Friday, 7 February 2025

Battle of Megiddo 1479BC – battle report with Ancient Battlelines Clash

 Introduction

After playing some replays of this battle with Dominion of the Spear, I realised how interesting I find this battle.  I decided to play it with the latest iteration of my Ancient Battlelines Clash rules.  Previous outings with previous rules versions are with an early copy of my own rules (2012) and a few times with a major rules revision in 2021.  ABC is designed to finish in around 30 minutes on a 2’x2’ or smaller table; I am currently using a 40cmx40cm table, although for Megiddo I used a 2'x2' due to the wide width of the battlefield, even with only 8 bases a side.

Battle of Megiddo 1479BC  

The Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III defeats a Canaanite coalition before the walls of the city of Megiddo.

Sources

Scenario source: Bill Banks Ancients (originally).

Link(s):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Megiddo_(15th_century_BC)

https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1101/thutmose-iii-at-the-battle-of-megiddo/

https://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/Ancient/BattleOfMegiddo

https://www.donsmaps.com/egypt2cb.html  (a good summary of Nelson, see below)

Society of Ancients Slingshot articles:

  • The Battle of Megiddo (43/6-11, Alan Buttery)
  • The Battle of Kadesh (55/6-13, rp.92a/16-20, Alan Buttery)
  • Megiddo! (135/15-18, Ian Greenwood; comments 136/18-19, Ian Russell Lowell; 137/11-12, Karl Heinz Ranitzsch & Noel McGlinchey)
  • The Pharaoh‟s Breakfast [Megiddo] (136/16-18, Stephen Allen)

Other:

  • Harold Haydon Nelson Battle of Megiddo (1913) is an interesting read on the battle

Troops

Egyptians

1 LDR Leader (Thutmose III), 3 CH Chariots, 1 HI Heavy infantry, 2 MI Medium Infantry, 2 LA Light Archers, 1 CP Camp.

Breakpoint: 2.5

Coalition of Syrians under the prince of Kadesh

1 LDR, 2 CH Chariots, 2 MI Medium Infantry, 2 LI Light Infantry, 1 LA Light Archer, 1 CP Camp.

Breakpoint: 2.5

Scenario & Deployment

Special rules: A draw is a rebel victory.

I have gone with a deployment loosely based on the Peter Sides scenario.

Deployment (Egyptians on the left)

Game

The two Egyptian flanks move (the right to gin the riverbank, the left to get closer to be able to use the light archers).  The centre decides to pause and wait for the flanks to get into position (in reality failed to activate).

The Canaanite right flank fails to move but their light archers do exchange some missile fire with the opposing Egyptian archers (for no effect).

Exchanging missile fire on the Egyptian left flank

The Canaanite chariots move slightly off the hill, just to put a little more distance between the Egyptian chariots and the Camp.

The Egyptian’s may be able to win their right flank and so advance to the river bank.  Inn range of the Canaanite Light infantry that fire and disorder the opposing heavy infantry

Canaanite light infantry disorders the Egyptian Heavy infantry

The Egyptian chariots charge in.  The Canaanites fire at them on them as they approach, forcing one to slow their advance. Disorders all round, except Thutmose’s Royal Guard.

Egyptian chariots charge, one falters due to incoming arrows

The Egyptian left flank fires missiles and disorder the Light infantry.  The Canaanite archers return fire and the rest of the flank moves off the hill as they need to rout the Egyptian archers.

Canaanite right flank advancing

The Chariots melee and one of the Egyptian Chariots is routed.

An Egyptian chariot routed

On the Canaanite left flank, the light infantry routs the heavy infantry (two 6’s in a row).  That was unexpected.

Heavy infantry routed

Thutmose charges his chariots in but are repulsed again.  On the left flank the infantry clash and are both disordered, archers fire at the other archers on the hill and the latter are disordered, the far left archers fire at the light infantry who return fire with javelins and disorder the Egyptian archers.

The Egyptian left flank is still in contention

But then it all goes pear shaped for the Egyptians.  On the left flank, the Canaanites rout the archers and the medium infantry, the remaining chariot in the centre routs the opposing chariot.

Collapse of the Egyptian left and centre

This well and truly breaks the morale of the Egyptian side that abandon the battle.

