Legio XII Fulminata Victrix

 Early doors yesterday morning as mate Mike had come up from Leicester for a game of War and Conquest with his Roman army, I was looking forward to it as Covid has hit my WAC gaming quite badly as my son has been unable to join me or me him for some games. I did as you know get two games in with Mark Walker recently, also Mike's friend.

I have experience of fighting Mike and had a good idea that his core forces would be two large auxiliary archer units along with three legionary cohorts and then supports. The large archer units are a pain and can cause a lot of damage to light skirmishers and even battle formations. I chose two army lists and on the day went for three legionary cohorts with German allies and my usual horse archers, skirmishers and Auxiliary light infantry (Lanciarii).

Once the terrain was laid I formed up with my Germans on my right supported by skirmishers and the light infantry, this strong force was to advance swiftly and knock out the enemy left then turn in and help the cohorts. My left had my own large archer unit and the horse archers. I wanted to advance these guys in skirmish and take out the enemy slingers and possibly their cavalry, the horse archers could do a dance with the enemy archers. My cohorts I decided would have to go forward, if Mike won on his right my line would be in danger of being flanked and shot to bits, I had to advance and it was fifty/fifty anyway as no one had the advantage in the centre.

Thunderbolts on the left, enemy Legion on the right.

 I pushed my whole right flank forward and managed to get on a small hill before the enemy Auxiliaries, my light infantry also followed and took the enemy horse archers under fire, killing some but not sending them running. On the left I tentatively advanced but my massed archers proved completely useless at using their bows, my own horse archers were even more cautious and hid in a wood not daring to show themselves. Mike kept getting the initiative and he hit the Germans first, I was expecting a win by the large warband but it fought halfheartedly, when their mates went in again I expected great things as they plunged downhill, but although winning the enemy did not break. Time was of the essence here and it was slipping away. The only good point was that the Lanciarii had routed the horse archers and dispersed them.

The Germans take the hill.

Mike was forcing me back on his right but it was slow going, he managed to eventually rout my archers but by this time I had come within charge reach of his centre and being in combat could save my flank for a little while at least. Over on my right I lost a warband and the Tribune in command fled alongside them, the first time I have ever lost a commander to fear rather than steel. Never mind, I had set up a good attack by my cohorts, and Cohors III was well placed to take out the large archer unit, but sadly as usual in this game, Mike won the initiative yet again and he instead came storming at me. I looked around the battlefield and prayed to Fortuna but still felt that things were about to go pear shaped.

 As the dust settled my prayers had been answered, all three cohorts had held, although just, and the First had actually won their fight, my warband also managed to start dealing death to their foe, I breathed a little easier. Having withstood the storm it was now the second round and the Legion relished it while Fortuna smiled, this time all the enemy in contact took horrendous casualties and fled, only to be caught and dispersed. Mike had gone from being on the cusp of victory to losing his army, he offered his sword.

And to the game, I did not win the initiative on any of the turns despite using Strategic Initiative Points and my shooting had been completely useless, this is happening a lot of late. Things turned my way once the legionaries had clashed, having survived the onslaught the second round was deadly for Mike and he failed his morale throws, up until then things had went well for him and had been disappointing for me. The last two battles had been a win and a loss for the Twelfth, but this time I felt the boys were back.

A good game against a good opponent, the pressure had really been on and I appreciated that Mike had
driven from Leicester to play, have some banter and a pint at our local brewery.

Nothing else happening at the moment, my shipment of Pz 38(t)'s turned out to be Hetzer's, so I await the proper tanks, my last French WWII squad, the motorised infantry is finished, next up will probably be to paint my new Chain of Command tokens. I have also ordered up some polystyrene sheets for a new project, more of which anon.