Battle of Idistaviso 16AD using When Warriors Collide

Introduction

This is game 64 in play testing my ancient rules by replaying historical battles.  I am using another set of my rules When Warriors Collide (WWC).  I am in the process of writing up the rules but the current draft is here.  I am play testing rules by replaying all the Peter Sides scenarios from his Historical Battles books.  WWC is designed to finish in around 30 minutes on a 2’x2’ or smaller table; I am currently using a 40cmx40cm table.

Battle of Idistaviso 16AD

This battle was between the Roman force led by Germanicus, and various German tribes commanded by Arminius. This marked the end of Germanicus’s 3 year campaign in Germania.

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

TMP discussion: http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=299984

Scenarios:

https://www.vislardica.com/vb-sc-idistaviso

https://www.commandsandcolors.net/ancients/scenario-list/germanic-wars-augustus-to-nero-27-bc-68-ad/jb10-idivisto-16-ad.html

 Troops

Roman

Romans

4 HI Legions

2 MI Auxilia

2 LI Auxilia

2 HC Heavy Cavalry

2 LDR

Breakpoint: 4

Germans

Germans

6 WB Warbands

2 LI Light infantry

1 HC Cavalry

1 LDR

Breakpoint: 4

 

Note: Breakpoints are now simply ½ non-light units.

 Scenario changes

Reduced force sizes to fit on the small table.

Deployment

Deployment.  Romans at the top, Germans at the bottom. 

Game

The complete Roman line advances, as does the Germans.

The lines are close

The German left flank cavalry charges the Roman light infantry that attempt to fire but rout instead.  The German cavalry pursues into the Roman Auxilia and in the subsequent melee both are disordered

Combat on the German left flank

On the German right flank, the German light infantry advance to within missile range of the Roman light infantry; the Roman light infantry retire.

Light infantry get to fire at the oncoming German light infantry.

The Roman cavalry in the woods could just sit there and get fired at by the German light infantry so they charge into them.  Both light infantry fire is ineffective and are disordered in the ensuing melee.

Roman cavalry in the woods charge the German light infantry.

The warbands charge at the Roman infantry – no roll required as they are impetuous and within charge range of the Romans.  The warband unit on the German far right charged a light infantry unit that managed to disorder the Warband as they were charging.

Warbands charge

The Warbands rolled really well (three 6x out of 6 rolls!) and they are tripled in combat value for the first melee.  They manage to disorder a few legionary units and rout an Auxilia unit.

The Warbands don’t break the line but cause a lot more disorders that they received in return.

It is the Romans turn and the legions that are disordered are not going to attack as it will be at 1:1.  The legion units with the General can attack as they are doubled in combat value.

Note that melee is optional so if combat values are equal, such as disordered Auxilia Vs disordered cavalry on the Roman right, then if there is an equal chance of routing each other (both are already disordered so a 1d6 for melee sees a 1 = attacker routs,  6 = defender routs) you would not do so unless tactically there is a greater reward than the risk of combat. Short answer is the Auxilia are not going to melee the German cavalry.

Legions fight back – one warband lost (on the right)

The Roman cavalry in the woods rout the opposing light infantry.  They have been really lucky with the die rolls are the cavalry are half combat value in the woods.

Roman cavalry in the woods are victorious over the German light infantry.

On the German turn the warbands are at a disadvantage now (combat value 2 Vs disordered Roman legion value of 3).  It is a stalemate so time for the risk Vs reward I discussed earlier.  If the German cavalry can rout the Auxilia (need to roll a 6) they open up the left flank and can attack the flank of the Roman line.  They roll a 6!

German left flank cavalry in melee with the Roman Auxilia.  Germans rout the Auxilia.

Germanicus (Roman leader) routs an opposing warband unit. 

And does it again

The German cavalry moves and charges the Roman legion in the flank.  It has a leader so will be difficult to rout.  Did nothing.

German cavalry on the flank of a legionary unit.

The Roman Cavalry in the woods charges a German warband and manages to rout it!

Roman cavalry in the woods charges at a German warband that is routed in the resulting melee

The Warbands are stuck – they cannot attack anywhere at 1:1 odds, the minimum required that has a chance of destroying a unit. Warbands are value 2, disordered heavy infantry is 3. The Romans are less stuck as they can attack the Warbands at 1:1 but do have a equal chance of themselves routing.  But they are further away from their breakpoint than the Germans (one more warband gone and the Germans lose, compared to the Romans can lose 3 more units).  Time is running out.  The Romans attack the warbands in the centre, disordered them and then roll a 6 to rout one.  They do no manage to rout a unit themselves.

Roman legionaries and German Warbands fight it out.

The Romans win!

End game, Romans win.

Rule changes

None, although leaders in Bill Banks Ancients represent army capability as leaders are removed and added where required.  When you make them permanently attached to units they make those units very powerful.  I do remember toning them down in a previous version of When Worlds Collide to +1 to CV rather than a x2 modifier.  I may still do this but not yet – see how it goes in more battles.  In the above battle the German cavalry should have bypassed the legion with the leader for one without a leader.

