The Battle of Aliso - 9CE

Legate Lucius Caedicius

Another weekend and another battle with Romans, but this time it's an 28mm Imperial period battle. Set about 9CE (or AD in old money) this battle follows on from the disaster of the Teutoburg Forest where three whole legions were destroyed by Germanic 'barbarians'. Fired with blood lust the Germans have pressed on and encountered a Roman outpost.

Order of Battle

Germans (Surjit & David) 

  Army c/o Arminius

     Army Standard Bearer

     2x Warband (Fanatics)

     2x Warbands

     1 Javelinmen (Skirmishers)

  Chieftain 2

     3x Warband

     1 Archers

     1 Javelinmen

  Chieftain 3

     3x Warbands

     1 Archers

     1 Javelinmen

  Chieftain 1

     Cavalry (Nobels)

     2x Cavalry 

  Sorceress (Witch)

Romans (BigLee)

  Legate Lucius Caedicius

     Army Standard Bearer

     3x Legionaries

     1x Auxiliaries

     Legion Cavalry

  Centurion Primus Pilus

     Legionaries

     Archers

     Auxiliaries

     Auxiliary Cavalry

     2x Ballista

   Watchtower Garrison Archers

The Action

The Germans are coming! A massive barbarian hoard emerges from the gloom of the forest

Meanwhile a relief force rushes to their aid...but can they arrive in time.

Posties rules allow for one or more 'free' moves for the Romans. Basically the higher the roll the better and in true wargaming tradition, I rolled a one! I would be getting no free moves. At this point I should have pulled back my units around the watchtower and consolidated my position further back, giving my forces time to regroup as a single force. But I was confident my hardened troops could hold on long enough for the reinforcements to arrive.

The forward Roman forces look across to the Romans on the edge of the forest. 

The full 6x12 table was used for this game. 

Why do I look so happy? The fool. 

The Germanic tribesmen surge forwards. My Auxiliary Archers deal out a lot of damage but the distance is closed far too quickly. 

My Heavy Cavalry and the German Cavalry slam into each other. Despite the difference in numbers the melee is a draw. But with my unit being so small already it is reduced to just one figure and the unit is removed. 

German Skirmishers start to close in on the troops around the watchtower. 

My Archers are forced into melee where they drop their bows, draw their Gladius
and act as heavy infantry. 

Barbarian Warbands start to wrap around the flank of the Romans. The marsh restricts movement but doesn't prohibit it and barely strops the German advance. 

More warbands emerge from the forest. The Romans on the hill are starting to wonder why they were not pulled back! Note the Roman Archer unit has been wiped out and no there is a gaping whole in the defensive line. 

Onwards sweep the barbarian hords

The Auxiliary Spearmen on the hill are hit by two Warbands. Only lack of space stopped Surjit from throwing in a third unit. 

Finally my reserves have advanced down the road and are starting to reach the battle. But by now the swarming \Germans are pouring across the hill and all I am doing is reinforcing a defeat. I effectively admitted defeat at this point. The battle was lost but it was still early, so I decided to play on a few turns just to let events unfold and give the German players a game. 

The Barbarians close in and their Nobel Cavalry prepare to charge a fresh Auxiliary unit on the hill

Slam! Amazingly this was another draw but the German Cavalry were able to pull back in good order. 

The Nobel Cavalry try again, but this time Legate Lucius Caedicius has joined the Auxiliaries. 

The Barbarians have swept around and completely enveloped the Romans. 

Two fresh Legionary units arrive but now they are just lambs to the slaughter. 

The Romans go down fighting non the less. 

The Barbarians are an unstoppable force... well not stoppable by this numpty General! 

Analysis

Another disaster! A combination of factors came together to make the outcome almost inevitable. First I fluffed the 'additional movement' dice roll for the Romans. If I had had two or three extra moves I may have been able to get the two halves of my army together before the Germans hit. Secondly I should have pulled back off the ridge as soon as I fluffed that roll. Fighting where I stood meant the Germans could destroy me piecemeal and my reserves were just fed into the meat grinder.