British Celts chariots #3

Here is my third unit of celt chariots (Renegade miniature).

Campaign Turn 2: Winter 44AD

Here is the report for Turn 2:

This turn was a winter turn, so we have tested the special rules for winter:
- No reinforcements from the occupied territory
- two slots move max
- armies with 7 CUs or more which move and/or fight, loose 1 CUs (attrition) at the end of the turn.

The strategic phase will see the roman playing a strategic card for removing Rudraigue from the game.

The briton played a diplomacy card and finished to convice the Silures from joining the fight. He then converts a strategic card for 3 CUs and plays a briton levy card for 3 more CUs, but the roman played a 'spy in ennemy camp' card, cancelling the last strategic card (the levy one).

Despite the cold winter, Romans push through the celt territory:
- Sabinus with 10CUs move from Calleva to Spinae in order to crush the 3CUs little army which hold Spinae and was commanded by Rudraigue.
- Vespasian with 10CUs move from Noviomagus to Ventae Belgarum.

- 4 CUs of garnison are placed in Durobrivae, reinforcing the laminated Paulus' army
- 1 CU of garnison is placed in Guilford
- Saturninus and 10 more CUs arrived at Rutupiae.
- Geta and his 10 CUs, stay at Durovernum Cantaciorum.

(click to enlarge)

The briton moved to counter attack the 2 legions driving fast in Belgae Kindgom:
- Merricus and his 5 CUs army in Durnovoriae moved to Ventae Belgarum. In way he received reinforcements of 3 CUs.
- Tresiga with her 2 CUs army moved from Cunerio to Ventae Belgarum two (the briton player use a 'Local pathfinder' strategic card to move 3 slots instead of the 2 max of the winter special rule.


This turn will see 2 battles:
- a big fight at Ventae Belgarum between Vespasianus (10CUs) and Merricus+Tresiga (8CUs+2CUs).
- a small fight at Spinae between Sabinus (10 CUs) and a minor chief (3CUs)

The Spinae battle had been resolved with the fast resolution chart. Sabinus winning a clear victory destroying 2 briton CUs while loosing 1. as the remaining 1 CUs of briton warriors had no named leader, it can't move ont the strategic map and was so destroyed too.

Sabinus move to Spinae with his 9 CUs.

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The Ventae Belgarum battle was solved with Hail Caesar and once more the armies strenghs were equals.

The battle was harsh but the roman victory can't be contested, as a revenge for the lost battle of Londinium, the Vespasianus legionnaries badly mauled the briton army which loose 4 CUs in the fight and retreated to Serviodunum.

Vespasianus took and sacked the Belgae capital city and stay here with his 8 remaining CUs .

The end of this turn see Vespasianus and Sabinus loosing 1 more CUs each from the winter attrition rule.

(click to enlarge)

The Durotriges kindgom is in balance, as 2 strong legions are at its doors. This winter had seen the roman re-taking the initiative, pushing back the britons and conquering the Atrebatan kingdom, but next turn will be summer and much more young celts warriors will join the fight against the latin invader...

Turn 2 is coming (at last) ...

Well, all I can say is : time really flies!

Sorry for the lack of updates on these past few months, "real life" came into play and we had to postpone twice our monthly battle. 

Finally, May is here (but not the sun) and two weeks ago we played the turn 2 of the campaign. 

I will post this turn report very soon, by the end of the week I think (Franck is working on the maps right now). 

Meanwhile, I want to show you two new units, some fierce and brave auxilliary barbarians, who fought on our last battle :

First the gauls, with the Alae II. Gallorum Sebosiana :

this alae counts for heavy cavalry

Next is some auxiliary infantry with the Cohors IV. Delmatarum :

A few decades ago these illyrians warriors rebelled and were crushed by Augustus. That was a bitter fight and they proved  to be tough warriors. Now they provide valuable recruits, for the glory of Rome...

That's all for today !

Summer 44 AD, The First battle of Londinium

As the battle is set near the town of Londinium, and the Tamsesis swamps, we placed a swamp-type terrain, dead trees, swamp, rocky hills and so on.

It was a "normal" fight so we deployed at max 12ps. We throw dices and my romans will have the first turn.

Order of Battle:

Roman Army (2 divisions):

Left Flank: 

Aulus Plautius

2 medium legio cohors

1 large auxiliary sagitarii cohors

1 medium auxiliary alae

1 XS engineers unit

Right flank:

Subordonate General

2 medium legio cohors

1 medium light artillery cohors

1 medium batavii auxiliary cohors

1 small skirmishers slingers

Briton Army (2 divisions):

Left flank:

Togodumnos

1 medium fanatics warband

1 large warband
1 medium warband
1 medium light chariots unit
1 small skirmishers javeliners unit

Right Flank:

Caritax

1 medium fanatics warband

1 medium royal guard unit

1 small light cavalry

1 medium light chariots unit 

1 small skirmishers bowmen unit

The Battle:

The barbarian mass was impressive and for turn 1 and 2, I decided to wait and shoot with my missiles units, the slingers move in front of the large warband. But at first, I was too short and none of my missile units made a hit. The turn 2 see some casualties inflicted to the large warband and one unit of fanatics.

