Ad Castores Strength and Honour Game

 

 Otho's forces on the right, Vitellius' on the left

Vitellius' forces advance around Castores,
the road side shrine to Castor and Pollux

Otho's auxilia alae and Praetorian cohorts advance

Otho's right flank

Vitellius' auxilia on the right are disordered and retreating

Otho's auxilia alae advance on the right flank

Last Thursday afternoon Rick, Garry and Craig came over to my place and we played a 28mm Strength and Honour game, the Battle of Ad Castores 5 April 69 AD, out in the shed. We diced for sides as the Otho's forces had a distinct advantage in numbers and the quality of troops. Garry and I commanded Otho's forces, while Rick and Craig commanded Vitellius' forces, it was a tough scenario for them, they were up against it from the start. Both sides rolled three command points on the auguries table. Below is the scenario that I came up with for the game.

Ad Castores 5 April 69 AD - Strength & Honour Scenario

 

Sources

Tacitus Histories 2.24-26 Translated by Kenneth Wellsesley pp.96-97, Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1964.

Michael Lane, The Roman Empire Order of Battle for the Civil Wars 68-70 AD, Society of Ancients, 2001, pp.24-25.

Otho’s Forces 

Commanders -Suetonius Paulinius (infantry), Publius Marius Celsus (cavalry)

3 Command Points, 1 Generalship Point, Army Break Point 18

Vitellius’ Forces 

Commander - Caecina

3 Command Points, 1 Generalship Point, Army Break Point 15

 

Unit	Mov	Comb	Man	Disc	Character	Points
OTHO
Auxilia Alae	D6 +2	4	2+	7	Cavalry	9
2 Auxilia Cohorts	D6	3	3+	6	Drilled	7
5 Raw Cohorts Legio I Adiutrix	D6	3	4+	7	Battle Trained	6
5 Raw Cohorts Legio I Adiutrix	D6	3	4+	7	Battle Trained	6
2 Praetorian Equites Alae (Reserve)	D6 +2	4	2+	6	Cavalry	12
3 Cohorts of Praetorians	D6	5	2+	5	Battle Trained, Drilled, Stubborn	13
4 Raw Cohorts Legio XIII Gemina	D6	3	4+	7	Battle Trained	6
4 Auxilia Cohorts	D6	3	3+	6	Drilled	7
Auxilia Alae	D6 +2	4	2+	7	Cavalry	6
					TOTAL	72
VITELLIUS
Auxilia Alae	D6 +2	4	2+	7	Cavalry	9
Auxilia Alae	D6 +2	4	2+	7	Cavalry	9
3 Cohorts Veteran Batavian Auxilia	D6	4	2+	6	Drilled	9
3 Cohorts Veteran Auxilia	D6	4	2+	6	Drilled	9
3 Cohorts Auxilia	D6	4	3+	6	Drilled	6
3 Cohorts Auxilia	D6	4	3+	6	Drilled	6
4 Cohorts Auxilia	D6	4	3+	6	Drilled	6
					TOTAL	54

We were a bit rusty with the rules, it was Craig's first game and only Rick had played S&H recently with the Bibracte scenario at the Too Fat Lardies event at Cancon. After a faltering start, with some quick reversal of fortune change overs, Otho's forces got a roll on. Despite some strong resistance from Vitellius's forces, including a very successful flank charge on Otho's auxiliary cavalry, the set back and disaster cards slowly but surely mounted. In the end Vitellius' forces were well and truly broken with 22 army break points, breaking on 15. 

Praetorian and Legio XIII Gemina cohorts charge in to combat

Auxilia alae in combat on Otho's right flank

Vitellius' forces are hard pressed

 Vitellius' auxilia alae charge Otho's alae in the flank

Vitellius' forces are well and truly broken