Once More into the German Woods !

 Steve and I managed another Zoom game on Saturday, reviving our Infamy, Infamy ! campaign.

A 6' x 4' table was marked out (so the road or path is the extremity and not part of our game). Terrain had already been diced for and the result is shown. Steve's German Barbarians are defending, the Roman mission is to burn the crops growing near the village.

The Centurion's card was the first one out and he marched on the Legionaries

No sign of enemy activity yet

Roman Numidian allied cavalry skirmishers are despatched towards an enemy deployment point beyond the Roman right flank (it could not be used for ambushes as it had been scouted but still represented a danger).

Barbarian slingers attack from in front of the Numidians

So the Roman commander sends Numidian foot skirmishers against them and cause one casualty

A Barbarian mob deploys ahead and out beyond the Roman left

The slingers avenge their fallen comrade - a Numidian bites the dust !

Another Barbarian mob surprises the Numidians who throw missiles and evade

The Centurion heads towards this new threat

The Romans hurl their Pila and then charge effectively

The Barbarians fall back in confusion

Next, the Centurion swings his formation around into line facing towards the crops, which the Numidian cavalry have already reached

The Numidian foot skirmishers face the approaching enemy on the left flank

Ambush !  Hordes of German warriors leap out of the trees and attack the Roman line so swiftly that there is no time to throw pila or brace shields

The Barbarian fanatics on the right of their attack are smashed. They hit the centre of the Roman line where the Centurion is sited so his steadying hand made a difference.

but the right hand Roman group is outnumbered, lose the melee and fall back with casualties and a lot of shock

The Barbarians exploit this and step forwards

The Numidian cavalry have heard the fighting and return, slamming into the back of the rearmost Barbarian mob

This breaks the mob cohesion of the Barbarian force and inflicts some damage but at a cost

The Roman Optio had been fighting out on the left flank but now dashes his command across the battlefield to join the main action

At this stage, things were looking OK for the Romans. Admittedly one unit was in trouble but three enemy mobs have been sent packing with big casualties

But the Optio's men lose a melee with another Barbarian mob and despite morale tests, the Barbarians morale does not dip whereas the Roman one is dropping alarmingly

The Centurion charges his remaining two intact units forward again to try and finish off these mobs

The Optio has been hit and his command shocked

Barbarian morale is still up at 9 whereas Roman morale has dipped to a pathetic 1.

The Barbarian slingers pick this moment to re-emerge and cause enough shock on the Numidian cavalry to force them to break. That causes another morale check on the Romans and they fail - they've hit 0 and have somehow lost the game without seeing it coming.

Its shock that is the real danger for the Romans and without enough leaders to manage it, this is what happens.

Another German Barbarian victory !

But, we are "back in the groove" so another campaign game planned for Wednesday.