6mm ancients. Sassanian vs Rome

Another 'In Death Ground' game.

The XVI Flamia Firma have been despatched south as Persian forces ravage unchecked. They arrive at a town as Persian cavalry approach. 

The XVIth deploy with a river on the left flank and an open right flank. 

The Persians have 6 units:- 

3 x Light cavalry (4 bases each) 

3 x Clibanarii (7 bases each) 

25 bases in total 

The Romans have 11 units:- 

1 x Infantry (warriors 3 bases)

2 x Infantry (warriors 6 bases each) 

1 X Infantry (warriors 8 bases) 

2 x Infantry (warriors 2 bases) 

2 x Light Infantry (2 bases each) 

1 x Cavalry (8 bases) 1 x Artillery (1 base) 

1 x Cavalry ( General 1 base) 

40 bases in total

Seeing the Romans arrayed, the Sassanians deployed in three battles. Each with a unit of light cavalry ahead of a unit of Clibanarii

The Romans had deployed with Infantry across the frontage with the right-wing consisting of the cavalry unit. They held a units of infantry in reserve with the general.

The battle field as a whole

In this battle I did not dice for rallying off damage to units. As I mentioned previously, it is difficult as it is to inflict damage in the first place. It helped to shorten the game though not the outcome I think. The Persian light cavalry advance to soften up the infantry

The Roman cavalry and Persian Clibanarii cavalry advance, and the light cavalry evade before being caught between the heavy cavalry. The Roman centre unit also advanced, both to protect the cavalry wing and see off the light cavalry. Successful in one, not the other.

The first casualties inflicted but only on the Romans.   

More Roman casualties and the Roman infantry reinforce the centre and the Persian cavalry which evaded joined the centre light cavalry unit against the Roman infantry. 

More Roman casualties and more reinforcements for the centre. But they did inflict some casualties on the Sassanians.

The Persian right-wing was still skirmishing . Having destroyed the light infantry they were not having mush effect on the heavier infantry. 

The left-wing was in a tussle with the Romans but, again, not too much in the way of casualties. They would eventually push them back. 

The  Roman centre has lost 1 unit and another retreats after casualties.

The Roman leftwing stirs into action. The centre holds and the right holds it's own.

The Roman leftwing has success in destroying the light cavalry and pushing back the Clibanarii. The centre suffers more and the right-wing falls back

The Sasanians had several attacks on the right-wing repulsed. 

Breaking through with the light cavalry in the centre they destroyed the artillery, which was abysmal in the extreme! Oddly, I couldn't find any rule for combat against artillery, I treated them as light infantry and they were destroyed very quickly. 

The Roman centre is gone. but time is called due to approaching night. 

The Roman leftwing was mainly intact with the reserve defensively deployed to prevent being flanked. The Roman right was pushed further back and almost at breaking point.

More casualties received, but a Roman win as a viable force was still in the field. 

Besides the rallying change I also diced for priority as opposed to the Romans, being disciplined, having priority every turn. Subsequently, the Sassanians had more priority turns than the Romans.

It was interesting in that the Roman  infantry, warriors, in the centre were destroyed by the light cavalry but those on the leftwing destroyed the light cavalry and repulsed the Clibanarii several times.

The Roman morale held despite losing the centre units, a testament to their good discipline.