David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Wednesday 15 March 2023

"Illi damnati moriuntur deos!'

In the latter part of 2022 I struck a deal to sell a large part of my Late Roman collection to a long time wargames chum. Like many of my collections it had grown like Topsey, largely without me noticing or intending that outcome. I was left with the rump of the collection and no real idea how I might use it in future, if at all. 

Now recently Phil and I had moved away from using Neil Thomas's Ancient and Medieval Wargames as our rules of choice and picked up Hail Caesar again following the release of its second edition. It seemed to us that giving the Late Romans an airing with the rules might give an incling as to direction in future developments. So, a few pictures from today's small game with the odd added comment here or there ~

Foundry Late Roman Heavy Infantry take up a defensive position.
The baggage train and it's escort heading for the home villa, worth 2 Victory Points if occupied, worth 1 to the defenders if held.
A mixed division of Heavy Infantry backed by Heavy Cavalry supported by a Ballista ready themselves for an assault.
Worth 1 victory point to the side holding the siege engine, pretty much held all game by the attacker's.
The centre of the defender's battle line, four units of heavy infantry, one with integral archers.
Medium and Heavy Cavalry on the defender's right flank are outclassed if not outnumbered by the enemy.
The villa, the object of the attacker's efforts, defended by Light Infantry armed with javelins or bows. The Horse Archers were in need of some better dice...
Saxon mercenaries smash into the defending Romans, but cannot break them.
Despite losses the defender's heavy cavalry sweeps away the entire attacking side's Centre Division.
Their Medium cavalry is less successful but fends off the threat to the right flank.
Although forced to retire in good order the Medium cavalry have held the right flank while the Heavies have swept the centre away. A victory for Pompus Minimaximus over Baldinus Iunior.
A fun game lasting seven of the allocated 12 turns with Phil conceding facing mounting losses. His cause was not well served by really awful dice throwing, loosing him his entire centre division and making his cavalry on the left almost impotent! 
Clearly the collection could do with a few new figures, on reflection I probably sold just a couple of bases too many. That's hindsight for you as usual! There remains room in the allocated RUBs for two more bases/units of infantry and 8-12 bases of skirmishers. Perhaps I will have saved up enough by Partizan!

20 comments:

  1. The Hail Caesar must have grabbed you to move you on from your go to Thomas rules (with mods). Are you using 1 base = 1 unit?

    I have the rules (not played in anger yet), but for medievals I am still wandering around sets and with the new HC now including WotR - perhaps the time has come or me to give them a bash.

    I was concerned that they would fit the ‘line them up and go’ style competition / traditional ancients game, but you scenario shows much more dynamism than that - some good story telling, so I think they will suit me.

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    1. Thanks Norm, thoughtful and erudite as ever. Yes, we have moved to one base per unit, 120x50 if I recall correctly. I have sold off over half the collection but expect to add some new infantry and skirmisher bases later in the year.

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  2. A grand game, saw us getting to grips with HC again after the prolonged hiatus, our games using NT we're getting a little predictable. The dicing for orders makes for more unpredictability but with the new rule additions can be tempered if desired. Baldinus had a sound plan but his troops seemed unable to grasp it (damn those dice gods) it appears his troops are lacking commitment. Perhaps being March he should watch his back🙂

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    1. Well, the Ides have been and gone and you are still here! Worked well your plan, on paper, shame about the dice...😂🤣

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  3. Funnily enough David Im playing my first ancient game using the new Hail Caesar rules, to make things look more impressive we've doubled up on the size of the units which if sucessful will mean I will have to paint more units of Gauls etc. But the book does look good.

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    1. I hope your Hail Caesar game went/goes well! We have gone the opposite way to one unit represented by one larger base of figures, largely because I sold off half my collection last year.

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  4. What fine figures there David and a lovely little scenario too. I'm glad I bought the new HC rules as they certainly tick many more boxes than NT's A&M did. Nice to see smaller unit sizes which make the game much more accessible IMHO.

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    1. The game looses nothing in our view from more accessible unit sizes on a large base.

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  5. Lots of andsome Roman's, never enough though tp protect the Empire.

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  6. Nice to see you kept a few Mr.B. With the added bonus of adding to them without "starting a new project" ;-D
    I recently saw a Late Roman Army I painted for a chum many years ago (it had been added to) up for sale on eBay (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275620498081) described as superbly painted . I wouldn't describe my painting as superb!

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    1. The bases I will need are in the post, but not ordered any figures as yet.

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    2. You could always give them another RUB for good luck!

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    3. Thank you Genie of the RUB, I claim my three wishes...

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  7. Nice looking game David…..I always thought selling figures was a bad idea and you have proved it, so I’m not selling anything. 👍

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    1. I kept enough to fight Phil's Goths actually, we just wanted to have another try at HC2 so the army was split into two asymmetrical parts. It worked so well I shall add a few bases over the year.

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  8. Nice to see the ancients having a run out Dave! and with yet another collection of superb-looking figures...what on earth possesed you to part with the rest? With WotR included in the new version as well, they have to be worth a punt. looking forward to giving it a try.

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    1. See above reply Paul. The money funded the SYW expansion project. I'm also adding to the 1066 & All That collection in the same one large base is a unit.

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  9. A cracking looking game David…
    And nice to see these toys out on the table…
    It’s a damn fine ‘rump’ of a collection old chap…
    I love the fact that selling some of it has encouraged you to buy more toys…😁

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    1. Many thanks Aly, much appreciated. The rump was intended to fight Phil's Goths mainly. We wanted another go at the new Hail Caesar so they were pressed into service. I've already worked out an order for Romans, Normans and Saxons!

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