The britons move and prepare to charge repulsing the slingers unit before them.

The turn 3 see the uncontrolled charge of one unit of fanatics on my left flanck. Caritax failed to get any others orders so the fanatics engage the auxiliary alae but stand alone isolated from their allies...

The fight will be swift and deadly, the alae suffering 5 hits and the fanatics 3, but the alae was forced to move out of the table. The fanatics loose their command test and go chasing the poor auxiliary out of the table too!

The sagitarii cohors halt the ennemy royal guard charge by a rain of death, and nearly alone stood firm on the left. A small unit of briton javeliner charge them (at first in support of the royal guard, but then alone...) and were swiftly put to death by the syrians archers.

Turn 4 see a blunder as the batavii auxiliary unit standing at my right, turns back and flees out of the field. Cowards! At this point, my two flanks were exposed and the barbarian haven't charged yet ! The poor light artillery unit which is now alone will die soon...

As predicted the charge of the briton was reckless and the shock was hard, a cohors is forced to fall back suffering hard wounds, and my light artillery was butchered...

Turn 5 Caritax again failed to give orders and as consequence his units suffered again from the archers.

My right flank is now wiped and hoppefully the two remaining cohors are engaged sparing them a divisional break test.

Turn 6 see the heroic standing of the syrian sagitarii cohors which stand against the royal guard and some light cavalry, they are forced to retreat but inflicted heavy casuaties to their ennemies. To save my right flank  I played a strategic card (rapid reformation) and move 2 fresh cohors (from the left flanck) to charge flank of the barbarian. Chariots and barbarians are forced to retreat but stood firm, Aulus Plautius lead the charge as this is the only way to save the day...

Turn 7 see one of my cohors be broken (and butchered) by the fanatics, as the 2 cohors led by Aulus Plautius inflicted great losses of the ennemy (the large unit suffered 14 hits, the light chariots 6!) but the gods were with them and they do not break... with only 1 unit remaining, my right collapsed and the battle was over...

Aulus Plautius give orders to fall back as the night began to fall. The exhausted but victorious barbarians keep the ground. 

The losses count will say I lost 4CUs, and britons loose only 2CUs. Indeed a dark day for Rome, Plautius retreat to Durovernum, thinking this invasion will not be an easy thing ... 

At the end of this first Turn, the south East of Britain has fallen, as had Calleva. But the main briton army keeps control of Londinium and so of the road of Camulodunum. Soon the Emperor will ask Plautius how the invasion goes, and how far he is from Camulodunum, the capital city of the Catuvelauni...

A new battle plan is needed, and some harsh disciplinary mesures too! 

Campaign Turn 1 : Summer 44 AD

Ok, so friday we played the first turn of our campaign.

The roman player (myself) starts and played some "Events cards": 

Major offensive and Diplomacy

I choose to make some diplomatic advances with the Iceni Tribes and 2 villages became pro-roman. On the military concern, 3 major moves were done. Aulus Plautius move to take Londinium, Titus Flavius Vespasianus with the Legio II Augusta move to submit the Regnenses kingdom, as his brother with the Legio XIV Gemina move to take Calleva from the hands of the atrebatan usurper Rudraigue. The XX legio Valeria Victrix stand behind at Durovernum Cantaciorum.

The briton player (franck) played 2 Events cards : Diplomacy, and choose to influence the Silure kingdom, four villages claim their allegiance to the Catuvellauni king, Caratacos. He also choose to move a 2CUs army under Caritax from Dunnow to Londinium to support the king's brother, Togodumnos with his 8CUs. Aulus Plautius attacks with 10 CUs so the fight will be fair. In the same time, Tresiga with 3CUs leave Hod Hill to move across the belgae kingdom rallying some villages in the process.

This move ends the turn, so there will be 2 fights: Calleva (Sabinus/10CUs vs Rudraigue/4CUs) and Londinium (Togodumnos+Caritax/10CUs vs Aulus Plautius/10 CUs)

We decided to play the Londinium battle with Hail Caesar, and the Calleva battle was solved with the "Rapid Resolution system". We throw dices and despite the number disadvantage, Rudrigue moves well as he manage to loose only 1 CU in the battle. Sabinus loose nothing but failed to destroy once and for all this little army... Rudraigue move out of Calleva and retreat to Spinae.

Next post, the first battle of Londinium !

Fear the might of Rome !

Sorry for the bad quality of these photos, but I made them quickly, as this perky briton guy taunt me ^^

the whole army so far (Imperial Guard is not included...)

Skirmishers, artillery and elephants 

 5 cohors (I, II, III, V, VI)

Auxiliaries

 eagle's view

roman engineers

Ancient Britons Army

We are waiting for you Aulius Plautius...

Yeah... I finally reached 10PUs, which is equivalent to 250 points. My army is now ready. Admittedly, I have things to paint like a new band, slingers, chariots, some riders and many generals, but all is playable for tonight...

The army

 The generals

 The fanatics

 The ride

 The warbands