End

Verdict

Wow.  The collapse at the end was the Canaanites rolling a string of 5s and 6s Vs the 1s and 2s of the Egyptians.   I was not expecting the Egyptians to lose.  They rolled so bad throughout the game, and the Canaanites rolled so well.  No changes to the rules, still happy with them.  Of course, this is after 3 games with the revised rules so that can easily change :-)

Sunday, 26 January 2025

Battle of Megiddo 1479BC – a few battle reports with Dominion of the Spear

Introduction

While wanting to play some historical battles with the Dominion of the Spear expansion I went down a rabbit hole with Megiddo, the first battle in the pack.

Background

Dominion of the Spear is a really fast ruleset on a 3x2 grid.  I played a few games with it and have played about 15-20 more.  It won’t replace my other rules but is an interesting way to pass the time.  I have also used it to play a bit of a Cyrus the Great campaign. An expansion came out that has 36 historical battles and a couple of optional rules on modifying activation. I began using one of the optional rules (Attacker activates one sector, defender then activates another) after game 6 as it introduces some extra decision making. 

I wanted to play of few of them and so looked at the first one, Megiddo.  Now, Megiddo is one of my favourite battles and I have played it a few times, with an early copy of my own rules and a few times with a major rules revision in 2021.  I have thought about using it as a test battle for replaying the same battle with different rules (I may still do that).

Conveniently, Megiddo is a battle across three sectors and Dominion on the Spear is also a 3 sector game (although the rules have a way to easy add more sectors).  Megiddo is also one of those battles where the forces are not specified, other than there are chariots and infantry.  So there is quite a leeway in exactly what troops were in which sector, other than there were chariots in the centre for both sides.

The games

Game 1 is the game straight of the expansion.  A fine interpretation of the battle.

Game 2 introduces my own terrain rules

Game 3 changes the forces a little to have more of them

Game 4 changes the forces so chariots only in the centre

Game 1 Megiddo as per the expansion interpretation

This scenario has each sector populated with chariots with infantry in the reserve.  The Canaanite reserve is armoured to indicate they are on a hill. 

Setup, Egyptians at the top

Egyptian left attacks opposing chariot and the Canaanite chariots are destroyed.  Replaced with an armoured archer.  I chose the flank chariot to use for the attack as if the Egyptian won, the Canaanites would replace it with an infantry unit, and infantry do not get the outflanking bonus from a flank sector.  Also, I replaced the Canaanite chariot with the infantry archer as they get a bonus Vs Chariots.  The Canaanites choose that sector for their combat as they have a better chance at routing the Egyptian chariots.  But neither side flinches.

Canaanite chariot destroyed and replaced with archers

Egyptians choose the right flank for the same reason as the attacking on the left.  Both are destroyed and replaced by their respective infantry reserves.  Neither side has any reserves left.

Mutual destruction of chariots on the left

Canaanites choose the archers again and destroy the Egyptian chariots.   The Egyptian have the best chance in the centre so choose that for combat.  Mutual destruction again!

Egyptian chariot lost on the right and mutual destruction in the centre

The Egyptian force is down to one unit and so has lost.

Fast and furious, as designed.

Game 2 My own terrain rules

Ok, prepare for a little bit of a complication.  Here are my terrain rules as pertinent to Megiddo:

A target infantry unit on a hill count as elite for first melee combat.

A target unit in a river counts as elite for first melee combat.

First is with the same unit – if melee with a different unit bonus will count again.  If both in the same sector and both in same terrain type then there is no bonus.

If terrain is used, a unit (in a sector or reserve) sits on the terrain feature. If the unit is destroyed the terrain feature moves to the winner, unless it is a river, then remove it. If both destroyed then if a reserve unit moves into the sector the terrain feature stays in that sector with the newly moved reserve unit, else remove the terrain feature. If a unit initiates an outflanking combat, remove any terrain feature under it. A reserve unit moving into a sector keeps its terrain feature and overrides the one currently in the sector.

Also, for Megiddo there a steep cliff between the right and centre sector so no outflanking bonus is given for combat across from the right sector to the centre.  

For the battle, there is a camp in the centre behind the chariots and also Megiddo to retreat into.  While the Egyptians looted the camp while the retreating enemy managed to escape, I will assume that this occurs after the battle itself so won’t represent it in the game.

I am using the same forces as game 1 but modified as some unit no longer have specific armoured status for being on a hill.

