DBMM Epic - Late Imperial Romans vs Andalusians
My newly minted Andalusians had an outing at the Auckland Wargames Club on Sunday, finding themselves invading against Nick Buckby's Eastern Late Imperial Romans in a 400AP DBMM encounter.
The terrain fell mainly on the Andalusian right (Roman left) consisting of a mixture of hills and woods with the rest of the table left bare. Having to deploy first (unfortunate for the Invader!) the Andalusians placed a command of mainly North African light infantry (Ax(O), Ps(S) and Ps(O)) on the right supported by some Cv(O) and LH(O). The Andalusian centre consisted of a solid three rank deep block of Sp(I), screened by skirmishing archers and with their flank anchored on the woods. To their left was the largest Andalusian command, of Cv(O) and LH(O), supported by a few Christian Guard Kn(F) and some more African Ax(O) with supporting Ps.
On their left, the Romans placed a command that was somewhat stronger in mounted but weaker in foot troops to the Andalusians opposite and they matched their legions against the Andalusian spearmen in the centre. On their right however, they used the advantage of deploying second to line up a powerful force of no less than 5 (FIVE!) cataphracts (Kn(X)) and a similar number of LH(S) Huns against the Andalusian mounted wing who found themselves immediately outmatched and without either the time nor, as it turned out, the pips to redeploy!
Comprehensively out deployed on the left, all the Andalusians could do was attempt to adjust the matchups as best they could and then charge in the hope that the combat dice would be kind. They weren't! Beaten off with loss all along the line, the Andalusian general (Kn(F)) sensed the only way out was to seek out the opposing general (Cv(O)) himself. But even this Islamic equivalent of a Hail Mary play failed, as he perished to a 1-6 combat result, causing what remained of his command to break and flee in rout!
While this disaster was unfolding, the Andalusian spearmen had engaged the legions in a fierce battle of attrition. With the Romans and the Andalusians all classed as "Inferior", losses were heavy for both sides but were favouring the more numerous Andalusians. However, the collapse of the cavalry wing meant that the left flank of the spearmen was now completely exposed, the only element available as cover being the Andalusian general. This hero saved the day by not only twice fighting off flank attacks by the victorious Roman cataphracts but also eventually turning the tables on the legionary element he was fighting to the front, destroying it and causing the Roman legionary command, already disheartened by losses (the Andalusian's spearmen themselves only one loss away from the same fate!) to break, giving the Andalusians a glimmer of hope.
Meanwhile, the Huns had rallied from pursuit of the routing Andalusian mounted and turned their attentions to the unguarded Andalusian camp. Perhaps distracted by the thought of the riches to be found within, they charged recklessly in amongst the tents and market stalls only to be rudely repulsed! Suddenly the Andalusians began to believe!
However, while all this had been going on, what had been happening on the Andalusian right? Sensing things were not going well elsewhere, the Andalusians mounted on this wing had pressed forward and, supported by African Ax(O) sallying from a wood, caught the Roman mounted at a disadvantage, quickly inflicting significant losses and leading to them first becoming disheartened and then, following ME transmission from the collapse of the Roman centre, to breaking. Very much against the odds, the Roman army had been routed!
But what of the Andalusians, who had lost their biggest command early and both their surviving commands had taken significant losses? Well, total losses came to a staggering 49.4% (42.5/86 ME), just shy of the 50% which would have produced a mutual break and so an Andalusian victory by the slimmest of margins.
And, what's more, all this action was packed into less than two and a half hours!
[Admin: Selection of pics - lots more are on the Facebook post.]
https://www.facebook.com/groups/824840264342234/posts/2316623408497238/
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Initial deployment
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| Early moves viewed from the Andalusian left, where the Romans have achieved a significant qualitative advantage over the Andalusians. |
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| The Andalusian light horse charge in, more in hope than expectation |
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| Well that went well! The Andalusian light horse have largely martyred themselves without causing any disruption to the Roman cataphracts |
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