Re: Assembling
LATE MORNING (TURN 3) - UMPIRE'S NOTES
The Eastern Battle
From west to east:
Consular Iberian alae - rolls a "1"; stalls in wood.
Consular equites from Quintus's army of Gaul take up position on the western flank. The Senate 2nd Italian Alae (sent from Luca's army) takes up position opposite them on the western flank.
Consular 1st Legion and 1st Italian alae move to attack the Senate 1st Legion and 1st Italian alae respectively. Those two formations ared ordered to march to meet them; however, inexplicably, the Italians stall. The Senate 1st Legion advances ahead and is charged by the Consular 1st Legion. The Consular 1st Italian alae charges its Senate namesake. Being the slightly larger formation so it overlaps slightly to the east. However, it has been ordered to engage the skirmishers, so it is not attacking the flank of the Senate main battle line. The Consular heavy infantry cannot catch the Senate skirmishers however.
Consular Gallic alae are advancing on Senate skirmishers and cavalry. Ariminum garrison tries to engage Senate cavalry. Galiic cavalry alae provides support. Decius's 1st and 2nd Gallic alae have been ordered to take position on the threatened eastern flank of the Senate army. However, the 2nd Gallic alae stalls, as does the Praetorian cavalry. The Senate cavalry guarding that flank has been ordered to advance and hold until relieved by Decius's reinforcements. However, it rolls a "1". They were under the impression that they were facing two units of cavalry, not two full strength infantry divisions. The Tribune commanding them decides to fall back, taking up position on the eastern flank of Decius's Gauls. Contact on this flank is not made this turn, except for some skirmishing.
Feedback to Lucjan
Notes to Lucjan:
You give your orders to advance to attack and your army moves as you instructed. The Senate legion (the Senate 1st legion) on the west advances to meet your approach and soon your 1st legion is locked in a bitter melee with it. However, the Senate Italian allies immediately to the east (the Senate 1st Italian alae) do not advance and so your 1st Italian alae marches to engage them, also becoming locked in combat. Quintus's cavary arrives to take up position on your western flank, although you notice with some alarm the arrival of a second Senate Italian alae (the Senate 2nd Italian alae) to face them. Your discomfort is increased when it becomes apparent that your Iberian alae has not left the woods as ordered - evidently there has been some confusion.
On the eastern half of the battle, your Gallic alae, the Arminum garrison and your Gallic cavalry move advance together. The Senate cavalry facing them falls back. A Senate Gallic Alae (the 1st Senate Gallic Alae) moves to confront your combined advance.
The Senate Gauls are evidently from Decius's army. To the distance of the Senate lines, you can see more reinforcements from that army form up in reserve.
This is a diagram of what you can see:
NB: BTW, you were right: Quintus's cavalry arrived on your right, not left. I should stick to east-west, it's less confusing. West is your right; east is your left. Also, note, I am representing Quintus's cavalry by a full strength equites unit (it should have been presented thus in the word document I sent at the beginning of the battle).
You should now give your orders for turn 4 (early afternoon). Please give orders for each formation on the jpg - it is helpful to cover likely contingencies, but beware of double-guessing too much or you may confuse or constraint your divisional commanders.
Note that 1st Legion and 1st Italian alae are tied up in melee and cannot respond to orders (except for the skirmishers and two uncommitted Italian units). The outcome will be determined this turn, although you can influence the decision through commiting further formations to the melees.
Please take care to identify the two divisions nearest your general at the beginning and end of your move.
Notes to GeneralHankerchief:
You order a general advance, but disconcerted to see that Servius has also done the same. Moreover, from the woods to the east (your right), two strong infantry formations emerge (the Consular Gallic alae and the Ariminum garrison), bearing down on your cavalry. Your cavalry do not advance, but instead retire in the face of so much infantry. Thankfully, the 1st Gallic alae from Decius's army arrives to face the enemy advance, with your cavalry taking up a position on their flank. The 2nd Gallic alae and the Praetorian cavalry move up as central reserves. You know Decius's rearguard will be on the field at the end of early afternoon, but not able to engage the enemy until late afternoon.
In the centre, your 1st Legion advances but for some reason, the 1st Italian Alae does not. Both formations are targeted by seemingly mirror image Consular formations: the Consular 1st Legion charges your 1st Legion; the Consular 1st Italian alee charges your 1st Italian Alae.
On the west, some Consular cavalry emerge onto the field. Your 2nd Italian Alae arrives to face them.
This is a diagram of what you can see:
You should now give your orders for turn 4 (early afternoon). Please give orders for each formation on the jpg except those controlled by Tamur (ie the 2 Gauls and the Praetorian cavalry) - it is helpful to cover likely contingencies, but beware of double-guessing too much or you may confuse or constraint your divisional commanders.
