Kings of the Hills 400 Point Roman Civil War
With the death of Hummus Disgustsus and the disappearance of Bigus Chickenus after being dished out a crushing defeat by the Briton's at Uffington, the Roman Legions that were left in reserve in the depths of Britannia are suddenly without a General. Following the standard methods of military hierarchy, commander Stubborn Togastaines is made General of the legions.
However, there is a schism within the Legions on how to deal with the current issues at hand. Stubborn Togastaines believes that the Briton's that rebelled and caused the massive Roman defeat weeks earlier must be dealt with and utterly crushed. Backing his ideals are the majority of the army, and Togastaine's right hand man- Septicus Scrotum.
On the other hand, Severius Bronchitis, a brilliant, rich, and outstanding individual that had earned the highest grades and ranking at Roman Military School and his best friend Laren Jitis convince a good majority of the army that Bigus Chickenus was the Biggest Chicken in all of Rome, and often fled from battles. Chickenus and his subordinates were not worth following and that Togastaines was punishing the wrong people - the Roman's ought to find the cowards from the last fight and give them to the rampaging Britons and try to make peace with them. In this way, the Briton tribes could war with one another while the Roman's slowly deal with one tribe at a time by setting them up against one another, instead of the whole of Britannia . . .
After a heated conversation, Bronchitis calls Togastaines an equally large Chicken as Bigus was, and also insults his mother - and that was that. Togastaines took all his veterans and his best men, while Severius convinced a number of Romans to follow him. In addition to this, Severius Bronchitis met with the nearby Briton tribe of Madogsgotix and promised the Briton's there great amounts of booty if they helped crushed the Imperials.
And so, messengers of both sides met with one another and it was decided to see who was the best! The armies decided to clash between the hills on a road some distance north of Londinium . . . Whoever won would be the Kings of the Hills!!!!
The Armies:
The Armies:
(This battle was fought with four players. On my side, it was our newcomer Tim with his own Romans. He commanded two divisions. I commanded the Briton division. We were the "rebels" , aka General Severius Bronchitis' side.
Rebel Forces:
Division 1
Roman General - 25 Point upgrade (Best at Roman Military School!) Severius Bronchitis
Legionnaires
Legionnaires
Elite Legionnaires
Elite Legionnaires
Medium Aux Cavalry
Division 2 -
Roman Commander - Laren Jitis
Heavy Auxiliary Troops
Heavy Auxiliary Troops
Medium Archers Unit
Scorpion Battery
Division 3 -
Celtic Commander - Beefcake the Mighty
Warband
Warband
Warband
Medium Celtic Cavalry
Skirmishers With javelins (Republican Roman Re-enactment group)
(And it was Graham and Robert with only two divisions - Stubborn Togastines and Septius Scrotum)
Division 1-
General Stubborn Togastines (No upgrade! He should have gone to Military school!)
Legionnaires
Legionnaires
Legionnaires
Legionnaires
Medium Auxiliary Cavalry
Auxiliary Medium Archers
Skirmishers with Slings
Division 2 -
Roman Commander - Septicus Scrotum
Veteran Legionnaires
Legionnaires
Legionnaires
Legionnaires
Medium Auxiliary Troops
Light Archers (full unit)
Skirmishers with Slings
Scorpion Battery
Scorpion Battery
Since this battle had four of us, we basically played it all out at the same time, and it was thus at times hard to know what was going on with Tim's two divisions. Tim (Severius Bronchitis and Laren Jitis) faced off against Graham's division (Commander Septicus Scrotom) this battle while I (Beefcake the Mighty) faced against Robert (Stubborn Togastines). Initially the battles were just a line, that ran towards the division across from one another, but as the game developed we all started fighting everyone and everything all over the place - as it should be!
Also - there was no way to keep track of what happened on what turn - so here's the battle in the order of the pictures!
(From here on, "Imperials" are referring to Robert and Graham's side while "Rebels" and "Celts" refer to Tim and myself.
The Imperial Line - some of them were off the table in reserve. Their forces were mixed all throughout the line.
All the Rebels made it on the field. The celts made up the right flanks and the auxiliary made up the center.
Tim's Romans looked beautiful and were all ready for battle!
