How to lose an Empire in an Afternoon.

Back in 2022 Ed beat my Patricians using my Romano-British, after that battle I pretended that he was a British usurper to the Imperial Purple named Edicus "Proceritas" (the tall) who had invaded Gaul, the local forces not being up to the task of stopping him. Meanwhile the Magister Militum of the West, Aetius, had gathered his field army and marched to confront the upstart. The German tribes (Rob Broom) across the Rhine had taken advantage of the confusion in the Roman ranks to invade the Empire, seeking glory and booty. They were met by Aetius, defeated and sent packing, we played this as a remote game on Zoom. Bouyed by his success Aetius continued into Gaul and today, after a long break, met the army of the usurper on the field of battle.

I took five Legions supported by cavalry, skirmishers and German Foederati, Ed had four units of Milites of varying experience along with cavalry, skirmishers and allies in the shape of Saxon and Welsh warbands. Ed deployed most of his missile troops backed up by cavalry on his right while the infantry lined the centre and left, I was set up in the same way with my cavalry and some missiles facing his and my infanty opposite his foot. I was a bit unsure about the amount of firepower he had mustered and hoped to at least drive away his skirmishers and weaken his cavalry before I attacked. The infantry I would hold back until I successfully smashed the enemy flank.

Romano-British line.

Both sides.

Romans deployed.

British cavalry.

Now what?

 

Things started out fairly well although I forgot my Bucellarii had bows as they were Huns, and lost an opportunity to shoot in the first phase. I sent some slingers fleeing for the rear and moved the Germans through a wood to engage the massed bowmen behind it. Ed countered by charging my skirmishing Alans, I won the combat and his mounted Milites broke and fled, I was feeling confident. The Germans now went after the bowmen and scattered them but couldn't catch them, they in turn were hit by the Saxon warband, I had a lot riding on the Germans as they had armour and the Saxons did not, my hopes were misplaced.

The lines advance.

Slowly lads, slowly.

It all looked so good.

Things begin to get out of hand.

Who let the old guy in?

Ed's Saxons hit the Germans and sent them running, he also charged my victorious Alans with his mounted Comitatus and the nomads promptly fled and left the table, they would be back but not for a couple of turns. I needed the initiative in the next phase but did not get it, disaster loomed. The Foederati were swept from the battlefield, his Comitatus retired out of charge reach of my Bucellerii and worst of all the Welsh swept down from their hill and cut down Quinta Macedonica and their officer in short order, this rout also sent the Regii Legion running. To their right the Anglevari had held but the Gallicani Honoriani had lost their combat and also ran, I had lost a third of my forces, I was shocked to say the least.

Going pear shaped.

The Celtae falter.

I managed to rally the Regii and threw them against the approaching Welsh, I had no great hopes they would beat them, the Gallicani had also rallied, could I hold on. Ed now threw his leader and his bodyguard into my elite Palatini the Celtae Seniores, these lads braced themselves in shield wall but it was no good, they held out for a time but eventually ran like everyone else, the Gallicani were now the only infantry left standing against a surge of the enemy. Over on my left the Bucellerii and Aetius were in combat with the Romano-British Comitataus cavalry and slowly pushing them back, but this was the only bright spot in the darkness. Before the Celtae had broken they had managed to kill Edicus, Aetius himself had taken a wound but was still active with his bodyguard. The forces of the usurper had won the day but the man himself lay dead amongst the Romans his men had slaughtered.

All that remains of my infantry.

Aetius' less than grand bodyguard.

 

During the night the leaders of the victorious army clashed with many wanting to return to Britain with as much booty as they could carry and others wanting to claim Gaul for themselves, Katharina the widow of Edicus, a forceful woman backed up by commanders loyal to her dead husband argued for a march on Rome, why take Gaul when the West lay at their feet? On the other hand the loss of the battle for Aetius proved to be fatal as men from the army, riled up by disgruntled legionaries, murdered the general later that night as his bodyguard stood by. Can anyone save Rome?

That was a severe defeat, my army simply fled or gave up at every opportunity, it started with the Germans and then not being able to grasp the initiative at a moment of crises sealed my doom. Bad luck played its part, for instance I put officers with the Legions from the frontier to bolster their morale and they both went down at the most inopportune moments, but I also think I made some bad decisions in the middle which might have spared me some grief. Ed played well nevertheless and simply marched across the table sweeping everything in his path. Despite the beating I enjoy these rules and the little story I have built up has been a blast. Come and try your luck while I am on the ropes :).

(I used different names on Facebook as I had forgotten what I used before)