The Battle of the Nida..(?)

Or Dulia...?

As we left it, Caeog's army had been following Caninia.

The Romans had crossed a river (locals inform him it is in fact NOT the Nida proper, but a branch of the Nida called the Dulia, or Julia, or Afon, or something. It really doesn't matter.) and have stopped to set up camp on the side away from the rebel army, the camp being sited on a low spur of the hills; close enough to water sources but reasonably dry.

Caeog had halted near the river to rest his men, hoping to catch the Romans as they continued their march. But as dawn breaks the Romans are seen to be drawn up and waiting for the Britons.

Caninia has his camp and his cohort of the IInd (about 30% under-strength; 344 men*) and Burriana's under-strength "expeditionary force" from HIS mixed cohort (38 auxiliary horse and 165 foot), plus around 110 servants.

Having been told overnight by friendly locals of the enemy force nearby he had his men fed, then deployed just before dawn. He did NOT want to be caught on the march.

[*Determined by dice throw per century, as usual.]

One very depleted legionary century (32 men) and a very low-strength century of Burriana's Dalmations (26 men), plus the servants have had to be left to guard the camp, in case the enemy make a sweep on it; leaving Caninia with 312 legionaries and 139 auxiliary foot, plus the horse, to fight with.

He thus faces odds of nearly six to one (Caeog has with him around two thousand seven hundred rebels) but doesn't know that yet.....

He is currently standing-to in front of the camp, with slopes on his flanks and to his front, and it looks like he has three reasonable options as the enemy organise themselves;

1) Rushing his men back into the camp and fighting from there. But if he does that successfully he is likely to be by-passed by the enemy (their experience with attacking forts has made them wary), with them pushing south or west into undefended areas, and possibly raising more men. While perhaps the sensible option that's NOT going to look good on his record.

Also, his men are low on supplies. If the enemy decide to sit it out (and ravage the local area) he has no idea if/when relief will arrive.

2) Staying where he is, stood-to, at the top of the slopes and letting the hostiles come to him (i.e. to draw them into the "wrong kind of fight" at a disadvantage).

However, as more and more noise is heard from across the river it seems clear that he is dealing with a bigger force than he had envisaged.

The third; to advance on the enemy - such as rushing them as they struggle across the river. This looks risky, and trying something clever like hiding some guys in ambush doesn't really seem to be an option (the woodland in the pic above is - again - modern plantation and, given mid/late Iron Age deforestation and cultivation/agriculture, what is now woody scrub on the slopes was likely more open than today).

At least he has 38 cavalry to keep as a mobile reserve.

Overnight the Romans had had a quick Council of War. Four of Caninia's centurions were for staying in the camp and sitting it out and one undecided, but Caninia's grizzled senior and one other centurion are for fighting in the open, as is he and Burriana (whose own centurions are equally divided). Hence his men standing to, fronting the camp.

[Ok.. So what scale will I use on the table. Again, this is really a large skirmish. I have enough Romans to do this 1:2, but do I want to set out around 1,300 odd Brits (most of whom will just be getting in each other's way or standing around wondering what's going on - or trying to get into the fort) for what will likely be a not over exciting fight? On the other hand, with the Roman force being so small 1:10 (let alone 1:20) seems iffy... I think about 1:5 might do it... However, given time restraints, I go for 1:10 - not least because the Roman will not be reverting to maniples, let alone centuries, as the "unit of manoeuvre, and the Silurian formations will be large.] 

Caninia had decided to stand on the hill. However, as the early morning mists disperse, and the enemy moves forward, the overwhelming numbers of the enemy become clear. Time for a rethink? Too late, as the Silures sweep forward.  

Caninia has placed his legionaries on his left in a deep line, with Burrenia's auxiliary foot on his right. Burennia's horse form the only reserve. Immediately behind them is an outwork protecting the north gate of the camp. 

However, the Celts seem hesitant at first, perhaps they fear some kind of trap?
Their skirmishers loose a volley, causing some Roman casualties, and the Romans drop a few long-range ballista bolts into the press, but to minimal effect.

Now the Celt foot advance, passing their skirmish line as if to charge up the slope.

Strangely, Caninia now splits his legionaries, moving two thirds of them forward and slightly to his right centre.

The Silures advance. Caninia splits his legionaries.

Then, as the Silures push forward, Caninia takes a real risk throwing his legionaries down the slope in a "flying wedge" to hit the enemy centre - and the lines of what pass for nobles and elite among the hill tribes. Is he trying to reach the enemy commander and settle matters at a stroke? 

The wedge hits home.

The Roman flying wedge strikes home, splitting the lead formation and taking down a number of their best  - or at least best equipped - warriors. This seems to give the whole enemy centre pause - especially as Caeog himself seems unsure what to do. However, although discomforted, the enemy centre does not break, but instead pulls back to reorganize. Meanwhile, the Silurian flank formations ease forward - threatening to envelope the Roman wedge.

