First play of Infamy, Infamy or who killed Kenneth

This is my first play of the new ancients skirmish rules (Infamy, Infamy) from the Too Fat Lardies.

I used the terrain generator to setup the table for a game in Germania, with the Romans foraging.

The Roman deployment zone is in the bottom right of the long edge of the table with the Germans in the top left. With all the terrain in front of them scouted by the Romans the Germans were unable to get any ambush points closer than the rocky ground in the centre of the table.

With his scouts having reported the approach of a large Roman column Adalhard the Germanic warlord deployed his warband in front of the swamp so as to protect the farms. He immediately started to instil fervour in his troops.

Barbarian woodsmen then deployed into the field next to the warriors.

Roman legionaries commanded by Centuro Maximus Pilus deployed facing the barbarian warriors of Adalhard.

Barbarian slingers deployed to the Roman right and shot at the legion with one hit but Roman armour saved the day. The Auxila commanded by Tribulus deployed in a March Column to try and close down the ambush points in the woods to the right of the legionaries.

The Auxilia archers deployed behind the legionaries and firing over their heads causing two points of shock on the warriors, reducing their fervour. Expecting an ambush Centurio Maximus Pilus orders the legionaries into close order and advances them towards the warband of Adalhard.

The barbarian slingers shoot again at the legionaries and cause three hits but the Romans save all three; tough are these legionaries. The woodsmen in the field shoot into the legionaries but they are clearly more used to hunting four legged beasts.

Suddenly there is a soul terrifying cry and out of the rocky outcrop a group of fanatics charges straight into the legionaries.

With no time to brace the legionaries are fighting for their lives.

After two rounds of combat the fanatics fail to breach the legion shields and break. The fanatics having done their job in disrupting the legion the warriors of Adalhard close in.

A blood curdling scream goes up from the woods in front of the Auxilia and suddenly a large warband under the command of Friduric looms into sight and crashes into the leading group which is still unfortunately in March Column. The Auxilia take casualties and fall back behind the second group.

Centurio Maximus Pilus orders pila thrown and braces for impact. The warriors charge in but the legion holds and manages to push back one of the warrior groups whilst killing the leader Hardwin. The German force morale is plummeting fast at this point.

However the Adalhard manages to get the supporting group to "Shift Weight" to take the place of the group pushed back and gets a very good dice roll and adds a lot of shock. The Optio holds the unit in place but the Adalhard can see victory and with another good roll of the dice causes the legionaries to break and leave the table.

Meanwhile the wailing women managed to rally some shock off the group of warriors.

The warband under Friduric hits the Auxilia with spears and causes three shock. The supporting group is now looking shaky although Tribulus uses Signa cards to rally off shock.

The Optio pushes his group forward to join the centurion and the auxiliaries bear down on the warband but the nearby slingers “Darken the Skies” and kill one of the auxiliaries. The Centurio Maximus Pilus orders Pila thrown and then crashes into the warband. Or they would have done if they hadn't rolled a 2 for movement.

Seeing an oportunity Adalhard orders the warriors forward and they crash into the legion with good dice being rolled by both sides. Initially the Optio holds the legion in place but both groups grind each other to a standstill and eventually break.

The warband under Friduric charges forward into the auxiliaries but they hold steady and push the warband back. Geman morale is now at one and thus not looking good. The auxiliaries continue to push the warband back but their morale is still holding. The warband rallies and charges in again but is repulsed and the Germans start to rout.