Romancing the Romans

 A Headless Body Production

Venue: Eisenhower Hotel
Event: Cold Wars, 2025
Theme: Classic Age, 6 mounted units maximum, Round 3
Players: Phil Gardocki running Pyrrhic, list 44
              Mike Kelley running Republican Romans
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 25mm, 200 points per side.
Font: Times New Roman

The Forces

The pike taxis are commanded by Pyrrhus of house Aeacid, Toparch of Molossia and Epirus, a Strategist, and Agapitós, the Brilliant.  The Cavalry are commanded by Agapitós, the Ordinary and Included.
2 Taxis of Hypaspist, Pike, Elite
5 Taxis of Pike
2 Mercenary Hoplites
8 Rhodians, Illyrians, Cretans. Various Light Infantry with bow, javelin or sling
2 Elephants
1 Xystophoroi, Heavy Cavalry, Elite
1 Greek Heavy Cavalry
2 Thracian Light Cavalry, Javelin
Breakpoint...23

 

The legions are commanded by Romans of unknown names.  We will call them Anon, Maximus and Equites, all from the family Celly*.  All are probably competent
4 Heavy Cavalry
2 Numedians, Light Cavalry, Javelin
7 Legionaries, Heavy Swordsmen, Impact, Armor
1 Triarii, Heavy Spearmen, Armor, Elite
2 Extraordinarii, Medium Swordsmen, Armor, Elite
2 Scutarii, Medium Swordsmen, Impetuous
3 Velites, Light Infantry Javelin, Elite
Breakpoint...22

Display Conventions: When you see a word bubble like "Ouch!" or "Heus!", or "Ωχ!", this implies a disorder from missiles. Letters in parenthesis represent some value change for the specific unit. For commanders it is s for strategist, b for Brilliant, c for Competent and o for Ordinary, u for unreliable. For troops it is e for Elite, and m for Mediocre. Other abbreviations, Hvy Heavy, XB Crossbow, LB, Longbow, Jav Javelin, 2HW 2 Handed Weapons, B Bow, Kn Knight, HKn Heavy Knight, HC Heavy Cavalry, Md Medium, Sgt Sergeants, LC Light Cavalry, Chr Chariot, Cat Cataphract, Pa Pavise, LI, Light Infantry, HG Hand Gun, FKn Foot Knight, Hvy Spear, Heavy Spearmen. I tend not to point out Light Infantry, as it clutters the pictures for no real value.

Inappropriately capitalized words are used to highlight terms that are specific to the game. For example Brilliant, Competent and Ordinary have specific game values for the commanders.

"XX" implies a unit killed in that location on that turn.

Any vagueness or inaccuracies in the descriptions is to be considered is to be considered Fog of War, and is to be considered part of the fun.

The Board:

The Roman right is lightly held by a couple of skirmishers

Ed Note:  after reviewing the battle report, that is actually a plantation, not a field.

Consider that a "Checkov's gun."

Their center right is held by the Extraordinarii, and then a line of some 8 cohorts of Legionaries. 

As of this writing, I am not sure if the cohort in the back is Triarii, or a rank and file Hastati/Principes

On their far left is a strong force (for this scenario, anyway) of horse, backed by a cohort of Triarii.

Pyrrhus takes the left command.

Agapitos takes the center

While the other Agapitos takes the far right.

 

This looks like almost exactly the same plans on both sides.  The Romans have the terrain advantage with the Extraordinarii, and on the far right with his horse.  That means Pyrrhus should have the advantage in the center.

Turn 1:

Pyrrhus double marches towards the main Roman line.

Agapitos parallels his march.

The other Agapitos advances to engage the Roman horse.  But his mission is to just survive, so he isn't going to get too close.

The Roman line advances with a slide to their right.  Extending their line with their rear cohort.

That gives Pyrrhus only a single unit advantage on the main line.

The Roman horse aggressively advances.

Turn 2:

A bit of light on light engagement.  But the Velites are elite, so I'll not get closer than necessary.

I haven't done an "odds" segment in a while.

If both lights are ordinary, then they will score 6 in 36.

Shooter and target elite, then the shooters score on  7 in 36.

Shooter elite and target ordinary, then the shooters score on only 3 in 36.

Pyrrhus evens out his line, sliding to the left to cover the Extraordinarii in the field.

I have to stop doing this diagonal march tactic.  It is one of those things that looks good in paper as a method to refuse a flank.  But as far as a game goes, it never works out, it either runs into ZOC interference, or runs afoul of the conforming rules, or yields an overlap in in the middle of the main line of battle. 

