Seleucids II/19c v Polybian Romans II/33 Feb 2020

Finally got round to posting up my first battle report, the first of two enjoyable games against Paddy that took place in February!  Paddy, who was possibly in line to be my regular local opponent until craziness hit the world.  It included my first win against him meaning our ongoing record is 1-4.  But the losing game proved to be as enjoyable as my first win…

Seleucids Charging my left flank

I think Paddy served this classic pairing up to me for a moral boosting encounter.  The Romans generally boss the Seleucids both historically and in DBA I hear (Paddy gave himself a 1-3 chance of winning beforehand).  But with a record of 1 draw out of 8 attempts against experienced DBA players previously, this was no time to baulk at any freebies.

Paddys Seleucids were defending and got to set up terrain and set about narrowing the battlefield to give his pikes a chance.  I set up with a strong line of Heavy foot hoping to match up spears to horse and a cheeky psiloi to slow down the elephant.

The well drilled Seleucids shattered that plan making use of a high first pip roll to activate some fancy dressage to take all the advantage into the first contact on the left flank.  I was left sitting as many a general has done before thinking -  Well if we weather the initial charge we just might have a chance.  As my opposite flank was left poised to crash in from the right after the first contact was made.

Some heroic defending on the Romans left

It was at this point lady luck,  that most fickle of mistress’s stepped from Paddys side and strode into my embrace…  Paddy started with his double pikes plus overlap against my blades. …and rolled a 1. The double pike was now a single pike.  Which meant the beautiful vision of compounded overlaps that he had imagined just moments before crumbled into nothing, along with the scythed chariot who rolled a draw against my blades which we all know results in the proverbial wheels coming off.  A lock and a recoil was all Paddy got for his perfectly crafted initial assault.

Ha! That didn't pan out for them did it boys...

Middle of the road pips for me meant that my sweep from the right was put on hold as Paddys disastrous first charge meant my Left were all for pressing their advantage and finishing the job themselves.  My reserve blade swung round to put the solid warband to the sword, before I finished off the single pike and shoved the remaining double pike back.

The Romans are the victors - no change there then.

3-0 up and all this before paddy who was now cursed with single pips could get his stubborn elephant into the fray.  In came the elephant, and a pesky Auxilia who sprang from the BUA and cheekily took me from behind at the same moment.  But by now my boys were feeling untouchable. They poked back the elephant with their pointy swords (the elephant was acting like it didn’t want to play today). 

My cavalry came for the Aux to the relief of my hard pressed blade.   The plucky Aux held their own and eventually butchered the horse.  But it was too little too late as my blades knocked back the cataphracts and then closed the door on the pike before piling in.  Resulting in a 1 v 5 (+ Scythed chariot) victory for the Romans.

The moral of this battle is that when the gods desert you, you’re probably best to run away and fight another day!

Seleucids v Polybian Romans .  1 v 5 +1 Scythed Ch.

Thank you to Paddy who kindly permitted me to post pictures of his exquisitely painted miniatures.