Battles of the Roman Republic

Using 36 Ancient Battles for Dominion of the Spear

I now turn to the Roman battles in the book.

Summary

Here are the battles I played and the results (showing units remaining at game end)

• Cannae - Carthaginians 4, Romans 1 - See below for an account.
• Magnesia - Seleucids 2, Romans 1 - See below.
• Carrhae - Parthians 5, Romans 1 - Romans lost all battles in the first round to a hail of arrows.
• Taurus - Parthians 4, Romans 1 - Romans lost a legion and slingers in first round.

Ouch! Those Parthians did a number on Rome.

Cannae

I previously played a version of Cannae using the standard army lists in the main book. I noted that the list was not applicable to Cannae. For instance, the real Hannibal did not have elephants. But I played that battle as more of a what-if scenario.

Now we have a more accurate set-up. Let's see how the Romans fare.

In the initial clash, the Carthaginians run off the Roman horse. Like the actual battle, this leaves the legions vulnerable.

The end of the battle - the flank legion (right) falls to the Carthaginian cavalry.

This leaves a lone legion totally at the mercy of Carthage.

Well, that played out much like the real battle. Well done, DotS.

Magnesia

Things started poorly for Rome. They lost their legionaries and allied spears in the initial clash. But their archers chased off the Seleucid scythed chariots.

Rome brought up its reserves. This is the ensuing matchups.

Again Rome suffered. This time their cavalry routed. Once again, the archers drove off their enemy. This led to a climatic showdown between Thracian spears and Macedonian phalanx in the center. Alas, the Thracians were no legionaries. They fled from phalanx. Rome lost the day.

Dominion of Pike and Shot

I have been touting Dominion of the Spear since I discovered it earlier this year. Now the author has published a version for Renaissance battles. Welcome to Dominion of Pike & Shot (which I shall abbreviate as DoPS).

Overview

The game engine is pretty much the same as the original Dominion of the Spear, which I described in a previous post. Naturally, there are modifications to account for differences in warfare in this new period. For example, there is a pre-battle bombardment phase as well as artillery units. But most units still fall into the Foot or Mounted, Missile or Melee dichotomies. And again, there are modifiers for elite or armored units (no ferocious this time, though).

Test Run

I decided to give DoPS a quick test run the other day.

The year is 1529. The Ottoman army advances towards Vienna. An Imperial army stands in its way.

Here are the opposing army rosters, with units from L to R then in reserve.

• The Ottomans (blue army) - Sipahis (elite horse archers), Janissaries (elite Arquebusiers), Akinjis (horse archers); reserve = Azab archers and horse archers.
• Imperials (red army) - Székely Hussars (horse archers), arquebusiers, mounted arquebusiers; reserve = Landsknechts (armored pikes), gendarmes (armored heavy cavalry)

As the armies deployed, both sides initiated rather desultory cannonades with a scattering of light artillery. The bombardments were ineffective.

Note - pre-battle bombardment occurs even if the army has no artillery units. I take it that this represents a small number of artillery pieces behind the lines covering the advance.

Initially, both sides probed for weaknesses without any serious engagement.

In other word, no casualties in the first turn.

Then, the Ottoman Sipahis attack and rout the Hussars (L). In the center, the Janissaries advance versus the Imperial arquebusiers. There is withering fire from both sides. The Janissaries rout the arquebusiers, but they in turn are too shot up to be of any further use.

The Imperial commander brings up the cream of his army, gendarmes (L) and Landsknechts (center). The Landsknechts charge the Azabs, clearing them from the field.

Then the Landsknechts lure the Turkish horse archers into melee, slaughtering them without mercy. On the flank, the gendarmes and Sipahis have been dueling in a back-and-forth struggle. But the gendarmes break.

This allows the Sipahis to descend on the Landsknecht flank. Exhausted from its prior victories and surprised by the sudden attack on the flank, the Landsknechts break.

With that, the Imperial army must retire. The road to Vienna is open.