Egyptian

Reserve: 1xElite Spearmen

Sectors: 3xElite Chariot Archers

Canaanite

Reserve: 1x Spearmen, 1x Archers (both on hills)

Sectors: 3x Chariot Archers (left defending a river, centre and right on a hill)

Setup

Egyptian left attacks the opposing chariot (hill will have no effect).  Mutual destruction.  The hill under the chariot goes at it is replaced with the Canaanite spearmen that has its own terrain feature.  This happens to be a hill so the end result is the Canaanite spearmen moves onto the hill.  The Egyptian spearmen replace the chariot.

After mutual destruction on the right

The Canaanite select their right flank for combat as it is an equal chance, compared to the other sectors where it may not be so great.  The Canaanites rout the Egyptian spearmen.  No replacement for the Egyptians. The Egyptians combat in the centre. Mutual destruction!  No replacement for the Egyptians, Canaanite reserve archers advance (on a hill).

Egyptian spearmen routed on the right, mutual destruction of chariots in the centre

The Egyptians are down to one unit so lose, again.

I do like the terrain rules for their first outing.  A bit more complexity but has a good feel to it.

Game 3 Increase the Egyptian units

Still using the same points but will take the Elite off two Egyptian chariots and add a spearmen unit to the reserve. Centre chariots are still elite to represent Thutmose III and the royal forces.

Egyptian

Reserve: 1xElite Spearmen, 1xSpearmen

Left and right sectors: 2xChariot Archers

Centre sector: 1xElite Chariot Archers

Canaanite

Reserve: 1x Spearmen, 1x Archers (both on hills)

Sectors: 3xChariot Archers (left defending a river, centre and right on a hill)

Setup

Again, Egyptian first combat is their left flank.  No casualties. Canaanites combat on their left sector, forcing the Egyptians to attack across the river.  However, as it is all archers, the river has no effect.  Mutual destruction! Oh, now who replaces their reserve first?  I will assume it is the side that was not activated, so in this instance it will be the Egyptians that replace first with the non-elite Spearmen (save the elites for attacks on hill units).  The Canaanite replace with a spearmen as well.  If the spears were not on a terrain feature they would move into the river.  However they are on a hill so the hill “moves” with them as the river is removed.

Mutual destruction on the left.  Egyptians have advanced though through the river to the hill.

Egyptian combats in the centre and destroys the Canaanite chariot.  The archers replace the destroyed chariot.

Centre Egyptian chariot destroys the opposing chariot, latter replaced with archers
The Canaanites choose the left flank – spears Vs spears but they have the advantage of being on a hill.  The Canaanites win and the Egyptian Nubian spears are replaced with the elite spearmen.

Canaanites win on the left, Egyptians replace the loss with another spearmen unit

Egyptians choose the Spearmen on their right.  Egyptians win and are now on the hill.

Egyptians win on in the left sector

Canaanite chose the right as have an equal chance there.  No effect.

Egyptian choose the spearmen to outflank the centre missile unit.  It is melee and the missile unit cannot return fire.  While the spearmen get no bonus for outflanking, they are elite and combating missile infantry.  Those bonuses stack! The missile unit routs.

The missile unit is attacked in the flank by the Egyptian spearmen

The Canaanites have lost, for the first game out of the three.  I really do like have 2-3 units in reserve, the game takes a little longer and a few more decisions.

Game 4 Chariots only in the centre.

Other Megiddo gaming scenarios only has chariots in the centre sector.  It is the setup I have used previously so I thought I would give the battle a run with different units configuration

Egyptian

Reserve: 1xArchers, 1xSpearmen

Right sectors: 1xArchers

Left sector: 1xElite Spearmen

Centre sector: 1xElite Chariot Archers

Canaanite

Reserve: 1x Spearmen, 2xArchers (all on hills)

Centre sector: 1xChariot Archers

Other sectors: 2xArchers (left defending a river, centre and right on a hill)

Setup

Egyptians attack in the centre as it is Elite Vs non-elite.  In a reverse of history, the royal Egyptian chariots are routed and the Egyptian archers replace them.  The hill under the chariots is removed (assumed to advance).

