Since there was only going to be five of us gaming I kept the army sizes to the ones listed in the rules, I usually upscale my armies to 1 1/2 the rule suggested sizes, and played on a 8 foot wide by 6 foot deep gaming space. Not my usual ten and half foot by six foot table.
Those with a keen eye will notice new ground cover for this game. My buddy Sam bought 3 of these 6 foot by 4 foot matts made from mouse pad material. They are excellent!! Many thanks Sam!!
We will start with the armies prior to battle.
Close up of the Roman army
Barbarian host
I actually took a fair amount of pictures. Here are the initial set up shots. The Barbarians were able to place six one foot square tree sections anywhere on the board. The Barbarian foot and light troops could move through the woods with no movement penalty while all of the Roman Cohorts moved at half speed. Only our skirmish and light infantry were uneffected.
The Imperial Romans lined up in their deployment columns.
The Barbarians in their deployment columns.
Barbarian skirmishers deploy into the woods.
With a wave of his sword Paulus The Barbarian Slayer, (That's me!), orders his army forward!
Lines of Roman light troops screen the advance.
Confusion reigns in the Barbarian ranks as cavalry is blocked by Barbarian foot troops. Major traffic jam!
Barbarian foot streams into the woods as a cavalry column is unsure of its next move.
The Roman columns move ever forward to crush the Barbarian host!
The Romans with precision snap into battle formations as only a Roman Army can achieve! A Barbarian player stairs on in amazement! I am really laying it on thick!
Roman cavalry on the left flank readies itself as Barbarian skirmishers line the woods.
Roman lights exchange missile fire with the Barbarian skirmish line.
Barbarian forces continue to stream into the woods.
No Petri battle report is complete without the "Giant Hand" of fate! Moving Barbarian light troops forward.
A look down the line from the Roman right flank.
In the center the stage is being set for a gigantic clash!
On the Roman left light troops are doing harm to each other. On the very left of the image Barbarian horse readies itself for a charge.
The empty space on the Roman left flank after my horse and the Barbarian horse wiped each other out!! The flank is open!
The climax in the middle is nearing.
The Barbarians on our right flank move out from the woods.
On the Roman right the Barbarians have been tempted out of their wood hideout to engage the Roman Horse.
Things in the center begin to heat up!
My reserve Roman Cohort is about to move into the attack to tip the balance in my favor!
Same situation from the Barbarian perspective.
On the left the Barbarian appear ready to charge.
The battle lines are fighting it out. Barbarian chariots are moving into open space to attack.
A shot from behind the Barbarian lines showing the Roman Horse on our right flank engaging a Barbarian mass.
I was able to take out a Barbarian formation on the left about to move in and engage the next mass. Barbarian chariots still on the move in the background.
In the cenetr anothe barbarian units has been eliminated.
Both sides are wearing down in the center.
On the right our barve Roman horse have been driven off! Oh the humanity!
At this point in the battle we were getting close to army break points. Now upon first reading this rule it seems unimportant but once game play starts its true importance really comes to the fore. The side that wins the initiative for the turn, competitive D6 roll determines the Melee Direction. The big red arrow in the next shot shows that Romans winning the toss selected to fight out the melees, one at a time, starting on the Roman right flank. The Barbarian units on our right and in the center were weakened while I had two Roman Cohorts on the left about to go.
The deciding fight in the center. Second shot showing my combat roll with only 1 dice a miss! My dice rolling was on fire all night. Never happems for me!
Romans in the center closing in for the kill.
The Barbarian final unit is removed! A Roman victory!
Of note the Barbarians have 6 main battle line units made up of 48 figures each. Only when 3 of those units are destroyed is their army beaten. Any Barbarian skirmishers, cavalry or chariots that are eliminated do not count towards the army break point. On the flip side the Romans have 8 Cohorts of 24 figures each and four of them have to be destroyed for a Barbarian win. On the turn that the Romans won the game I had two Cohorts that most assuradly would have been broken. Having the melee direction start at the other end of the board stopped the game the second the Barbarian 3rd unit was eliminated.
A great game with great friends. Thanks fellas.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
And as always thanks for looking!
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