Roman-Sassanid Game 1

View of the battlefield from the Roman side

Wahj, Martin, fg and I got together for a game of our Dux Bellorum-Impetus mash-up on Sunday. This game features several 'firsts': it's the first use of my new Deep Cut Studios mat for a wargame, the first use of my new woods terrain pieces, the first use of the card Armenian church building, and the first match between our Late Roman armies against Martin's Sassanid Persians.

Wahj and I took the Romans, with him taking the bulk of the troops, while I took the Goth contingent on the Roman right.

Centre of the Roman line

Martin split his forces into two halves, commanding the bulk of the cavalry on his right, and giving fg command of some cavalry, the elephants, and the foot.

Sassanid battle line

Both sides were reluctant to move from their start positions at first, but eventually the Persians made a wide flanking move on the right and pushed forward their foot skirmishers on their left. I responded by sending my Goth cavalry in a headlong charge that saw my general surrounded by foot units and dying an ignoble death.

Cavalry clash. Note the use of replica Roman coins for Leadership Points

On the other flank the battle culminated in a massive cavalry clash that eventually ended with the Persian general being surrounded and killed.

As usual the game ended with talk of getting more units to make each army more effective.

I have earlier backed West Wind Productions' War & Empire III kickstarter, with the aim of painting up another 8 units of Roman foot to give wahj a helping hand, but as he is currently on a painting spree (and the kickstarter fulfillment won't be till the end of the year) I have decided to pass the bulk of the deal to Martin, who is planning to get some Palmyran units, while I plan to get some Arthurian foot to use as Goth infantry.

The other reason why I wanted to give up my stake in the kickstarter was because I have just bought some thirty 28mm figures and two chariots for my Trojan War project. These will allow me to field two warbands - one Trojan and one Lukka - for Tribal. If all goes according to plan we should be playing Tribal again in July.