Septicus Scrotom heads out in front of his Veterans to check how high the hills were...
And on the far right flank of the Rebel forces, their celtic allies hurled insults and curses all over the place for all to hear!
Tim's two divisions advance. Thanks to his training at the best military school, Bronchitis' men stormed up over the hill while Laren Jitis' auxliary troops followed behind.
The Cavalry were exceptional at listening to orders - they were already over the road at the middle of the field on the first turn!!! Ready to strike at the skirmishers hanging out on the Imperial Roman Right.
The Briton's advance as one.
As do the Imperials across the field from them.
But Scrotom's too busy observing the grass on the hills to give proper orders.. so half of the Imperial army stays put, wondering what to do.
While they're waiting for their commander to get back - Bronchitis has his cavalry strike the Imperial army's auxiliary skirmishers.
The Rebel Cavalry scatter the skirmishers off the field while Bronchitis leads his legions forward as the other half of his division awaits on the hill.
The Heavy Rebel Auxiliary march towards the Imperial legions while their celtic friends seem to be content sneering at the foe from their hills.
The Imperial General holds his position, believing to have a good defensive position.
Look at those little men down below us! Rebel Soldiers staring down the Imperial's on the otherside of the hill.
The Imperial Skirmishers are basically out of the battle, as Scrotom has some Legionnaires march out to face Rebel Bronchitis' Elites!
At the centre of the board, Heavy Auxiliary troops clash with Imperial Legionnaires while Imperial Medium Cavalry re-position themselves behind the fighting. The Celts were not making much headway - but they were inching ever so closer. Imperial Auxiliary slingers fan out and hurl stones at the approaching Briton warriors!
Before the engagement, the Romans throw pilums at the Rebels...
And drive them right back! A momentary relief - yet the Rebel Cavalry still threaten the lines! Notice that the Light archers have turned to deal with the cavalry threat!
Fighting bogs the Rebel Heavy Auxiliary and Imperial Legionnaires down! (Tim and I brought Heavy Auxiliary troops to stand against the Legionnaires ! The Mediums weren't going to last long - and the heavy's did an excellent job at holding the Romans down for a few turns!)
Here the lines clash! The Celts dash across the road and up the hill to smash into the Imperials while Bronchitis' men and Cavalry charge and flank the right Imperial flank.
The right begins to crumble! The Rebel Legionnaires with a combined Cavalry attack make quick work of the Imperial Legionnaires...
Then make a sweeping advance right into the flanks of the Imperial Light archers!
Bronchitis watches from his fancy pony - he is pleased!
Two units down in one turn! One Imperial Legionnaire unit and one unit of Imperial Light archers, destroyed! But beside them, brave Rebel Elites fight an Imperial unit that has multiple supports...
In the center the Rebel Heavy Auxiliary are hard pressed - their friends join in to support.
The Celts are having a rough time - they've charged up a hill against the Imperials.. and do not do so well despite all their savage attacks.
A whole lot happens! The Rebel Heavy Auxiliary worked together to push back the Imperial Legionnaires they were facing - they did not puruse.. the Celtic Cavalry could not punch through the Imperial Medium archer unit, supported by another Imperial Legionnaire unit behind them.. and only one Celtic unit managed to stay toe to toe with any of the Imperials - the majority of the Celts were repelled!
The Imperial slingers ran back out in front of the Imperial Legionnaires to throw more stones... One Celtic WArband supported by skirmishers was able to stay in the fight , even with the Imperial Cavalry coming in to support.
Another shot of it all - For most of the battle the Celtic Cavalry would try to charge the Imperial Medium Archers on the hill, and be repelled either by Closing Shots or a stalwart defense.
All Scrotom could really do against the Rebels was try to bring in troops from reserve and hold a defensive for his flank...
And unfortunately for the bravest of the Celts- they were defeated and broke. The skirmishers supporting them fled for the hills!
The Rebel Heavy Aux took a barrage of pilum... many casualties were suffered and they were shook right up!
All the Rebel Legionnaires that Bronchitis could commit slammed into the Imperial's right flank while his Rebel Medium Cavalry continued to menace from the Imperial's sides! The fighting was bloody! And The Imperial commander did not do well with his orders at all during this battle!
