A dark Horde from the Forests Hail Ceaser late Roman vs Goth AAR

 Our first game at the barn in around 2 years and Chris wanted it to be a spectacle, well he certainly achieved that.

It was to be a game of Goths descending on the Romans, I would be King of the Goths with Dave, Si and Jerry as my chieftains. The Romans were led by Andy who had Richard C, Richard H and Steve as Generals.

A quick look at the terrain to decide where we deployed then the Romans trooped into the gaming room, we left and they set up. It looked pretty formidable as we went back in.

As the table was initially bare there was little thinking to do in terms of who deployed where so I decided we would simply deploy in the order on the Order of Battle with me taking the left flank, Si and Jerry in the middle and Dave with the majority of the archers the right flank where his archers could make use of the woods.

Orders of battle copied straight from Chris's list for completeness.

Goth Army.

King Totila (CR8)

1x Unit Goth Noble Armoured Heavy Cavalry

4x Units Goth Heavy Cavalry

6x Units Goth Heavy Infantry

4x Units of Hun Horse Archers

General Scipuar (CR9)

4x Units Goth Medium Cavalry

2x Units Goth Light Cavalry

5x Goth Medium Infantry Warbands

2x Light Archers

General Gibal (CR8)

4x Units Goth Medium Cavalry

2x Units Light Cavalry

5x Goth Medium Infantry Warband

2x Small Units of Slingers/ 2x Units Light Archers

General Gundulf (CR9)

2x Units Goth Heavy Cavalry

2x Units Goth Medium Cavalry

4x Units Goth Light Cavalry

8x Units Goth Medium Infantry

4x Units Light Archers

Roman Army C in C Constantius (CR9)

1st Division The Personal Body Guard of Constantius

2x Units Heavy Armoured Cavalry

4x Units Horse Archers

2nd Division General (CR8)

4x Light Cavalry Javelin armed

3rd Division General (CR8)

2x Horse Archers, 4x Units Light Cavalry Javelin Armed

4nd Division General (CR9)

4x Armoured Elite Heavy Legionnaires with Long Spears

2x Unit of Armoured Skirmishers with Pilium

5th Division General (CR8)

4x Medium Infantry Comitatenses with Long Spears

2x Light Infantry Archers

6th Division General (CR8)

4x Heavy Cavalry

7th Division General (CR9)

3x Medium Infantry Comitatenses

2x Light Archers

8th Division General (CR8)

3x Medium Infantry Comitatenses

1x Light Archers,

9th Division General (CR8)

3x Medium Limitanei Infantry

1x Light Infantry Archers, 1x Unit Spear/ Javelin Armed Skirmishers

10th Division General (CR8) As per 9th Division

11th Division General (CR8) As per 9th Division

12th Division General (CR9)

3x Scorpio plus guard of 2x Medium Infantry Comitatenses

So the Romans have the edge in quality and discipline whislt the Goths have the edge in numbers and a small number of very good aggressive troops.

In one of those weird twists of luck our best troops under me were on the left of our line opposite some distinctly average troops commanded by Richard H, whilst a much larger but less well armoured force under Dave had the right of our line against Steve with some of the best of the Romans. Intersting little twist.

Just as odd the Romans had nearly all their Horse archers on the flank facing all our horse arhcer, my Huns. As the game commenced my Huns dashed forward and the archers exchanged flights of arrows whilst my heavily armed foot and horse struggled to get going. The rest of the Goth line leapt forward and Dave on the right was quick to tangle with the Romans giving him a nasty surprise when he found how good they were.

You can see from below everyone except me able to belt up and start getting stuck in.

On the upside I had command of one of my favourite units, these Goth heavy cavalry bodyguard in blue and yellow, very fetching.

The skirmishing on the right flank sees a great deal of ebb and flow with either side getting the upper hand then losing it.

By the time my troops actually get moving everyone else is heavily engaged, Dave and Jerry making up for their lack of heavy troops with numbers, wearing the Romans down with repeated charges. Si has the same idea but Richard C gets the better of this contest and the Goths on my right are gradually beign ground down.

As we broke for lunch it became apparant how bad the weather had got, given Chris's house is a converted barn down half a mile of steep farm track this was a bit of a concern but we decided to battle on anyway. Rich H is driving a 4x4 so no wonder he is smiling!

A lovely lunch of soup, sandwiches and buns and we are back to the serious business of gaming, my Huns are gradually pressing the Roman light cavalry back and my heavy troops are finally piling forward, just as well as Si's are starting to crumble under pressure from Rich C.

Si's medium and light cavalry make repeated charges against the formed Roman infantry but fail to make a dent.

Both sides are engaged right across the line and the moans and cheers as fortune swing can be heard but I am too busy trying to get my troops forward into Richards.

Finally we get going and plow forward just as the Roman light cavalry is forced back and my Huns follow them up. At the same time I finally get a good roll for my Heavy Cavlry and they charge forward.

I dont quite have the movement and stop just short of the Roman lines where we shower each other with Javelins, the Goth Cavalry getting the best of it due to their better armour, then next move we charge home.

To my right Si's troops and fallign apart and Richard C's Romans are pusrsuing but in front of me Rich H's Romans buckle.

I destory one unit and push the rest of the brigade back, following up to hit it again, the other Brigade alos loses in melee but holds its morale. We try again and this time the Roman brigade breaks and the rest are also forced back. Jerry and Dave are grinding the Roman centre and left down whilst Rich C's sucess has left him punching a hole in our left centre.

Bit it wont be enough, Rich C can probably slow my advance down as I turn to roll up the Roman line with my completely untouched Goth heavy infantry, but elsewhere we are ahead and a Goth victory is declared.

A fabulous spectacle and a fun game for our first weekend back at the Barn, thanks Chris, we look forward to the Christmas game next.