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

Etruscan ADLG Game

 

Above are some 2nd Class Etruscan infantry that I’ve just finished painting. Figures are by Gorgon Studios with LBM shield transfers. On Friday afternoon Garry came over and we played an Etruscan ADLG game out in the shed and these figures got a run. The two armies represented city states which I randomly decided were Veii (mine) and Tarquinia (Garry’s) two quite large Etruscan cities close to Rome. 

The army of Veii were the attackers and moved first. Skirmishers fired on the flanks and the cavalry charged in to combat.The main fight was between the 1st Class Hoplites in the centre. Garry didn’t have much luck with his dice and all of my 1st Class Hoplites had armour (extra 2 points cost) which made them more resilient. In the end his centre was worn down with his smaller flanks too.

Army of Veii right flank 

Army of Veii centre

Army of Veii left flank

Army of Tarquinia left flank

Army of Tarquinia centre

Army of Tarquinia right flank

Army of Veii advances

Action on the left flank 

Armies close

Cavalry charge 

Cavalry combat on the right flank

1st Class Hoplites charge in the centre

Cavalry slog it out

Casualties mount

Combat in the centre

Army of Tarquinia is demoralised

Etruscan Chariot

 

Here's an Etruscan chariot that I've just finished painting. The figures are from Gorgon Studios and are Lars Porsenna, the Etruscan king with a chariot driver and a second class spearman. Shield transfers are by LBM. The bronze panels on the chariot are based on the famous Etruscan chariot from Monteleone di Spoleto which dates to c. 530 BC and which can be seen in the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/247020

Late Etruscan Command

 

Here are some Late Etruscan Command figures that I've just finished painting. The figures are by Aventine and Victrix with LBM and Victrix shield transfers. The Victrix figures are from the Republican Roman cavalry set which includes Etruscan helmets options and they have a lovely Etruscan shield transfer set as well. Garry has a really nice Etruscan army, that inspired me to start one of my own. You can see his Etruscans in action against my Samnites in a game we played at the club a few years ago:

https://bucellarii.blogspot.com/2018/09/samnites-versus-etruscans-basic-impetus.html

I have quite a few spare plastic Greek hoplites, so I'm planning to use some of these for my first class Etruscan infantry and have used the Victrix Greek slingers and Roman leves with spare heads to make up fifth class Etruscan infantry as javelinmen and slingers. Agema Miniatures have a Kickstarter Etruscan range too, that should be available soon on their website. I just received in the mail an order from Gorgon Studios of second class spearmen and Lars Porsena in a chariot - can't wait to paint that!

Samnites versus Etruscans Basic Impetus Game

Samnites on the left, Etruscans on the right

View from the Samnite lines

Side view of the armies deployed

Samnite centre

Samnite right flank

As I mentioned in my last post, last Sunday afternoon down at the club, Garry and I played a Samnite versus Etruscans Basic Impetus game. Both are interesting and colourful armies, and certainly ones that you don't see that often on the wargame table. We didn't bother with any fancy tactics, just lined them up, advanced and charged. I was expecting my Samnites to get thrashed again, after their drubbing against the Camillan Romans, a few weeks ago. To my surprise, aided by lucky dice rolling, the Samnites punched a hole in the Etruscan centre, this soon collapsed and the Etruscans were routed.

The armies close

Both sides get stuck in

Casualties mount

A hole appears in the Etruscan centre

The Etruscan centre collapses