The Battle of Bibracte - 58 BC

[abou]

The Battle of Bibracte was Caesar's first major military action in Gaul. It was fought on behalf of Celtic tribes allied to Rome against the Helvetii, who were a migrating Germanic tribe. Even though Caesar commanded armies in Iberia as a propraetor, it was not of the same size as this battle. In fact, in order to inspire his men to trust him, Caesar dismounted and commanded on foot.

The primary source for the battle is Book I of De Bello Gallico, but I imagine there are several secondary sources available. It will take a lot of searching for the ideal hillside and research, but any help from Germania specialists will be much appreciated.

Caesar is my idol and so expect much more Caesar from me if you wanted something else, but this will prove to be a very interesting place to start.

[Anthony]

The Helvetii weren't German, they were Celts from the Alps. They were migrating due to pressure from Germans. The movement was planned by the Helveti king Orgetorix, who died before the migration began, while raising an army to fight a revolt. The revolt was spawned by his conspiring with Dumnorix and Casticus to split Gaul between the three of them; the people didn't like the plan, and plotted to arrest him, try him, and have him executed if found guilty. He discovered that, rose an army of 10,000 men, but died while they were massing, likely due to suicide. The Helvetii went ahead with the migratory plan though.

[abou]

Hunh, my bad on that. Because they were from what is now Switzerland, I assumed they were German. Since they are Celtic, my new assumption is that they would use Celtic troops, but were there any Germanic influences? What about the Boii and Tulingi?

[Anthony]

'Switzerland' was all Celts and demi-Celts at the time, though Germans had begun pressing in. The Boii were all Celts, but they sometimes had Germanic allies or vassals. Germans didn't inhabit that much of Europe at the time. Their tribes had only begun spreading out of Scandinavia a few centuries earlier, and it was a pretty slow slog till they controlled as far as the Rhine, and something southern territories, but early Germans simply don't inhabit much outside of north-central Europe. Celts inhabited an awful lot of Europe though that would later be Germanic due to successive waves of invasions and migrations.

[abou]

Thank you greatly, Anthony. That would have been quite embarrassing to have put all this effort into making the battle only to find out that I used a completely wrong group for those forces.

[Ypoknons]

There is a Helvetii unit in the game - the Mori Gaesum. I'm not sure if they were at Bibracte, though.

[CountArach]

There is a Helvetii unit in the game - the Mori Gaesum. I'm not sure if they were at Bibracte, though.

I believe that they were because Caesar mentions his enemy forming a "phalanx". The Mori Gaesum use a sort of tightly grouped men that represent a phalanx.

[PSYCHO V]

The revolt was spawned by his conspiring with Dumnorix and Casticus to split Gaul between the three of them; the people didn't like the plan, and plotted to arrest him, try him, and have him executed if found guilty. He discovered that, rose an army of 10,000 men, but died while they were massing, likely due to suicide. The Helvetii went ahead with the migratory plan though.

It needs to be mentioned that the civil war had all but destroyed Gaul. Many Gauls had long been aware of the state of weakness they endured and thus aware of the growing threat of intervention from their neighbours, eg. Ariovistus (Germans) and Caesar (Romans). Both had desires to extend their hegemony over the beleaguered Gauls

Dumnorix (from the Aedui) and Casticus (from the Sequani) were (for want of a better term) proto-Gallic patriots who went against the directives of their own executive Councils, Councils that comprised of the ‘wealthy’ nobility who were stubbornly caught up in the struggle for commercial power / Gallic factional feud.

Dumnorix and Casticus (amongst others) were aware of the bigger picture, of a common threat from without. They sought to bring the warring sides (Aedui Confederacy and Southern Alliance) together and with the help of the Helvetii (one of the last bastions of Gallic power having been spared the sufferings of the civil conflict), hoped to fend off these external threats and preserve Gallic liberty.

Whilst Caesar naturally seeks to paint these figures (Dumnorix and Casticus) as self interested power grabbing rebels (to take attention off his own self seeking / unprovoked aggression) and play down his butchering of a free peoples, the historical record does not bare this out. Even Caesar’s own later commentary on Dumnorix demonstrates this. Further, even the Pro-Roman Uergobretos (magistrate) of the Aedui, Diviciacus (Dumnorix’s brother), a Druid and close friend of Rome (in particular Cicero), appears to have given nominal support to his brother for reasons other than the kinship that Caesar cites as an excuse for his nominal ally. An ally who thought he could reason with Roman greed.

Orgetorix’s motives require one to be a little more circumspect. He already enjoyed a position of substantial power among his people and could possibly have seized power for himself in time without having to move the entire Helvetii nation enmasse.
Caesar states that the Helvetii tried him for treason, claiming they did so because he wished to be king. The Helvetii had long been a proto-republic with an elected council, but internal strife had beset the nation and some scholars suspect that the council feared that the people would rise and elect a War Leader like Orgetorix, thus severely (albeit temporarily) diminishing their own power … and revenue. Interestingly enough, even after Orgetorix was killed, the people nonetheless followed his plan. Something that Caesar glosses over.

