Second Bedriacum/Cremona Strength and Honour Game

 

Vitellian and Flavian legions deployed with
the Via Postumia in the centre of the table

Opposite side of the table

Opposing legions fight beside the
embankment of the Via Postumia

Vitellian auxiliary cavalry optimistically advance

Last Wednesday night I went over to Rick's place and we played a 2mm Strength and Honour game of Second Bedriacum/Cremona. We diced for sides, Rick and Gary commanded the Flavian forces led by Marcus Antonius Primus. I commanded the Vitellian forces who were leaderless as their general Aulus Caecina Alienus had been arrested for plotting to defect to Vespasian. The two sides had similar armies with the Vitellians possessing a slight advantage with an extra legion and breaking on 18 points, instead of 17. We both rolled well on the auguries and had four points each. The battle was fought at night and there are a number of special rules in the scenario to emphasise the chaos of night time combat.

It certainly was chaotic and from the start of the game the Vitellians were unable to take a trick. In most combats they rolled a one or two and when a four, an advance, (the best result) was rolled it was immediately cancelled. Both units of Vitellian cavalry were pushed back off the table resulting in disaster cards and the set back cards steadily mounted through out the game. No surprises then when in turn six the Flavians called Homunculus Est and the Vitellians were broken on twenty points. It was a frustrating game for the Vitellians but it was good to get the troops out, use the terrain I'd made and play the scenario with an historical result.

A Vitellian legion has the advantage of two supports

But no result!

Chaotic night time combat

Vitellian legions break

2mm Roman Cavalry Bases

 

Here are some 2mm Roman cavalry bases that I've finally finished painting. Figures are by Antonine Miniatures. I still have four skirmisher bases and a marching camp to finish for the army. We have a 2mm Strength and Honour game lined up for next week, the scenario is Second Bedriacium/Cremona. I'm still working on terrain for the game but will post photos and a report of it shortly.

A command base, eight bases of legions,
five auxilia and two cavalry bases.

Vosges 58 BC Strength and Honour Game

 

Romans left, Germans right deployed

German attackers advance

A superior Suebi Warband pushes
a legion back into the camp

On Tuesday afternoon Rick came over with his new 2mm barbarian war band army and we played a game of Strength and Honour out in the shed. The scenario was Vosges 58 BC with Caesar leading his Romans against the German forces of Ariovistus. We diced for sides and I was Ariovistus and Rick was Caesar with the Romans. The Germans were lucky with their dice and managed to advance and attack the Romans before they advanced at all. We were pretty rusty with the rules, our last game was back in April but the Romans had a lot of bad luck throughout the game. Before long the setback and disaster cards were mounting for the Romans. Caesar was able to cancel three German Homunculus Est calls with Generalship and Strategy points but all to no avail eventually as the Romans were easily broken.

Setback and disaster cards mount for the Romans

Romans bad luck continues

Fourth German attempt at Homunculus Est
Caesar's Romans are easily broken

Another Roman Civil War Strength and Honour Game

 

Armies deployed

Rick's What a Cowboy table

Side view of the deployment

My right flank is all over the place

My left flank is stranded with a Reversal of Fortune

One of my centre legions is
disordered and retiring, soon to rout!

Back on the right flank

My left flank makes some oblique advances

Last Wednesday evening I went over to Rick's place to play another Strength and Honour, Roman civil war game, this time with our 2mm forces that we have painted to date. Rick and Gary commanded one side and I commanded the other. Both sides had 10 units, 102 points and an army break point of 19. We deployed in a long line and Rick and Gary were the attackers. My right flank was soon all over the place and the left flank was then stranded with a quick Reversal of Fortune change over. The first combat of the game saw one of my legions in the centre retiring and disordered which turned to rout in the next turn.

After a bad start I managed to turn things around with some lucky dice rolling and got my left flank, centre and right flank back in some sort of order and started to get some pushbacks happening in combat. I made an early Homunculus Est call and Rick and Gary's Romans passed but the army was fatigued. Soon both sides were fatigued, the game was going to be decided in the centre. In the end I had a number of units here disordered, on the verge of routing, but was able to break their army before mine broke. Thanks to Rick and Gary, it was a really fun and close game.

Support helps on the right

Left flank is finally back in line

The centre will decide the game

Rick and Gary's Romans are fatigued

More action in the centre

Break point is almost reached

Auxilia on the left finally see some action

Year of the Four Emperors - Roman Civil War Strength and Honour Game

 

 Roman armies deployed

Forces advance cautiously

Early push backs for my raw legions

Push backs and setback cards mount

On Wednesday afternoon I went over to Rick's place and we played our first 2mm Strength and Honour game with a Roman civil war in the Year of the Four Emperors. We used the Roman units we had painted so far. Rick's force consisted of three experienced legions, two veteran legions and two raw legions. My force consisted of two experienced legions, three raw legions, two veteran auxiliaries and one Roman auxiliaries. Both sides had 61 points and an army break of 15.

We advanced cautiously and tried to maintain our lines with limited success. Before long the push backs and setback cards for my raw legions on the right flank were mounting. My veteran auxiliaries on the left pushed back and then routed one of Rick's raw legions but then two of my experienced legions were pushed back off the table. I cancelled one Homonculus Est activation with a Strategy command point but in the end Rick won a decisive victory, fairly easily. It was a quick, fun game and good to use the 2mm bases. My whole army fitted in to a 20mm high, 24cm by 16cm small Warbases box!

Veteran auxiliaries push back a raw legion

Two experienced legions are about to
be pushed back off the table

My Romans break

2mm Romans

 

Auxiliary Cohors Milliaria, three double
strength cohorts with detached troops in front,
Antonine Miniatures on the left and
Korhyl Miniatures on the right

Auxiliary Cohors Quingenaria, six cohorts
Antonine Miniatures

10 cohort Legions Antonine Miniatures on the
left and Korhyl Miniatures on the right

Here are eight 2mm Roman bases for Strength and Honour that I've just finished. They're a mix of Antonine Miniatures and Korhyl Miniatures. Rick and I have a Year of the Four Emperors, Roman civil war game lined up for tomorrow afternoon, so it should be interesting to see how that goes. 

10 cohort Legions Antonine Miniatures on the 
left and Korhyl Miniatures on the right

Korhyl Miniatures 10 cohort Legion

Five legions and three auxiliaries

Nubian Command and Antonine Miniatures

 

Here's a Nubian command stand that I've just finished painting. The figures are by Casting Room Miniatures and are big and chunky, very easy to paint. They're not quite as good (or accurate) as the Perry sculpted Foundry Nubians but are nice for a bit of variety.

Below is my first tentative foray into painting 2mm for Strength and Honour. The figures are by Antonine Miniatures (sold by Warbases) and the first base is a complete ten cohort legion. The other work in progress bases below, are of elephants with supporting infantry and a wagon laager. I have some late Republican/ Early Imperial Romans on order from Italian manufacturer Korhyl Miniatures and will combine these with auxiliary bases from Antonine Miniatures.