Etruscans versus Tullian Romans Midgard Game

 

Etruscans on the left, Romans on the right

Opposite end

Forces advance

Cavalry combat Roman right flank

On Thursday afternoon Garry came over and we played an Etruscan versus Tullian Roman Midgard game out in the shed. The two sides were essentially Etruscan armies of the sixth century BC, while both of our armies are really Later Etruscan. Servius Tullius was the legendary sixth king of Rome, its second Etruscan king who ruled from 578 to 535 BC, and is credited with extending the voting rights of the plebs, which also incorporated military reforms of the five classes. The Etruscans were the attackers and both sides advanced eager for combat. Cavalry combat on the Roman right and then left flank was a protracted struggle. In the centre skirmishers exchanged missile fire and the first, second and third class infantry positioned themselves for what they hoped would be a devastating charge.

The Roman cavalry routed but the surviving Etruscan cavalry were below half strength and down to their last stamina point. One of these cavalry units charged some slingers who were destroyed but scored enough hits in combat to knock off the cavalry as well. The Roman infantry charged the Etruscan infantry but the devastating charge failed to materialise and they were soon retreating with quite a few units reduced to half strength. In the end the Etruscans ground the Romans down until they were victorious. It was a fun and satisfying game that was reasonably close.

This was our first game with the four new fold up tables bought from Bunnings which give a twelve foot by five foot playing surface which worked well, though the mat we used was only nine by five foot.  My old rickety table tennis table has been retired after fifteen years and probably hundreds of games, my partner really hated it and has been plotting its demise for years! I also picked up second hand from Abebooks, this Italian language book on Etruscan armies by Ivo Fossati, published in 1987 it's obviously not as recent as the Osprey Etruscan book but it is has many photos, some colour and is nicely illustrated with English language captions and introduction as well as Italian.

Cavalry combat Roman left flank

Protracted cavalry combat on both flanks

Roman infantry charge, their cavalry rout

Etruscan victory 

Kublai Khan

 

Here is a Kublai Khan command stand for my Mongol army. Figures are by Curteys Miniatures from 1st Corps Miniatures. They have an excellent Mongol range, the figures really have a lot of character. Below is the famous painting of Kublai Khan Hunting painted in 1280 by Liu Guando. One of the attendants, in the middle at the bottom of the painting, has a leopard or cheetah on the back of his horse with a leash and muzzle. I thought it would be more likely to be a snow leopard but it does look like a cheetah in the painting.

Liu Guandao, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Etruscans versus Camillan Romans Midgard Game

 

Armies deployed from the Etruscan side

From the Roman side

A tribune and equites on the Roman left flank

Etruscan cavalry on the right flank

Equites on the Roman right flank

Last Sunday Rick, Gary and I met down at the Vikings Club for the Canberra Regional Wargame Group's monthly meeting. We played an Etruscans versus Camillan Romans Midgard game, with Rick and Gary the Roman attackers and I was the Etruscan defenders. It was pretty quiet at the club, as a lot of people were away playing comps, in the two day Anzac Cup event at the Australian Defence Force Academy. Alan and Roger came over and watched our game and provided much needed advice/instruction on the rules. The two sides were fairly evenly matched and we wasted no time getting down to brass tacks. 

Cavalry combat on both flanks went the way of the Etruscans. A tribune was killed and both Roman equites were destroyed, the bonus reputation tokens earned by the Romans for first charges were quickly gone. The infantry combat in the centre would decide the game as usual. The Roman infantry charged but Gary had his usual bad luck with dice and the Etruscan infantry were able to route several units. The Etruscan army commander was killed and several Etruscan infantry units were at half strength. On the left flank, a half strength Etruscan infantry unit down to their last stamina point, charged with an attached commander, a Roman leves unit and they were able to finish the leves off to end the game.

