Theodosius at Rutupiae (c. 368)

In the spring of 368, the Roman general Flavius Theodosius, at the order of Emperor Valentinian, crossed the English Channel from Gaul and landed parts of four auxilia palatina (Late Roman era infantry units) at Rutupiae (today Richborough).  Britian at this time was reeling from multiple invasions (from Picts in the north, from Ireland from the west, from Franks and Saxons from Gaul)  relating to the barbarica conspiratio.  Theodosius succeeded to re-securing Britain, and did not fight any pitched or set-piece battles, the invaders probably being more interested in looting and leaving than conquering and staying.  

Frankish warriors.

However, since I had just painted up five units of Frankish foot warriors (and already had five units of Saxons) an invasion of Roman Britain by a combined Frankish-Saxon force was too tempting to pass up.  Theodosius landed at Rutupiae and proceeded to Londinium.  For the purpose of having a game of it, we shall suppose that he found a Frankish-Saxon army blocking his way.  This game was the first of three remote games (via Google Meets) that I ran/played in three days as part of the the fifth annual (Virtual) Ambuscade! game event.  I have organized and ran games at Ambuscade for the last four years, and although a social gathering with 30+ people was clearly out of the question this year, I didn't want to lose 2020 altogether.  Besides, its' Ambuscade V and "V" is for virtual, so there you go.

Starting positions, Romans on left.

With forest to his left and marshes to his right, Theodosius puts his scholae (armored Roman cavalry with javelins) on his left flank and his heavy cavalry cataphractii on his right.  His center is four units of auxilia with a unit of archers (sagitarii) in support of each flank of the infantry.  The barbarian right was held by the saxons and the left by the Franks. 

At end of first moves.

Both sides advanced towards each other in line.  The barbarians massed warriors in the center in two waves.  Progress was slow on the barbarian left as movement was slowed by plowed fields from a nearby hamlet.

Frankish warriors.

The Roman scholae then began harassing the Saxon flank with javelins. 

Roman scholae engaging the Saxons.

Meanwhile, in the center, the barbarians had advanced close enough to start exchaning small missile fire such as javelins, hand-axes, and rocks. 

End of turn 2.

Franks on the barbarian left.

Barbarian center - Frankish warlord out front.

Barbarians approach the Roman shieldwall.

Roman shieldwall awaits the rush.

Franks massing for the attack.

At this moment, a throwing axe struck and killed Theodosius!

The throw that slew Theodosius!

In this variant of the Lion Rampant rules, an army general not only adds +1 to morale checks but also adds 3 dice to any melee his unit is involved in. Any sub-leaders only add 2 dice.  Given the relative same-sameness of Roman and barbarian infantry in melee (barbarians will attack on a 4+ with Romans defending on a 4+, and Romans attack on 5+ against barbarians who defend at 5+) these two or three extra dice have the potential to make or break combat.  Although the units to each side of Theodosius held their position, his personal bodyguard unit fell back in disorder, creating a gap in the Roman line. 

Gap in center of Roman line after death of Theodosius.

Battle lines after death of Theodosius.

Saxons routed by Roman scholae can be see at upper right.

Keeping their cool, the Romans simply shifted the entire right flank to the left, plugging the gap left by Theodosius' bodyguard.

A shorter Roman line with the gap plugged. 

The came the moment of impact, with multiple barbarian units attacking along the line. Attacks on Roman archers were particularly fruitful, causing the cataphracts to charge in and send a Frankish unit running.

Roman archers have fallen back with four casualties, while cataphracts counter-attack on the Frankish flank.

On the opposite flank, the Roman scholae were preventing the barbarian sub-leader from attacking the Roman infantry line, which in in turn allowed archers on the Roman left flank to continue to fire with impunity.

View from Roman left.

Franks attack the Roman lines.

Cataphracts attack the Frankish flank.

Frankish warriors seen here pushing through middle of Roman line. 

End of turn 5.

Then several things happened very fast over the next two or so turns: first, the Saxon sub-leader advanced on some of the Roman scholae, who countercharged.  With the sub-leader's +2 dice for combat, the Saxons drove the scholae off.  Secondly, after successfully attacking one unit, the Roman cataphracts failed to charge a second unit.  And lastly, a Roman auxilia failed its morale check to form shieldwall, and it was driven back disordered.  

The result was that the barbarians had taken more casualties, but managed to have one more unit on the Roman side of the table than the Romans had on the Barbarian side.  Theodosius had been slain but the Frankish warlord had also fled, so the entire game was judged a tie - to give it a historical spin, the Roman broke the barbarian raiders' army and scattered them, but the death of the Roman general stalled the advance on Londinium.

This was the best run of my 'Barbarian West' mods for Lion Rampant to date.  As with other recent games, I tossed activation rolls altogether, except for a Morale test to determine if a unit charged or not, and also a Morale test for maintaining the shieldwall advantage of 3 armor vs. 2 armor.  Additionally, all the little rerolls or +1s for combat were removed, and pretty much every unit had a ranged skirmish attack, because being able to move half speed and make a ranged attack at -1 seems to greatly encourage players to attempt tactical moves, and avoids a situation where the player who moves into range first is at a total disadvantage as they will have to take a shooting attack before they can shoot.

LATE ROMANS

CATAPHRACTII (HEAVY CAVALRY)

Attack 3+ / Defend 5+

Move 3 squares

Courage 4+

Armor 4

Special Rules: Counter-charge. Evade Infantry.

