Battle of Oppidum Commorari - 2nd Punic Wars

Yesterday Jared and I ran a game of To the Strongest! for his middle school game club in Tarrytown, NY, using my 25/28 mm Punic Wars collection. Here's view of the opening setup. The Table was made up of a phalanx if school desks, 3 wide by about 10 long... and it worked fine, giving a playing area 4.5 feet wide x 12 feet long.

Unfortunately, I didn't take many pictures. The action was hot an heavy, and  Jared and I were very busy assisting the players with the game. The school policy prohibits posting pictures of students without explicit permission (sadly, understandable now days). This shot is from the 'South' at lunch break, about halfway through the game. 

The same, seen from the North. The students picked up the game very quickly. I intentionally ignored the moral check rule for lost non-light units, as the game plays fine without it, and it's best to keep it simple on a first go! Everyone seemed to enjoy the rules (I really have yet to have anyone ever dislike To the strongest, even if it might not be their favorite set). We had to call the game after about 3 hours of play, just as the infantry would have been getting more heavily engaged, and at that point the Romans had the edges, with 17 out of 27 Victory Medals remaining, as opposed to 15 out of 28 remaining for the Carthaginians. 

    The students were great to work with, and I think every one thanked me at least twice for running the game. I was also able to deliver the Wizard Kraft river set to add to their terrain collection, plus some surplus books to add to Jared's library. 

Battle of  Oppidum Commorari

CARTHAGE (North to South)

CMD	LATER Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
1	Left Flank Cavalry - Hatti
1	General, Mounted, Detached - Maharbal	2+	Replay	5	2
1	Libyan/Phoenician Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	11	2
1	Libyan/Phoenician Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	11	2
1	Spanish Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
1	Spanish Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
1	Numidian Light Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	6	1
1	Numidian Light Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	6	1
1	Spanish Light Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
2	Infantry Group A - Catherine
2	General, attached -  Hanno	2+	Replay	4	2
2	Libyan Spearmen, Deep, Veteran	6+		9	2
2	Libyan Spearmen, Deep, Veteran	6+		9	2
2	Balearic Slingers, Lt Inf, Sling, Veteran	7+	3	5	1
2	Balearic Slingers, Lt Inf, Sling, Veteran	7+	3	5	1
2	African Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
2	African Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
2	African Elephant	7+	Shock, Spec vs Cavalry, Rampage	6	1
2	Camp			1	3



CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
3	Infantry Group B - Thomas
3	General, attached, Heroic Virdomanus	3+	Replay	5	2
3	Gallic Warriors - Deep, Veteran	6+	Hero	14	3
3	Gallic Warriors - Deep	7+	Hero	11	3
3	Gallic Warriors - Deep	7+	Hero	11	3
3	Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
3	Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
3	Camp			1	3

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
4	Infantry Group C - Lucas
4	General, detached, Heroic - Gisgo	3+	Replay	6	2
4	Spanish Scutarii, Javelin, Veteran	6+	2 + pila	9	2
4	Spanish Scutarii, Javelin, Veteran	6+	2 + pila	9	2
4	Spanish Scutarii, Javelin, Veteran	6+	2 + pila	9	2
4	Spanish Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
4	Spanish Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
4	Spanish Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
4	Camp			1	3

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
C	Commander in Chief - Hannibal Barca
C	General, Senior, Detached, Heroic, Brilliant	3+	Replay, Mv 3	12	2



CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
5	Infantry Group D - Lucas/Carter
5	General, attached - Mago Barca	2+	Replay	4	2
5	Libyan Spearmen, Deep, Veteran	6+		9	2
5	Libyan Spearmen, Deep, Veteran	6+		9	2
5	Balearic Slingers, Lt Inf, Sling, Veteran	7+	3	5	1
5	Balearic Slingers, Lt Inf, Sling, Veteran	7+	3	5	1
5	African Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
5	African Javelinmen, Lt Inf, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
5	African Elephant	7+	Shock, Spec vs Cavalry, Rampage	6	1
5	Camp			1	3

