Auxilia Scenario Three: Uncle Quintus and the New Fort

Auxilia Scenario Three: Uncle Quintus and the New Fort

First Spear "Uncle Quintus" of the 1st Batavians leaves the Prefect at the Hill, with three of the Centuries and takes the remaining three to the South West, intending to construct a new fort.  The Selgovae attack whilst the Auxiliaries are engaged in cutting turf and building the ramparts.

In a perfect world I was going for detailed terrain.  Sort of stuck with what I have...

Figulus' Century stands watch outside the new fort whilst Uncle Quintus has two centuries on construction

The Selgovae arrive.

The Romans advance to the stream.  Foolish use of light Infantry by the Celts.  I must be rusty.

The Romans take on the Celtic line.

Quintus turns the Celt line

Centurion Figulus routs the Celtic Chariots of Chief Salmonix,  The Romans have won again and need only win one more fight to pacify the area.

Sextus up the Village. 6mm Auxilia

After the Skirmish of the Patrol in Scenario One, Sextus and his men have taken refuge in the Village.  I am presuming that the name is unpronounceable.   The Selgovae Chieftain Salmonix prowls the woods outside the village, but since there is a ditch and palisade he is reluctant to have a go...

Sextus, a bad tempered Centurion of the 1st Batavians has taken refuge with his 3rd century, n one of the Selgovae villages following the ambush on his patrol in Scenario 1.  The Selgovae are massing in the wooded hills behind the village. 

For the Dux Bellorum rules I have added dice holders to each of the century bases, and the LP counter which is the Centurion himself.  A difference in playing Dux Bellorum for my solo games is that the LP counters can only be given where the Centurions physically are.  Sextus counter can only support his own century.  In a group of Centuries this can be altered, and the Prefect also counts as an LP counter.

Sextus and his boys in the village.

The Surrounding Celts.  A ridge really is a ridge in 6mm...

First Spear Uncle Quintus arrives with two Centuries

The Celts scoot forward, cavalry and chariots storming ahead

Quintus manages his lines well

The Chariots go in too early

Sextus sorties from the village into the Warband's flanks

Last chance for the Celts, their Cavalry catch Quintus in the flank, but are defeated!  Battle over as Sextus and his boys get to go home.

Fielding a 6mm Roman Cohort at 1:1

When I moved to Cyprus one of the figure collections I brought with me was a large army of 6mm Romans, with various smaller sized enemy forces, Gauls, Sarmatians, Parthians Numidians and Macedonians. As I was painting the last elements this week I suddenly had an epiphany, when I realised that I could field a Roman Cohort at 1 figure equals 1 man.

Simon Scarrow and Anthony Riches both write novels with this level of unit as the main focus.  Using some of the plots and scenes from these would also give me some interesting scenarios.  I have spent hours following the fortunes of Centurions Cato and Macro, as well as Marcus Valerius Aquila.  Great stuff, which I`d never considered actually gaming before.

One issue is that my figures are Marian Roman, chainmail, helmet, big shields with rounded edges.  For the wars of the Late Republic the legion seems to be the base unit, but as I examined them it occurred to me that they would make passable Auxillia of the Early Empire.  Further examination confirmed that my cavalry is also pretty much just generic, so I can muster a Turmae at 1:1 too.  Setting a game in this period has a lot of appeal, the invasion of Britain, the Batavian Revolt, the year of the Four Emperors...  What's not to like... 

My figures are based in groups of 16 men, and a cohort of 80 has a 10cm frontage. That would give the entire cohort a 60cm frontage in four ranks.  They look impressive.

The Cohort will be the 1st Batavians.  Command structure is:

Prefect         Flatuous Maximus     (Overweight) Praefectus cohortis
First Spear  "Uncle" Quintus         (Fatherly)
Centurion    Figulus Incontius       (Martyr to his bowels)
Centurion    Quilpius Magnificus  (Vain)
Centurion    Sextus Iraticus            (Angry boy)
Centurion    Pubicus Impetuous    (Rash)
Centurion    Inflamius Ictis           (the Weasel)

To run these guys through an opening Mini Campaign game I drew up a map.

 The Mini Campaign Map

There are six scenarios in this mini campaign, deliberately made to be typical of Simon Scarrow or Anthony Riches novels.  These will occur in a random order (although I rolled 1 for the patrol so it will actually be the first game as well as being the first on the list:

1. The Patrol
2. The Hill fort
3. The Village
4. The Oak Grove
5. Attack on the second fort
6. Attack on the Walls

The third century of the 1st Batavii have been sent out from the newly occupied fort at The Hill.  The Centurion Sextus Iraticus, is known for his bad temper and avaricious nature, is a proficient Officer and is supported by his Chosen Man and Watch Officer.  The Century comprises 80 Auxiliaries in 10 tent partys of 8 men.

In wargaming terms Sextus has five double elements, giving him ten groups of eight.  The strength of the Selgovae is unclear, and if only light opposition is faced Sextus will press on.  Rumours are that the Selgove nobility wear golden torcs, and that would give Sextus a nice retirement nest egg.

At the Second waypoint Sextus is ambushed by  warband of the Selgovae.  Its a poor ambush since he has time to get ready for them...

The patrol

The Welcoming party

Sextus forms the Century up

The Warband charges.

I still need to flock the Roman bases!

No contest as Sextus sees off the Celts.

Game 2

At the fourth waypoint on the map Sextus and his men encounter Segovae cavalry.  Game on...

The Romans stand on the edge of a steep hill, and the, somewhat impetuous, Celtic Cavalry charge them.  Not going to end well for the Selgovae!

In 6mm a little contoured terrain goes a long way

The Cavalry get stuck in.  Foolhardy?

Working on "the Look," but its getting there.

The cavalry bounce, and Sextus lives to fight another day...

A word on Rules

I tried a few different rules out for the Auxilia games.  5th Edition WRG was probably the most wacky.  It relies on form not function so didn`t really work for me.  Similarly I took a fleeting glance at DBA, but my "element" is the century, so that didn't work either.
Sword and Spear would have made a good rule set, but ultimately I decided on Dux Bellorum. 

The Centurions make up my LPs for the game, one per century.  The Gauls get chieftain counters.  
I`m still working on any period amendments I need...