SCHOLAE (CAVALRY)

Attack 4+ / Defend 5+

Move: 5 Squares

Courage 5+

Armor 3

Special Rules: Counter-charge; Javelins (range 2; hit 5+ (-1 if more than 1 square); Skirmish; Evade Infantry.

AUXILIA PALATINA (INFANTRY)

Attack 5+ / Defend 4+

Move: 2 Squares

Courage 4+

Armor 2

Special Rules: Shieldwall (+1 Armor from shooting and melee attacks if Courage test passed); Javelins (range 2; hit 5+ (-1 if more than 1 square)

SAGITTARII (ARCHERS)

Attack 6+ / Defend 5+

Shoot: 5+ / 4 squares

Move: 2 Squares

Courage 5+

Armor 2

Special Rules: Bows (if target over 2 square, 6+ to hit)

GERMANICS

GEOGUTH (“Doo-guth”) or FRANCI (WARRIORS)

Attack 4+ / Defend 5+

Move: 2 Squares

Courage 4+

Armor 2

Special Rules: Ferocious; Counter-charge vs. foot; Javelins (range 2; hit 5+ (-1 if more than 1 square);  Impetuous Charge (test if start turn adjacent to enemy unit)

LEADERS: 

Each army will have one general and one or two sub-leaders.  A leader is attached to a single unit for the entirety of the game - this is his personal retinue/bodyguard.  A leader grants a +1 bonus to Courage tests to his unit and to any friendly unit in an adjacent square (not including diagonal squares).  Additionally, the general will add 3 dice to melee rolls for his personal unit, and sub-leaders will add 2.  Accordingly, the risk to leaders in personal combat is elevated: a general will be killed in melee on a lucky blow roll of 2 or 3 instead of the usual 2 (for shooting attacks the usual 2 still applies). If a leader is killed all adjacent friendly units must take a courage test immediately. This can trigger “cascading” courage tests as described in Rule 11 below.

SHIELDWALL:   Any unit with this rule is automatically assumed to form Shieldwall, as long as it has  6 or more models, is not in rough terrain, and is not Attacking another unit, and not Disordered/Battered.    Shieldwall increases a unit’s Armor by 1 point against both Attacks and Shooting.  However, when a Shieldwall unit is the target of an enemy Attack or Shooting action, it must make a Courage check (usual modifiers apply) – if the test is successful the Shieldwall holds – if the test fails, the Shieldwall breaks for some reason and the +1 Armor is not counted.   If an Attack ends with both units still in contact (i.e. tied for casualties and both sides passed their Courage check), the enemy must retreat. 

SKIRMISH: This unit may choose to make half move and shoot at -1 before or after this movement takes place. 

EVADE INFANTRY:  Unless is it is disordered, if this cavalry unit is charged by an infantry unit, it may automatically move 2 sqaures towards its back table edge - it will not leave the table because of this rule. 

EVADE: Unless is it is disordered, if this cavalry unit is charged by another cavalry unit, it may attempt to make a full move towards its back table edge - it will not leave the table because of this rule. Test in the form a standard courage check (usual modifiers apply), and evade if successful.

IMPETUOUS CHARGE: If, at the beginning of this player’s turn, a unit with this rule is adjacent to an enemy unit, it must make a standard courage check (usual modifiers apply).  If it passes it will attack the nearest enemy unit as their activation for this turn (if more than one, dice to determine target of attack). If it fails, the unit may be activated normally.  Do not test if unit is disordered/ battered.

ADDITIONAL RULES FOR GRIDS, etc:

A. MOVEMENT

1. Diagonal moves are not allowed.

2. Cavalry move 5 squares (Cataphracts move 3)

3. Infantry moves 2 squares

B. RANGES

4. Bows: 4 squares (over 2 squares is -1 to hit)
   Javelins: 2 squares (over 1 square is -1 to hit)
   Line of sight is calculated from center of originating square to center of target square (use a stick).  If the line passes over a square that contains another unit, or obstructing terrain such a building or woods, then there is no LOS.  If the line touches the corner but does not cross the square, there is LOS (this is possible at direct 45 degree angles).

C. SKIRMISH ORDERS

5. All units armed with ranged weapons, may make a half move and shoot at -1 to hit.  This can be move/shoot or shoot/move.

D. ORDERED ACTIVATIONS/REACTIONS.

6. Move, Shoot, Skirmish actions are considered automatic, and no activation roll is required.

7. If attacking an enemy unit, the attacker must pass a Courage test. Usual modifiers apply.

8. A Countercharge and Closing Fire action requires a Courage test.

E. COMBAT

9. An attacking unit can attack an enemy unit in an adjacent (but not diagonal) square. IF the defending unit is in a building, or woods, or behind an obstacle, and loses the melee, the attacking unit will “carry the position” and move into the square vacated by the enemy.

F. RETREATS

10. A unit retreats half a move after losing a melee or failing a Rally test. Retreat moves are always towards controlling the player's starting edge. If the retreat is into a square occupied by another friendly unit, the retreating unit will pass through that unit (and any others) until it reaches an empty square.  Units passed through must pass a Morale test or become Disordered (although they are not required to retreat from failing this test).  If the retreating unit is retreating because it lost a melee, but did not become disordered, it too must pass a Morale test or become disordered due to it retreating through friendly troops.

G. MORALE TESTS

11. If a unit is defeated in combat and fails its morale test and routs off the table, then any friendly units adjacent to that unit (when it lost the melee) must also make a morale test.  If those units fail their tests and route off table, the effect will be “cascading” and initiate another round of morale checks for adjacent  friendly units.