Also, I am changing doubling for a flank attack to triple.  A flank attack at the moment at x2 is the same as defneding terrain or a leader attached.  I believe they should be far more decisive - a German Heavy Cavalry on the flank of an ordinary Roman legion should not be 1:1 or worse.

Light infantry and light cavalry do not have a fire and retreat reaction in these rules when charged.  They used to in my other rules. They either fire or retreat (or do nothing).   After about 5 games so far it has not been a problem but we shall see.  For light infantry it has been fine so far but I have not used much light cavalry in any of the games.

Verdict

Got to test out a lot of the rules and it all hung together fine.  It was going to be hard pressed for the Germans to win this one.  They did get some lucky rolls but once the first change was done allthey could hope for was a draw.

Battle of Angrivarii Boundary 16AD using When Warriors Collide

Introduction

This is game 64 in playing historical scenarios, mostly from the Peter Sides’ booklets.  Originally the idea was to playtest my own rules; game 63 was using an 8x8 grid variant of Phil Sabin’s Phalanx rules.  I found them too chess-like for solo play and so modified them to be chancier. I then realised it was not just chance but more chaos in moving, retiring, charging etc. was required for me to play solo, so decided to see if I could make Rally Round the King work on the 8x8 grid and also not use any markers.  Played a few test games – worked fine but too much dice rolling. Back to 1d6 8x8 gridded DBA but not enough solo friendly mechanisms.  So then created a combo of Phalanx and my solo friendly rules from 2016 that I have played the most – Ancient Battlelines Clash (ABC) verison 2.5 and that was OK.  But then pivoted to using the combat mechanisms for Bill Banks Ancients that I used in an ABC derivative (When Warriors Collide), adding back in a disorder result.  After a few test games I tried it without the grid on a 40cmx40cm board and that seemed to work fine.  So after a few more test games I am back to the Peter Sides scenarios.  These rules are best described as Bill Banks Ancients with lower movement values and some reactions to enemy moves. Will see how long I last using these rules!

Battle of Angrivarii Boundary 16AD

The last battle in the three year Germanicus campaign against a Germanic alliance.  This battle follows on immediately after Idistaviso.  The German alliance is defending a rampart with an ambush in the adjacent woods.

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

Campaign description: https://erenow.net/biographies/germanicus-the-magnificent-life-and-mysterious-death/7.php

Troops

Roman

4 HI Legionaries

2 MI Auxilia

2 LI Auxilia

2 HC

1 HI warband

Breakpoint: 8

German

6 HI Warbands

1 HC

Breakpoint: 7

Scenario changes

I reduced the size of the forces to fit on an 40cmx40cm table.

Deployment

The Germans are defending the rampart with bad going to its front, with the cavalry unit hiding in the woods.  The Romans are aware of the ambush and have a unit ready to enter the woods to prevent it.  The rest of the Romans are in two main line to assault the rampart.  Germanicus is with the legion closest to the woods.

Deployment – Romans at the top, Germans at the bottom defending a rampart.  The light brown is bad going.

The Germans are in a great position defending a rampart with bad goring in front.  All they have to do is survive.  The Romans plan is to use the lighter forces to soften up the Germans and then send in the legions.  In hindsight, I should have also used the Romans in the woods to attack tat flank and then Germanicus and attached legion could try and turn that flank (rather than head on to the rampart).  In the actual battle Germanicus did turn the flank from the woods so I should have  done the same!

Game

The Romain Auxilia advance though the bad going.  The woods forces remain where they are to pin the Germans in the woods.  Auxilia are not disordered when entering bad going.

The Roman light line advances

The lighter infantry get some shots off for a disorder or two in the German line. 

The Roman light line in combat

The heavier Auxilia melee with the Warbands.  In the rules they really need to get a lucky roll to cause a disorder as they are facing units defending a rampart.  They don’t and are eventually routed by the warbands.

The heavier Auxilia have gone and only the Light infantry left

The lighter infantry cannot rout a unit defending a rampart by shooting alone so will also try and get lucky in close combat.  They do not either and rout also.  Time to send the legions in!

The legions now advance

Legions normally have the better combat value but are disordered in bad going and are also facing defenders on a rampart so it comes down to lucky dice rolling to see if they can rout a warband.  Germanicus really has the best chance with the leader bonus.  They get in a disorder on the warbands.

Legions in combat

But they just can’t see to get enough luck and either do the Germans.  Time has run out with no losses on the main battleline.

End

No side has broken but Germans win as they have actually inflicted casualties.

 Verdict

Not unexpected – a charge against a static defence with bad going.  Thinking of some other rules it would have been much the same outcome.  I should have really used the woods better and got Germanicus to flank the rampart from that side.

And the rules worked fine.  Onwards to the next game.