A Punic Rumble using Hail Caesar.

The Devon Wargames Group has grown rapidly in recent years, from a club that entertained around ten to fifteen members a month and two to three games, to one now boasting some forty members and regularly hosting four games for twenty to twenty five members at any one meeting.

I say at a meeting, because to facilitate the demand for games the club has had, for the last four years offered two meetings a month in the first quarter instead of our usual one, and recently for the last two years added April to the two meeting schedule, seeing in recent times eight games a month not being uncommon.

So this marvellous Hail Caesar, Punic War battle, hosted by Mr Steve was indeed one of the eight games played in last month's roster of meetings.

 

Our two armies arrayed for battle with the Romans on the left and the Punics on the right.

The two armies can be seen as the respective commands arrayed their battle lines, with both Romans and Punics choosing to anchor one flank on the temple and sacred grove that were known to be found in this specific part of the Iberian peninsula, securing their opposite flanks with cavalry operating on the higher ground at the opposite end of the table.

The other end of the opposing lines with the temple and its grove off limits to each side with the threat of unspeakable curses and seven years bad luck to any miscreant that despoiled its sacred grounds.

Opposing lines of heavy infantry glowered at each other across the open plain beyond the temple, the Romans in their cohorts of silent ranks contrasting with the yells and battle horns blaring from their Punic foes.

The Roman cohorts flanked by archers.

Slingers to the front lead the Punic line forward.

On the high ground the Punic cavalry presented a formidable threat with heavy and medium armoured, shielded horseman, backed up by ranks of javelin armed skirmishers.

A formidable force of Punic cavalry

The Romans in the opposing line were outnumbered five to three in similarly clad and accoutred men, but supported by their Numidian allied light horse, very able at overcoming heavier less manoeuvrable opponents with their hit and run javelin attacks, and also capable of harrying a beaten foe from the table.

The Roman cavalry with Numidians out front behind javelin and slinger armed skirmishers.

The Punic infantry, a mixture of Gauls and Iberians, advance with skirmishers to the fore.

Our battle followed a predictable process of the infantry making steady progress into the plain with both sides skirmishers attempting to get at each others heavy types, whilst on the flank the Romans aggressively advanced looking to fight their battle as far forward as possible to buy time for their infantry to seal the result in Rome's favour before any enemy cavalry might try and intervene.

Punic heavy and medium cavalry backed by attached javelin armed skirmishers.

The massed ranks of legionaries are given the order to advance.

As the two opposing lines advanced the Roman cavalry pushed forward at a steady trot, noting the unsteady advance of their opposition and with the Numidians emboldened to press the advance further, feeling out the flank of the Punic line.

The Roman commander orders the cavalry forward.

The Punic cavalry advanced to meet the Romans but the odd blunder interfered with their progress allowing the Romans to press their line more rapidly with the Numidians seen far right feeling out the enemy flank.

Meanwhile in the plain the Roman infantry line advanced steadily.

Taking full advantage of the disjointed approach of the Punic cavalry due to unforeseen blunders amid their ranks the Numidians attacked the exposed flank of one of their number, further adding to their woes as they won the ensuing close combat and proceeded to chase the enemy from the table.

First clash as the Numidian light cavalry get the drop on their opposition, first flanking them and then attacking them from the rear as casualties caused them to break and flee. 

It seemed the rest of the Roman cavalry line had embraced the boldness of the Numidians as they jauntily trotted into close combat with the enemy inflicting casualties in the approach and all seemed well with the first close encounters going in Rome's favour, that was until the wheels fell off, and suddenly the lost Numidians were joined by two Roman medium cavalry units, off table and out of the battle.

The only positive that could be gained was that the fight to overcome the Roman cavalry had battered the Punic horse quite badly and had taken up time allowing the two infantry lines to close into javelin range.

Oh dear, how sad, the Roman cavalry is all but broken and dispersed save for one unit close in to the infantry line, but they have battered the Punic horse in return with white dice among the rear ranks indicating the damage done and effectively taking them out of the battle.

Meanwhile the two infantry lines closed and the pilum flew as both sides prepared for the inevitable clash of arms.

Thus it was left to the steady legionary to decide the outcome of our battle and they lived up to their billing, thinning enemy ranks with a shower of pilum before closing to drive the enemy back from a remorseless stabbing wall of shields.

Not a great place to be skirmisher between serried ranks of heavy infantry

The Punic line is in trouble as it recoils before the might of Rome's legions

The Punic line was only going in one direction when time was called on our game as a well-earned beverage awaited at the all important post game wash-up in the local pub.