Etruscan cavalry left flank

Equites are destroyed

Charge and countercharge on the Etruscan left

Roman infantry charge 

Action on the Roman left flank 

Roman leves are destroyed, Etruscans win the game

Etruscan Axemen and Roman Leves

 

Here are some Etruscan axemen and Roman leves that I've just finished painting. We've got an Etruscan versus Camillan Roman game lined up at the club tomorrow, so the Roman leves will see action then but not the axemen. The axemen are mainly Agema Miniatures figures with a single Aventine Miniatures standard bearer, that is a Volsci figure with the boar standard. The leves are all Victrix Miniatures. 

According to Gabriele Esposito in his book Armies of Ancient Italy 753-218 BC the axemen formed part of the fourth class along with skirmishers, as there was no fifth class in Etruscan armies, according to the sources. Speaking of the axemen he says: 'the latter were a real peculiarity of the Etruscans: equipped with double-edged axes, they had a very precise tactical function on the battlefield, the breaking of the shield wall of the enemy phalanxes by using their two-handed weapons' (p.124.).

Etruscan Fourth Class Infantry

 

Here are some Etruscan infantry of the fourth class - javelinmen and slingers that I've just finished painting. The javelinmen are all Victrix and the slingers are a mix of Agema Miniatures and Victrix. I'm working on some Etruscan two handed axemen but probably won't finish these in time for our game at the club next Sunday. Anyway I hope everyone is enjoying the Easter break!

Etruscan First Class Infantry

 

Here are some Etruscan first class infantry that I've finally finished painting. The figures are by Aventine Miniatures with LBM shield transfers. I still have quite a few more 1st class infantry or hoplites to paint for my Etruscans, mainly by Agema Miniatures and also have some of their guard axemen that I've started painting. We've got a Midgard game lined up at the club after Easter with the Etruscans fighting Camillan Romans, so they will see action then.

Neo-Assyrians versus Neo-Babylonians Midgard Game

 

Neo-Assyrians deployed

Neo-Babylonians deployed

Neo-Elamite allied cavalry and infantry
on the Neo-Babylonian left flank

Neo-Babylonian infantry and
Chaldean archers in the centre

Arab camel riders, Neo-Elamite kallapani
and skirmishers on the right flank

Neo-Assyrian cavalry, chariots and
Sab Sharri auxiliaries

Neo-Assyrian infantry, guard cavalry and skirmishers

Arab camel riders are keen to get in bow range!

Neo-Elamite cavalry advance

Earlier today I played a solo Neo-Assyrians versus Neo-Babylonians Midgard game out in the shed. I already had the army lists and armies organised, it was going to be a wet day, so it was just a matter of getting the figures, table, mat and terrain out. I added a dismounted trait for the Neo-Elamite kallapani so they could dismount as formed archers in one move. Every single unit in the game was armed with missiles. Most of the infantry were mixed spear and bow, the Neo Assyrian infantry were more heavily armoured than the Neo-Babylonian infantry, who were only armour two rather than three.

The Neo-Babylonians were the attackers and advanced, eager to get in bow range. The Neo-Assyrians also advanced and destroyed a unit of Arab camel riders with withering bow fire. The Neo-Elamite kallapani dismounted and on their right flank the Neo-Assyrian chariots and cavalry charged the Neo-Elamite cavalry. Back on the Neo-Assyrian left flank the guard cavalry charged the Neo-Elamite kallapani who were eventually destroyed. In the centre the Neo-Babylonian infantry charged the Neo-Assyrian infantry. The Neo-Assyrian chariots and cavalry were destroyed by the Neo-Elamite cavalry but in the centre the Neo-Assyrian infantry won the combat to narrowly win the game. 

Side view

Cavalry are in mounted bow range

Neo-Elamite kallapani dismount as foot archers

Neo-Assyrian chariots and cavalry charge

Neo-Assyrian guard cavalry charge
the Neo-Elamite kallapani

Cavalry and chariots slog it out

Neo-Assyrian chariots and cavalry are destroyed

Neo-Assyrian guard infantry (Qurubuti)
win the combat in the centre, Neo-Babylonians
lose their final reputation token