Snakes & Ladders

After an emphatic victory last time, our Roman Centurion set out confidently into enemy territory again intent on stamping his authority over these Barbarian German tribes.

German slingers appear beyond a marsh

Roman Alea cavalry dash forward to capture an enemy deployment point

Enemy archers appear at the edge of some woods and fire to stop the cavalry

A group of Roman Auxiliaries are ordered forward to deal with the archers - they evade back through the woods

Roman archers now arrive and lay fire down on the enemy slingers who lose a man and take shock

The German Warlord now leads three groups past the archers to get to grips withe the enemy Auxiliaries 

The first of the Roman cavalry have taken the enemy deployment point

The Auxiliaries have evaded the enemy war band as they were in skirmish order

But an enemy war band ambushes from the woods and their javelin throwing was devastating - half a unit has been killed !

The Auxiliaries have managed to launch a flank attack on the enemy war band emerging from the woods

But not only did they lose three men and took six shock, the enemy turned and counter charged

The Legionaries move up in column of march to join the action

The Auxiliaries are routed

The second unit of Roman cavalry decides to charge the enemy war band, supported by the weakened unit, that suffered from the enemy javelins

but they lose the melee and retreat

Admittedly, the Germans took casualties of their own but their numbers means they can take them

German Warriors now advance towards the Roman infantry

The Legion prepares to fight - worryingly, one group of enemy warriors uses the woods to work around their flank

The Germans have launched a group of fanatics backed up by a warrior group

Meantime, the outflanking warriors have emerged from the woods

The Romans have beaten off the Fanatics and caused some damage to their supporting warriors

but more and more Barbarian groups charge - here, the depleted cavalry try and stem the tide

The Romans have had to turn to their rear to deal with the Barbarians from the woods

These are dealt with but they now have a hanging flank & rear

which the Barbarians take advantage of

half the dice are lost when hit in the rear

Roman morale has been steadily falling

and this was the last straw - it hit zero and the Romans were beaten

After the battle we checked the campaign rules and naturally the new Barbarian commander increases his level. The Roman commander was lucky to hang onto his and he is now "wise".

Didn't seem it on the day !