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
6	Right Flank Cavalry - Carter
6	General, Mounted, Detached Hasdrubal Barca	2+	Replay	5	2
6	Libyan/Phoenician Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	11	2
6	Libyan/Phoenician Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	11	2
6	Gallic Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
6	Gallic Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
6	Numidian Light Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	6	1
6	Numidian Light Cavalry, Javelin, Veteran	6+	3	6	1
6	Spanish Light Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1



Battle of  Oppidum Commorari

POLYBIAN ROMANS (South to North)

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
1	Left Flank Cavalry - Max
1	General, Mtd, Detached, Heroic Marcus Atilius Regulus	3+	Replay	7	2
1	Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
1	Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
1	Light Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1
1	Light Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1
1	Light Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
2	Legio I et II - Griffin
2	General, Mtd, Detached Gnaeus Servilius Geminus	2+	Replay	6	2
2	Legionaries Special Legio I	6/5+	Pila, exchng	12	2
2	Legionaries Special Legio II	6/5+	Pila, exchng	12	2
2	Triarii, Legio I et II - Hoplites, small, veteran	5=	exchng	5	1
2	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
2	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
2	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
2	Slingers - Light Infantry, sling	8+	2	4	1
2	Cretan Archers - LI Bow, veteran	7+	3	5	1
2	Camp	-		1	3
2	Fortify 3 sides of Camp			3



CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
3	Legio III et IV - Noah
3	General, Mtd, Detached Lucius Aemelius Paulus	2+	Replay	6	2
3	Legionaries Special Legio III	6/5+	Pila, exchng	12	2
3	Legionaries Special Legio IV	6/5+	Pila, exchng	12	2
3	Triarii, Legio III et IV - Hoplites, small, veteran	5=	exchng	5	1
3	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
3	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
3	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
3	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
3	Ballistarii - Artillery	7+	6	7	1
3	Ballistarii - Artillery	7+	6	7	1
3	Camp	-		1	3

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
4	Legio V, VI, VII, VIII - Sid
4	General, Mtd, Detached Quintius Fabius Maximus	2+	Replay	6	2
4	Legionaries Special Legio V	6/5+	Pila, exchng	12	2
4	Legionaries Special Legio VI	6/5+	Pila, exchng	12	2
4	Triarii, Legio V et VI - Hoplites, small, veteran	5=	exchng	5	1
4	Legionaries Special Legio VII	6/5+	Pila, exchng	12	2
4	Legionaries Special Legio VIII	6/5+	Pila, exchng	12	2
4	Triarii, Legio VII et VIII - Hoplites, small, veteran	5=	exchng	5	1
4	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
4	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
4	Camp	-		1	3

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
5	Legio IX et X - Arjen
5	General, Mtd, Detached Sempronius Longus	2+	Replay	6	2
5	Legionaries Special Legio IX	6/5+	Pila, exchng	12	2
5	Legionaries Special Legio X	6/5+	Pila, exchng	12	2
5	Triarii, Legio iX et X - Hoplites, small, veteran	5=	exchng	5	1
5	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
5	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
5	Velites - Light Infantry, Javelin	7+	3	4	1
5	Slingers - Light Infantry, sling	8+	2	4	1
5	Cretan Archers - LI Bow, veteran	7+	3	5	1
5	Camp	-		1	3
5	Fortify 3 sides of Camp			3

CMD	Description	Save	Spec/Ammo	Pts	VM
6	Right Flank Cavalry- Niki
6	General, Mtd, Detached, Heroic Gaius Terrentus Varro	3+	Replay	7	2
6	Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
6	Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	9	2
6	Light Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1
6	Light Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1
6	Light Cavalry, Javelin	7+	2	5	1

The rest of this post shows the same armies and commands as I set up the trial deployment on my 6 foot wide table at home. Since I had some spare time, I also decided to try the one-off game table set up rules. I had in mind to use this set up for the game, but between the difference in table sizes and forgetting to bring a map or picture, that didn't happen. No plan survives contact with reality!

Test deployment without terrain. Romans near, Carthaginians far. 

Using the TTS rules, each player brings one terrain piece per 8 boxes on the battlefield. Pieces can be two boxes in length, but then cpunt as 2 choices. At least 2% must be open terrain (fields, road, or low hills), at least 25% must be rough terrain (such as woods, step hills, rocky ground, swamps, or buildings), and no more than 25% may be impassable terrain. Here's what the initial placement looked like; each side must pace at least 1 piece in each of the central, left flank, and right flank zones. 

