Looking back at Connections UK 2019 Sabin - Punic War

While on the subject of things dating back to 2019, I found a couple of photos from the first day of Connections UK 2019 which as I remember was was packed full of "other" games. I took full advantage of this and joined a morning gaming session of Phil Sabin's multi-player Second Punic War game (I had read it from the book [Simulating War] but had never assembled a critical mass of interested people to actually get down to play it). Wargaming the strategic level of the Punic War board/wargame was a first for me, I only partially knew the background (Cannae to Zama), so I was not going to pass up a session with the author of the game. It was memorable. In the first run through, playing as the Leader of  Carthage I was beautifully stitched up by the Numidians and lost to Rome (even before the arrival of Scipio Africanus) .. so ho hum (see below, the state of the Cyber game board says it all, lots of Romans in North Africa - it did beautifully show the dynamic behaviour of the campaign and shows how a game can help unravel historical elements hidden by the text book - the importance of alliances and keeping  allies in check in particular - one of those Carthage "C"s in Africa [the Numidian] turns to a "R" [infamy] and the fat lady sings for Carthage):

The second run-through (where I played as Rome, but as a junior general) had a strange fratricidal "re-cock" [nothing I hasten to add to do with me] as internal Roman politics proved to be more dangerous than the Armies of Carthage - leading to a stupendous case of petulant "bad play" that let Carthage have an easy victory. After a 'group discussion' a decision to re-cock was made and the Romans got their act together so Carthage fell again (see below, "R" for Roman and "C" for Carthage - Africa has fallen to Rome, end-game for Carthage): 

Individual player scores are kept (so you can be the winner of the winning team and/or loser of the losing team), but this part of the game seems to be more of avoiding a "race to the bottom" - no good seems to come from going to war when you lose (see below, presumably the Roman winners will now celebrate in the traditional Roman way by plotting against each other in internal Senate politics, probably with as equally fatal consequences): 

The other point to note is the really effective way the game was presented by using" minimal computer power". Professor Sabin used a simple Cyberboard display (akin to a PowerPoint or Google Docs electronic document) with the Mediterranean game board & counters. He acted as control by moving the simple tokens about the board as directed by the players. All-in-all it was an obvious evolution of his "chalk and talk" KCL seminar sessions associated with his MA courses. The Cyberboard way of hosting will doubtless have saved him a fair bit of chalk by not having to continuously redraw the map of the Mediterranean. 

Command and Colours Board Game: "Better Than Figures?"

The set-up for the first battle, Akragas (see below, me playing against myself):

Not quite a substitute for figures but more satisfying than small counters! I found this in the loft when I was rummaging about and remembered it was my fast start into the Roman period. 

An alternative "quick start" would be: https://wofun-games.com/index.php?route=common/home

As per fellow blogger David Crook's, who recently turned 60 has discovered and started on a new "adventure": http://awargamingodyssey.blogspot.com/2020/10/that-dreadnought-moment.html

Command and Colours: Ancients

It came to pass, perhaps old hat to everybody else but I have never played it and it seems to be a stalwart of the wargaming community. In fact I think it a transition game between miniatures and board-games. Indeed the likes of Tim Gow uses the (modified) rules with hex based boards and his miniature armies (see below, not cheap but full of kit - a game to be played though):

It starts with Rome and Carthage which means a bit of background reading is required by me, as most of my ancient knowledge is based around Greeks to Macedonians beating up the Persians. That stuff is in later expansion packs (which I see as perfect birthday and Christmas presents). I see a long journey ahead of me. I am hoping perhaps to get the family involved because of the blocks and ease of set up. However I see myself moving to figures in the mode of Tim Gow.

Rome Total War (The Original One)the DBA Way

Other things I have been doing:

Although computers are my trade I don't get the spare time amongst my other hobbies to sit down and immerse myself in a game for long periods of time. In fact most of my games will be circa 2005 or earlier. 

However a few of these titles have a long lasting appeal such as Rome Total War, a game which had great potential but did not fill the "wargaming hole" in me (see below):

The game has various features, excellent graphics being the most obvious but it's command and control verges on the "arcade twitchy" approach that could be tweaked rather than a time-delayed "simulation" of frustration. The army composition also allows non-historical mixtures as it is just based on a points based shopping cart which leads to cheesy choices IMHO but I may be wrong there.