Note that 1st Legion and 1st Italian alae are tied up in melee and cannot respond to orders (except for the skirmishers). The outcome will be determined this turn, although you can influence the decision through commiting further formations to the melees.
Please take care to identify the two divisions nearest your general at the beginning and end of your move.
Notes to Tamur:
You receive muddled reports from your advance guard. Apparently the 1st Gallic alae has taken up position on Marcellus's right flank (the east); it is supported by Marcellus's cavalry division but is being advanced upon by a superior force of Consular infantry and some Gallic cavalry.
Your 2nd Gallic alae and your Praetorian cavalry have inexplicably not followed your orders and have been left in a central reserve position.
This is a diagram of what your scouts report back:
You should now give your orders for turn 4 (early afternoon). Please give orders for each of your formations - it is helpful to cover likely contingencies, but beware of double-guessing too much or you may confuse or constraint your divisional commanders. You are arriving with your rearguard onto the battlefield this turn; they will not be able to engage but you can move them into position.
Please take care to identify the two divisions nearest your general at the beginning and end of your move.
The Western Battle
Quintus is still pressing his advance guard forward, aiming to make destroy Luca's advance guard. However, in mid-morning Luca ordered a halt to bring up his rearguard. He now moves forward to meet Quintus. Therefore, by the end of morning, Luca's army is deployed as a whole and is confronting Quintus's advance guard. Quintus's rearguard is further back.
Instructions to Lucjan
With Braden's departure, is it ok for you to give orders for Quintus too? His units are listed in the word file I e-mailed to you.
The situation is that Luca's Army of Italy is operating to the west of Marcellus's Army of Afrika. It's western flank is anchored by an impassable river, but the ground slopes up to the east. Decius's Field Army III is in reserve, but in support of Marcellus's force. Luca and Marcellus's armies have become separated, although divisions can move from one to the other, taking one turn to effect the transfer. Luca has heard that Marcellus is facing Servius's army and has already detached the Senate 2nd Italian Alae to reinforce him.
The situation is that Quintus's Army of Gaul is operating to the west of Servius's Army of Iberia. It's western flank is anchored by an impassable river, but the ground slopes up the east. Quintus and Servius's forces have become separated, although divisions can move from one to the other, taking one turn to effect the transfer. Quintus has learned that Luca's Army of Italy is approaching and so has pushed aggressively forward in mid and late morning, aiming to meet and defeat Luca's advance guard. However, what approaches you by noon is not Luca's advance guard, but his whole army in a single formation.
Quintus's advance guard is outnumbered but will be joined by his rear guard this turn. The rear guard will not be able to fight this turn (turn 4 - early afternoon) but will be able to take up position. One option this turn is to pull back the advance guard so as to avoid contact until they have united with the rear guard. However, in fairness, I will also ask the player (probably TinCow) controlling Luca how they would react in such an eventuality.
This is a map of the situation at the start of early afternoon (turn 4):
Please provide your orders for this turn and provide a jpg of how you plan the battle to look at the end of this turn (if the enemy reacts according to plan). Please take care to identify the two divisions nearest your general at the beginning and end of your move.
PS: I forgot that Braden had sent a slinger unit to Servius along with the equites to support you (it's the 2 silver chevron unit in 2nd Consular legion in the Word file). For turn 4, I will treat it as being included with the other skirmishers attached to 1st Senate Legion.
Instructions to TinCow
With the departure of Swordsmaster, is it ok for you to play the role of Luca?
The situation is that Luca's Army of Italy is operating to the west of Marcellus's Army of Afrika, with it's flank anchored by an impassable river. Decius's Field Army III is in reserve, but in support of Marcellus's force. Luca and Marcellus's armies have become separated, although divisions can move from one to the other, taking one turn to effect the transfer. Luca has heard that Marcellus is facing Servius's army and has already detached the Senate 2nd Italian Alae to reinforce him. However, he also knows that he himself is facing Quintus's Consular Army of Gaul. To prepare for that, in mid-morning, Luca brought up his rearguard and then in late morning advanced to meet Quintus. He now spots Quintus's advance guard in battle formation.
This is a map of the situation at the start of early afternoon (turn 4):
Please provide your orders for each of your formations this turn. Also provide a jpg of how you plan the battle to look at the end of this turn (if the enemy reacts according to plan). Note that, given he is currently outnumbered, Quintus may decline to give battle and start to withdraw. Please prepare contingency orders for that situation. I will upload a word file (tincow_rome.zip) which has the icons for your units and their arrangement into divisions. You can easily cut and paste them in paint to form a diagram.
Please take care to identify the two divisions nearest your general at the beginning and end of your move. The two divisions that start closest to you are exempt from the 1 in 6 chance of disregarding orders.
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