Egyptian centre chariots routed, Canaanite chariots advance off the hill

The Canaanites attack in the centre (as if they lose, infantry will go into the centre for possible outflanking bonus in the future).  Mutual destruction.  The Egyptian moves up the Nubian infantry, the Canaanites some archers (that are on a hill so it moves with them).

Egyptian elite spears attack the missile units in the river.  The missile units attack first but if they fail, the melee will be brutal.  The missile unit fails but the elite spears rout them.  The river disappears.  The Canaanite reserve archers are put into the battleline.  They are on a hill.

Mutual destruction in the centre, with replacements, left flank Canaanite fail to defend the river and Egyptian spearmen advance to the archers on the hill

Canaanite have no really good matchups but the missile unit on the left could take out the opposing spears with not return melee.   They don’t harm the spears but the spears do not affect the archers either.

The Egyptians choose this battle again as the missile units no longer get the +1 for being on the hill.  The spearmen survive the missile fire and take the archers out.  The Egyptian spears advance.  They are on a hill, as are the reserve Egyptian spearmen.

Left flank sees the Canaanite archers routed and replaced by the last of their spearmen

Canaanite choose their right flank – similar chance of rout.  No effect.

Egyptians choose the spearmen on the hill. No effect.

Canaanite choose their right flank missiles.  Mutual destruction!

Right sector is now wide open

Egyptians choose the spearmen on the hill. The Canaanites win the melee.

The battle on the hill sees the Canaanite come out on top

The Egyptians are down to one unit and so lose.

Verdict

All the games were fun to play.  I can see myself playing more Dominion of the Spear. I continue to be amazed at the simplicity in the rules and the elegance of the 4 troop types and two attributes that capture ancient battles with a broad brush so well.  I did especially like game 3 and 4 as they had 2-3 units in reserve but that did make the game longer.  I can see myself using the terrain rules for those historical battles where it played an important part.  It will also be useful in campaign games to generate some terrain every now and then to make it interesting.  If I ever play the Two Hour Wargames scenarios with these rules, then the terrain rules will work there.  I still think they are a bit too complex for the elegant simplicity to the rules but I like the way they help visual the flow of the battle as it unfolds.  I feel I have more mutual destructions than normal but possibly not - in a game should expect one sector to have this I am fairly sure. The activating one sector for each side I have been using for a while and did not disappoint in these games either.

Sunday, 5 January 2025

Dominion of the Spear rules - 5 games and a short review

Introduction
I have been playing around with writing 3x3 grid games for years but only got serious for ancients rules a few months ago.  I was looking for quick rules to use for campaign games.  And then just before New Year’s Day Dominion of the Spear appears at WargameVault. 3-6 units, a grid of 3 sectors and two reserves.  Quick play.  Got it immediately but has taken a few days to get around to playing and writing up a post.  

Note I use figures for the game.  Not required at all - could just write the units down on a paper.  But I have the miniatures so will use them.
 
Brief review
Each side has 3-6 units.
Each unit is either Infantry or Mounted, and also Melee or Missile.  4 basic units.  And then you can add up to 2 abilities – Elite/Ferocious or Armoured. There are 196 armies in the army list (excellent!)
The game is played by lining up 3 unit of each side (left, centre and right sectors). Remaining units go into a reserve. Working left to right roll a die for each side.  Each side adds some modifiers (about 4) and if they exceed the required score they hit the other unit. A hit results in the unit being removed. Both may be removed in the same combat.  A Missile unit fires first.  Losses are replaced by reserves.

There is limited tactical decision making:
  • At setup, the defender sets up the 3 units first and then Attacker can choose optimal units to oppose.
  • When a unit is lost you can choose which reserve unit may be best to replace it.
  • When there is no opposing unit, you may outflank a unit.  Uncommonly but occasionally there is a choice of opposing unit to outflank.
Definitely not a lot of decision making but the narrative produced is great. I do try and address some of these limits with some house rules I will discuss later.

I highly recommend these rules for anyone looking on a way to streamline ancient battles to the core, or looking for quick campaign resolution.  My blog gets a mention in the design notes but that had no influence on the recommendation :-)
 
Game 1 – 3 sectors, 12 points, Heraclea
For this game I simply used the Battle of Heraclea forces as I am so familiar with it, I also used a historical-like deployment.  I realised later this removed the Attacker’s decision on choosing opposing units in the sectors that is one of the few decision making in the game.
Setup
Pyrrhus
Agema (Elite Mounted Melee). Right sector.
Pikes (Armoured Infantry Melee). Centre sector.
Pikes. Left sector.
Elephant (Mounted Melee, Armoured). Reserve.
 
