This was a very interesting and instructive game fought between a combined Graeco-Roman force commanded by Tribune Dextrus Marcus Vie (ME), one subordinate commander and a Greek who claimed to be Aeneas' ghost. The Graeco-African army was commanded by three dastardly dogs. Forces: 25mm Mini-figs and Airfix. 1 Infantry figure = 10 men; 1 cavalry figure = 15 men. Graeco-Roman Blood Legion Hastati 25 figures; Blood Legion Princeps 20 figures: Blood Legion Triarius - 20 figures; Blood Legion Medium Archers 15 figures; Blood Legion Light Slingers - 15 figures; Blood legion Velites - 20 figures; Theban Hoplites 20 figures; Macedonian Hoplites - 20 figures = 155 figures = 1,550 men. Greeco-African Purple Cataphracti - 10 figures; Orange Catephracti - 10 figures; Green African Heavy Cavalry - 10 figures; Red African Heavy Cavalry - 10 figures; Yellow African Heavy Cavalry - 10 figures; Balearic Slingers 15 figures; Thracian Lights 20 figures; Greek Hypaspists- 20 figures; African Light Archers - 15 figures 120 figures = 1,456 men. Situation Morning finds the Graeco-Roman (we shall call it Roman) force firmly in position on top of an easily defendable hill. Their flanks were covered by almost impenetrable wood, their rear by an uncrossable river with the exception of a ford (which takes 1 period to cross). The formation was a compact one with the front line troops firmly packed together between the forests and the hill. It should have been an impregnable position. The Romans occupied the centre in this order: Triarius, Princeps, Hastati and the flanks of the Romans held by Greek Hoplites. To take and inflict casualties, slingers covered the front. On either side of the centre were units of archers. In case of an attack round the flanks there were units of Velites. The plan was therefore to fight a frontal battle rotating the Roman maniples (getting +1 factor). They were also uphill (+1 factor). The Velites covered the flanks, so that if any cavalry should try to get through the forest, they would be badly mauled by the swift light-infantry. As only 1 unit of cavalry could fight and 2 lines of infantry, after 2 rounds the Romans should have a distinct advantage. An admirable plan that should have worked. But the Africans made use of a simple stratagem that anyone but a wine-befuddled Roman tribune could see. Using his superiority in missile fire he speedily destroyed my puny 2 missile walls. Now my men were without missle cover and horribly vulnerable. The Africans moved into skirmishing range (Roman pile 611, African spears 9"). It was 'impossible to break formation as the 2 cataphracts and 1 African Heavy Cavalry units were within charge range. They would exploit any gap in the Roman "armour". It was impossible to move the Velites to the front to equalise the missile storm (Velites have 9" range), as 2 Heavy Cavalry units hovered, waiting to wreak havoc in my rear, when they got through the forest. I felt the same sort of despair that the British must have felt at Hastings, i.e. being hard hit by missiles and unable to reply or break ranks. There was one thing left to do, apart from committing Hari Kari and that was to set my aquiline, hooked, Roman nose towards greener pastures, I decided on the latter and slowly began retreating. It was at this point that the Roman C-in-C (ME) showed a yellow streak and in his desperate feverish attempt to cross the ford was speedily transported downstream. He finally grounded in France where he is now alive and well and living in Paris, under a false name. A wise precaution lest any of his former troops should look him up. It was now that the Romans grounded their arms with a philosophical "Ales Jacte Est". The undersigned are now in the dominion of Pluto Romans: 15 Slingers, 15 Archers, 5 Triarius. Africans: 10 Thracians, 5 Balearics, 2 Cataphracti. Conclusion The battle was lost through the belief the Romans had in their formation and position. Also the African use of the vastly superior missile fire. Some blame must be attributed to the lack of foresight of the Roman C-in-C plus the vast quantities of wine consumed the night before. Moral: Do not take up a good defendable position with a preponderance of Heavy Infantry, when against a cunning general with a mixed force of Light Infantry and Heavy Cavalry. You are invariably doomed to lose miserably as I did. DON'T PLAY ROMAN AGAINST TOO MUCH HEAVY CAVALRY. All in all it was an enjoyable game, except for the fact that I lost, and I hope it has been as enjoyable reading. Back to Table of Contents -- Wargamer's Newsletter # 152 To Wargamer's Newsletter List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1974 by Donald Featherstone. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com