It ain't over until the physically challenged lady sings!

Giving WWII a rest I thought I would take the opportunity to do a large battle and get a couple of armies on the table, even if the game did not work I could sit for ages just looking at the troops and disappear into a little world of my own. Legio XII had not been on campaign for a long time so I thought they could challenge the new boys on the block, the Seleucids, I roped in friend Matt from the Wargames Table to once again take command.

Are you superstitious with your armies, I am, each has its own set of dice and I try not to have favourites, however the Thunderbolts are my favourites, I love that army, I like the rest but those guys do me proud. I am always a bit wary of handing them over to another general but put it down to a new political appointee from Rome, so temporary only. I do wonder however that in a solo game can I be totally unbiased and not upset the other army by secretly rooting for the Twelfth, am I mad?

I sorted out a table then sent Matt a map and the army list for Early Imperial Roman, the battle was going to be 3,250 points a side. I chose four phalanxes, an Elephant,Ccataphracts and Companions supported by some skirmishers and mercenary Peltasts, I then deployed them before looking at Matt's army choices and his deployment. My first thought was it was not going to be a long battle, my army seemed to be more powerful than Matt's, opposite me were four cohorts of tough regular legionaries along with one veteran (Praetorians), these were supported by some archers, skirmshers, Contari and an Auxiliary Cohort. I checked my numbers again as for a Seleucid army I seemed to have way more than I should, but no, they were fine, the legionaries opposite were the finest though. Matt had also given me a rough plan to follow so let battle commence.

Romans left, Selecuids right.

The Phalanx.

Praetorians, Cohors II, I, III.

 From the Roman perspective the heavy infantry needed to advance sharply and get into combat as both flanks looked vulnerable, the Auxiliaries and massed archers were going to sit on their hill and see what transpired. The Seleucids decided to hit both flanks while leading the advance with the elephant in concert with a phalanx, I got excited and with only auxiliaries and some archers on the hill thought I could ride them down with the Cataphracts, I had intended to set a phalanx on the archers but decided to instead pull it in to the centre and flank the left hand cohort. The Praetorians screwed up the Roman advance, this is one of those units, and refused to move despite being howled at by the Legate himself, so this left three cohorts against four phalanxes and the elephant, but the Romans had no choice but continue forward, the slow Praetorians could now protect the right flank but it still looked like the left would collapse as the Companions and Contari came to grips and the Cataphracts advanced on the hill. I had fully expected the Contari to be swept away but no, they held on for three turns before fleeing.

The advance, well not the Praetorians.

 

The Contari put up a fight.

Now the main clash between both infantry lines came and the phalanxes smashed into the cohorts, I now realised why I had more men, I had forgotten to give the phalangites light armour, a big mistake when facing Romans. While the smart but useless Praetorians were chasing the Peltasts Cohors II in a tough battle with the White phalanx eventually managed to rout them, Cohors I were uncharacteristically routed by the Purple phalanx. The biggest setback of the day occurred as Cohors III was hit by two phalanxes and the elephant, none of these units could seem to make any headway against the others, the flanking phalanx and the elephant were particularly inept and things slowly swung in favour of the Romans.

The Cataphracts charge fails.

Rome just about to win the left flank.

On the left the Auxiliaries stopped the Cataphracts and they too began to slowly turn the tide, just as the victorious Companions came thundering back ready to hit them in the flank the armoured horsemen broke and took the Companions with them, the Gods had deserted the Seleucids, in the centre with the help of the Auxiliary Archers Cohors III beat their tormentors and it was all over for the Greeks.

The Auxiliary Archers charge in and seal the Greek fate.

 What had started out as a distraction for the day turned into a brutal and exciting battle. It had its heroes and villains, the haughty Praetorians doing their own thing and the tenacious Auxiliaries and Cohors III defying the odds. Normally I suspect the combination of elephant and phalanx would have swept the third cohort away, however I have a house rule that all units in contact with the elephant suffer disorder not just the target, this slowed the combat, also the flank phalanx also ended up in contact with Nellie which did not do them any favours, all this as well as the dire combat rolls of all involved ensured a long and protracted struggle. It was a bad idea to attack uphill with the Cataphracts and when it was obvious they were going to be beat in the long run I should have disengaged them, there are rules for this under trial but I did not have them to hand, I will keep them close for the future.

I now want to get a fourth cohort which has been one of those things which never goes away and will have to happen one day.