Romans
Cavalry (Mounted Melee). Right sector.
Velites (Infantry Missile). Centre sector.
Legion (Armoured Infantry Melee). Left sector.
Legion. Reserve.
Green Legion (Infantry Melee). Reserve.
 
Note I do right to left rather than the rules left to right as that is what I am used to. Same as flipping the board 180 degrees with Attacker at the bottom.  I am just used to right to left.
 
Turn 1
Right: Agema Vs Roman Cavalry, Romans win and Elephants replace the Agema
Centre: Velites fire first and Pikes rout, No replacement
Left: Pikes Vs Legion.  Neither hit
End of turn 1
Turn 2
Right: Elephant Vs Cavalry, Cavalry routed, Reserve Legion (armoured) take their place
Centre: Velites Vs Elephant (outflanked).  Elephant gone
Left: Pike Vs legion. No effect
End of turn 2
Pyrrhus down to 1 unit and has lost.
 
Verdict
It was fun, but no decision making at all.  This was all dice driven.  It was interesting to play and definitely would be useful in a board driven campaign when rather than just roll 1 die to see who wins a battle you could use these rules to quickly play it out and maybe also determine losses. 
 
Game 2 – 4 sectors, 16 points, Heraclea
The rules do suggest more sectors (and 4 points per extra sector).  In some 3x2 rules I was tinkering with years ago, I allowed more units the centre and less on the flanks.  So I gave 4 sectors a go.
Setup
Pyrrhus
Agema. Right sector.
Pikes, Centre sector.
Pikes (Infantry Melee, Elite, Armoured). Centre sector.
Pikes. Left sector.
Elephant. Reserve.
 
Romans
Cavalry. Right sector.
Legion. Centre sector.
Velites. Centre sector.
Legion. Left sector.
2xLegion. Reserve.
 
Turn 1
Right: Agema Vs Cavalry. Agema destroyed, Elephants replace Agema
Centre: Velites miss with missile and the pikes then rout the Velites. Legion replaces the Velites
Centre: Pikes Vs Legion.  Legion routs, another Legion replaces.
Left. Pike Vs Legion.  No effect.
End of turn 1
Turn 2
Right: Elephant Vs Cavalry. Cavalry routed.
Centre: Pike Vs Legion.  No effect.
Centre: Pike Vs Legion. No effect.
Left: Pike Vs Legion. No effect.
End of turn 2
Turn 3
R: Elephant Vs Legion (in centre) outflanked. Legion routed. 
C: Pike Vs Legion (outflanked).  Legion routed
C: Pike Vs Legion (outflanked).  Legion routed.
 
Pyrrhus decisive victory (no image as all Romans have routed).
 
Verdict
4 sectors does not add anything material to the game’s decision making, nor really to the narrative. It doesn’t detract anything either.  On that note I will continue with three sectors.
 
Game 3 – 3 sectors, 16 points, Heraclea
As a key decision is replacement from reserves, I thought about increasing the number of units (to 16 points) but keeping 3 sectors.  This way there will be more decisions through the game choosing what replaces a lost unit.
Setup
Pyrrhus
Agema. Right sector.
Pikes. Centre sector.
Pikes (Elite). Left sector.
Elephant. Reserve.
Pikes. Reserve.
 
Romans
Cavalry. Right sector.
Velites. Centre sector.
Legion. Left sector.
3xLegion. Reserve.
 
Turn 1
Right: Agema Vs Cavalry.  Both destroyed.  Elephant replace Agema, Legion replace Cavalry.
Centre: Velites shoot and miss. Pikes are successful and Velites rout, replaced with Legion.
Left: Pike Vs Legion. No effect.
End of turn 1
Turn 2
Right: Elephant Vs Legion. No effect.
Centre: Pike vs Legion. No effect.
Left: Pike (elite) Vs Legion. No effect.
End of turn 2
Turn 3
Right: Elephant Vs Legion. No effect.
Centre: Pike vs Legion. No effect.
Left: Pike (elite) Vs Legion. No effect.
 
Turn 4
Right: Elephant Vs Legion. No effect.
Centre: Pike vs Legion. No effect.
Left: Pike (elite) Vs Legion. No effect.
 