There is a Helvetii unit in the game - the Mori Gaesum. I'm not sure if they were at Bibracte, though.

The Mori Gaesum unit in EB is a fancy version of the standard Helvetii unit one would expect to see at Bibracte. It has been depicted like this due to it's primary function in the EB as a mercenary / specialised regional unit
eg. At Bibracte, one wouldn't expect to see every warrior wearing a helmet and breatplate, etc.
But it would suffice. Unfortunately we didn't get around to adding more units. The next closest representation would be EB's belgae but with darker hair and different shield ensignia.

my2bob

[abou]

So theoretically, I could make it so that each contingent fighting against a legion would have 1 Mori Gaesum and some Belgae? What about Lugoe (sp)?

[PSYCHO V]

So theoretically, I could make it so that each contingent fighting against a legion would have 1 Mori Gaesum and some Belgae? What about Lugoe (sp)?

Yup. Don't get me wrong, Belgae are still different to Helvetii, but they are the best we have available. Lugoae aren't really appropriate. You could augment the forces with a few Arverni Bagaudas as light troops and maybe a unit of Belgae cav..





my2bob

[abou]

This certainly helps. I think a proxy unit is not that much of a problem; especially since EB itself is not finished.

From my understanding it doesn't seem like any side used cavalry in this battle. Caesar certainly had two contingents, but they were only guarding the camp.

What about the Boii and Tulingi?

[abou]

Currently toying around with the Roman forces. I am debating whether it is worth it to include the two inexperienced legions which were placed on the top of the hill as part of battle. Historically they never participated and even in the event of them being needed I can't help but think that all they would do is flee. If I did this it could do two things: the first of which is leave more room for cavalry and light infantry units, which could very well have participated in the battle if necessary; the second is that I don't have to attach Caesar to any of the main units and just leave him with a small bodyguard unit, which will allow him to be much more mobile and boost the morale of units. Then again, I might not even include the cavalry and light infantry as they never participated in the fighting at all. If anything they would have just covered the retreat of the legion's baggage.

So the following are definite:

Legio VII
First Line - Cohors Reformata (160)
Second Line - Cohors Reformata (120)
Third Line - Cohors Reformata (120)

Legio VIII
First Line - Cohors Reformata (160)
Second Line - Cohors Reformata (120)
Third Line - Cohors Reformata (120)

Legio IX
First Line - Cohors Reformata (160)
Second Line - Cohors Reformata (120)
Third Line - Cohors Reformata (120)

Legio X
First Line - Cohors Reformata (160)
Second Line - Cohors Reformata (120)
Third Line - Cohors Reformata (120)

For those reading who are curious as to why the lines are setup the way they are, you can refer to this post.

If I do include Legio XI and Legio XII and the cavalry with light infantry I will need to put Caesar with one of the legions in the main line. It will most likely be with Legio X, but I have the distinct impression that Caesar was ranging along the battle line encouraging his troops like all good Roman generals. Some more mulling over this will be necessary.

[abou]

What to do about the Helvetii? Caesar doesn't seem to do much to fully describe the forces except for the phalanx (read: Mori Gaesum); however, those are really just nobles and therefore just a fraction of the total - a fraction which apparently were routed by a barrage of pila. I imagine that the rest were "Belgae" and other light units. All together the Helvetii will total about the number of Romans (including the non-participating legions, cavalry, and light troops).

There will be four Mori Gaesum, which will line-up opposite of the corresponding legion. Behind them will be the other units of the Helvetii.

Now to just figure out how to work with the 15,000 Boii and Tulingi - the only solid number that Caesar gives in the description of the battle. Also, the battle is described as starting in the late afternoon and continuing into the night with bitter fighting around the Helvetian wagon laager. If I can get the timing correct, expect a partial night battle.

[Eduorius]

I am not sure, but maybe you should add some Celtic Levy (think its Lugoae) cause more than being an army the Helvettii were also a people in the march.

[abou]

Here is the beta. Please bear in mind that this is only a beta and that there will be adjustments to the difficulty and play of the battle. Do let me know, however, if the reinforcement army does not arrive before the end of the battle.

Also, I'll be damned if I can get the units to deploy in the rank and file that I want them too. In addition, the battle is Caesar's, but for whatever reason I cannot find the name Gaius Iulius in the army creation screen.

Finally, if there are any Celt specialists who can give me more direction on unit types, it will be greatly appreciated.

EBBibracte
Right-click, save, and extract to EB\data\world\maps\battle\custom
Edit: This battle is for v0.81a. Be sure you have the correct version.

