Mortem et Gloriam - Game 20 - 2019/01/24

Hello!

With CanCon2019 coming soon, it was a good idea to have a practice game at required 10,500 points. Especially that my recent games were at 7000 points and under Magna version of the rules.

Fortunately for me, Paul was also looking for an opponent and we decided to have a re-match. Last time Paul's Foederate Romans were defeated so there was a score to settle!

We both had to make minor changes so that our armies followed the updated army lists for respective factions. However, in general it seemed that both forces were almost exactly the same as last time. Perfect setting for a re-match!

Foederate Romans - Army List

Commanders

Army Commander - Talented Professional

Subordinate General 1 - Competent Professional

Subordinate General 2 - Competent Professional
Subordinate General 3 - Mediocre Professional

 

Camp

Camp - Formed Loose, Poor, Fortified

TuGs

6 Legions Auxila - Infantry, Drilled Flexible, Superior, Protected, Short Spear, Darts, Experienced, Shield Cover 

6 Legions Auxila - Infantry, Drilled Flexible, Superior, Protected, Short Spear, Darts, Experienced, Shield Cover 

6 Legions Auxila - Infantry, Drilled Flexible, Average, Protected, Short Spear, Darts, Experienced, Shield Cover  

6 Legions Auxila - Infantry, Drilled Flexible, Average, Protected, Short Spear, Darts, Experienced, Shield Cover  

4 Upgraded Foederate Cavalry -  Cavalry, Formed Loose, Superior, Protected, Short Spear, Devastating Charger, Melee Expert

4 Upgraded Foederate Cavalry -  Cavalry, Formed Loose, Superior, Protected, Short Spear, Devastating Charger, Melee Expert

4 Equites - Cavalry, Drilled Loose, Superior, Protected, Short Spear, Javelin, Unskilled, Melee Expert

4 Equites - Cavalry, Drilled Loose, Superior, Protected, Short Spear, Javelin, Unskilled, Melee Expert

4 Foederate Cavalry - Cavalry, Formed Loose, Average, Protected, Short Spear, Javelin, Unskilled, Melee Expert 

4 Foederate Cavalry - Cavalry, Formed Loose, Average, Protected, Short Spear, Javelin, Unskilled, Melee Expert 

4 Foederate Cavalry - Cavalry, Formed Loose, Average, Protected, Short Spear, Javelin, Unskilled, Melee Expert  

SuG's

6 Auxilia Sagittarii - Infantry, Formed Loose, Average, Protected, Experienced, Bow, Combat Shy

6 Equites Saggittari - Cavalry, Skirmisher, Average, Unprotected, Bow, Experienced, Combat Shy 

6 Equites Saggittari - Cavalry, Skirmisher, Average, Unprotected, Bow, Experienced, Combat Shy

Lots of cavalry and the infantry with annoying darts. Romans had an advantage in terms of number of units in total, which translated to a break point 6. I may have a slight advantage in the infantry as Phalangite TuG's are bigger and I had one more TuG of Thracians. However, I was really concerned with the disparity in terms of the number of cavalry TuG's.

Because of that I thought I would try the similar approach as last time, i.e. try to get the coast or river, hug that flank and try to win there before the enemy reinforcements arrive.

Here are the details of the army I took:

Early Seleucids - Army List

Commanders

Army Commander - Talented Professional

Subordinate General 1 - Competent Professional

Subordinate General 2 - Competent Professional
Subordinate General 3 - Mediocre Professional

 

Camp

Camp - Poor, Flexible

TuGs

8 Guard Argyraspides - Infantry, Drilled Close, Superior, Protected, Pike, Shove

8 Phalangites - Infantry, Drilled Close, Average, Protected, Pike, Shove

8 Phalangites - Infantry, Drilled Close, Average, Protected, Pike, Shove

8 Phalangites - Infantry, Drilled Close, Average, Protected, Pike, Shove

6 Thracians - Infantry, Formed Loose, Average, Protected, Devastating Charger, Melee Expert

4 Companions - Cavalry, Drilled Loose, Superior, Protected, Charging Lancer, Melee Expert

4 Line Cavalry - Cavalry, Drilled Loose, Average, Protected, Charging Lancer, Melee Expert
4 Line Cavalry - Cavalry, Drilled Loose, Average, Protected, Charging Lancer, Melee Expert

SuG's

6 Tarentine Cavalry - Cavalry, Skirmisher, Average, Protected, Javelin, Experienced, Cantabrian
6 Horse Archers - Cavalry, Skirmisher, Average, Unprotected, Bow, Experienced, 

9 Cretan Archers - Infantry, Skirmisher, Average, Unproteced, Bow, Skilled, Combat Shy

Pre-Battle

Paul won the roll off and chose to be an invader. Interestingly, both of us were happy with going towards  a bit more dense terrain than just plains. We ended up with the river on the secure flank and normal terrain in terms of density. We got some vineyards, a hill and woods and they got spread out around the edges.

I won the out-scouting however and Paul deployed his Equites and Equites Sagittarii first. I responded with Phalangites, after which Paul positioned his infantry and we then proceeded to deploy remaining cavalry TuG's.

Deployment

Early Seleucids vs Foederate Romans.

Deployment of the Armies.