Then one card is dealt face up on each terrain piece. Ant terrain piece with a diamond on it is removed. A number of pieces have been removed. 

Pieces with a Club remain, except that if they are in the central zone and not a road or a track, they are removed. Poof!  A bunch of rocky terrain removed! 

Pieces with Hearts remain in place. (Flipped cards indicate pieces whose fate has been adjudicated, and are in their final positions). 

Pieces with Spades will be displaced one box in a direction determined by the pip value of the card. 

Shifted terrain that had Spades played for them,. 

The resultant  final terrain set up. 

Another view. of the final terrain. 

Next are pictures of each of the 12 commands to make up for the lack of in-game shots!

Roman Command 1- Left Flank Cavalry under Marcus Atililius Regulus, aka Max.

Roman Copomkand 2 - Legio I and II, under Gnaeus Servilius Geminus, aka Griffin.

Roman Command 3, Legio III and IV, under Lucius Aemelius Paulus, aka Noah

Roman Command 4, Legio V, VI, VII, and VIII, under Quintius Fabius Maximus, aka Sid. 

Roman Command 5, Legio IX and X, under Sempronius Longus, aka Arjen.

Roman command 6, Right Flank Cavalry, under Gaius Terrentius Varro, aka Niki. 

Carthaginian command 6, Right flank Cavalry, under Hasdrubal Barca, 

aka Carter the Carter-aginian!

Carthaginian command 5, Libyan Spearmen in phalanx plus supports under Mago Barca, aka Carter and Lucas.   Whoa, Nellies!

Carthaginian command 4, Spanish Scutarius plus supports, under Gisgo, aka Lucas. 

Carthaginian command 3, Gallic Warbands and supports, under Virdomanus, aka Thomas.

Carthaginian command 2, Libyan spearmen and friends, under Hanno, aka Catherine. 

Carthaginian command 1, Left Flank cavalry, under Maharbal, aka Hatti.

    I used the new rules for the Polybian Army list, and these worked much better than the original; version with the multitude of brittle, small units. The Rally, Exchange, and Rearm rule for "special" Legionaries worked well to model the effect described for the this era without having to explain *how* they did it. 

Spanish Dragoon Regiment "Almansa", 1808

One of  the eight Regimientos de Dragones, the Almansa regiment had sky blue as its facing color, which appeared on the lapels, collar, and cuffs (all piped white), plus the the piping on the pockets on the rear of the jackets. All of the Dragoon regiments had white metal buttons.

The Dragoon regiments underwent a bewildering number of changes in their uniforms, but as of 1805 they were to wear lemon yellow jackets with red turnbacks, lemon yellow waistcoats and breeches, and lemon yellow saddle blankets edged in white. The cloaks were lemon yellow as well, with collars in the regimental color. 

The trumpeters wore"reverse colors", but there is some uncertainty as to exactly what that meant. The most likely interpretation seems to be red jackets with yellow turnbacks, and regimental colored collars, cuffs, lapels,and pocket piping. 

Officers had silver piping where the men would have white; Sergeants had epaulettes in the facing color. Note the slung Dragoon muskets. 

These figures are sculpted by Paul Hicks for Brigade Games, and are really lovely. There are two Dragoon variants available, one walking, seen here, and the other charging, which will be featured in a future post.  

Standards were red with the Royal arms on one side, and the regimental badge on the other (this flag properly belongs to the Villaviciosa regiment, but it's the only one Adolfo Ramos makes). The trumpet banners similarly seem to have bore the royal arms on one side and the badge of the regiment on the other. I have once again used an "impressionistic" style in painting the trumpet banners. 

The standard bearers had a red/crimson bandoleer with silver fringe, and the pole was painted in a red and yellow spiral. The finial should be silver - I'll have to fix that!. Cravats were red. 

Battle of Povorot, 1812: LANNES Campaign

A week ago, Barry (as Lt General Borris Badenov) and John and I (as Francois Faucon, General de Division, in search of his Marshal's Baton) got together for the next battle of our LANNES campaign, this time set in Russia in 1812. 

