Open Battle at the Siege of Rome 537 AD - Command and Colors Medieval

 

Initial deployment from the Goths’ side

Opposite end

Byzantine right flank commanded by Belisarius

Byzantine centre commanded by Principius

Byzantine left flank commanded by Valentinus

City Militia and ballista on the walls of Rome

City Militia and ballista on the walls of Rome

Initial deployment from the Byzantine side

Opposite end

Goths’ right flank

On Monday morning I played a solo Command and Colors Medieval game out in the shed. The scenario was an Open Battle at the Siege of Rome 537 AD. The Byzantines commanded by Belisarius, taking on the besieging Ostrogoths commanded by Vitiges, in the fields just outside the walls of Rome. Quite a lot is actually known about this battle as Procopius in his Gothic Wars 1.28.15 - 29.45  gives quite a detailed description of it. Both sides had four command cards and two inspired actions tokens and the Byzantines moved first. I have an early Byzantine army (mainly the superb Aventine miniatures range) but only have  a unit of horse archers painted to date, so used my Late Romans and even some Nikephorian horse archers to make up the Byzantine numbers.

The Byzantines advanced and shot effectively with their horse archers on both flanks. The Goth cavalry charged on their left flank but both units were eventually destroyed. The Goth warriors in the centre attacked and drove the Byzantine infantry back to the very gates of Rome but suffered heavy casualties themselves. Principius the Byzantine commander in the centre was then able to lead the Byzantine infantry to a very convincing 6-0 victory. A really fun scenario but a very one sided game where the Byzantines had all the luck with their dice and cards.

The new GMT Games' board game Command and Colors Medieval Expansion 1: Crusades Mid-Eastern Battles 1  looks really interesting and is currently at the printer, so will probably be shipping in the next couple of months, I'm really looking forward to that!

Goths’ centre commanded by Vitiges

Goths’ left flank

Byzantine horse archers advance and
shoot on the right flank

Same thing on their left flank

Goth cavalry charge on their left flank

Byzantines destroy Goth cavalry

Goths attack in the centre

Byzantine infantry retreat to the very gates of Rome

More shooting on the left flank

Principius leads the Byzantines
to victory in the centre 6-0