Much fun was had by all and thank you to Mr Steve for bringing his lovely collection of toys and terrain down to club all the way from deepest darkest Cardiff and to Stephen H, Steve L, Ian Mc, Nathan and Gavin for their company and fun of the game.

JJ

Biblical Bash: New Kingdom Egyptians v Hittites, 15mm Hail Caesar

They say that you should always start with a joke. so here goes:

Is your crocodile friendly?
Yes.
Then why is it eating my baby.
That’s not my crocodile.

I know, it’s not that funny, but I spent over an hour unsuccessfully trying to translate and then copy it into Hieroglyphics so it’s staying.

Talking of fun, we had an amusing time last meeting with a six-player game of Hail Caesar (HC) using some of my Biblical armies, this saw a Hittite army taking on my New Kingdom Egyptians, both with substantial Canaanite allies. This was the first game of HC for many of the players but they picked it up quite quickly even if a little unsure on what was the best thing to do.

Both sides split their allies off into a separate division and with nearly seventy chariots on the table there was some discussion on the best way to deploy them. The Egyptians decided to parcel them out to each division whilst the Hittites overloaded their left wing with the more melee capable ones and placed the lighter Canaanites in the centre.

The Egyptian left wing consisting mainly of Canaanite allies launched their attack against a mixed group of Syrian and Hittite infantry backed by a few chariots, with this ending up as a too and fro affair with both sides having some success’s but, as the Canaanites got more and more worn down, the Hittite right had sufficient strength to finally repel the assault and to start to push them back. 

A lone unit of Sea people mercenaries heroically holding them off allowing the remaining Egyptian forces to retire safely. 

In the centre the Egyptians got a little mixed up and were not able to launch a coordinated attack which resulted in individual units trying their best to advance through the arrow storm coming from the Hittite forces. It would be fair to say that this was where the Hittites had the most success with the majority of their units well able to continue fighting after both defeating the Egyptian centre and beating off a limited assault from their right as the Egyptian left wing tried to assist their centre. On the remaining wing JJ did ok.

The Hittites as previously mentioned had overloaded their left wing with all their melee chariots backed up by some Syrian infantry. Facing them was a division of Egyptians consisting of the usual mix of spears, bows and chariots which didn’t look like it would be sufficient to hold off the advancing horde trundling towards them. 

However, the Egyptian bows consistently halted the lead Hittite chariots blocking those behind from pushing through, then with well-timed charges from the outnumbered and lighter Egyptian chariots they swept away the supporting infantry and even looked for a time to dangerously threaten the Hittite centre from behind, fortunately for the Hittites they still had sufficient un-committed reserves who swiftly dispelled that idea. 

The Egyptian spears, bows and the remaining chariots attacked the disordered Hittite chariots who were now without their infantry support and after a tough fight with heavy losses to both sides broke this division.

With this being the only success on their side, the Egyptian general was seen rapidly heading back to
Egypt, chisel in hand to tell the people of his great victory.

Hopefully somewhere there is a clay tablet still waiting to be discovered which tells the true story of this Hittite victory.

Rules used: Hail Caesar by Warlord Games

Figures: old Minifigs and a lot of Magister Militum
Cloth: Zulu mat: Tiny Wargames

This has been a Mr Steve production

Teutons and The Battle of the Snowman - Hail Caesar

Battles in snow clad terrain tend to be rather eye-catching affairs especially in periods of yore when gaily coloured forces often as not lined up to face each other across a vastness of white.

One such period that offers a chance to model such a clash is the Teutonic Order of Knights and their push for dominion in the east against the Baltic tribes.

The snowy waste of our table with the river well and truly lined and with the Teutonic infantry deploying in the top left

The infantry lining the river were a mixed feast of archers, spears and two handed axes.

Our scenario saw the Slavic forces lined up, rather sensibly, behind an unknown, well unknown to those of us commanding the Teutons, frozen river barrier that had potential to disorder and generally mess up any attempt to come crashing across it, in spite of any perceived solidity.

If that wasn't bad enough, their confidence in their position shone through, in that they had obviously taken the time to build a snowman which chimed perfectly with the taunts in broken German drifting across the snowy waste suggesting our parents smelt of elderberry and to go away with out stupid German Kernigits before they would taunt as some more!

Spearmen and crossbows holding the wood and a certain snowy effigy.