Armoured melee infantry units in combat need a 6 and so you can see combat is going on awhile.
 
Turn 5
Right: Elephant Vs Legion. Elephant routs, replace by Pike
Centre: Pike vs Legion. Pikes rout.
Left: Pike (elite) Vs Legion.  No effect.
End of turn 5
Turn 6
R: Pike vs Legion. Legion rout, replaced with a Legion
C: Legion Vs Pike (right) outflanked. Pikes rout.
L: Pike (elite) Vs Legion. Legions rout
 
Pyrrhus down to one unit and loses.
End game
Verdict
I really enjoyed this game.  It was fun but I did not have to make any decisions – all dice driven.
 
Game 4 – 3 sectors, 16 points, Heraclea
I liked Game 3 so let’s play it again.
Setup
Pyrrhus
Agema. Right sector.
Pikes. Centre sector.
Pikes. Left sector.
Elephant. Reserve.
Pikes (Elite). Reserve.

Romans
Cavalry. Right sector.
Velites. Centre sector.
Legion. Left sector.
3xLegion. Reserve.
 
Turn 1
Right: Agema Vs Cavalry.  Cavalry destroyed.  Legion replaces.
Centre: Velites shoot, miss. Pike melee but no effect.
Left: Pike Vs Legion. No effect.
End of turn 1
Turn 2
Right: Agema Vs Legion.  Agema destroyed.  Elephants replace Agema.
Centre: Velites shoot and miss. Pike melee and Velites destroyed, Legion replaces.
Left: Pike Vs Legion. No effect.
End of turn 2
Turn 3
Right: Elephant Vs Legion.  No effect
Centre: Pike Vs Legion. Pike rout, Elite Pikes replace.
Left: Pike Vs Legion. No effect.
End of turn 3
Turn 4
Right: Elephant Vs Legion.  No effect
Centre: Pike Vs Legion. Legion rout, Another Legion replaces.
Left: Pike Vs Legion. Pike rout
End of turn 4
Turn 5
Right: Elephant Vs Legion.  Elephant rout.
Centre: Pike Vs Legion. No effect.
Left: Legion Vs Pike (outflank). No effect
 
Pyrrhus down to 1 unit and loses.
End of turn 5
Verdict
Another fun game producing a great narrative.  Still very little decision making though.
 
Game 5 – 3 sectors, 16 points, Romans Vs Goths (Naissus battle)
I had these forces still out after my last test game with my own rules so played a stylised game of that.
I also mapped all the Ancient Battlelines Clash (ABC) unit classifications (same as the Bill Banks Ancients) to the Dominion of the Spear unit types.  This way I can use “Heavy Cavalry” and know that is “Mounted Melee Elite”.  Made it a lot easier for me to relate.  Note I used to use categories like missile and melee, Mounted and infantry for a few years in my ABC rules but went back to Heavy Cavalry, Light Cavalry, Heavy Infantry etc. as that is what I felt most comfortable with using.
 
I am also also trying out rule where the Attacker chooses 1-3 sectors for combat (right to left).  The Defender then choose 1-3 sectors for combat (left to right).  Victory is checked after Attacker and Defender turn. I am hoping this will add a bit of decision making as likely only combat if advantageous, or for a tactical advantage (such as possibly outflanking) or desperate when close to losing.
 
Romans
2xLegions (HI aka Infantry Melee Armoured)
2xAuxila (MI aka Infantry Melee)
1xArchers (LA aka Infantry Missile)
1xLight Cavalry (Mounted Missile)
1xHeacvy Cavalry (Mounted Missile Elite)
 
Goths
4xWB (Warbands aka Infantry Melee Ferocious)
1xHeavy Cavalry
1xArchers
Setup
Goths are defending. They put 3 Warbands into the line with the rest into reserve. Up to Romans to match
 
Warbands have +1 to attack.  The Roman Light Cavalry will get a bonus Vs Melee infantry so will deploy them and two Legions as they will negate the +1 as the Legions are being armoured.
 
Turn 1
Attacker:
Left: Light Cavalry Vs Warband.  Light Cavalry fires and the Warband routs. Replace with the Gothic Cavalry as the latter will get a bonus in melee against the Light Cavalry.
 