Povorot is a rough Russian equivalent of "Wheeling", the name of the village on the Warplan 5/5 card generating the battlefield. The rocks mark out a 6 x 6 grid, and I allowed another foot on either side to provide some maneuvering (? wheeling) room, especially as our "Corps" have grown to be fairly large now. 

Using the pregame set up system from Field of Battle, 2nd edition, it was determined that Barry would choose either the orientation or which side he would enter from, and I would choose whichever he did not. I would have to deploy an extra command group on my first placement of troops on the table, and one of my 5 command groups would be delayed D4 MOVE cards before it could arrive onto the table. 

The results of the Deployment process. it wound up being my largest command group that was late - 2 Guard foot units, 3 enthusiastic but brittle Line units, and a foot battery, lead by one of my better commanders. John opted to command this force so that he could observe the earlier part of the battle and learn the system, being new to Field of Battle. 

Another view of the completed deployment. Imaginatively, we have both placed a cavalry brigade on each flank, and our infantry in the center. As a result of both the cumulative effects of the preceding battles and the random unit generation process, my Cavalry arm was both stronger and of better quality (2 Dragoons, 2 Chasseurs, and now 3 elite Hussar units vs 3 Dragoons and 2 Uhlan units for Barry). Conversely, he had more and better artillery units, and the quality of his generals was more varied (from a really bad Leadership die of D6 to an amazing D12 + 2).

Better view of the Russian deployment. I was secretly please that he seemed to be having some traffic problems, making it harder for him to take best advantage of his superior Artillery arm. I made out a bit better than Barry did at the rest of the pre game set up, getting 4 more morale points and an Exceptional Sequence deck to Barry's Skilled deck. 

I won the first initiative roll for 5 pips, and allowed Barry to go first, hoping that he would burn some valuable cards without being able to use them. If I recall, he turned 3 Leadership Cards (needed to rally later), one Artillery Firepower card, and maybe an Infantry Firepower card. I was fortunate enough to turn some MOVE cards early on, and then Barry finally got a MOVE as well. 

My right flank Cavalry brigade, with 4 excellent units, used a Triple Magic Move to swing around to threaten the Russian left flank, using an apple orchard to screen them from fire by the lone Russian battery on their left flank. My 2 infantry commands advanced to the edge of the Pine woods, and another triple magic move allowed my Young Guard Battalion to seize the church in Povorot village. The guardsmen made themselves at home as they sought out and happily consumed the sacramental wine supply!

The French Light Brigade under Bernard Bellier, is seen here making threatening moves against the Russian Left. 

On my left, General Simeon Souris had been monkeying around, said officer being rather a dullard (D8), who could not roll up a move of at least 2 segments (which would allow his accompanying Guard Horse battery to Limber - Move - Unlimber so as to close the range to the Russians). Fortunately, the commander of the Russian Dragoon Brigade, Maj General Boromirov, was a notorious hothead, who could not long resist the urge to try conclusions with the French cavalry, who were equal in number to his own... leaving aside the small matter of a supporting fully loaded Guard Horse battery on the French side!

The Russians made fine use of their next MOVE card in the center, bring up their artillery, pouring fire into the besotted guardsmen defiling the holy church, and routing a supporting French battalion with a close range volley directly into their flank. "Sauve qui peut!"  The guardsmen, however, shrugged off all the enemy fire with aplomb, although their return fire was equally ineffective. 

Se the gap between the battery and the infantry along the edge of the woods? We can thank the Russian battery for that!

"How far is it back to Warsaw?"

The two Russian Grenadier units and he rest of the Russian Central command threaten to roll up the French center. Another Russian Move card is turned - and the Brigade Commander rolls "1" - no Move!   No problem, the C-in-C, Boris Badenov re-rolls using his own D12, and rolls.... a second 1! 

The Russian counterattack in the center fizzles. 

Results of the Cavalry clash on the French Left.

"It is squirrel, Boris... but where is Moose?'

Another view. 

Souris' Dragoons reform and counter charge their Russian counterparts as...

