbands that got delayed should have been protecting the flank).  The rear warband is depleted.  While it looks like a flank attack, the cavalry did not start behind the front line of the warbands so does not get the flank bonus.

Roman cavalry hits the flank

Note: It is here I played out a game to the end with the Roman Cavalry hitting the warbands in the flank and routing the column of 3 units and ended up with the Germans losing.  I was playing the rules all wrong (and they are mine)!  Summary of main wrongness – Cavalry hits 3 warbands in the flank and routs them all.  For one on multiple melees only one of the three can rout, the worst the other two can receive is a shaken, not a rout.  I replayed the game from here as it bugged me I had stuffed up so badly.

 Combat along the line results in one warband routing but then the German left flank warband routs a legion

German warband pursuing after routing a legion.

Another legion routed. And this tips the Second Roman army into their breakpoint and the flee the battlefield.

Overall end game.

Rule changes

Some minor tweaks, mostly clarifying what happens when two light missile units come into range of each other, and what units they will evade from.

Verdict

An interesting game of a warband steamroller!  It is after this game I stopped for four months to decide where to go moving forward.  In the end I introduced a specific Warband unit type and Horse Archer unit type (makes the rules a little clearer as reduces exceptions due to these two being abilities of other unit types) and decided to go from the 16”x16” back to a 2’x2’ table with distances measured in 40mm (base widths) rather than inches.  I also spent a month wondering if I should go back to 1d6 (it would not be too hard) but decided I really do like the simplicity of the 1d3! 

Battle of Corinth 146BC using D3 Ancients Clash

 Introduction

This is game 50 in play testing my ancient rules by replaying historical battles.  I am using my new rules d3 Ancients Clash (the previous games were with ‘Ancient Battlelines Clash’).  I am in the process of writing the rules up from the scribbling it is currently.  D3 Ancients Clash is an evolution of Ancients Battleline Clash but uses d3s and designed to assist with replaying these historical games.  I am play testing the rules by replaying all the Peter Sides scenarios from his Historical Battles books.  D3AC is designed to finish in around 30 minutes on a 16”x16” table.  I may go back to 2’x2’ in future.

Battle of Corinth

Here are a few internet links of interest I used for this replay:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Corinth_(146_BC)

Troops

Roman

2 Legions, Heavy Infantry, line relief, medium missile protection

2 Allied Legions, Heavy Infantry, line relief, medium missile protection

2 Velites, Skirmishers, javelin

2 Pergamene Allies, Medium infantry

2 Cretan Archers, Skirmishers, bows

3 Heavy Cavalry

1 General with the Heavy Cavalry on right

All trained except where noted.

Breakpoint: 9

 

 

Greeks Achaean League 

4 Phalanx

2 Peltasts, Medium Infantry, javelin, untrained

4 Skirmishers, javelin

1 Heavy Cavalry

1 Light Cavalry

1 General with the Phalanx

All trained except where noted.

Breakpoint: 8

Deployment

Romans on the left, Greek League on the right

Game

Both sides advance.

On the right, a Roman cavalry charges the light cavalry that routs without inflicting any damage.

The Roman line advances. And the skirmishers are in range of one another!  Despite the advantage to the Greeks of firing first, three of the Greek skirmishers retire.

Skirmishers in missile range

The phalanx line advances and clear the Roman line of skirmishers for no damage to themselves (this was some lucky dice rolling!)

Phalanx battleline contacts the Roman legions

A legion is lost on the Roman right flank.

Legion is lost, phalanx is advancing.

The Roman right flank cavalry turns to the centre and manages to destroy a medium infantry on the way. 

 

The Roman heavy peltasts fire on the phalanx and it advances into combat.  Already shaken from last turn, it retreats depleted.  The peltasts follow up the advantage and destroy the phalanx (this was two very good dice rolls in a row).

Peltasts about to destroy the shaken and depleted phalanx

Another Roman legion is routed.  The phalanx advances into another legion that finally stops it and the phalanx is now shaken. To no avail as the phalanx manages to rout the legion in the next melee.

 

Phalanx routs a legion but stopped by another

The Roman Cavalry with the Consul charge into the rear of a phalanx unit and it is destroyed.

The Consul’s heavy cavalry charges into the rear of a phalanx

The Consul’s cavalry pursue into the rear of another phalanx that also routs

The Consul’s heavy cavalry charges into the rear of another phalanx

The Greeks reach their breakpoint and flee the battlefield.

End.

Rule changes

None this time.

Verdict

A great game, although almost a given that the Romans would win as the Greek left flank is well outclassed by the Romans.

Battle of Pydna 168BC using D3 Ancients Clash

Introduction

This is game 49 in play testing my ancient rules by replaying historical battles.  It is the third historical game using my new rules d3 Ancients Clash (the previous games were with ‘Ancient Battlelines Clash’).  I am in the process of writing the rules up from the scribbling it is currently.  D3 Ancients Clash is an evolution of Ancients Battleline Clash but uses d3s and designed to assist with replaying these historical games.  I am play testing the rules by replaying all the Peter Sides scenarios from his Historical Battles books.  D3AC is designed to finish in around 30 minutes on a 16”x16” table.