However by combining the DBA army lists with its game play  (i.e. choosing twelve element armies based on DBA army lists rather than equal points)I managed to get what I consider "stable battles" I can sit back and watch. A good classic is Republican Rome v Cathage viz Cannae. I managed to win using what I consider viable "historical tactics" (from both sides, admittedly when I was the Romans I assumed my cavalry would be beaten in a straight up fight so my flank legions were angled to protect my flanks) against its 'logical Vulcan' AI, now "sadly" that is what I want from a computer wargame ;)

Fun was had and I could even bear to stand to watch the replay again!

End of Ancients Campaign

Started way back at the beginning of the year the DBMM Ancients Campaign has been officially wound up. The Spanish Ulcer proudly taking its place for regular weekly entertainment. Announcement of the end was forestalled as we were planning or rather thinking about one big last battle (in a winner take all sense) to decide the top civilisation.

After the last post/battle-report of Greek v Roman intrigue the campaign settled sown to more board game style than table top wargaming action, as fighting a battle purely for the sake of one would have been very counter productive for most (if not all) players. The economic negatives of losing your seat of power crippled Rome and she was barely left with enough men under arms to defend herself against Carthaginian probes.The former would-be masters of the known world were hunted to near extinction in the backwoods of Gaul and Germany.

Greece too suffered from economic pressure of the eastern Hellenes (aka the Seleucid) losing cities more by influence and cultural invasion that direct military action. So the ancient world started to crumble from centre, becoming a hollow vacuum exploited by two superpowers (the Seleucid and Carthaginian) with "safe" borders. In hindsight the mutual mistrust and opportunism of Rome and Greece was their own undoing, hubris being a rank cake to eat cold, but it did have a splendid intensity to it. The game in a sense continues with two players down and one to go but would take an age to conclude in a "last one standing fashion" and mediocre fun just doing a points count exercise.

As it has long since stopped being the battle generator it has to make way for the Spanish Ulcer. Perhaps we shall return to a big Carthage v Seleucid DBMM battle to put a name on the trophy as peaceful cohabitation seemed unlikely.   

Ancient Campaign Update: Politics and Greek Opportunism

Rome survives. Offerings of thanksgiving plume their way up to the heavens, the endurance and fortitude of the citizens of Rome conquers (once again) the reckless move of a bold captain of antiquity.

What is there now left to fear?

Answer: A Greek bearing gifts!

Blatant Greek opportunism at its best or worst (delete as applicable). The ancient Greeks were never a united nation as we know it. Factional disputes and petty City State one-upmanship was always their downfall. So with the eastern borders aflame and crumbling to Seleucid expansion, for want of an effective army to counterbalance the Seleucid pike and shield, an adventurous general with such a force leads a fleet west, beaches itself in the lee of a friendly Italiot City State and marches unannounced and unopposed to the very Gates of Rome.

The citizens of Rome stare in disbelief at the advancing column. How can "The Fates" curse us so?

The walls of Rome as yet not repaired, the surviving citizen legions outnumbered 4:1 were but capable of a mere token resistance as the great city fell ingloriously to "Son of Phyrus" in a tame and feeble fashion. (Not even making it to a token tabletop game.)

As the wet clay hardens for this Greek scribe there has little of worth or note to add to affair. Rome is now under the protection of the Greeks while those Romans still bearing arms are now confined to a region in the north of the country. The Greek success can only be seen as a desperate gamble to grab the short-term wealth/plunder of Rome to fund the large mercenary army needed to successfully confront the Seleucid Empire.

Carthage too prospers as its influence and empire consolidates, its army intent to stay on in northern Italy and hunt down the last defiant Romans that remain. The western Mediterranean is now her lake and even the fierce Gallic/Germanic tribes pay her tribute.

Diplomats usher forth on secret missions as the powers of the east (Seleucid) and west (Carthage) exert great pressure on the diminished powers of the middle (Greece and Rome). One senses now is the time for careful or artful diplomacy.

Ancient Campaign: The Fate of Rome

Carthage has been victorious on the field of battle. The casualties are determined and step-losses removed. Minimal loss to Carthage, Rome takes damage on her walls (careful not too much as to still retain her city status) and her legions. The Carthaginian army still sits atop of the eternal city menacingly.

Hannibal now faces the prospect of an even odds attack on the hated city which was what all the battlefield heroics were about. Tension mounts, was it all to nothing or is the prise his? Hannibal rolls a (2) resignation as this means a high probability of inglorious defeat, a high dice from Rome would seal his fate and deal murderous casualties. Rome rolls a (1), Hannibal breathes a sigh of relief. Paltry stuff though as this only means a step loss a side, but still it gives Carthage one last chance. It pays not to be kind with these sort of chances!

