Dacian War .Dacians vs Romans

Last week we did" Napoleonics" to death,so last night Paul and I got back to "grass roots" with a Cracking Ancients game.

As usual,the top photo is the scenario,and the bottom photo shows the table before any movement.Paul was the Roman commander and I took charge of the combined Dacian and Auxiliary Romans(attacking the fort)

The top photo shows my initial advance up the hill-my battle plan,like Paul's was simple-attack,and wipe out the opposition!-The bottom photo shows Paul's swift and brutal reply to my advance!!-oh hell!!

Whilst the battle in the middle was taking place,the siege was under way-Paul managed to set fire to one of my "Towers",making the attacking troops having to use ladders! The battle for the Fort went on for most of the game,Paul's troops doing a stirling job of keeping me out for a long time,and I only got in through weight of numbers in the finish.

My central and left flank warbands have clashed with the Roman cohorts!-Attacking uphill,and in the face of the dreaded pila(not to mention Paul's "devilish" dice!!) I was always going to be hard pushed,but my Dacians were given  good fighting points,and for a while they held their own against a most determined  assault by the Romans-hurrah!!

We're in!!-My auxiliaries have carried the right hand portion of the fort-but the defenders still fought on and wouldn't be thrown out!!

Time to send in my "super-duper" extra heavy,elite Sarmatian cavalry-hurrah!!-but of course,Lucifer, in disguise as a mere mortal(Paul) had other ideas,and with his usual high scoring dice throws,managed to check two of my three attacks!!!

Meanwhile,back in the centre and left,a combined attack with my light cavalry and warbands looks as though it is working,and the Roman cohorts are looking for help from the Praetorian guard(which means that the Emperor must go in with them-this could be a great opportunity to "kill" him and win the game-Hurrah,hurrah!!!!

Oh no,the cohorts have turned the melee around and I am now being pushed back along the whole front-time to throw in my Elite troops(and my Commander,Decebalus)-he'll bring stability to the line and save the day(?)

The Praetorian Guard,plus the Roman Emperor,have joined in the fray!
Now is the time for me to throw in my elites,plus King!!-I will put in an attack against their flank,and win the game-hurrah!!

There they go,what a winning move-but not for me!!-Lucifer,er sorry,I mean Paul,threw the requisite dice and killed Decebalus(ie me!!!)-game over,to roars of laughter!!(guess from who?)

Yet another great game-roll on Thursday,probably a game based in the Sudan/Egypt around 1898.

I seem to have made a mistake in the scenario,and have named the Dacian King as Fundabalus(which is of course an ancient stone throwing weapon!!)-I'll put that down to age!