NatCon game report: Middle Imperial Romans vs Early Germans (Batavians with roman friends) - posted by Russell Briant, 17 April 2022

Photos from battle with Ivan. My Middle Imperial Romans vs Ivan’s Civilus led, Batavian augmented Early German host. 14-11 to Ivan.

photo commentary added.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/824840264342234/posts/2046876562138592 

The Romans deploy first as the defender (as they did in all four games) The Praetorian Command led by Praetor Repentilus at deployment on the road ready to react to the German disposition.

Julianus’ Auxilia (S) on the crest of a rocky hill on the left wing of the Roman line at deployment.

At deployment Praetor Genialis and his small low pip delay command (an idea suggested by Dirk Heinsius) guard the Roman right and the local Auroch herd in a marsh, seeking to delay any German right hook. At this they succeeded.

Ivan taught me that the road reverts to the terrain it crosses when not being marched on.

In the middle of the line Julianus deployed his legionaries and supporting carroballista.

The brand new Moorish (style) Light Horse ready to go where the Emperor needs. In fact their deployment becomes problematic in a turn or two where they get in the road of the pull back of the legionnaires..... more anon....

In the distance...... Germans!!!

In the foreground, a pair of cataphractii follow the Praetor

Both sides deployed. Romans on the left. Civilus’ Germans on the right.

Civilus deployed a mixture of superior and ordinary warband three ranks deep in his centre opposite their target of choice, Roman Legionaries. Each wing has Roman trained Batavian superior auxiliaries, various flavours of psilo and cavalry.

The German’s deployment from their right.

Ivan ended up second in the competition.

Romans spent the first few turns redeploying their legionnaires out of the way of the German warband charge in preparation to reform in a shortened line facing the right flank between the rocky hill and the Praetorian Guard.

In the distance, Genialis command is doing its job and delaying the German left wing.

The light horse and a carroballista fight Batavians on the hill, buying the legionnaires time to redeploy. A thin read line of manuballista psiloi ordinary get ready to buy some time.

The carroballista I struggled with all weekend. Definitely an expert troop type that I failed to get their points value out of. The one on the hill in all truth went up their to clear the road. It never made the crest and the Batavia’s took them without firing a shot.

Also the need to move artillery by wheeling forward was another lesson.
(had assumed carroballista would manoeuvre like chariots .... wrong). So the other carroballista in the distance, bravely volleying away at the approaching hordes, is less gallantry and more not being worth the pips to manoeuvre away. It does look like I have forced back a warband. 

Now a fight in the centre has started. The Praetorians are engaging the warband and I can still count all eight. The cataphractii pair have gone in and there looks like a gap where one has fallen on the right. Repentilus is facing but not yet engaged.

It looks like six warband have died and a Batavian or two on the hill.

Carroballista and Moorish light horse are gone but one manuballista survives. 

Over on the Roman left their cavalry and the light forces on the hill succeed in preventing the German push through the gap between the woods and rocky hill. 

Last photo taken. It’s of the Roman right. Genialis Command has done its job and exploited the terrain to keep the German right wing out of the main fight.

End of game 14-11 to the Germans.

The alternative option in hindsight would be to have the legionnaires and Praetorian’s fight the warband in the galas initially deployed.