Battle of Lugdunum 197 AD using Ancient Battlelines Clash

Introduction

This is game 68 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 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 Lugdunum, 197 AD

Septimus Severus as Emperor faces another ursuper, Clodius Albinus, in Gaul.  This battle is said to be the largest ever between Roman forces.

Scenario source: Peter Sides Ancient Historical Battles Volume 1.

Link(s):

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

Command and Colors scenario: https://www.commandsandcolors.net/ancients/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=733

Troops

Romans (Severus)

2 LDR, 3 HC, 2 HI, 1 LI, 1 LA.

Breakpoint: 2.5

Rebels (Albinus)

1 LDR, 2 HC, 3 HI, 1 LI, 1 LA, 1 CP.

Breakpoint: 2.5

Scenario

Map: Open except for a patch of rough ground 1BW wide and extending 3BW from Severus's left flank in front of his forces (concealed traps).

Special rules: None.

Deployment

Romans (Severus):

HC LI HI HI* LA HC* HC

Rebels (Albinus):

HC* LA HI HI HI LI HC.  Camp is behind left flank on the table edge.

Deployment, Severus on the left

Severus needs to win on his right flank and make sure he does not lose in the centre, or at least the centre needs to hang on long enough so the right flank can be turned.

Severus left flank is weak as moving through the rough round will disorder the cavalry.

Game

Severus advances the right and centre.  The rebels advance their centre and left flank in response.  The archers on the flank forces Severus and his personal heavy cavalry back. 

Light archers forces Severus back

The other Severan heavy cavalry charges but is disordered.  Severus and his cavalry charge the archers.  The archers disorder the cavalry, the cavalry continues their charge and disorder the archers

Right flank, part two - the melee

On the left flank, the Severan light infantry move into the rough.  In response the Rebel light infantry moves to just outside of range.  These are both in place to support their main battle line and threaten the enemy.

Light infantry standoff

On the Severan right flank, the HC manages to win the equal melee and Severus destroys the archers.  The camp is wide open!

The right flank is open and the way to the camp is clear

The Rebel battleline advances and clashes with the Severan troops.  Disorders mostly all round (the Severan side coming out slightly worse off. 

Ancient battlelines clash

The next round of melee one of the rebel legions is routed.

The rebels lose a legion

And the next round has Severus lose a logion and their archers to the Rebels.  A lone elite legion is left in the centre.

Severan centre not looking good

However, Severus and the heavy cavalry have been advancing on the camp and finally manage to attack it.  They manage to break in and begin looting.

At the camp gates

This means the rebels reach their breakpoint and flee.  Severus wins!

Verdict

While this was one of the largest numerical roman battles ever, my scaling it down probably did not do it justice.  But it was fun and quick to play.  It was also quite close.  The rebels could have won if they had managed to destroy a heavy cavalry (it was a 50/50 chance either way for the heavy cavalry clash) and routed the last legion in the centre. 

An aside on rules

I kept tweaking my Ancient Battlelines Clash rules and about a year ago was over doing so. I went back and updated When Warriors Collide that were similar but for grids and also using a CRT based on Bill Banks Ancients.  I recently moved them from a CRT to 1d6 combat but the combat just seemed a bit too complex with a build-up of modifiers.   I then went down a rabbit hole of looking at the Pz8 based ancient rules as I was looking at using the Pz8 as a basis for some skirmish rules.   And then looking at doing 3x3 grid ancient rules.  And then realised I could just retro fit a little of When Warriors Collide into Ancient Battlelines Clash and I could be satisfied and continue to play battles on the 40cmx40cm table.  And I have been for a week so far, a good sign. Lol