The Teutonic infantry and friends prepare to advance behind a line of skirmishing archers

Well any self respecting Teutonic Hochmeister wasn't prepared to put up with that kind of nonsense from some anonymous, badly groomed, and very smelly Slavic peasant, no matter how big and sharp those axes looked.

The boss, close at hand to get the advance moving swiftly 

As the German infantry closes on the position the arrows and bolts start to fly.

Taking stock of the enemy position securely lined up on their river with woods at either end and a mass of spears, archers and axemen awaiting any rash assault, with heavy cavalry and horse archers hovering behind in close attendance, we Teutons decided to create a 'Schwerpunkt', something that would become a favourite tactic of later generations, but I assure you, we invented it first!

Lithuanian horse archers advance over the river to do what horse archers do best, delay, annoy and generally make a nuisance of themselves.

So in accordance with our cunning plan Nathan led our heroically, or is that hysterically, brave infantry across the snow towards the right flank of the enemy position, protected on their right flank by a refused advance of massed German knight types covered in plenty of metal and carrying very long sharp sticks.

This cunning plan had two advantages in that it left a lot of the nastier enemy types staring at open snowy waste, wondering if they should come on over, the water is lovely, and should our hysterically brave infantry do the business, not only would they unhinge a very difficult position but they could equally deal with that insulting snowman.

The horse archers get support down river from some foot archers who have come across to support their efforts to harass the German right flank as it advances on the river

Of course, you can always trust such dastardly foes as these peasants obviously were, to not play fair and so they sat doggedly behind their frozen barricade content to push forward a mass of of foot and horse archers to pelt our brave lads from front and flank with very annoying and dangerous arrows, likely to take an eye out if not very careful.

Enter the Teutonic cavalry echeloned to the rear-right of the infantry and throwing out light cavalry to push back the horse and foot archers 

The Teutonic order heavy knights together with mercenary knights and mounted sergeants move up to prepare to support the infantry.

Well this insufferable tactic couldn't be borne for long, so in went the infantry types who soon started to gain ascendancy on the enemy right flank, knocking down that little snowy dwarf as they went and generally upsetting what till then had looked a very tidy line.

Meanwhile on the right amid arrows, our brave light cavalry spears supported by some heavy sergeants, with the occasional push back, eventually forced the enemy horse archers and foot skirmishers to back away from our right flank as the Hochmeister led forward the serried ranks of our finest knightly orders.

Missile fire is now at belly-button range as the massed infantry blocks prepare to follow up on the disorder caused

The fighting for control on the German left flank is the first to erupt in hand to hand combat

With the enemy right turned and pushbacks starting to happen along the line behind the river, the time had come to see if our 'donkey wallopers' were very overpaid and had an exaggerated sense of their own self worth or if rumours of their martial abilities were really true.

So unleashing the dogs of war, the first ranks of heavy Teutonic knights charged over the ice and thankfully nothing happened, I mean it held firm and no one slipped.

The German left has pushed over the river, and the centre is engaged in close combat as the heavy knights draw up ready to charge.

The flank advance continues as Lithuanian Town Militia attempt to stem the tide amid heavy fighting.

Before you could shout 'don't point that bloody thing at me!' the flower of German knightly manhood were across the ice and prodding peasant types back from where they had come from, breaking one unit of spears in the first charge and turning in on the flank of some rather large hairy chaps, carrying two handed axes.

This latter confrontation proved to be most beneficial after the experience of fighting these chaps from the flank underlined the extreme risk of tackling them from the front whilst ones horse was desperately trying to maintain its footing on a frozen iced up river.

Teutonic spearmen keep the pressure on

The line is well and truly broken as Lithuanian heavy cavalry awaiting the assault of the German knights now have another problem to deal with

However as so often happens in these types of actions once a gap has appeared in an apparently secure line and with a flank being remorselessly driven back the initiative and direction of travel starts to roll in one direction, not to say that the Teutons had it all their own way, but by the closing stages of our game, the position on the river looked compromised and the snub of the snowman comprehensively avenged.

Crunch! the centre of the line is pierced and rolled back by the German knights as their enemy counterparts rush towards the German infantry threatening to roll up the line.

More German cavalry pour into the gap opened up to support the break in.

Thus the peasant hordes would wake up the next morning to the comforting thought that feudalism was here to stay and everyone knew his place in the order of things, just as it should be!

Anyone fancy a quick crusade to the Holy Lands?

The horse archers help detain other heavy cavalry elements that might otherwise be employed battering their hard pressed infantry.

Thanks to Mr Steve for bringing down his excellent 15mm collection to play with and to Steve L and Nathan for adding to the fun.