The wedge fails to break the enemy.

As soon as it becomes clear the the wedge charge has failed to break the enemy centre, Caninia (close to the action) throws the remaining legionaries (in line and with a pilum discharge) at the enemy, to cover the wedge's left, at the same time angling Burriana's cohort slightly to protect the right flank. 

Again, a Roman charge does not bring anything decisive to the table, but at least it caused some more disruption and a few casualties, forcing the elite warriors back.

Believing this gives him a breathing space, Caninia therefore orders the legionaries to reform and slowly pull back in good order back up the slope. This COULD be the tipping point - and against an organised enemy would likely have ended in disaster.

Caninia's men reform and back up.

However, with Caeog indecisive, his centre disrupted and hesitant, and his sub-commanders lacking specific orders, the Silures do not take advantage of the situation. Their right advances a little more, but all Caeog actually does is mount up and move forward to rally his centre.

Seeing the threat of being flanked on both sides Caninia decides to pull back to the camp.

With his men back on the slope Caninia orders the cavalry to go right, and enter the fort's side north east gate. Burrenia is ordered to pull his men back, in good order, to access the north (front) gate, while the legionaries pull back last and the ballistas on the outworks carry on shooting; these picking off two unit commanders and a number of warriors. The Silures REALLY do not like the ballistas. 

The horse withdraw.

Again, a swift rush by the enemy could prove fatal to Caninia's force at this point - but again the Celts seem hesitant; not least because their centre "elites" have still not recovered from the shock of the wedge's charge and because Caeog seemingly lacks the spirit to push an attack home. Perhaps he is himself wary of the balistas? Who knows? Although he did mount up and push forward at one stage, most of the time he hangs about in the middle of the field, trying to get his elite warriors into order. This gives Caninia the chance to steady HIS guys and get rid of some of the disorder they have suffered.

The Romans start pulling back to the camp in a slow, orderly manner, facing the enemy.

Only as the last of Caninia's men pull back into the safety of the camp does Caeog and his escort push forward to shouting distance, and a Silure unit actually charge - the formation of warriors on Caninia's right under Tewdrig.

But as these reach the defences a balista bolt brings down that bold commander, and, having earlier lost another sub-commander in the advance, the attackers halt before the ditch; with a lot of noise, but very little action.

With the Romans back in their camp, and nobody on the Silurian side seemingly having stomach for an immediate assault on the camp, the battle on the table is over.

Now Caeog needs to decide what to do; invest or attack the camp - or move off to seek easier pickings. It is still early morning. A Council of War will be called. 

Technical: 

Unusually for me I did an "I go U go" game this time, since there were few options for units to go off to do their own thing and it was a small field.

Caninia was very close to the front line throughout, and so was able to exercise tight control of both his force and his subordinates; who (apart from the ballista crews at the camp) had no chance for independent action (i.e doing something daft or being too tardy).

He also had the advantages of a formal command structure and a strong officer to men ratio. Had he NOT had these advantages (to get rid of Disruption and ensure safe, steady manoeuvres), plus a well-drilled force, a withdrawal in the face of the enemy could have gone disastrously wrong. 

Caeog (again) put in a lacklustre performance. His personal actions (dice controlled - as were those of his subordinates) left him spending most of his time hesitating or trying to sort out the confusion of his centre units - particularly the elite warriors discomforted early by the Roman wedge (they had still not recovered their equilibrium even at the end of the battle. NOT happy bunnies..).

Cyfwlch, on the Silure right, made a lot of aggressive moves, but didn't actually attack after the Roman line charge against the centre.

Tewdrig, on the left, again, was inconsistent - seemingly keen one minute, less so (or simply conforming to the centre's actions) the next - until his final (and personally fatal) attempt on the camp outworks.

Aftermath: 

The Silures suffered ninety casualties, mainly due to the two Roman charges and the ballista bolts (no saving throws for the latter).

They lost three commanders, including Tewdrig (all to ballistas), plus nineteen noble warriors dead and another ten badly wounded. Of the "ordinary folk" there were thirty eight killed or mortally wounded, ten badly wounded and another ten with light wounds.

The Romans lost ten legionaries killed outright or mortally wounded, with ten more lightly hurt.

Both sides hung onto their wounded; the Romans withdrawing slowly in good order, the Celts holding the field.

While Caeog thinks about what to do now, what he does NOT know is that during the night Caninia sent a courier to Fort Nidenum to alert the garrison there.

In addition, neither he, nor indeed Caninia himself, knows that Albinius and HIS vexillation arrived at Nidenum only last evening. If Albenius is feeling bold (and he has acted so previously) he may push to join Caninia.

He may also have sent couriers to find and update Caesetius; himself only a days march away to the east. IF the Romans concentrate and bring Caeog to battle in greater numbers things could become interesting.

Watch this space......

As usual, comment and queries welcomed.