Crixus vs Rome 73BC

Thursday was a funny old day,which saw me go from Pain in the morning to Pleasure at night!!
In the morning the NHS decided that 4 months of suffering with an in-grown toenail was enough and decided to get rid of it-painful but necessary,and at night I had the pleasure of watching probably the best and most exciting Ancients game we've had all year!!

Oh my toe!!

The scenario,initial troop positions were set in stone,but tactics and movement was left to Paul and Brian to do as they wished-Paul was Roman commander,and Brian was Crixus.It must be pointed out at this stage that we didn't have the luxury of the correct Roman figures,but this didn't detract from the game.

Here are the initial troop positions,Romans on the left and Crixus defending his camp and ridge.
Paul made an attack on the camp and ridge,and continued his wide out-flanking march with his Auxilliaries,on the far left,Brian elected to defend the camp,and move some of his troops from his second line behind the ridge,to support the camp-this turned out to be a wise move!!

Paul's first attack on the camp can be seen here(using my "treasured" Warrior Miniature Testudos)-this was repulsed by Brian's light troops stationed inside,but Paul is nothing if not determined,so he regrouped and came in again,and again-this was nail biting stuff,and each melee was on the knife edge!!

Brian's magnificent cavalry charge is being met by Paul's cavalry-he had to hold Brian's cavalry to prevent them threatening his entire line attacking the ridge-what a tussle this was too,the melee result going both ways,Paul eventually had to resort to sending a cohort of infantry to support his hard-pressed cavalry!!

Meanwhile,on the ridge,Paul has charged up the slope,discharged his pila,and is taking on the gallant Gauls and Germans!! Again this was knife edge stuff,with neither side gaining and advantage,officers falling like "nine-pins" and nerves frayed to breaking points-I'm sure that if we didn't break for a coffee one of us(yes even me as "observer") would have had a nervous break down!!

The camp is till holding,but Paul is sending more cohorts off to the left,to support the Auxilliaries,and Brian is going to have to send his troops some support soon-this would weaken his defences-what to do?? decisions,decisions!!

This shot shows Brian's valiant attempt to stem Paul's advance onto the rear of the camp position,with the cohorts of Paul's legion making their prescence felt!!-this flank eventually fell,and Paul did manage to get into the camp,and the ridge was about to be taken!!Brian was about to ask for his usual "Draw" but saw that all was lost,and capitulated-well done that man!!

The final shot of this brilliant,thrilling game-well done lads,the game was played with great "bon homie" laughs coming thick and fast,great spirit-just the way it should be.
Roll on Sunday.