Laren Jitis rallies one of his shaken Rebel Heavy Auxiliary unit , but orders the other Heavy Aux unit up the hill.
The Intensive fighting on the Imperial Right Flank goes well for the Imperial's.. they're able to push back a good chunk of the Rebel Legionnaires thanks to the help of their Imperial Scorpions in support, but the Imperials are still hard pressed on their far right.
The Celts try to advance.. but the Imperial Archers continue to keep the Celtic Cavalry at bay while the Warbands struggle to get u the hill. Some shots by the Rebel Scorpion is fired - but for the most part the Rebels Scorpion did very little when it came to long range damage.
Bronchitis poises his forces to return to the fray.
And in the centre of this photo, Beefcake the Mighty angrily curses his fellow Briton's for not following orders so close to the enemy! They should have acted on initiative!
A whole bunch of Rebel Elite's suddenly leave the field of battle! The Imperial Scorpions cause their shaken unit to quite the field! The Imperial Medium Auxiliary troops turn to face off any enemy that may approach them
Scrotom still tries to rally his Rebel Heavy Auxiliary, but the unit does not get much headway. Behind them, the Rebel archers try to cover them with arrow fire.
One of the Celtic Warbands is driven back by the Imperial Skirmishers.. those stones did not cause a single wound, but a few close calls gave the Celts reason to back off.
Bronchiti's Rebel Legionnaires destroy the Imperial reserve Legionnaires
The Celts want to get up that hill, but simply cannot. - The Heavy Rebel Aux , despite being rallied, are driven back by thrown weapons - and are shaken once again.. and the Celtic Cavalry still remains.
(everyone decided to break for lunch , but I stuck around to watch the table and take some photos from all sorts of angles - including the enemies side of the table! You can see we even put our casualty markers In our units .. haha - But we've devised a house rule, to put casualty markers directly behind a unit from now on).
Everyone returned from their break - and the fighting continued. The Celts finally managed to climb that hill and smash into the Imperial lines.. the Celt Cavalry tried this, but was repelled.. again- but suffered many more wounds this time. (The Celtic Skirmishers basically failed orders the rest of the game)...
The Rebel Cavalry did their job well, and were sent off to do other work! They left while The Rebel Legionnaires press into the Imperial Scorpions with both a frontal and flank charge.
Scrotom sends the Imperial Veterans under his command up to middle of the field to join his General's division , feeling that they'd be more useful there than on his crumbling flank.
The Celts finally dish out some damage! They miraculously route the Imperial's that were defending the hill! The Imperial Slinger Skirmishers that were supporting break from the shock of it all!
So it seems that Victory will belong to the Rebels... yes - Cavalry enclosing from the hill, Celts now able to advance on the left Imperial Flank without opposition.. and a whole bunch of cowardly or weakened units facing them off at the cent.. wait, what cowardly ?
The Celtic Cavalry, shaken by all their charges on the Imperial Medium archers, give ground and remain out of fire range - being too weakened and too far to receive proper orders. At least now the Rebel SCorpion had some room to fire a few shots - but it did not prove useful.
The surviving Imperial Romans were giving the Rebels a good final run for their money - their commander was in the fray and Bronchitis felt it best to send his Rebel Cavalry back to help end the stubborn right Imperial Flank. Laren Jitis kept Rebel Heavy Aux on the hill in the Cavalry's place.
The Imperials stand on their hills - guarding every which direction.
The last of the Imperial Right flank units that holds the division together is defeated - the Veterans start to retreat. The Imperial General decides to have his Imperials turn direction and face the still active Celts (offscreen on this photo) and fire shots into them.. Laren Jitis fails to flank, as he failed to give orders this turn.
Somehow the Imperial Medium Aux managed to route the very successful Rebel Cavalry!
Here the Rebel Legionnaires clash with the Imperial Medium Aux - The Imperial Medium Aux should have been running off the field, as their division was broken, but they had no choice but to stay and fight as they were engaged by the foe.
The surviving Imperial Romans start to build a parameter as the Rebel Heavy Aux in the centre close in on them.