(A  drum-roll, please, Maestro!)

Rene Renard (John's command) arrives at the head of the Guard Brigade, heading for Povorot village. Note also the rallying of the three French infantry units routed earlier in the action, and now moving back, albeit cautiously! 

Overview of the situation as the French "Reserve" command arrives.  

Meanwhile, on the French Right, a "triple magic move" by Bellier's Light Cavalry Brigade ...

threatens to sweep away the outnumbered and outclassed Russian Uhlans.

Looks like no 'pine suppositories' today, boys. Just the cold steel version!

Both Uhlan units are completely destroyed!

One Russian Line battalion (rear)  has already formed square in anticipation of this result.

The Russian foot battery turns to bear on the French Cavalry!

However, in so doing it exposes its flank to long range fire from the opposing French battery (smoke in the upper left corner).

Result- the Russian battery was Silenced! 

The Russians are out of Morale points and start to pay them to the French. A Russian Triple magic move is used for a fire, limber, retreat, and unlimber move by their main artillery batteries. 

The sole remaining Russian cavalry unit manages to Rout one French Dragoon unit. 

The Russians still hold Povorot village. The Guard Jagers (in the small house to the right of the church) in particular withstand repeated fire by the French battery and Legere without suffering any apparent ill effects. Must be good Russian Vodka giving them such staying power... or perhaps it was Prince Phillip's Phirming Phials?

The French send the final unit of Russian Dragoons to the showers, courtesy of a flanking volley issued by the Chasseurs of the Old Guard (see line facing to the right in the distance, with absent Russian Dragoon regiment!

Renard's (John) Old Guard Grenadier battalion ejects the Russian defenders from the church at the point of he Bayonet.

The remainder of Renard's infantry surges forward, threatening the position of the (unloaded) Russian artillery. 

Belier's light cavalry charge home into the silenced Russian battery and two Russian battalions in line at the edge of the woods. 

Overview of the battlefield from the French Left.

Sensing victory, the French in the woods at last advance to further pressure the Russians. Many volleys are exchanged!

The French light cavalry charge has destroyed the opposing battery and one infantry battalion, while the other battalion falls back in disorder. Only the lone square is effectively protecting the left flank of the Russian Army. 

Close up of the aftermath of the French charge. 

"Now THAT'S what I call Le maneuvre sur les Derrieres, boys!" quips General Faucon. 

General Badenov has had enough. He orders his Corps to disengage. He has been battered badly this day, but the French have yet to contend with General Winter...

    For his part, General Faucon is content to let the Russians withdraw and preserve as many of his men as possible. It is, after all, a long way from Paris and replacements are hard to come by. Besides, if his Majesty doesn't see fit to reward him with a Marshal's baton, one could at least hope for for a title or two, with a nice annual stipend. Vive l' Empereur!

Helenistic Command Figures

In setting up the forces for the big To the Strongest! Punic Wars game that I am to run for Jared's middle school game club later this month, it became apparent that I needed some more General figures. 

With this deficiency already in mind, I had ordered the Old Glory "Hellenistic High Command" set in my first order with the Army Card last year.

They could be used for either Carthage or Greek/Macedonian armies. 

Although 6 shields were provided, only the one figure on the right seemed designed to be carrying a shield. I wanted some simple design, so I went with the Triangle, the Greek letter Delta. Back in college, I belonged to the honorary band fraternity, Kapp Kapp Psi (KKY). The circular rim of the shield sort of equates to the Greek letter Omicron, and our chapter was Delta Omicron. 

The sculptor seemed a bit thin on imagination when it came to poses, eh? Four out of the six figures have there right hands raised in a fist. "Curse you, Red Baron!"

We do at least get one figure pointing, and with his left hand at that! Didn't your mother ever teach you it was rude to point?

The figure on the white horse has a sort of nifty panther skin horse furniture.

I had actually mostly painted the horses for these figures about 6 months ago, but  shifting priorities meant that I didn't get to the riders until now. And what is with the pose of the figure on the right? "More troops?  And where do you expect me to get them from? Am I supposed to make them/'? 

Of course, *we* can always paint more...