The Game's Afoot...

The Battle of Riangola River.

Firmus's force, moving southwards along the valley of the Riangola in Hillfort Cluster XXXVI (see map) is menaced by a very large body of enemy, seeming intent on ravaging the baggage train.

As the game opens:
Ist Thracum (inf) has been deployed as a flank guard.

Coh. 3, Legio. II Aug. and Vth Gallorum (inf.) form the vanguard (marching in battle order) - placed approx 1m from the board's eastern edge (diced for).

Next comes the C.O. and his staf/bodyguard, leading the main body.

Firmus's column of march will thus consist of Coh: 5, 6, 7 of Legio. II Aug. plus baggage (not arrived on table) with I Tungrorum (mill. Inf.) forming the rearguard.

All bar the Vanguard are in marching order, with their impedimenta on their shoulders, shields slung & covered and helms any which way (i.e they are not "battle ready").In front of the main column surveyors/pioneers are dealing with a route issue and making the native track suitable for wheeled vehicles.

The Celts will come on - well, wherever they come on.....

Entry & Activation:

All unit activation is by a "Token Draw" in the Sharp Practice Two style. Each activated unit has two "Inherent Action Options" (movement/combat etc.) . These can be added to by officers with bonus abilities. For movement each unit throws 1x6d per Action Option used. Combat is based on adapted SP2 rules/conventions.

In the Activation Token Tub I have tokens for:

One Unit Commander Token for each Roman "division" commander; i.e. the Senior Tribune - force C.O.,  his 2IC (in this case the Camp Prefect - the most experienced military officer), the Vanguard commander (a legion Tribune),  the Prefect of the Thracian flank guard and the Column captain (a legion Tribune). If the column breaks up/once full combat is joined each cohort will have it's own junior officer added to the token mix, but initially the units stay firmly under senior officer control.

Three Roman "Command Tokens" (used as per SP2).  If any additional Roman forces enter the table (e.g the rearguard or returning scouts - as dictated by "Events" below) an additional Command Token is added for every 2 such units.

1 Celtic Activation token. Every time this is pulled a Celtic body arrives at the table edge, the nature and size of the force diced for as outlined previously.  Deployment point is decided by dice (12 designated possible entry points. I dice thrown/1 entry point per activated body).

An additional, allocated Unit Commander token is added to the tub for each new unit/body, Roman or Celtic, placed on the field.

Two Celtic Command Tokens are placed in the tub to begin with. An additional token is added for every two Celtic bodies subsequently entering the table.

A "Card" token.  If drawn I throw a 10d and consult the Event Table drawn up for this scenario. This table is as follows:

1: Roman Transport Issue - if the baggage train ins on the table there is a problem. The baggage train cannot move ("Sorry Legate, the wheel fell off didn't it..."). Otherwise ignore & throw again.

2) Roman unit activates (player's choice).

3) Celtic unit activates (diced for).

4 or 5) If the Celtic Activation Token has already been drawn, add it to the tub again - it may be drawn again.

6) Unit panics - dice for side affected, dice for unit. Unit moves 12" in the direction away from the nearest enemy unit. Any conflicts/choices diced for.

7) Unit rallies - dice for side affected. A single panicked or broken unit rallies. Dice for any choices.

8) A "Blind" appears. Deploy in cover at table edge as if arriving Celtic force. The nature of this force will not be revealed until "spotted". Dice for side. Dice for size as standard if Celtic or for off-table unit (if any available) if Roman. 

9) Unexpected reinforcements (Roman). If there are any scouting/off table Roman units available one of these enters play. Deployment diced for as for Celts.

10) Weather changes (This Ain't Siluria, remember..) - if fine it turns to rain. Visibility and movement halved. Missile effects halved. If already rainy, the rain stops.
                                                                                     

On the first turn the Romans make little progress ("Who built this road then, Legate?"). The Celts draw their Activation Token, throw for numbers & type of body, and we're off...

I won't give a blow account, but will mainly use this Bat. Rep.  as an exercise in describing the rule conventions that allow me to have a lot of solo fun.....

We've seen above how I get the guys on the field in a way to keep me guessing.

In addition, as the Roman player I wanted to get into some kind of Battle Formation, bring the baggage on into a protected "square" safe from any wild enemy attacks coming in the same old way - and using my legionaries to beat them off, in the same old way; hoping my cavalry scouts (two whole cohorts worth) would turn up to complete an enemy route... Hmmm.......... To do this, however, I needed lucky activation of my officers....

Well, as things progressed the Celts kept coming on (eventually arriving on three sides) with the Activation happening as per the token draw and the Celt targets decided by IMP & dice. I manage this by looking at the options open to the activated enemy formation (inc. any overall enemy orders/objective - in this case the baggage and generally being a nuisance), dice for the "courage" of the commander,  make a quick "probability" calculation, throw dice as appropriate - and take the consequences...

Early on I made what turned out to be a serious tactical error and, thanks to the above, nearly came a cropper.....

In my haste to get the column deployed AND keep an eye on my vanguard I left the C.O. exposed between them - providing (as the Tokens hampered me and favoured the enemy - and the dice played out) a Target of Opportunity for the enemy chariots, swiftly exploited...





Down went my C.O. (wounded), my 2IC (dead) and my only on-table cavalry (their bodyguard; dead or scattered).  A flurry of good tokens retrieved the situation but things were going pear-shaped for me very early.



Next, my column deployed to meet a flanking threat, but by doing so opened the road for the baggage - which came on between the column and ANOTHER enemy force. This force swept in, through the baggage train, and after a swift & inconclusive fight with the column, ran off some of the baggage & killed a lot of non-combatants before withdrawing in good order.

Some friendly auxiliary infantry reinforcements arrived (scouting unit - as dictated by the Events Table) but with my command structure gone my defence was disjointed, I had no effective Battle Line or reserve, NO cavalry and I was in a bad position to act aggressively without exposure to a fast and numerous enemy..

Discretion proved the better part of valour for both sides - and as the enemy pulled away from the field with their booty (while taunting us)  all we could safely do was to dress the ranks and watch.....

So ended the first battle of the campaign. My Northern operations have received a setback, and though the Butcher's Bill wasn't THAT bad (see below)  I can't claim THAT exercise as a victory.....

With a report forwarded to the Legate commanding the campaign (it will take at least 4 days to reach him) the vexillation will do some local slapping & nailing to ram home the message "We ain't beat and we ain't going", then hunker down and await instructions. 



So ends the first 20 days or so of the campaign in the north...

Meanwhile: the Legate carries on with "Flying the Eagle" along the coast, convincing the locals re. which side of their laver bread is buttered, gaining a "Forced March" card to hold in hand for when needed, ravaging the large sanctuary near the coast and begins building a fort & supply depot in the valley of the Occama river. It is while he is there, on the 24th, he receives the report of the action in the north.

However, also on the 24th. (a card turns and...) reports arrive at Isca indicating that there is a potentially hostile force in the unpacified hills south of the mountains overlooking the Serrova valley. No indication of size. No indication of intent....... But it looks like the fewmets might be hitting the windmill all too shortly.......

Decisions have to be made:

What orders should be sent to the Northern Vexillation?

Does our push west and north have to come to a standstill while we investigate the force hovering behind our lines - and within striking distance of Isca - or can we assume that THAT is going to turn out to be just a minor nuisance, to which we can just send an investigative flying column, while we pursue our main objective...?

Hmmm.....