I've been concerned for a while about the viability of Sp when faced by
Bd, so I decided a game between these two armies might be a good test of
this interaction in regular guise. Both armies were predominantly HI.
The armies were designed that way to give a genuine (400AP) game but
with a minimal risk of other encounters unduly influencing the outcome.
The Romans had 12 each of Triarii Sp(S), Princeps Sp(O) and Hastatii
Bd(O), along with 12 Leves, a few Acsensii reg Sp(I) guarding the magic
baggage and a small number of cavalry. The Triarii were equally divided
between the 3 commands, the Hastati formed the CinC's command and the
Princeps and Leves were divided between the flanks. One Sub got the
Acsensii, the other the Cv.
The Etruscans invaded, and deployed and moved first. They had a gentle
hill forward of their deployment area and off centre to their left and a
gully secured the Roman right. No other terrain played a part and the
weather was clear, with only a light wind.
The Etruscans had a central command of 20 Reg Sp(I) and Ps(I),
which immediately moved partially onto the hill, where it remained. It
was deployed 4 ranks deep, and 2 of its files made it onto the hill. An
Etruscan ally likewise deployed 8 more Sp(I), 4 deep, and took up
position beside the CinC's phalanx. 14 Reg Bd(I), also on the hill, a
couple of Cv and a few Ps, comprised the Etruscan left. ON the right,
another 14 Bd(I) and more Cv and Ps completed the Etruscan army.
The Etruscan plan was to hold the hill in the centre with their massive
(28 element) phalanx, while the Bd wings would push forward, supported
by their cavalry, which would outnumber the Roman mounted. The Roman
plan was to refuse the Sp armed wings while attacking with the Hastati.
The Etruscan attack started slowly. They occupied the hill and pushed
forward on the right, but the ally on the left needed time to fully
expand his battle line before he could make his move. The Roman centre
moved up and immediately began killing Sp who didn't have the uphill
advantage. They made slower progress against the uphill Sp however. They
were able to stall the (already slow) Etruscan advance on the Roman
right, but on their left, the Etruscans were approaching rapidly,
causing the Roman CinC to reinforce his left wing cavalry with his own,
causing something of a stand off on the far Roman left.
The Etruscan cavalry drove off a few leves but withdrew as they were
locally outnumbered, waiting for their own CinC to join them. On the
Etruscan left, the Ally finally got into a position to attack,but on the
right, the Etruscan Bd were committing slaughter upon the Princeps
Sp(O).
In the centre, the Hastati continued to kill Etruscan spearmen,
including several of the ally's, despite their being uphill. However the
Roman left was looking very vulnerable due to the massacre of the
Princeps (5 of 6 dead in 2 Etruscan bounds) and the Roman CinC and sub
general led the Roman cavalry and Triarii in an attack on the Etruscan
Cavalry and the end of the Bd line. They killed a Bd and a Cv but it was
insufficient to create the breakthrough they needed. On the right, the
Hastati had killed half the allied Sp on the hill and, despite losing 3
of 6 Princeps in one bound to the Etruscan Bd, managed to kill a couple
more Bd (1 by the general charging in himself) and disheartened the
Etruscan left flank. The Etruscan right pushed hard against the Roman
left and central Hastati, breaking the Roman left but becoming
disheartened itself. The Roman centre was starting to look very
vulnerable but on the left, they launched a final push against the
disheartened ally and broke that command. It was not enough however, as
the central Spearmen and a few of the (disheartened) right command Bd
flanked and killed enough isolated Hastati to break the Roman centre,
breaking the army.
Ironically, the Roman spear that performed best were the ones facing Bd
coming down the hill. Although they lost their entire front rank in one
bound, they also (in one rank) managed to kill the necessary bd tobreak
that flank, after the neighbouring Hastati had gone uphill into the
allied Sp and killed 4 of 8 of them. The Roman Sp(O) on their left were
completely destroyed. None of the Triarii died, but they also killed
only one Bd(I).
The phalanx of 28 elements suffered 9 casualties (5 CinC, 4 Ally) in a
fight against about 9 Bd(O), supported by 4 Triarii which didn't kill
anything. Had it not been for the hill, (and a few 6/1s) I think they
would have succumbed to the assault. The +1 for uphill in the Bd bound
saved them from QK on a number of occasions, as well as causing an
overlap in their favour instead of against.
Overall, the Etruscan Bd performed very well, especially on their right,
where they butchered the Princeps and drove into the flank of the Roman
centre command. On their left, they still killed several Sp but
elsewhere fought Bd(O). The Roman Bd were up against a 4 deep Sp(I)
phalanx which was mostly uphill, but they still managed to kill 9 Sp,
almost a third of the total.
The game certainly succeeded in producing lots of Sp vs Bd combat, which
was the primary purpose. I'll try another game or two, perhaps using
Campanians or Italiots, to test the interaction further.
One thing I'll say though is to echo what others have said; that it was
great fun using historically matched armies with lower grade troops. The
Ps were all (I), and the army with the mounted advantage had 5 Cv(O)
excluding generals.
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