Swing Low Sweet Chariot

 Well, not satisfied with two games earlier in the week, I'd arranged another Zoom battle with Ian yesterday, this time playing Infamy, Infamy ! but for a change he had the Roman force and I chose to field an Ancient Briton force complete with chariots.

Here's the core early Imperial Roman force (cavalry and more archers were to join them)

and this the complete British force

Here's the battlefield - the Romans intend on burning the crops by the village, top right, they enter top left.

and here they come, four groups of Auxiliaries with Centurion at the front, Optio at the back

Roman archers swiftly occupy the woods flanking the advancing Romans

as yet more archers watch from the wooded hill

this secures both flanks for the Roman column moving through the defile

Roman Allied tribal cavalry dashes forward to try and capture the enemy deployment point seen on the hill behind the British village

The deployment point secured, the lead group carries on to the village

and the Auxiliaries march on towards the crops

so far, so good for the Roman commander

but without warning, chariot borne warriors crash into the cavalry threatening the village

this powerful and aggressive attack destroys the Roman cavalry group, including their leader

Javelin men dash forward to hurl missiles at the other enemy cavalry on top of the hill

and before they can draw breath, British cavalry charge into them

This time, the Roman cavalry hold on and throw back the British cavalry

The first group of Roman archers decide to take out another enemy deployment point in the marshes

This is completed speedily

By the village, British slingers appear and fire away at the head of the approaching Roman infantry

The second group of archers tag on to the end of the Auxiliary formation

The Romans close ranks

The British Warlord has ordered his warriors back into the chariots and head off to outflank the approaching enemy infantry 

They swiftly move around the battlefield

A slinger has been killed by the Roman archers and the rest of the group retire out of range

The chariots swing round, aiming at the archers behind the Roman infantry

Two groups of infantry swing round, thinking the chariots are heading for them

The archers try to evade but are still hit by the chariots

The warriors dismount into combat and the chariots retire behind them as a rallying point

The Roman allied cavalry decides to come down and support the arrival of the Roman infantry

The reformed British cavalry charge into them

which destroys both sides. The javelin men move up to prepare to attack the enemy infantry

The archers were beaten and destroyed but before the British warriors could get back to their chariots, the Centurion has turned and charged with two groups into their flank

The British warriors are battered and fall back 

In the meantime, the Optio has been ordered to take two groups rapidly towards the crops

they get there and prepare to set light to the crops

Satisfied that the British Warlord and his warriors have been seen off, the Centurion now hurries to catch up with the Optio and his men

The British second-in-command picks this moment to charge through the village and attack the Romans before him

Both sides take casualties but the Romans stand

The Optio pulls back his battered unit behind the group with a full complement. The Centurion has also now arrived with his troops, despite the attentions of the javelin men

The Roman archers in the marshes, spotting that one group of chariots are unguarded attack and destroy them. The others under the command of the Warlord have just been mounted and prepare to set off before its too late

During a lull in the fighting, the British slingers have been able to to inflict some casualties on the Roman infantry

Combat is resumed, this time on the orders of the Centurion

The British 2nd- in- command is killed in the fighting but the Auxiliaries are also looking thin on the ground now

A British warrior group has broken and run

but, in the nick of time, the British Warlord and his remaining chariots hove into sight

they jump off the chariots and charge into the rear of the Romans

the Romans are smashed 

and whereas seconds ago it looked as if the Britons were finished, this unexpected attack destroys the Roman morale and the fight is over

 

The British Warlord soaks up the adoration and relief of the villagers and remaining warriors

Oh, those sweet chariots saved the day !