Once More into the Fray or It Ain't Half Hot Here

Last night our roving war reported hot-footed it from the snowy Ardennes of 1944/45 to “somewhere near Antioch” in the late 3rd century AD, where the forces of invading Palmyra met Aurelian’s Romans determined to re-capture the Eastern provinces.  The Palmyran General Zabbas  (aka Rob) set up with a cataphract-heavy centre, and light cavalry/archer wings. No subtlety here….go for the jugular with the heavy boys.  Aurelian (aka Malcolm) set up with a centre of legionaries, and traditional cavalry wings.

 

 

The Palmyrans got off to s good start with swift movement, but inflicting no casualties. The Romans started slower but eventually routed a  light unit off the board and killed another. In the centre “Tribune Chris’” artillery poured fire into a unit of veteran archers eventually killing them.  The Palmyran wings faltered as outnumbered and out-gunned they literally, had nowhere to go.  

The Palmyran cataphracts smashed into the Roman centre but to little effect. The managed many “ hits” but veteran legionaries are pretty tough, plus Phil remembered to use the modifiers which made them even better. 

The Romans struck back inflicting a number of disorders, and a “kill”.

The battle seemed to turn when Dave’s errant light cavalry returned to the table straight into the Roman camp, but the Roman discipline held. A brief conversation between Commanders made it clear that the camps were expendable and the destruction of the Palmyran army was the objective. Back on the flanks more light cavalry died and the fate of Zenobia was sealed when even more Cataphracts  literally “bit the dust”.

The result of the game looked pretty one-sided with zero Roman casualties. However the Palmyrans were unlucky with their archery fire and the Romans lucky with saves. That said the Roman defensive position in the centre using hills as an anchor was good generalship.

Simon