The Battle for Rome

[econ21]

Initial Umpire Request to Servius:

You are marching your armies to attack the Senate forces north of Rome. You have under your overall command three “armies”:

Servius’s Consular Army of Iberia
Quintus Naevius’s Consular Army of Gaul
Appius Egnatius’s Ariminum Garrison

Each of these armies has its own general, who will be represented by a player.

The details of each army are given in what follows. (Note - I am working with only whole units and have rounded to reflect this).

Each army consists of a number of “divisions”. I have grouped units into divisions according to my interpretation of historical practice. During the battle, each general may create one additional division, by detaching units from existing divisions. In addition, up to one unit per division may be reassigned to another division.

What you must do at this stage is: within each army, specify the order of march of the divisions. I have suggested what seems a natural order of march. But you may vary it. The order of march will influence which units see action first.

Particularly important is whether the unit is the Advance Guard or the Rear Guard. The Advance Guard is the first 10 units in the order of march, rounding down if this splits up units within a division. Again, I have sketched out your advance guard, but if you change the order of battle, the advance guard will change.

Initial Umpire Request to Marcellus:

Your scouts have reported that Servius is advancing to attack you with all the men he can muster, including Quintus Naevius’s army. You have ordered a march to meet them.

Marcellus’s Senate Army of Afrika
Luca’s Senate Army of Italy
Decius’s Senate Third Field Army

Each of these armies has its own general, who will be represented by a player.

The details of each army are given in what follows. (Note - I am working with only whole units and have rounded up as necessary).

Each army consists of a number of “divisions”. I have grouped units into divisions according to my interpretation of historical practice. During the battle, each general may create one additional division, by detaching units from existing divisions. In addition, up to one unit per division may be reassigned to another division.

What you must do at this stage is: within each army, specify the order of march of the divisions. I have suggested what seems a natural order of march. But you may vary it. The order of march will influence which units see action first.

Particularly important is whether the unit is the Advance Guard or the Rear Guard. The Advance Guard is the first 10 units in the order of march, rounding down if this splits up units within a division. Again, I have sketched out your advance guard, but if you change the order of battle, the advance guard will change.

Orders for turn 1:

Here are the instructions for turn 1. Let me know if anything is unclear.

Turn 1: Instructions to Servius

Your army is marching through a wooded area when your scouts report that there is a Senate army marching towards you, but just outside the woods. You presume that it is Marcellus’s Army of Afrika.

You know that Quintus’s army is moving alongside you, to your right, and probably facing Luca’s Army of Italy.

Appius Egnatius’s Ariminum garrison is moving along the road some distance behind you.

You must: (1) give orders to deploy your army from march column, including any instructions on moving to engage the enemy.
(2) decide whether to order Quintus to come to (a) your aid; (b) hold; (c) advance to make contact with Luca.
(3) direct Appius Egnatius to continue following your army or move to support Quintus.

Notes:
Re: (1) This turn, your advance guard may move into contact with Marcellus’s army but not engage it, with the rear guard following. Alternatively, you can halt your advance guard and bring your rear guard up to align with your advance guard.

Please represent your proposed deployment using the unit icons and a diagram such as the jpg attached. (You can cut and paste the icons from the Word file into Paint. Coloured lines indicate facing.) You must be explicit about whether you are moving your divisions out of the woods or not.

Have a look at the Ancrya battle for examples of orders and how I interpret them. Try to keep them in character and keep them simple.

Re: (2) If you summon Quintus to aid you, his advance guard will arrive on the field at the end of next turn and be free to engage the enemy in turn 3. You may summon Luca at a later date. You can also summon his advance guard, but leave his rear guard.

Re: (3) Whoever Appius follows, there is a random chance he will join on a later turn.

Servius's Orders for turn 1:

(Ok, I've written up the orders to be followed by my army for this engagement. Not entirely positive what I was supposed to include in turn one. But, if the only info I was supposed to include in turn one was my actual deployment and formation, I have highlighted those sections in bold, as I wasn't really clear on exactly what was required of me this turn.)

"Halt the line! Riders! Bring me riders!" Servius barked, the news of Marcellus's legion marching towards them put the whole of the legion on a heightened state of awareness, and everything came to a screeching halt as the consul mounted his horse and began directing the legion's leadership on their new orders.