Sacrifices to the gods duly made, Hannibal throws a (1) resignation again and this time Rome rallies with a (6) which translates cruelly to a 50% Carthaginian Army loss. Obviously some form of disease has wiped the besiegers out. Hannibal retires defeated from the gates of Rome as Phyrus before him, to the coast to defend his fleet sending urgent requests for more reinforcements back to Carthage.

Rome lives to fight another day. Meanwhile the Greeks watch on impassively as the Seleucid Empire gobbles up Asia Minor complete and sends cultural feelers to Corinth in mainland Greece proper!

Note: Blue being the preferred colour of Greek choice, yellow representing Alexander's Seleucid descendants. What to do, Thrace (right hand side green/blue) looks quite imperilled as the next domino to fall? 

Ancient Campaign Update: More Roman Horror Photos

For those gamers who cannot get enough of dead and fleeing Romans (or rather Romans who are soon about to so) here are some more "closer to the action" photos of the current Roman study of battlefield hubris.

The horror now behind the Roman left flank, the rampant and seemingly unstoppable angry Nellie.

(Below) The elephant attack is not looking too good for Rome from this angle either. Even the fabled Roman ballista on the right of the picture missed its chance to save the day.

Meanwhile desperate times. The Roman C-in-C has his hands full commanding a vastly outnumbered battleline consisting of a less-than-keen-to-be-here Gallic warband and some a light. Remember there us nothing friendly to a Roman on the left, i.e.outside the pan of the photo.

Meanwhile in "the angle" there is no longer any such thing as a contiguous line and the Roman cavalry seem to have bitten off more than they can chew.

The Romans cannot but help leaving flanks uncovered and opportunities abound for Carthaginian "closing the door" moves.

One last legion (or rather knot of legionnaires) looks solid amidst the swirling chaos, maybe they can retire in a semblance of good order and bear the bad news back to Rome (to send them into a state of panic).

In my (Greek players) defence I can only but say the boot has been often (all too often) on the other foot. The recuperative powers of Rome in this board game are well known, however these are certainly testing times. Can those strong walls of Rome save them  yet again?

Hannibal is set to roll for the Fate of Rome ...

Ancient Campaign Update: Rome Battered on the Battlefield (again)

Rome once again is under the heel, this time it is the legendary Hannibal of Carthage. Roman legions shatter on the battlefield as Hannibal pulls a tight battle out of the bag with style. As a Greek bystander one has to admire the stoic pluck of the Roman player(s) as they are tossed and turned by the stormy waters. They are never short of an opponent and seemingly always defending their capitol against a brilliant general of history taking a chance.

The battle in summary snapped by General Hannibal himself while on horseback. How did he find the time one can only ask?

The Roman right triumphant: but who is it fighting? Rome fights going left to right.

After mopping up an auxillia and a few lights Romes valuable and formidable legionnaires stumble through the brush looking vainly for something to kill. The whole lower half of the picture is comprised of Roman troops (not where they are needed). The Carthaginian player in fact is pulling back here to reinforce his centre. Remember the troops you see are Roman up until half-way. The central right hand side Carthaginian block is a Phalanx shielded by lights about to about face and retire in good order. "I don't have to fight here, I gain nothing and potentially can lose the game" says a knowledgeable Hannibal. 

The confused Middle (from behind Carthaginian lines):

The rampaging lone Carthaginian elephant has been dispatched and Carthaginian light cavalry has been used to plug the whole it left. The manoeuvring Phalanx is clearly seen lower left and the start of contested angle in the middle is shown top right. Hannibal himself is aside a charger leading a column of light horse (lower right) looking to attack an exposed flank in that horrible angle. The Carthaginian fast blade is seem ready to descend into the turmoil of the angle next turn. Here it all hangs in the balance depending on the PiP and Combat dice. But you should sense the bulk of the Carthaginian army is elsewhere.

The Winning Carthaginian right (as seen from behind Carthaginian lines):

The Carthaginian fast blades are attaching something unidentified but Roman bottom left, Carthaginian warbands are still dying in the central mass and the legionnaires that are left are flanked fighting for their lives just below the hill. What you may ask is the Roman cavalry doing in the middle of the battlefield? The triumphant Romans (with greater killing potential) on their far right are far too slow to get back into the battle where they are needed.

