What a Lot of Gaul !

On Tuesday, Mike and I drove across to Graham's place in Thaxted for a game of Hail Caesar. I had packed my Carthaginian Infantry and Elephants, Mike said he had a few Romans and Gauls.

Graham was also fielding Carthaginians so he and I joined forces against Mike's army.  As you can see, we were still far outnumbered (Gauls and Romans on the left). 

Mike had six large ferocious Gaul war bands advancing behind clouds of skirmishers

This did not bode well for our thinly spread Carthaginian army. 

Still, at least we had a couple of elephants !

Mike's Romans are left of his centre, arrayed behind their shields 

Graham's new cavalry look splendid

as do his spearmen out on our right flank with more cavalry

The Romans have placed two bolt throwers up on the high ground where their general surveys the field

I push forward my skirmishers ahead of three infantry units

Mike responds with hordes of screaming Gauls, behind archers

Graham considers whether to advance the cavalry in the centre

His wonderful Carthaginian command group

The Romans march forward

With Gaul war bands to their right

Graham obtained this ruined temple from a fish tank accessories supplier !

His cavalry do begin to advance

Is this wise ?

My Carthaginians await the onslaught

Mike's left flank is his weakest position where only one unit stands

My slingers try to inflict a bit of damage on the advancing war bands

Crash ! Grahams cavalry have charged Mike's which have responded with a counter charge

But Mike has Roman infantry in support

Three more of Mike's war bands wait in reserve

How many can squeeze in the gap between the temple and the oasis ?

The bolt throwers fire at cavalry trying to come up and support the cavalry melee

The Carthaginian cavalry fight on grimly

but eventually break 

Graham has now pushed forward his infantry supported by the two elephants to tackle the Roman legionaries

There do seem rather a lot of them !

War bands now advance left of the temple to add to the pressure

Our right is already looking dangerously exposed

 Here's a view from behind our infantry position in the centre. The Romans have thrown their pilum which are difficult to defend against

The setting winter sun is now playing havoc with my photos ! 

 One of my Carthaginian units was sent to help Graham's men in the centre

but wherever we look, we are outnumbered

My skirmishers have been thrown back disordered behind the oasis by the Gaul archers

Can our infantry hold in the centre ?

Those irritating bolt throwers keep up a steady stream of missiles

Graham's light cavalry have changed into extended lines to make them a harder target to hit

My Carthaginian infantry are steadily pushed back by the enemy war bands

 Indeed, our formation is broken as units are thrown back

 Our "backs are to the wall" by now

Graham's infantry have broken leaving the elephants and the Commander-in-Chief to fight the Romans

which they do !

Not only have I lost a unit but also my Commander has been killed in the fighting !

Ouch !

With our left and centre broken, this heralded the end of the battle.

Here's a few more random shots taken before the sun interfered.

Our left wing awaiting the war band attack

The plucky elephants

Its animal cruelty if you ask me !

War bands smashing their way through in the centre 

This is how many Gauls you can fit between the temple and the oasis - too many !

 Half my force had been destroyed at this point

Now I'm down to one unit and some skirmishers

Nevertheless, we really got the feel of "up close and dirty" ancient fighting.

Thumbs up once again for Hail Caesar.