Agapitos tries his best to line up with Pyrrhus (see rant above)

The other Agapitos (that reference is getting tedious as well, but this is the last 25mm report, so we can deal with it for another ... scrolls down... 5 turns) orders a strategic retreat. 

Odds be damned!  See odds section earlier this turn, the Velites take a hit!

The Romans hang tight between the fields.

Their significant advantage of horse means they can afford to wait to turn the flank of Pyrrhus's phalanx.

Turn 3:

Another exchange of javelins, to much heavy cursing.

How not to organize an attack.  Taking 3 turns to just line up the shot.

Agapitos is trying something tricky.  Gaining a supported shot on the Numedians.  While heading to the boards edge with his heavies.  The thought here is to lure the bulk, if not all the Roman horse to the edge, then retreat.  Preventing it from attacking the phalanx's flank

Ordinary supported lights shooting will score 7 in 36 shots.

So much for the initial javelin exchange advantage.

The Romans assault the Pyrrhic line!

 OK that is NOT a field as noted earlier, but a plantation.  The new units pouring out are Spanish Scutarii.

Overall a good exchange down the line, 10 dice offs, 4 wins, 3 losses, 3 ties.

The Roman horse try to pin down Agapitos' heavies.  Even though outnumbered 2-1, Numidians charge, and rout their Pyrrhic counterparts.

Turn 4:

Pyrrhic archers shift to support the javelinmen. 

10 more dice offs.  5 Ties, 3 Wins, 1 continued loss, and a RAMPAGE through the enemy lines.  (that is kind off a win)

Luck flips on the Numidians, and they are routed in turn.

 

Agapitos somehow has forgotten the plan, which is to distract and live.  What he is doing charging?  I cannot say.  Pyrrhus will give him a severe dressing down in the debrief.

 

The Scutarii charge, causing the javelinmen to flee.  The Hoplites are overwhelmed and rout.

Down the line, 3 more Pyrrhic wins, 2 losses

I think Agapitos has learned his lesson...  I didn't like his name anyway.

Turn 5:

At the top of the fifth, Pyrrhus's demoralization level is at 9 of 22.  I don't have a shot of the Roman demoralization level, but a count has it at around 12 of 22.

Another odds section.   Heavy Swordsmen Impact Armor vs Pike.  Pike win 60/40, taking about 5 turns on average.  So it's a slow grind.

Heavy Swordsmen Impact Armor vs Elephant.  Elephant also wins 60/40  Taking about 3 turns on average.

But the tactics win over odds.  Pyrrhus's left flank is turned.

But suddenly a flurry of 5's and 6's roll out of the clear acrylic dice tower (off panel, left).  4 cohorts of legionnaires rout. 

Yes, the pike did pursue, but after the picture was taken.

The Roman Triarii finish their crossing of the muddy and fertilized farmers field and are attacked by the hoplites awaiting them.

Agapitos is avenged!

Pyrrhus's score is 12 of 22

To the Roman's 18.

Both sides now have the problem of troops without targets.  For the Romans, it is the Scutarii, who only have lights to chase.  And in the center it's Pyrrhus's pike, who sort of have targets, but takes two CP's to turn and then -2 UD's of movement.

The Extraordinarii begin to attack the phalanx's flank.

A cohort passes by the phalanx's right flank.  A double envelopment is not in effect.

Agapitos's hoplite is attacked in the rear and destroyed.

Agapitos may have forgotten his mission, but his other troop of horse have not. 

Turn 6:

A trade of a taxis for a cohort.  Pyrrhus's elephant tramples the legions and pursues into another cohort.

Agapitos advances his pike to face the flank threats.

Archers from the gully loose arrows.

The score is 15 of 22 for Pyrrhus

and 20 of 22 for the Romans.

Scutarii continue to chase lights.  Others, near the top, turn into Pyrrhus's rear.

Pyrrhus's left flank is holding.

So to Agapitos.  Damaged, but holding.

Another successful rally by the Romans.

And that was time.  With Pyrrhus at 20

To the Romans 19!

What went wrong?

First, all my games with this army ran long time wise.   I would attribute that to my umpire duties.   But it may be a scenario problem.  There were a lot of ties in this tourney.  My theory on that is these armies, but having limited mounted, were a high value in cohesion points and armor.  Making the battles long lasting.

And as I noted above, my pike didn't get in range of charging until the top of round 3.  This may also be because the armies in general were all heavy foot, and slower to get in range.

 

* K is rarely used in Latin