Bring Them To Battle !

 The Roman Commander had summonsed the Centurion to his office and demanded aggressive action to put the Germanic tribes in their place.  "Be decisive and get them to fight you. A Roman soldier is worth ten of these uncouth ill disciplined mobs. Go now and sort it out"

This time, the Centurion decides to take Auxiliaries rather than Legionaries. They are more flexible in drill and probably better suited to this type of action.  "Optio - lets go !"

The terrain generator chose this battlefield for us. Benito's Romans will enter from the lower right hand side. The German tribe has a deployment zone lower left but also the usual ambush/deployment points.  Benito detected two of them close to his start position (one was removed the other down graded to deployment only).

First to deploy area group of Roman archers who swiftly move into the woods in front of them.

They are followed by a group of slingers into the woods to the right of the archers

The Centurion then brings on the Auxiliaries in column of march for speed of movement

No sign of any enemy as yet

The archers have reached the edge of the woods and deploy, keeping an eye out for any sign of the Germans

Likewise, the slingers have crossed the wooded hill and are scanning their front for any activity

As nothing is happening, the Centurion gets his column to trot around the marsh

At this point, some German javelin men appear to their front

But far more alarmingly, a group of Fanatics lead by a fearsome warrior leap out of the woods and crash into the front of the Auxiliaries whilst they are still in column

The Centurion is wounded and the lead group thrown back with casualties

Still in a blood rage, the Fanatics continue on to the next group in the column

As this is happening, the Germanic War Lord emerges from the marshes and charges with two groups across to attack the Slingers on the wooded hill

They cannot withstand such a powerful ambush and are destroyed

The Auxiliaries have retreated in confusion, back towards the archers and the woods

Roman Auxiliary Cavalry had been making its way around the right flank but having witnessed the charge of the enemy War Lord and heard other fighting beyond the wooded hill, stops to assess the situation.

The Fanatics retire to regroup but the German javelin men advance and continue to cause problems for the Romans

The Centurion and Optio desperately try to restore order and reduce shock on their forces

This is a view down the table at this point of the battle

The Roman cavalry commander has decided to bring his group around the back of the woods to ride to the assistance of the Auxiliaries

The Javelin men keep up the pressure on the Romans whilst the Fanatics get their breath back  

Slowly, the Romans get back into some sort of shape and reform even though the Optio has been wounded too.

But the War Lord is advancing again, threatening the flank of the archers who had emerged from the woods to try and get a field of fire - the cavalry is coming !

The War Lord gets his men to throw spears, killing two cavalrymen and then charges them - the archers have withdrawn

The cavalry lose the melee and decide to retire, shocked as they are

Slingers have been adding their missiles to the javelin men's fire, which has kept the Romans pinned and now the Fanatics charge again

This time, the Auxiliaries manage to beat off the Fanatics but there is no respite as the German Junior Leader with another mob attacks the Roman formation

The Romans are broken and most flee through the woods

By this point, their morale has hit their lowest point and Benito concedes. The remnants of the Auxiliaries will have to slink back to base and face their Commander.

Another awkward encounter for the Centurion.