Defender:
Left: Light Cavalry Vs Heavy Cavalry, Light Cavalry fires and misses, Heavy Cavalry melee and misses
Centre: Warband Vs Legion. Legion routs.  Replace with Archers.
Right: Warband Vs Legion.  Warband routs. Replace with another Warband.
End of turn 1
Turn 2
Attacker:
Centre: Archers Vs Warband. Archers miss. Warband hits and Archers routed.  Replace with Auxilia.
Left: Light Cavalry Vs Heavy Cavalry.  Light Cavalry missiles miss, Heavy Cavalry also misses.
 
Defender:
Left: HC Vs Light Cavalry. Light Cavalry misses, Heavy Cavalry melee sees the Light Cavalry routs, replace with Roman Heavy Cavalry.
Centre: Warband Vs Auxilia. Warband routs. Replace with Gothic Archers.
Right: Warband Vs Legion. Legion routs, replace with Auxilia.
End of turn 2
Turn 3
Attacker:
Centre: Auxilia Vs Archers. Archers miss, Auxilia melees but for no effect.
 
Defender:
Centre: Archers Vs Auxilia, Archers miss, Auxilia routs the Archers.
Right: Warband Vs Legion. No effect.
End of turn 3
Turn 4
Attacker:
Right: Legion Vs Warband. No effect.
Centre: Legion outflank Heavy Cavalry in Left sector. Heavy Cavalry routs
 
Goths are at 1 unit.  Goths lose and Romans win!
End game

Verdict
Now that was loads of fun, and I really liked having the choice of doing combat or not in a sector.  And with a variety of units in the reserve, I did have to think on what units I used from reserve. 
 
Overall Verdict
Firstly, using the rules as written this is a fun quick game.  I have spent many hours thinking on the game, and playing the game has taking much less that that though!  Kudos to the author.   The game really does highlights the differences in unit types very well and so Legions Vs Warbands is quite different to Pikes Vs Cavalry.

After a while you could play in your head and roll some dice.  The narrative it produces is worthwhile the few minutes it takes to play.  I spend hours mulling over extra rules for specific types of units and eventually discarded them all as they are really covered enough by the unit types and abilities. Of course, having said that, I did come up with one alternative ability to Elite and Armoured called “Mixed”.  A Mixed unit counts as Elite Vs mounted and Armoured Vs infantry.  I only use it for Pikes and Elephants.  When I mapped Dominion of the Spear units to ABC units I found Pikes and Elephants were the same as HI (Blades) and Cataphracts, respectively. I did want to differentiate Pikes and Elephants so came up with “Mixed”. I played one game with “Mixed” and works fine but haven’t played enough to see if is unbalanced (it should not be but you never now).

As written, the game does have very limited decision making in the game and I did struggle with that as I wanted a little more.  I was very tempted to simply use a spreadsheet to code up the rules and run lots of games (as there is very little decisions) but that would ruin getting out some figures and actually physically rolling dice.  Rather than doing that, I spent many more hours thinking how to add more decision making – e.g. each side has a leader giving -1 (or maybe +1) to a combat die per turn.  That seemed it may skew combat so in the end I went with limiting activation.

My own rules use a die roll to see if a unit can activate.  I also thought about using a DBA type 1d3 roll for how many sectors you could combat with in a turn.  In the end I went with the Attacker and Defender can choose 1-3 sectors for combat.  One as a minimum so you have to choose and the game will not stalemate.  Attacker and Defender so both sides get to make some decisions. Choosing the sector adds some decision making, and doing it for both sides is an extra element in choices. The last game really showed that in that I did have to think about what sector(s) to select for combat.  But that it just me complicating the game but for me it gave some more decisions. 

The game itself it very clever with the 4 unit types and two abilities.  I am very tempted to expand it to a 3x3 grid plus reserves. This is only because I have been attempting to write a fast 3x3 grid set and I think the combat mechanism in Dominion of the Spear works fine, and would work just as fine with a 3x3 grid to add in some more decisions concerning movement.  But that will have to await another day as I think the current 3 sectors plus reserves and my rules tweaks works just fine for me.  No need to add more!  I am not sure I would need to change anything else.   I would play more games but after a few days I am already distracted by other rules :-)  I hope the author does not mind me tinkering with his rules – I do that for almost every ruleset, I just cannot help it :-)