Battle of Vesontio 68 AD

The game is set in 68AD. Gaius Julius Vindex, the Governor of Gallia Lugdunensis rebels against Nero. He raises a local army and comes up against the Legions of the loyal Roman army of Germania Superior. Battle hardened killers.

Historically it didn’t end well for Vindex….

The Romans started their deployment first as the Gauls out scouted them. The Romans deployed legions in the centre and right with a small cavalry wing on the left. Unusually the Gauls deployed their cavalry in the centre with warbands on both flanks.

The plan for the Gauls was to use the cavalry to skirmish with the Roman centre and hope that the warbands on the flanks would be able to roll up the Roman line whilst avoiding a head on clash with the Legion.

Both forces marched towards each other with the Gallic cavalry managing to disorder one of the legion units.The Fanatic Gauls crashed into the legion holding the hill on the Roman right and managed to kill the disordered unit along with the General. First blood to the Gauls.

The legion in the centre managed to push the Gallic cavalry back whilst killing a veteran unit.

Phil comanding the Roman cavalry managed to spend a significant part of the game grazing in the corner.

The Roman left flank managed to kill a warrior unit but the Gauls retaliated and manged to kill a legion unit. Things were in disarray on this flank. However, Chris on the Roman right was being either killed or pushed back as Mal's warbands started their steamroller going.

The Romans were now down to one coin left so not looking good as the Gauls were threatening the camps. At this point Vindex with the cavalry charged forward and killed a light infantry unit. Victory.

A good game that could have gone either way and it is unusual for the Gauls to win against the "hard" legion.