Command and Colors Ancients - Lake Vadimon 283 BC

 

The Romans, Etruscans and Boii deployed

Opposite end

Etruscan light infantry suffer casualties from a retreat

Roman leves with casualties from shooting

Romans play a mounted charge
card, on their left flank

And on their right flank

Last Friday afternoon I played a solo Command and Colors Ancients game out in the shed. The scenario was Lake Vadimon or Lake Vadimo 283 BC with a coalition of Etruscans and Gauls, the Boii tribe, taking on a Republican Roman army under Publius Cornelius Dolabella. The Romans had five command cards and moved first, while the Etruscans and Boii only had four command cards. This turned out to be quite an interesting game, as the Romans despite a significant advantage in cards and troops, never really got going and most of their centre never got in to action.

Polybius provides some details on the battle:

the Boii, seeing the Senones expelled from their territory, and fearing a like fate for themselves and their own land, implored the aid of the Etruscans and marched out in full force. The united armies gave battle to the Romans near Lake Vadimon, and in this battle most of the Etruscans were cut to pieces while only quite a few of the Boii escaped.

Polybius, The Histories, 2.20.1-4 https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Polybius/2*.html

The Romans played a mounted charge card early in the game and were able to inflict casualties and force a retreat on the Etruscan light cavalry. The Boii warriors on the coalition left flank attacked, causing casualties and eventually killing the Roman legate. A double time card allowed the Etruscan infantry to attack on their right flank. After several turns of combat here the Etruscan leader and infantry emerged with a surprising but hard fought 8-5 victory.

Boii auxilia are nearly done

Roman cavalry momentum advance
on their left flank

Boii warriors attack on their left flank

Etruscans charge on their right flank

Romans are forced to retreat

Etruscans charge again

Boii chieftain and cavalry charge in the centre

Etruscan leader and infantry
win a hard fought 8-5 game