Paul's deployment was very good. He positioned missile armed cavalry across my slow Phalangites and I knew I would have hard time to catch anyone. I hoped I could use my Cretan Archers to pick a few bases with shooting. And Line Cavalry on the flank would be there to try and envelop the approaching enemy.

The fact that Roman infantry was on the hill and with some more cavalry protecting its flanks meant I would not be able to reach this formation easily. Or if I did I would risk being outflanked as well.

I decided I still had to press forward with the Phalanx and try to shift them towards the center while doing so. Cavalry would protect the flanks and mounted skirmishers where there to slow down advancing enemy.

Foederate Romans - Turn 1

Turn 1 - Sequence of Actions

Equites move forward to slow down the enemy.

Romans moved their cavalry facing Seleucid phalanx forward. In particular the Equites were eager to get close to start peppering advancing infantry with missiles. Seleucids responded by moving towards the enemy at a steady pace and advancing their light units to shoot back at their foes.

Advance on the left flank.

Seleucids - Turn 2

Turn 2 - Sequence of Actions

Shooting Duel

Phalangites kept advancing but the Roman cavalry begun the tactical withdrawal. The Roman infantry and remaining cavalry, however, continued their outflanking maneuver. Seleucid army had to get into the combat fast.

Romans' enveloping their enemies.

Foederate Romans - Turn 3

Turn 3 - Sequence of Actions

One of the Foederate Cavalry TuG's gets caught.

Seleucid forces attacked. Cavalry charged their counter parts but only Xystophoroi that were assisted by Guard Argyraspides succeeded in their attack. The other unit, on the left flank, fared much worse and after initial success was quickly routed by Equites. The Romans were too enthusiastic in their pursuit, however, and run straight into advancing Phalangites.

Seleucid army engaged the enemy but it was clear that the battle line became overstretched and some units were not able to keep up the pace.

Cretan and Thracians were left behind.

Seleucids - Turn 4

Turn 4 - Sequence of Actions

Seleucids attempt to break through the center.

Seleucids pressed their attack and now charged through the center, aiming at Roman infantry. The attack was met by storm of darts that blunted the attack.

Although reckless Roman cavalry who attacked on the left flank perished, Seleucids faced a very difficult situation with Superior Foederate Cavalry heading towards their exposed right flank. Companions managed to break off to attack again but nearby Xystophoroi did not follow with the same maneuver.

Difficult situation of the Seleucid army.

Foederate Romans - Turn 5

Turn 5 - Sequence of Actions.

Mutual annihilation in the center.

Desperate combat in the center of the battle field continued. Companions managed to charge into the fight again but they were attacked by Roman at the same time. While they managed to inflict some damage on the infantry in front of them, they soon perished under the pressure from the enemies from two directions.

More Phalangites joined the fight and more casualties were inflicted on both sides. In a chain reaction of units broken from combat and inflicting further panic among their companions, entire units from both sides were soon routed. 

As a result, there was a breach in the center of the battle field. However, it was the Romans who kept some cavalry reserves and were getting ready to use them in well timed flank charges.

Cohesion of both battle lines is lost

Seleucids - Turn 6

Turn 6 - Sequence of Actions.

A killing blow.

Seleucids tried desperately to hold their ground. The Romans paid heavy price in that battle already and were also approaching breaking point. Impetus Roman cavalry attacked the foe and one of the units was almost routed due to losses inflicted by Seleucid mounted archers.

However, when the Foederate Cavalry charged exposed flank of one of the battered Phalangites units, Seleucid infantry was routed and with it, the rest of the army.

Romans had their revenge!

Final situation on the battle field.

Summary

Turn-by-turn animation summary

After-battle

Many thanks to Paul for a great game and congratulations on well deserved victory! He had a very good plan and I felt outdeployed from the start. Paul used his cavalry wing armed with missile units very efficiently, inflicting some casualties and slowing my main battle line down.

This time, coordination between two halves of the army was much better and it resulted in a full success.

I often notice that I lose battles when I start losing more fragile units such as cavalry and/or Thracians. Apart from the fact that I should have considered a deployment with Phalangites a bit more towards the center, I ended up committing the cavalry to unnecessary fights.

On the left flank I should probably have spend another turn maneuvering round the enemy formation, while in the center, the charge of two cavalry units was simply reckless. If I charged with Guard Argyraspides and Xystophoroi, I would have achieved a better result. Companions could have stayed further back as a reserve.

I also advanced with Phalangites too far and left Cretan Archers and Thracians behind. I think I should have slowed down that advance and let these units to join the fight. Archers would have been very helpful in inflicting more damage to the enemy while Thracians could potentially join the fight against Roman infantry. Or threaten to charge the units that were already committed to combat.

Interestingly, Paul's army was only 2 points of damage from its break point as well. If the Phalangites managed to defeat the cavalry on the hill that would have helped them to avoid the flank attack. And the cavalry at the bottom of the battle field was reduced in numbers by shooting. One more volley and who knows? That is why I am quite happy with the result anyway as I could still inflict significant damage despite my prior mistakes.

In the end, the conclusion is that I need to be more patient and careful with the cavalry and get into much better positions in order not to lose them and use them to do more damage.

Thanks for reading!