However even more sinister for the Romans, in the background the Carthaginian cavalry wing is hitting the last Roman resistance before their baggage which "cannot be good". In fact the other Carthaginian elephant (they did have two) has stamped on the last elite Roman triarii and is heading for the Roman fast (but not fast enough) baggage. Game set and match to Hannibal as Roman losses exceed over half their army.

Back to the campaign game for the subsequent die rolls to decide the fate of Rome ... Hannibal has earned his right to roll for the Fate of Rome (to be fair the Romans are used to this procedure by now)

Ancient Campaign Update: Rome's fate Hanging in the Balance

As the battle progresses it is becoming clear that: The Roman army is of two halves, a major command (being strained to its very limit on the left and holding a very defensive position) and a minor command on the right (still barely touched) looking for somehow to get into a fight and thus is aggressively advancing forward. The pressing danger for the Roman being that if its major command is defeated, then it is game over for the Romans.

The outer Roman right flank has gone, these are all Carthaginian troops in the picture (also see commentary below): 

Carthage has opted for a pre-game deployment of three commands of almost equal thirds. Hannibal is cunningly using them for distinctly different purposes. The most dangerous one of these is the Carthaginian right, still completely intact and is in the process of successfully turning the Roman left flank (the Roman major command) with very mobile fast foot and cavalry.

(The Romasn in this picture [top left] are actually in the Roman dead-pile) The elephant is lining itself up for an attack on a legion flank, two turns away (so it may turn in time).

The Carthaginian centre command (which was comprised of a large number of warband bases) is now approaching its spent status after being hurled into a kill-or-be-killed maelstrom in the centre of the table.  They faced a murderous flank charge by Roman cavalry and suffered, however a huge block of Carthaginian Fast-Blade has been committed to the fight and the outcome is by no means certain.

Nevertheless the near spent Carthagians did succeed in inflicting considerable damage on the Roman main command. It was here in the centre of the table that Rome and Carthage committed their Gallic warband allies to annihilate each other in frenzied assault and counter assault. The result being an almost net zero-sum exchange. 

Worryingly for the Romans those far left bases in the picture (behind the legion) are in fact Carthaginian warbands! He has one turn to counter attack and restore a contiguous front of sorts or face fragmentation.

By some strange force of attraction every non-General stand of Roman cavalry has been drawn into the middle of the battlefield. This mobile force has managed to forge an ad-hoc join between the defensive Roman left wing and the aggressive Roman right wing with an ugly (dangling flanks abound) "Zee" shape, or "two L step".

The elephant breakthrough will probably be very short lived. The "ugly L" is just off camera to the left!

Meanwhile the Carthaginian left is being refused and is siphoning off as many troops as possible to exert pressure on the centre.

Roman success on its right is actually drawing their troops away from where they need to be!

Rome has its next bound to reform into a contiguous line and/or pick off vulnerable Carthaginian units, however there is is a strong possibly of fragmentation and hanging flanks if the Roman chooses to be too eager to pursue local tactical gains.

With some good dice you cannot rule Rome out but a betting man would strongly fancy Carthage to come out on top. Whether that can translate into a telling campaign result is another matter as the Romans can still pull back inside Rome proper and opt to take damage on her walls instead. 

Ancient campaign Update: Rome in the Hot Seat (again)

And so Hannibal assembled his forces for battle at the Gates of Rome, in so doing he deliberately sacrificed his cavalry superiority (as did Phyrus before him) for a disadvantaged dagger thrust at the heart of what he deemed to be an evil empire. The scene was set for a juicy campaign battle, with Carthage already one up in the series, with all to play for.

Of note, dramatical political events had taken place behind the scenes in Rome, it would be uncharacteristic for this not to happen. Certain powerful Roman senators had obviously been perturbed by the annihilation of their fabled Republican Legions in Gaul. These senate 'armchair generals' had decided to take direct control of the organisation of the army. The battle reports of blades and spears being trampled underfoot by elephants and hacked down by frenzied warbands seemed to have adversely affected their previously granite faith in the traditional Roman Army system. The Carthaginian invaders thus encountered an army that seemed to be manned more by Roman allies, fielding a maximised allied cavalry force, numerous auxillia and warband contingents, in preference to the traditional Roman "strong farming boys" stock-in-trade of blade and spear.