The Rebel Heavy Aux on the hill along with their Rebel Legionnaires fight the Imperial Medium Aux - but the Imperial General has some Imperial Legionnaires flank the Rebel Heavy Aux. These Rebel Heavy Auxiliary troops are broken along with the Imperial Medium Auxiliary !
Here you can see the Imperial Roman Veteran troops have moved more towards the edge of the field - trying to escape without their commander and leave the rest of their broken division behind! Shameful display!
But they did give room for the Imperial General's cavalry to get into a supportive position.
The celts for the rest of this game are basically bogged down by a mixture of arrow and pilum fire as well as multiple failed orders.
THe final fighting begins - by this time The Rebel's biggest Division full of Legionnaires has dwindled down to only a few units... The Last Heavy Rebel Auxiliary division clash with Imperials on the hill with support from the Rebel MEdium archers...
But the Imperial Legionnaires are able to defeat the Rebel Legionnaires on the right flank - causing Bronchitis' division to route. General Bronchitis shakes his fist at Stubborn Togastines and swears revenge for his defeated rebellious legions and leaves the rest of the fight to Laren Jitis and Beefcake the Mighty.
Now if only the Rebel Heavy Aux with their archer buddies can finish off these Imperials...
But no- they are unable to, and Imperial Cavalry comes to Imperial rescue as support.
And slowly start to drive the Rebel Auxiliary back.
The Celts try to get in there and do something... but Beefcake the Mighty apparently cannot get his orders to any of his troops - and all his attempts to assist the Rebel Auxiliary divisions fail.
And it was here - in this anti-climatic photo, that the Rebel Heavy Auxiliary are destroyed, and their friends, the Rebel Medium archers, also break from the destruction of their friends. With that - Two thirds of the Rebel's army Auxiliary was defeated - which meant that also, with two divisions fleeing, that two thirds of the Rebel army was now broken and defeated... which meant a victory for the Imperials!!! A very close Game!!!!!!
Following his brutal ways, Stubborn Togastines had the now captured rebel Laren Jitis crucified on one of the nearby hills along with any surviving Auxiliary on the Rebel's side. The Rebel General Severius Bronchitis managed to escape his foe's clutches and ride away on his magnificent pony - swearing vengeance would be his someday.
"It seems that Bronchitis has snatched defeat from the jaws of Victory" was Septicus Scrotum's joke as well as last words to his general Stubborn Togastines for Togastines had seen first hand how poor of a commander Scrotum had been whilst trying to hold back the enemy on the Imperial right - not to mention, Scrotum fled with the rest of his cowardly division. Togastines had him also crucified - upside down!
As for the Celtic Commander, Beefcake the Mighty, he decided to ditch the Roman's and go off and join the rampaging Briton's that Bigus Chickenus and Hummus Disgustsus failed to defeat. He and his men raided many Roman villas and made off with many Roman pastries and much of the Roman imported silverware.
And so it was in this battle that Togastines proved that he was no Chicken and not like Bigus Chickenus at all. .. no, he was much more Brutal and a much more decisive commander.
Well that was a fun game! Tim and I seemed to have it in the bag but Robert with his division turned it all around! Graham's division did quite poorly with orders and Tim's cavalry continued to roll through his ranks and there was little for him to do - but one thing that did not help Graham out was that he forget that his legion's can move once on failed orders.. oops! Those minor rules can change or make a whole game!
As for Robert's division against my celts and Auxiliary - it was really fun but the Briton's simply couldn't pierce that Roman defensive line on the hills. Tim's heavy auxiliary did surprising well and I think against heavier troops upgrading Auxiliary to heavy is always beneficial, especially if they have weapons like the pila that deal -1 armor damage on the first turn of combat!
All and all an awesome game, and we all had a lot of fun! Although this was Tim's first game of Hail Caesar! and his first time using his fully painted Roman army he did not need a lot of coaching as he is no stranger to wargames having played others before. Additionally he had played other Warlord Game's prior to this (Black Powder, I do believe!).
Hope you all enjoyed reading this - there were a lot of photos and a lot to look through. I brought my better camera this time, so had more space and made more efforts to take lots of photos ;)
Until the next written battle report, adios!!
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