Battle of Pydna

Here are a few internet links of interest I used for this replay:

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

 

 Troops

Roman

2 Legions, Heavy Infantry, line relief, medium missile protection
2 Allied Legions, Heavy Infantry, line relief, medium missile protection
2 Velites, Skirmishers, javelin
2 Pergamene/Achaian/Allies, Medium infantry
2 Allied Light Infantry, Light infantry, javelin
2 Heavy Cavalry
1 Elephant, untrained
1 General with the Heavy Cavalry on right

All trained except where noted.

Breakpoint: 10

Macedonian

4 Phalanx
1 Thracians, medium infantry
2 Peltasts, Light Infantry, javelin, untrained
2 Skirmishers, Skirmishers, untrained
2 Heavy Cavalry
1 General with the heavy cavalry on the right

All trained except where noted.

Breakpoint: 8

Scenario changes

I did not include the Light Cavalry  (no room)  and halved the number of units.

Deployment

Romans on the left, Macedonian on the right

Game

Romans all advance except the left cavalry (as the enemy cavalry is better with the general attached).  The Macedonians all advance except their left cavalry that is facing the elephant as does not what to get into melee with it.

The right flank Roman cavalry charges into the light infantry.  The light infantry are lucky and deplete the cavalry  that are forced to halt and no contact the light infantry.

 Roman cavalry charging the peltasts

Roman allies and light infantry advance to the Thracians who throw their javelins at them for no effect but are shaken by the return fire.

Roman lights exchange fire with the Thracians

The main Roman battleline advances.  The skirmishers exchange fire and the Velites get the worst of it and retire

Main Roman battleline advances

The left flank Roman lights advance. But the Macedonian missiles push them back.

Left flank Roman light infantry advances.

Unlike the actual battle, the general and cavalry charges into the opposing cavalry.  The Roman cavalry retreats but Perseus fails to follow up.

Perseus charges the Roman cavalry

It is the Macedonian turn and Perseus is in a dilemma.  If he charges the Roman cavalry he is likely to pursue them off the table.  If he turns to come behind the main battleline then the Roman cavalry will attack him in the flank.  Considering he did not participate in the actual battle, Perseus will not do anything.

 

The Thracians fire at the light infantry but to no effect.  The Roman cavalry once again fails to pierce the Light infantry missiles.  Bu the Elephant charges the Macedonian cavalry and they rout.

Roman elephant charges the Macedonian cavalry.

The Roman cavalry finally contacts the light infantry and pushes them back and the light infantry force the Thracians back as well.

Forcing back the light infantry

The Roman legions charge the phalanx, clearing the Macedonian skirmishers along the way.  A legion is depleted and some are pushed back.

Legions Vs Phalanx

The next turn sees light units move to and fro and the legions are pushed back even further and disorganised.

The disorganised Roman legions.

And a legion is lost!  And the phalanx that did it charges into an allied medium infantry and it is routed.

A victorious phalanx after routing two Roman units

And another legions is destroyed.  And another.

Two more legions down

Finally the General routs the opposing light infantry and then manages to rout the Thracians!  It may be too late though – the Romans are close to their breakpoint.

Finally the Roman cavalry routs the light infantry

The Allied Medium infantry charge into the rear of the phalanx and they are destroyed.

Phalanx attacked from two sides.

A phalanx attacks a legion.  This is actually classed as a frontal attack as it did not start fully behind the legion.  But they are locked in melee

Phalanx Vs Legion

On the Roman left flank, the ongoing battle of the light infantry unit has been continuing, the Macedonians were depleted a few turns ago and are depleted again and rout.

Light infantry in battle

The Macedonians have reached their breakpoint and flee.  The Romans were very close as well.  It was a lot closer than the historical battle, mainly due to the collapse of the Roman centre.

End

Rule changes

One change and it is one I have been mulling over for a while.  In my old rules 2 on 1 fights gave a penalty to the single unit.  This was also a reason for pushbacks in that you could potentially create single units that are penalised.  In these new rules, single units are only penalised for ordering. But there is now no other reason to have units aligned to one another and I really wanted one.  I did not want to add a -1 modifier for single unit as a -1 mod is a lot for opposed D3s! But I managed to reach a decent compromise – on a 0 result normally both sides are shaken.  I have changed it so that on a 0 both sides are shaken unless it is a 2:1 fight, then only the single unit is shaken.

And I modified the -1 for mounted being the target of firing to only if by Heavy Archers.  I was always a bit unsure of this and am now realising it makes all missiles too powerful against cavalry. So now light missile armed unit only delay cavalry while Heavy Archers will generally delay but have a small chance of depleting them.

 

Verdict

I did like the interplay of the missile armed light units on the Roman right flank.  It took forever but light armed units are more of a deterrent.  When up against their mirror image they either are pushed back or push back the enemy.  No real advantage from equally armed units, and neither get destroyed by the other.  The Roman cavalry on the right consistently rolled low and it was frustrating for the Romans as the Roman right flank should have cleared the opposing Macedonians a few turns earlier.  

Historically as the Phalanx advanced they became disordered and the legions were able to overcome them.  I chose not to represent this in the battle – maybe I should have had any phalanx that advanced or followed up after melee become shaken.  In fact, that is what I should have done and would do in a replay.