Thoughts

• Well, that was an entertaining battle, It could have gone either way. If the Sipahis had failed, then the Landsknechts were going to fall upon the flank of the horse archers.
• Like DotS, DoPS really creates an interesting and plausible narrative. For someone who likes to write battle reports, it really works well!
• The Dominion series also gives you the feel of an army general. You decide where to launch your attacks, and which units from the reserve to plug into the battle line. All in under 10 minutes!
• There is one change from the original DotS rules that I really like. Originally, you determined combat results in each zone, from left to right. Now, the attacker chooses a zone to resolve then the defender chooses another one. This allows for some decision making - which is the optimal zone to contest? That really gives the feeling of being a general (Gentlemen, we are going to launch our initial attack on the left flank...)
• I forgot to use one new rule - rallying. Although after I put away the game, I rolled to see if I could have rallied the Landsknechts. I rolled a 1.
• I added a little randomness. I roll to see who goes first every round. The side determined to be the attacker at the start of the battle gets a +1 modifier to this roll. This represents the changing tide of battle - the initial defender may go on the counterattack. It also adds just an extra touch of fog of war.
• I need to try another new features of DoPS - artillery. Some of the later armies should have artillery units. Next time.

DotS Greek Battles

I've been playing more 36 Ancient Battles for Dominion of the Spear (DotS), this time going through the Greek battles.

Battle Results

I haven't been taking pictures of all the battles, but I've been keeping track. Scores show remaining units at battle end.

• Marathon - Greeks 3, Persians 1. The Greek's armor proves decisive!
• Plataea - Greeks 3, Persians 1. The Persian archers cannot hit the broad side of a barn.
• Gaugamela - Alexander 3, Persians 1. See account below.
• Ipsus - Antigonus 2, Coalition (Cassander, Lysimachus, and Seleucus) 1. See account below.
• Raphia - Ptolemaic 4, Seleucid 1. Opposing elephants eliminated each other then Ptolemaic pikes prevail.

Gaugamela

This battle features Alexander the Great and his Macedonian army vs. the mighty Persian Empire.

Things start poorly for Alex (red army) as the Persian scythed chariots wipe out his pikes.

But he gets things back on track. White flags indicate that the unit routs.

Then Alexander' Companions (left) flank the Persian reinforcements and rout the center. Alexander is victorious!

Ipsus

While the pikes in the center sparred inconclusively, Antigonus's spears prevailed (right) while Seleucus's elephants triumphed on the other flank (left).

This sets up this final turn. The flanking spears wipe out the coalition's pikes. Meanwhile, Antigonus's pikes hold off the elephants.

Victory for Antigonus!

NEXT!

Time for some Roman battles. There are 4 from the Republic days and 4 from the middle to late Empire. I plan to do them as 2 separate posts.

Returning to Your Regularly Scheduled Coverage

Since the new year began, I have consistently published multiple posts per week. This occurred due to a couple of factors:

• I built up a backlog over the holidays
• I was experimenting with fast play games

Well, it looks like the well is drying up. My output has slowed and I only have one post ready, which I'm saving for Saturday.

Unfortunately, this means fewer posts for the near future.

Invasion Florida

I decided to do a little Cold War game. This will be a prelude to my upcoming not-Wolverines campaign.

I decided to run a One Hour Wargames scenario. I rolled randomly and got scenario 1 - pitched battle. I fiddled with the terrain to fit the story.

Introduction

• Washington, DC 1984 - a terrorist attack kills much of the senior leadership of the Federal government. After much politicking, Representative Walter Taub becomes President. An isolationist, he immediately orders de-militarization.
• Mexico, 1984 - a coup establishes a pro-Soviet Mexican government.
• Germany, 1985 - a Soviet invasion overruns most of Europe. The US remains neutral.
• United States, 1985 - sensing an opportunity, the Soviet launches a sneak attack on the US. They land in Alaska and push south through Canada and down along the American west coast. Meanwhile, the Mexicans invade Texas and the Cubans land in Florida.

We now join American forces at Homestead Air Force base south of Miami. The Cuban invaders advance on the base.

Deployment

• The Cubans (brown) advance upon the base's gates from the south (right). They need to pass through a residential area.
• There is a unit of infantry manning the gates. Reinforcements rush to the gate.