Edit: Beta2, but uses the same download link.
Changelog for Beta2

Altered landscape by decreasing gradient of the Roman hill.
Altered landscape by Celt wagon laagers.
Changed landscape textures.
Sides have been raised to channel the Celts.
Added Roman Fort
Added experience points to Celts.
Changed units in reinforcing army.

[Teleklos Archelaou]

Worked some on the battle of the Arius River. Here is what I've got at somewhere around a 5:1 ratio.

Baktrian 1st Army

1. Somatophylakes Strategou (40)
same
same
2. Hellenikoi Kataphraktoi (100)
same
3. Mada Asabara (100)
same
same
same
4. Mada Nizhak Asabara (100)
same
same
same
same
5. Peltastai (160)
same
6. Shuban Fradakshana (160)
same
7. Kavakaza Kofyaren (200)
same

Baktrian 2nd Army (AI)

8. Baktrioi Hippeis (100)
same
same
9. Harauvatish Asabara (100)
same
same
same
same
10. Artish Pada (240)
same

Seleukid 1st Army
A. Somatophylakes Stratgeou (40)
B. Hetairoi (100)
same
same
C. Peltastai (160)
same
same
same
D. Artish Pada (240)
same
E. Sphendonetai (120)
same
F. Thanvare Payahdag (160)
G. Misthophoroi Peltastai (160)
same
H. Verkhana Kofyaren (200)
same
I. Thraikioi Hippeis (100)
J. Mada Nizhak Asabara (100)
same

Seleukid 2nd Army
K. Thraikioi Prodromoi (100)
same
L. Mada Asabara (100)
same
M. Thureophoroi (162)
same
same
N. Harauvatish Asabara (100)
same
O. Peltastai (160)
same
P. Akontistai (240)
same


And here is what I've got sketched out as a map:


The Seleukid force made it across the river (at a location the Baktrians weren't expecting) by dawn, and met a lighter force, then the main Baktrian army came and things were touch and go, till the Seleukid reinforcements showed up and they won the day. This is mostly a cavalry battle, with some light infantry thrown in - Seleukids specifically had 2000 "hetairoi" and 10,000 "peltasts" (which I take to mean some different types of light troops like peltasts, not all 10,000 Peltastai). The Baktrians have 10,000 horse total and I've added some light infantry also.

Is something like this plausible? The terrain should be relatively flat, from the Aria province. A double river crossing would be best (the way the game usually has most fords, but not all). Any thoughts? The account of the battle comes from Polybius 10.49 almost entirely.

[Eduorius]

By what I have read just now about the battle by your description and your diagram I think that the fords could be ommitted unless...


You make the Seleukids to be in a column in the other side of the river ready to cross it.

If you have played Alexander Total War you will understand me better as the situation is similar to the battle of Hydaspes. In the Alexander Total War, the Macedonians beguin at the other side of the river and they must cross the river fast and line up their army as soon as possible or they will be crushed by the Indians.

I think its more challenging and fun to have it this way because it makes the battle different, but the arrange of the Seleukids troop will be leaved to the human player.

Edit to say that scripting will not be so much a problem for this since if we put the Baktrians as the army in the defensive they will surely stay at their side of the river, defending their advantage, and waiting for their reinforcements, and the Seleukids to come.
It will also be more easier to make a Seleukid column than the whole army deployment using the Battle editor.

[abou]

Definitely plausible, TA. I'll work on it a bit during the week and see what I can get together. My only problem will be finding a river to use as the mappers didn't put one in Aria.

Edit: BTW, who would you prefer be playable? With a named person like Antiochus III I would lean towards the Seleukids, but would you prefer Baktria?

[Teleklos Archelaou]

Give this a little bit of time first - paullus has some ideas about army composition I'd like to consider, and says that some modern scholars have come to the conclusion that those 10,000 "peltasts" were argyraspidai actually.

[abou]

Give this a little bit of time first - paullus has some ideas about army composition I'd like to consider, and says that some modern scholars have come to the conclusion that those 10,000 "peltasts" were argyraspidai actually.

You know, I think I saw that mentioned somewhere too. It might have been in Kochva's book where he mentions that he believe Polybius has a habit of referencing Hypaspistai as peltasts.

[Teleklos Archelaou]

I don't have Bar Kochva's book, so if someone can relate to us what he says about the battle, that could help a lot.

[TWFanatic]

Fun battle.

I'm curious how you got the battle to work without any general units.

[Jurdagat]

Hello there
This won't mess up EB will it?
It's a bit modded and stuff.. and yes, I'm just another lurker who comes out of hiding once a year to get some food :)

[TWFanatic]

No, it will not change what you already have at all; it only has the battle file in it.

[abou]

I'm curious how you got the battle to work without any general units.

Because I'm awesome.


Seriously though - if there isn't a General's unit on the field the captain defaults to the best unit. Here it was the unit with the highest amount of experience.