Dux Britanniarum

Not too bad a week, except for my computer having a minor death and needing new components.  I have it running again but only just.  Ah well, these things are sent to try us, as they say.  By this time next week I will have a new motherboard, new processor, new RAM and a new graphics card, so a nearly new computer.

Anyway, back to the important stuff.....wargames!  Monday saw the Monday night group play Dux Britannarium for the first time since the official rules came out.  We helped playtest the rules, but have been too busy with other things to play it since they were released.  So figures were dusted off, terrain was set up and battle was commenced.  As we were learning the rules again, we played with 3 people per side, one for each big-man.  Zob, Colin and Stinky Nathan were the evil, nasty and generally unliked Saxon raiders, while myself, