Romanes eunt domus... A Clash of Spears Skirmish!

 

 SOLDIERS OF ROME, DEFEND THE CONSUL'S ASPARAGUS WITH YOUR LIVES!

It is the year 242 BC, somewhere in Northern Italy, and Centurion Gaius Stultus Asinus has been assigned to transport the Consul Atticus Sabinianus' supply of asparagus safely through enemy held territory to the legionary camp set up just to the east of the River Adige. The supplies must get through at all costs or a terrible fate worse than death awaits Gaius and his tiny band of warriors.

Unfortunately, two local Gallic chieftains, Taxidermus and Cadracticus, have heard about the supply convoy crossing their lands and have made a pact to relieve the Roman invaders of their asparagus, no matter what the cost! Just after dawn, the two sides encounter each other between the river and the forest and the battle for the asparagus begins...

Gaius stationed his senior troops, the Principes, along side the supply wagon with orders to defend the vegetables to the death.

Meanwhile, Taxidermus and Cadracticus hurried their Juves forward to cause as many casualties as possible with their massed javelin fire. In the centre, Gaius sent his Velites forward and ordered his Cretan archers to engage the Juves to their front.

The Roman velites got the upper hand against Taxidermus' Juves, who suffered casualties and were forced back.

The crucial part of this encounter came when the Celts stalled and were unable to react to the velites, who gambled a third action which led to the Juves passing six fatigue points and ultimately running from the battlefield.

In turn two, Taxidermus pushed his slingers forward supported by a group of warriors. On the left, Cadracticus sent his warriors forward, screened by his group of Juves.

The Gallic warriors hurled themselves into the Principes, who steadfastly waited to receive them in close order.

The Principes pushed back the Celts, who were beginning to suffer from the fatal effects of fatigue.

The advantage swings from one side to the other, but casualties begin to mount in the gallic ranks.

Fatigue rocketed out of control and the Gallic warriors were soon approaching breaking point.

Facing the superior training of the Principes proved too much for the Gallic warriors and, after an uncompromising fight, with no quarter given, they succumbed to fatigue and fled, leaving the slingers dangerously exposed to the victorious Romans.

With all the attention of the Roman command focussed on the fight between the Principes and their Gallic opponents, Taxidermus had pushed his warriors forward and they crashed into the Roman velites, recovering from their javelin fight with the Gallic Juves.

Before suffering too much damage, the velites used their skirmish specialist trait to escape the clutches of the Gallic warriors, allowing the awaiting Hastati room to engage the exposed Celts.

The Hastati broke from their closed ranks and hurled a volley of pila into the ranks of the Gallic warriors. However, driven on by the captivating aroma of the asparagus, the Celts drove themselves fanatically into the fray until they wilted under the ceaseless pressure of the enemy.

As the desperate hand-to-hand struggle continued, the Celts were repeatedly pushed back until both sides had used all three of their actions.

 With the Romans winning the initiative in Turn 5, the Hastati were able to finish off their opponents and the struggle was over. The Gallic commanders withdrew their few remaining followers and the asparagus was left in the secure grasp of Gaius and his trusty legionaries.

Gaius Stultus Asinus breathes a huge sigh of relief as he continues his journey with his precious cargo. In the end, he lost just two of his velites, while the Celts suffered twenty-five casualties in their attempt to wrest the asparagus from the hands of the dreaded invader.