Warband abounded on both sides:

This strategic/operational decision certainly maximised numbers but reduced the important element of quality. More worryingly perhaps for the fate of Rome, the "pickers" of the new Army List then retired safely behind the walls of Rome and left the "Battlefield Generals" to get on with the job with a strange odds-and-sods collection. Interestingly, the Carthaginian Army is a much different force from that what the senators had expected. Abiding by historical restrictions it was without the dreaded elephants but still heavy in auxillia/warband and strong in cavalry, still very much a Carthaginian polyglot. The Carthaginian has to know how to play with and without his "column of many" elephants so is relatively unphased by this.

Hannibal on tabletop leading a mobile column of reserve to where it is needed most.

The Romans deployed defensively, maximising difficult terrain, but importantly left Carthage (aka Hannibal) the opportunity strike first. Carthage chose its preferred flank, refused the other and struck hard. Although it is still early days the Romans have to respond with a good round of combat or face an uphill struggle. In terrain unsuited for quick manoeuvre the Romans (despite being the more numerous) seem to have lost the "local" strength at key points where Carthage wants to win.

To be continued ...

Ancient Campaign Update: Rome takes another pasting

Catching up from the post tabletop battle (a clear Carthaginian win), the casualty rolls (and shifts accorded by various board game "cards in play") meant that the Roman army suffered 40% losses compared to the Carthaginian 10%. Worse still, this was early on in the Carthaginian move. The armies clashed again in terms favourable to the Carthaginian. The Roman army was hit hard and then hit hard again, no point in even taking it to the tabletop. Rome's army counters fell into the dead-pile, dying stoically as only Romans can die. Roman senators were now in panic! Thankfully (small mercies) the Carthaginian army was far away in Gaul.

A legion, one of many, lost in Gaul!

Ah! "The Fates" interfered again in the events of Rome. Next turn: In a use him or lose him fashion "Hannibal" turns up as a Carthaginian commander. Rome burns all its gold to recruit as much of an army as possible. As inevitably Hannibal arrived outside the "Gates of Rome". Once more the smell of panic fills its streets. True Hannibal's attack is at a disadvantage, but again like Phyrus before him "How many times will you get the chance to sack Rome?" The Roman players are feeling a certain "deja vu"!

From the Greek perspective this is good news as we do not have to fight a war on two fronts, with a province pinching Rome on one side and the Seleucid colossus on the other. The looming power struggle (to the death) with the Seleucid Empire is commanding our attention and cannot be put off much longer.

Ancient Campaign Update - Roman Legions lost in Gaul

I managed to pay a visit to my local club and see the tabletop action in our ongoing Pax Romana game: 

The years (25 per turn) roll by and now the memory of Phyrus and his army at the gates of Rome fades as one by one their counters are removed. Rome limbers up to extract a deadly toll against the impertinent Greeks, yet when all looks lost, Pan plays a fateful tune on his pipes that even Cybil cannot deflect.

A random event of insurrection and a slave revolt takes hold of Italy wholesale causing the despatch of legion after legion to quell internal disputes instead of punishing a weakened Greece. Greece reforms what power it can but tussles ineffectively against the steady growing menace of a Seleucid empire, losing ground to their methodical advance. Indeed exotic trading links into the unknown Germanic lands are wisely made by Greece as a future escape avenue from the inevitable Roman and Seleucid expansions in turns ahead.

The real action spreads to the Spanish peninsular, as Carthage grows stronger while Rome is distracted in quelling slaves. The two empires are destined soon to meet on fringes of Gaul and the next campaign generated table-top battle ensues. A hardened Republican force of blade and spear face-off against their erstwhile enemies, a polyglot of Carthaginian foes with elephants, warbands and a backing of pike/spear/cavalry. The rules again are DBMM, but we are finding them hard to play with, though they are considered an improvement over DBM. Fields of Glory (FoG) has its advocates, me amongst them.

The legion deploys.

From early on it boded well for the Carthaginian handlers of elephants and paymasters of ferocious tribesman, as the quick kills on hapless legionnaires mount up. So many elephants they have to move about in column!

The warbands were just as effective!

Rome soon faced an all or nothing situation, a last gasp strategy is soon in play, gambling its fortune on those now tired legionnaires slashing and killing hoping also for a useful contribution from the massed Roman cavalry (well they call it that) that formed a reserve. The result being a quite remarkable turn around against the elephants, but the warbands were steady and eventually took their toll. The legion had to pay the butchers bill. The Roman cavalry did not impress. The post battle campaign attritions are yet to be calculated but the Carthaginian army is set to play a game of "Carry on Catch the Legion" all the way back to the borders of Italy.