Saturday Mega Game. Britannia, The Romans are at it again. Part 1.....

Most of you all will realise that we usually game on a Thursday evening.
This is great and generally gives us 3 to 4 hours gaming time.
This is usually enough time for us to get a game played to a finish with the forces we put on the table.
I thought it was time for a bit of a change.
What about a full day of gaming.
So!
Saturday the 21st June became our first Mega Game Day.
We decided on "Hail Caesar" and that we would play Britannia and field all the troops we could muster.
Even at 1/72 scale on my 5ft by 6ft this will be quite a spectacle.
A very simple scenario.
The Romans had been romping around southern Britain and the Ancient Brits had just about had enough.
Time to put these Pasta Munchers in their place, said Andy.
The battle was on.
Kick off was 10am.
A large supply of Teabags and milk was prepared.
Andy's Brits came from all over to check the Roman advance, a large force was mustered.
Andy took the role of the British commander "Arviragus" and had four Divisions at his command
The British had 10 Warbands, 2 of them Fanatics, loads of cavalry and Chariots and more Skirmishers than you can shake a stick at!
Glenn played the role of the Roman CinC, Paullinus and Myself played the part of a Tribune in command of two of the four Roman Divisions.
Each had a Roman and an Auxiliary legion.

The British had gathered on the site of the old abandoned Maiden Hillfort.
The Romans were advancing to crush this final gathering of the tribes.

Well here we go.

Ready to go

The terrain to fight over would be quite challenging.

The Legions start to arrive slowly, very slowly to the Roman commanders
annoyance, once again we had a Roman traffic jam.

The British arrive quickly though and start to swarm on to the table.

As more British troops arrive, they get in to position quickly to engage the
slowly plodding Legions.

The slow advance of the Legions also slow the arrival of the Auxiliary
legions behind.

The British forces deploy as more arrive. They hold the key points on
the table now.

Andy ponders his options.
The Romans are slow due to poor command rolls, he has more troops
entering the game and already see's an opportunity to get
the best position.
Andy's cavalry advance to the high ground overlooking the wooden
bridge on the right.

Glenn with Paullinus slowly gets in to position to push the centre river
crossing whilst his Auxiliaries head for the stone bridge on the left.
My own Legions push on for the wooden bridge on the right and the
deployed Scorpion deals some death to the cavalry on the hill.

Andy's cavalry fall back from the Scorpion and he sends a division of
warbands and Skirmisher to take the high ground overlooking the bridge.
He also spots Glenns Auxiliaries moving to the stone bridge on the left
and sends over the cavalry to counter this move.

The British warbands lie in wait as Paullinus (Glenns) legions clear the hill
and move to the centre crossing point.
This will be a tough fight on the river.

Glenn's Auxilliaries are forced to deploy before they get to the stone
bridge as Andy's cavalry appear to their front.

My Legion reaches the wooden bridge and starts to cross in testudo.
Andy's warbands have failed to get to the high ground and contest the
crossing. Even so, the Testudo's cross the bridge slowly.

Combined missile fire on the British holding the centre crossing cause
much disorder and Glenn launches an assault across the river.
Two legions clash into the disordered warband and break it.
The rest of the British stand firm though and the Legions decide to fall
back across the river.

Andy is still in a good position. Glenn's attack was halted and the advance
of the Auxiliaries on the left has stalled with the appearance on the cavalry.
I cannot get both my divisions to move over the damn wooden bridge.
Two Cohorts cross, the rest are stuck on this side with the Auxiliaries
behind them.
Luckily for me, Andy is having the same problem getting the warbands
to move up the hill to threaten the Testudos.

Glenn's Auxiliaries reach the stone bridge on the left, but the threat of
the British cavalry stops them crossing.
Sporadic skirmish missile fire is proving to be a pain all over the table.

Andy pushed some skirmish elements forward in the centre to engage
Glenn's Legion that fell back. This gives Andy time to re-organise his
forces.
The Romans on the right still struggle to get across the wooden bridge.
Even Drilled troops can fail to change formation.
Roman missile fire though is deadly, with the Brits getting hit from
Onagers, Scorpions, Bows and Javelins.

Well!
I'll end this here for now.
Things were certainly hotting up for a mighty clash, but poor command rolls on both sides were now scuppering all our best laid plans.
Andy suffered the first losses, is he in the strong position he hopes he is.
Have the slow moving Romans, missed the boat.
Out of the 3 river crossing points, only one is still open, the wooden bridge.
But my Legion won't move.
We had lunch.
New plans were formulated, schemes hatched and the Dice gods spoken to.
Will the Might of Rome prevail ?
Or will Celtic fury take the field of battle ?