His divisional commanders assembled around him and messengers riding up to carry letters to the other generals, Servius began to rattle off his orders one by one, commander by commander, clearly, concisely. Petrus was standing by, taking record of everything.

"Halt the advance guard!" He said to the group. "Bring the rear guard up to align our forces for battle!" His attention turned immediately to the messengers waiting for their orders. "You, ride back immediately to Appius Egnatius and order him to advance quickly in march formation to our left flank, and be ready to switch into combat formation at a moments notice."

As the first messenger rode off he turned to face the second. "You, to Quintus Naevius, order him to advance towards Luca's forces, but to hold his ground and let Luca instigate the charge, deploy in a hard forward formation intended to hold Luca where he stands and break his green forces in melee through fear."

As the second messenger rode off, he turned to face his divisional commanders directly. The gaze he had in his eyes was enough to command any mans immediate and undivided attention, and he expected nothing less as he handed out his formation orders.

"The Roman division is to be joined by the gallic slingers and deploy as our right flank, facing Marcellus, outside of the woods no further than the length of a velite's javelin throw, heavy infantry in front, missile troops directly at their rear, hold your ground in guard formation, heavy infantry are to release their pila into the charging enemy as normal. Slingers and velites are to wait until our Italian alae engage, then fire into the flanks of the enemies engaging our Italian alae.

The Italian alae are to deploy as our center, facing Marcellus. Alternate units of swords then spears, and deploy in an echelon left, the first unit on the right should stand beside the roman division, the last unit on the left should be just outside the edge of the woods. Hold your ground in guard formation, swordsmen are to release their pila into the charging enemy as normal.

The Gallic alae are to deploy inside the edge of the woods as our left flank, facing our left flank, and conceal themselves until the Italian alae are engaged. Hold your ground in guard formation unless enemy cavalry present themselves, at which point you should engage immediately. If no cavalry present themselves, flank the troops engaging our italian alae and wrap around their rear.

The Iberian alae are to deploy inside the edge of the woods and conceal themselves, at the right flank behind our legionary division, facing Marcellus. They are to hold their ground in guard formation unless enemy cavalry move towards our Roman division. If enemy cavalry move towards the Roman division they are to charge from the woods to engage the cavalry. If no enemy cavalry attempt to engage our right flank, they are to wait until the Roman division is engaged, then move up to the Roman divisions right flank, release all of their javelins into the flanks of the units engaging our roman division, then charge into the enemy's flank.

Our Gallic Cavalry are to wait, with me, outside the woods, directly behind the center of our Italian alae, and be prepared to move immediately with me to wherever the enemy sends their cavalry.

I will personally conduct this battle from the front lines, directly behind our Italian alae's center. I will hold until the enemy cavalry appear, and will engage them wherever they may be! After all, what kind of man would I be if I did not fight for the cause I hold so dear?!

That said, if every man does his part, we will have victory today! Hold your ground until the enemy charges us, then follow my orders and we shall carry a historic victory today! And the Republic will be born again!

Servius's Planned deployment:




Umpire instructions to GeneralHankerchief for turn 1

Here are the instructions for turn 1. Let me know if anything is unclear. Please try to send back your orders today.

Turn 1: Instructions to Marcellus

Your scouts report that there is a Consular army marching through the woods ahead of you. You assume that it is Servius’s Army of Iberia.

You know that Luca’s Army of Italy is moving alongside you, to your left, and probably facing Quintus’s Army of Gaul.

You must: (1) give orders to deploy your army from march column, including any instructions on moving to engage the enemy.
(2) decide whether to order Luca to come to (a) your aid; (b) hold; (c) advance to make contact with Quintus.
(3) direct Decius’s Field Army III to continue following your army or move to support Luca.

Notes:
Re: (1) This turn, your advance guard may move into contact with Servius’s army but not engage it, with the rear guard following. Alternatively, you can halt your advance guard and bring your rear guard up to align with your advance guard.

Please represent your proposed deployment using the unit icons and a diagram such as the jpg attached. (You can cut and paste the icons from the Word file into Paint. Coloured lines indicate facing.) You must be explicit about whether you are moving your divisions into the woods or not.

