Sunday 18 July 2021

Ancients Campaign Turn 1 - Game 3 Mascula 217 BC

The third campaign battle will take place in Africa where one Roman army has landed. When setting up these battles both sides are still limited to seven units. To reflect the situation were one side has additional forces, such as in this case where Carthage has two additional armies, they will get for each additional army a rally card to replace no effect cards in their chance card deck (notes on chance cards here). If both sides are evenly matched then there would be no additional rally cards.

Campaign map

The order of battle will be...

Rome:

  • 4 x heavy infantry
  • 2 x light infantry
  • 1 x heavy cavalry
Carthage:
  • 3 x heavy infantry
  • 2 x light infantry
  • 1 x light cavalry
  • 1 x heavy cavalry

The terrain set up was decided by terrain cards and the tabletop prepared. Dice decided the Roman army would deploy on the side with the rocky terrain. Then both sides then diced to see who would begin their deployment. The highest score deciding to go first of second. Carthage won and decided to go second. See here for deployment rules.

The Roman forces deploy their first line, two heavy infantry in the centre front line with light infantry on either side and cavalry on the left. The rocky terrain in the centre constrains the number of units they could deploy in the centre forcing their heavy infantry to be in the first line.

Carthage deploy their light infantry and light cavalry in first line on the flanks.

Rome deploys their second line and remaining heavy infantry in the centre.

Carthage deploys a unit of Gauls and heavy cavalry on the right flank.

With all Roman units deployed the Carthaginian remaining units, both heavy infantry units, in the centre third line. The plan is to attack the right flank and wait for the Roman centre to advance.
 
All deployments are finished

All is ready for a game and to finish the campaign's first turn.

10 comments:

  1. This all looks to be working really well and the deployment system adds a really nice touch. I still like my reinforcement card idea for numerical superiority.

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    1. This is the first attempt on using the rally approach as the first two games were in regions with equal numbers of armies. I am hoping it proves usable as I like the idea of keeping the unit numbers the same in the games.

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    2. You don't need more units if you make the reinforcements recycled units, if any, and if none then just treat it as a Rally card. You did have more than 7 units or has going to large units made this the limit without painting more?

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    3. The move to larger units does limit any additional units and would require additional painting. The other question is how many units on the tabletop are too many, with the larger units it seems to be about 6-8 units.

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  2. Good idea for the rally option when army size is mismatched.

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    1. I am hoping it works out as it avoids the needs to provide additional units and will prove a useful approach with other campaigns in the future.

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  3. The process has created an interesting situation, with Carthage having a slight edge from the extra Rally card.

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    1. Carthage will get 2 additional rally chance cards in this game. I have yet to consider the opposite where a rally card is removed from the out numbered army.

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  4. You are setting a cracking pace with this campaign; the third battle already, amazing!
    Regards, James

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    Replies
    1. I just now need to write up the game report.

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