Friday, February 7, 2020

Republican Roman vs Carthaginian battle report

Stategos Phillipe travelled up from Laval for a visit this week, for a game and a visit to see my progress on the renovation of the Salon de Guerre. We had decided on a historical match up of my Scipio Africanus based army vs his Hasdrabul. Phillipe has only played Advanced Impetus five times and had downloaded it in French now so had a better understanding of the terms and finer details of the game.

Philiipe organised his WAB based miniatures for Impetus, we elected to have a simple meeting engagement rolling for terrain we ended up with four woods, Phillipe placed his newly finished Elephant was having its first outing. I also had six units of my newly completed Gauls on the table. I placed two legions on the table plus extra two velites and two light cavalry and two FL Gauls to deal with the elephant and slow down his cavalry. Attaching my general to a unit of Triarii.

Phillip elected two veteran and two regular pike, plus two light cavalry, two heavy cavalry, elephants, two FL Gauls and lots of skirmishers and some fate dice. Leaving his general seperate from the units.

Turn 1
I won the command phase and elected to advance the whole centre and held back my cavalry on my left, just coming within javelin range everything released, but only one hit, first blood to me! Phillipe reposte, he advanced with his skirmisher line loosing  javelins at close range and caused a loss skirmishers a full base, plus casualties on another. His Numidian cavalry double moved flanking my lights and in a hail of short range javelin, the  "taxi de la mort" (cab rank of death) removed a whole base of my light cavalry. 1st round to Phillipe!






Turn 2 again I won the command phase and advanced again, this time my right flank skirmishers finally done some damage, two bases hitting the elephants, and one base taking out two skirmisher bases, I advanced my infantry but double moved my large unit of Gauls so they could threaten the left flank of the Carthaginian army amazingly they passed the discipline test. I also advanced my left flank light cavalry, to threaten his numidian cavalry and his heavies, I managed to get a strike on his heavy cavalry, but only a disorder. Phillipe reposte, he launched his infantry line forward, his Numidian cavalry decided to hurl javelins at point blank range the large Gallic horde, causing 2 casualties, he then charged his heavy cavalry into them, causing another loss, however my return caused one in reply also, we both passed morale so a stick. His skirmishers whittled away all of my left flank skirmishers and caused disorders on my heavy infantry, his Numidian cavalry on my left, caused casualties on my light cavalry leaving it with one remaining point.





Turn 3 again I win the command phase, I elect to engage my whole line, and effectively use pilum and my manipular formation, breaking and destroying two units, and the follow up catch another one, my Gauls win their round of combat against the cavalry who run, catching them and the poor skirmishers who happened to be behind them, my remaining skirmishers manage to kill the elephant. Phillipes' army centre collapses, and he elects to consider defeat........his army breaks and the remains of his men withdrawing to fight another day.









The lonely pike unit on his right


Just before the destruction of the left flank 

Good points were taken away, if used effectively light cavalry can be good "taxi de la mort" javelin armed, always get stuck in with elephants, otherwise skirmish armed javelins will whittle them down at point blank range. Skirmishers shoot 360, can move diagonally without penalties so can engage targets from the side at point blank. Large units of Celts are tough, but can be whittled down with light infantry or cavalry. Stay outside zone of control for point blank firing on other shooters, unless they are disordered. Republicans can be tough, if they roll well for the manipulation formation can be devastating.

Things to do, make more disorder markers!


18 comments:

Jonathan Freitag said...

Great to see your newly mustered Gallic horde on the gaming table. Congratulations on the triumph. What are your impressions of Impetvs?

Bluewillow said...

I really like advanced Impetus, not a fan of Basic as it’s too generic and more weighed towards tournaments. Rewards good supported tactics and the variability of a combat results makes it hard for bean counter players to weigh up the result options and the grading of troops works well.

Impetus gets a very good result IMHO but does need to be played within period .

Cheers
Matt

Philippe said...

Hi Matt, thanks for this fun Battlegame !
It was a nice day despite the disband of my army....the Carthaginian mercenaries were probably not paid enough !!
I discover Impetus with great interest : fun, fast and historical !
Wainting for the next game !!
Cheers
Philippe

Bluewillow said...

Yes a grand game my friend, perhaps I will lend you some more mercenaries next time!

Cheers
Matt

Christopher(aka Axebreaker) said...

Lovely looking game! I do need to blow the dust off my Impetus armies and get playing again.

Christopher

Bluewillow said...

Yes, my current favourite for ancients, not convinced as much with medievals though, tinkering with the 100 years war at the moment

Cheers
Matt

Cyrus said...

Great looking game Matt!

Bluewillow said...

Cheers Mick, a simple on the table game with a cigar box mat, and a few trees to represent southern Italy.

Cheers
Matt

Norm said...

Lovely table, I do like the big bases for this period.

Michal DwarfCrypt said...

What a great looking battle!

Bluewillow said...

Thanks, I do like the large impetus bases

Cheers
Matt

Bluewillow said...

Thanks Michal, always good to catch up with a mate and run out my Romans

Michael Awdry said...

What an impressive sight!

Bluewillow said...

Thanks Michael, I do enjoy a good mid sized Impetus game

James Fisher said...

That's what you call quick and decisive Matt! I guess it is on the cards when both armies set up withing striking distance. You did well to limit the impact of the Numidians and the elephant was nullified too.
A marvellous looking game with beautiful figures and a beaut report.

Bluewillow said...

Yes, quick advanced game set up, two and half moves for combat. Fast and furious

Dundee01 said...

Beau scénario - Bravo !
Quelle marque pour vos Carthaginois ?
Si quelques figurines sont à vendre, merci de me contacter.

Bluewillow said...

Dundee
les cathaginois sont Renegade Miniatures et Gripping Beast metal. Warlord en plastique et Victrix Gaulois.

Ok