Have a look at the Ancrya battle for examples of orders and how I interpret them. Try to keep them in character and keep them simple.

Re: (2) If you summon Luca to aid you, his advance guard will arrive on the field at the end of next turn and be free to engage the enemy in turn 3. You may summon Luca at a later date. You can also summon his advance guard, but leave his rear guard.

Re: (3) Whoever Decius follows, there is a random chance he will join on a later turn.

Marcellus's Turn 1 orders:

Our advance guard will halt for the time being (well away from the
woods), in order to catch up with the rear guard. I want a unified
assault on that nephew of mine. We go in together, and no sooner than
I say so! If Servius charges out then we'll give him hell.

Division I (Senate Cavalry): You will be on the extreme right of both
Senate armies. Ideally you will be used to cause a major disturbance
in Servius' line later on, but for now you are to keep line with the
main army. Guard the flank should Servius try anything.

Division II (Marcellus' HQ): Stay back in the relative center of my
army, positioned slightly to the left. You are a last-ditch attempt to
stop a flanking maneuver, but mosty you will stay behind. Intercept
all cavalry flanking maneuvers on the left if necessary.

Division III (1st Senate Legion): Hold and shift to the left. You will
wait for the other Italian division to come up and act as a unified
battle-line. Triarii are to be slightly behind, guarding the missile
units in the case of a flank attack. If it looks serious, then help
the missiles out. The Funditores are to be the extreme left of the
army, firing their lead into any missile troops that Servius brings
anywhere near you. Velites, back them up. In the case of a cavalry
attack you are to discharge as many javelins as possible and GET OUT
OF THE WAY. Marcellus and the escort will be by shortly to relieve
you.

Division IV (2nd Senate Legion): Make way for the Italians. You will
be in reserve, directly behind them. Your missiles will be off to the
right, behind the Italian Skirmishers.

Division V (1st Senate Italian Alae): You will be the second part of
the major battle line, with the 1st Legion to your left. Continue
marching until you join up with them, and hold. Italian Skirmishers
have the same orders as the Funditores of Division III (target their
missiles).


Orders to all units: Do not go anywhere near the woods. Do not pursue
routing units. If the enemy comes near you do not discharge a missile
weapon unless they do so. This will change later on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luca is to be to my left, engaging Quintus Naevius. I want Decius behind me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please send the following communication to Decius Laevinius:

"Let's do the second paragraph of Point #2 that you suggested. Line
them up on the right. My force will be waiting for you to make its
move.

Marcellus"

Rolled a 2 => message lost

Marcellus's Planned deployment:



Umpire notes on Turn 1

On Servius

Servius ordered a message sent to Quintus - rolled a 6 message sent.

Servius plans Quintus to fight Luca, not march to his aid.

Servius intends to summon Appius to aid him.

Servius deploys for battle, with some formations inside the wood (hidden) and some visible outside. He should have full view of the Senate army.

On Marcellus

He deploys his army in front of the wood, but out of range of the enemy.

Marcellus intends Luca to fight Quintus, not march to his aid.

Marcellus intends to summon Decius to support him.


Feedback to Servius

Your soldiers carry out your deployment as ordered and before you is revealed the Senate Army of Afrika, commanded by Marcellus (see attached jpg). It is just outside of slingshot.

You must now give orders for mid-morning. (To simplify things, you can just cut and paste any previous orders that are relevant, marking any ammendments or deletions in bold). This turn troops will be able to get into melee, but it is unlikely that any decision will be reached in melee involving heavy infantry. Most importantly - please send me a jpg of how you expect things to look after your moves this mid-morning.


What Servius sees:





Feedback to Marcellus

Your soldiers carry out your deployment as ordered and out of the woods emerges the Consular Army of Iberia, commanded by Servius (see attached jpg). As per your orders, your men have remained just outside of slingshot.

You must now give orders for mid-morning. (To simplify things, you can just cut and paste any previous orders that are relevant, marking any ammendments or deletions in bold). This turn troops will be able to get into melee, but it is unlikely that any decision will be reached in melee involving heavy infantry. Most importantly - please send me a jpg of how you expect things to look after your moves this mid-morning.

What Marcellus sees: