Illustrated Battle Report
Rascally Romans Sent Packin' by Precocious Pachyderms, Pesky Pikers, and Peltasts
It was another Gloomy day in the Bactrian plains. Antigonus Jonatus's was tired of fleeing from his Roman enemies. Chased out of Macedonia, run out of Asia, with his back to the Oxus river. His army turned once again to test their metal against the Imperial Roman Capitalist thugs. His new recruiting measures had paid off - three phalanx's would pin the cohorts, Dahae horse archers would run around them and pepper them with a hail of arrows. A bolt thrower would rip through the Roman legion's incredibly heavy armor. The Elephants and Agema cavalry would deliver the coup de grace. Another fine plan....
Antigonus' rousing speech included such phrases as "Today we will not be cheated by blind luck, it will be with the spear that we will conquer!". So much for words.
The Romans cohorts approach was covered by their ubiquitous screen of Celtic slingers, flanks covered by archers and auxilliaries. An unusually small group of Roman cavalry was seen- this day the foe was mostly Legions! As Antigonus marshalled his host he could tell that the Romans were used to his elephant tactics and had quickly placed a field of caltrops in front of their right flank to impede their advance!
The skirmish lines advanced and began the struggle. (see Map 1) Light Cavalry and Dahae horse archers began a series of dramatic charges which eventually drove off the Roman right wing's screen. The Tarentines charged the Western Roman archers up a hill and were locked in a titanic struggle throughout the battle. Only the intervention of the Roman General himself turned the tide here.
Antigonid Peltasts in the center skirmished through the caltrops only to be carried away by the routing Tarentines. Antigonus ordered a group of peltasts to take and hold a hill on the Antigonid's right flank "at all cost". This they did - sending a mass roman auxilliaries packing. (see Map 2)
The bolt thrower drew a bead on the heavy 1st cohort and twice the bolts whistled through the gaps in the Legionairie's formation. Finally a bolt struck and pierced their armor nicely. Irritated by this missile fire, the Cohorts began to move forward towards the phalanx in the center. Soon the Romans veterans and regular phalanxes were engaged.
A horrible gap opened on the veteran phalanx's right flank and a cohort piled into them...things were looking dark for the Macedonians. Luckily the Veterans phalangites barely stood their ground and the cohorts were starting to crumble under the weight of pikes. A cohort was struck by Pelasts to the flank and the Agema cavalry to the front and was punished but wouldn't run.
The Elephant slammed the Roman right flank, and the levy phalanx flanked the Roman cohort which was threatening the Veterans with destruction.... all units were engaged pike vs. gladius! (see Map 3)
Suddenly the Roman Horns blared out the command to "retire in good order" from the increasing pressure from the Phalanx. Antigonus was shocked to see the cohorts disappear from the pike front and reform a few paces back ready to throw their pilas once again! The phalanx was too slow to follow up- but the Agema cavalry dashed into one of the hardest hit Roman cohorts- scattering it in all directions. This was the decisive stroke as two other cohorts ran from the struggle leaving only a pitful few Romans to maintain a battle line.
The Veteran phalanx attempted to join in the pursuit but was charged by Veteran cohorts who still had fight in them.... the phalanx was smacked hard and only the press numbers saved it from being butchered by the reduced strength Cohort. Obviuosly the Macedonians were reminded of how close run things could have been.
The Dahae horse archers fiercely pursued fleeing cohorts, but the issue was clearly decided! A victory for Antigonus! The bodies of the enemy were stipped of their armor and a great trophy was put on display for all to see! Glorious!
This was a 2500 point battle between myself and Rich Norton's wonderful Roman army. It was an interesting game because of the dramatic flip flop of fortunes. We played that Rich could bring caltrops for 50 points a 2" x 5" block. These would be obstacles to movement and cause D3 S4 hits to any cavalry crossing, and D6 S4 hits to any elephants. We played that the Romans were used to elephants, and drilled troops could allow elephants to pass through. The game lasted about 8 turns and took about 5 hours.