Note: I don't have appropriate modern terrain so I am substituting. The walls represent chain link fences so do not block line of sight. I assume there are sandbags so there is light cover.

The Battle

The Cuban armor rushes forward. Their initial attacks fall short. An American aircraft joins the fray (center).

Note: Because this is an airbase, I figured it is fitting to give the Americans some air support. I had a rule that I had to roll to bring it onto the battlefield.

The Cubans push their armor through the gates. There are heavy casualties.

A Cuban helicopter (top) is hit and retires from the battle.

American air support destroys the Cuban armor.

And Cuban rocket launchers.

The Cubans retreat.

Aftermath

Realizing that they cannot hold the supply lines to Homestead, the Americans abandon the base and pull northward. They escape with most of the base's aircraft before the Communist hordes overrun South Florida.

DotS 36 Ancient Battles

I started playing the battles from 36 Ancient Battles for Dominion of the Spear

These are the first four battles. They all feature chariots in some form.

Megiddo 1479 BC

New Kingdom Egyptians (red) vs. Canaanites (blue)

End of the battle. The Egyptian chariots ran roughshod over the Canaanites.

Final score: Egypt 3 units remaining, Canaanites 1 unit remaining

Notes: 

• You can see some of the markers I use. The orangey looking (supposed to be gold) tokens indicate Elites. I use the white flags to mark destroyed units.
• I also added hills to the battlefield. DotS does not use terrain. Instead, it accounts for advantageous terrain in the unit ratings. For example, the Canaanite spears were historically deployed on hills. To account for this, DotS treats them as armored. That's what I did as well. I just used hills to indicate this rather than using an armored token.

Kadesh 1274 BC

Hittites (blue) v New Kingdom Egyptians (red)

A rough turn for the Hittites - 2 units lost!

Final score: Egypt 4, Hittites 1

Note: Speaking of armored tokens, here are some in gray (silver).

Arrapha 616 BC

Neo-Babylonians (blue) v Assyrian Empire (red)

Early in the battle. The opposing archers wipe each other out in the center.

A bloody battle. The Assyrians were near defeat, down to 2 units. But they rallied for the victory.

Final score: Assyrians 2, Babylonians 1

Thymbra 536 BC

Lydians (red) v Early Achaemenid Persians (blue)

In the center, the Persian chariots break on the Lydian elite armored spears. But the Persian archers dominate the flanks.

The archers would continue their dominance, routing the Lydians.

Final score: Persians 4, Lydians 1

Notes

• Estimated time to complete these 4 battles: 30 minutes!
• Only one close battle - Arrapha. We'll see how the Greeks fare.
• I thought I had enough chariots for all possible armies but I fell short for Kadesh. The Hittites had to borrow Egyptian chariots. Worried that my math was wrong, I went back and checked. My math was not wrong; I can do all the armies in the core book. But the Kadesh scenario has different orders of battle than the standard lists.

More Cold War Thoughts

Just some random thoughts on my Cold War project.

New Counters

I was short on counters so I made a few. I added some more infantry and artillery to the mix.

I also made some helicopter counters.

They turned out bigger than the 1/2 inch square bases I had (they are closer to 1/2 x 3/4). I mounted them on 1 inch wooden square bases, which I subsequently cut down to size.

Air Battles

I'm thinking of adding some aerial conflict to the project. Why? Just because.

I have WW1 and WW2 style plane counters for air wargames but I lack jets. Time to rectify the situation.

I made some generic fighters jets, loosely based off the F-15.

I debated making some attack planes but have held off for now. Given the wide range of missions that late Cold War fighters could undertake, I think these will do for now. Just need to print and mount them.

When?

This is a question that I am pondering. When should my fictional Cold War Gone Hot take place?

• The movie Red Dawn came out in 1984.
• But I was thinking of switching up to late 80s. This is when I would have been in the military if I hadn't washed out of Air Force pilot training due to medical issues.
• I ordered the Team Yankee: Red Dawn booklet from Battlefront. I understand it is set in 1985. Might be best to stick to that date.