DBMM Magnesia: Part 3 (The Final Cuts are the Deepest)

Things that decide battles ...

The Roman left flank "although although known as lost" put up a fierce rearguard action. In fact they cause a major upset in striking back at the flank of a careless elephant with an auxillia stand (see middle, centre below where the invisible elephant should be). The auxillia unexpectedly won (or otherwise I would have got the dramatic "before and after" shots) and killed the elephant and even better in the elephant's retreat squashed a unit of knights, ow. This bought the Roman centre some more precious time (see the resulting disposition below):

The phalanxes again were winning (in the sense of a grinding push back back) but at the same time were putting themselves in losing positions when the legion surged back into the attack on its turn. So much so a Roman cavalry unit took its chance to sweep in from the side and compromise the integrity of the phalanx. Notice also the yawning clear space between the Seleucid pike blocks (see below):

Fate smiled once more upon the Romans and the Seleucid pike, again three layers worth , perished (see below):

Sensing the break point of the Seleucid Army approaching the Romans took advantage of poor Seleucid command PiPs roll leaving the phalanx still vulnerable. This time it was legionnaires on the flank making another "do or die" dilemma for the Seleucid (see below):  

Rome prevails in dramatic fashion, three more layers of pike are sent to Hades (see below):

That was enough for the Seleucid Army break point to be reached and the game had been snatched from the jaws of defeat by the plucky Republican Romans legionnaires.

I have not dwelt on the rules too much, as always there was "heated debate" it three, but that is best forgotten about as the search for a different set of ancient rules continues.

My vote is for Lost Battles.

DBMM Magnesia: Part 2 (The Deadly Danger of the Short Stabbing Blade)

The Seleucid general meets his doom. In ways in which I cannot fathom the legion just has to beat (not double) a pike on "their attacking turn" to destroy pike. I don't care as it gets me out of a tight pickle but I still am wary of the beast they refer to as DBMM. Goodbye brave Seleucid General history shall forget you, I shall not miss you and those nasty "cataphract legion killing knights" behind you will now have PiP point trouble getting into the fight (see below):   

The other Seleucid pike blocks apply relentless pressure to the rest of the legions, but in "their" turn the legions have a sting in their blade (see below): 

The result is more brave pikemen fall (to the glory of Rome) as the legion buzz-saw goes to work (see below):

Even worse is to follow for the Seleucid plater(s) as a lowly Psilio places itself on the flank of the phalanx as the legion surges forward again. Unable to retreat this time "three layers" of pike fall like sheaves of wheat being harvested in the summer sun, Homer does it better but you get the drift  (see below)

It does not all go Rome's way though as the as the pike surge back t the legion(s) on their own go, however for every Seleucid success (as in push back, with compulsory pike follow up) there also comes a haunting danger as the "phalanxes" continuously risk exposing their [very] vulnerable flanks against the thin Roman line. The Seleucid does struggle to keep his forces ordered as pike sits next to warband, which sits next to knight or elephant (see below):  

It all still hangs in the balance ... to be continued!

DBMM First Battle of Magnesia: Part 1 (Into the Maelstrom)

Two months into the year (2014) and I finally got an opportunity to play a wargame, A re-fight he First Battle of Magnesia to be precise, Republican Rome versus the Seleucid Successors of Alexander the Great, in 190BC.

It is a case of the might of the Republican Legion [blade and spear] versus the Pike Phalanx [pike] (see below)

I joined a battle 'already in motion' with the flanking wing actions out of the way and the heavy infantry about to get stuck in. By this time the Romans have to win in the center as the wings look ahem, "lost". The central skirmish lines are being brushed to the rear as the pikes lower to charge (see below):

As seen from from behind the Seleucid center, I am commanding the "Red", "Yellow" and "Green" Legions in the top half of the picture (see below):

The eagle eyes view depicts the threat to Roman line.

In addition to four huge phalanxes the Seleucid have two murderous elephants and a line of deadly Knight Cataphracts waiting in reserve to run down the legion in "quick kill" fashion (see below, middle left):

The left most legion in the Roman line is heavily engaged (see above). Its left flank rests on a river. The first surge of the Seleucid phalanx is checked and a local Roman counterattack has a fleeting opportunity to attack an exposed "Seleucid general" (see bottom middle below):  

The only down-side to the game is that we are playing under the DBMM rule set. I play it only under duress. These games always seems to start off on the right tack but then devolve into ever so frequent disputes over "how the rules read and are interpreted", this even after "years of playing". I always feel that this "bottom up" set of rules is more geometry based rather than historical simulation/game, lacking formation morale and army cohesion (for alternative "better" examples see Impetus, Lost Battles, Strategos II and even Fields of Glory). Sorry rant over.

IMHO there always seems to be an unexplained counter intuitive element to the rules which need just a little more of a plain speaking or diagram for me to "get it". They sometimes seem to work fine, but then along comes the DBMM "Barker moment" with a twenty minute discussion on whether a living and dying by +1/-1 modifier is to be applied or not. Or maybe it's just me (possibly/probably).

So far it still looks very, very pretty. In fact it is a joy just to see so many well painted figures on the table.

:)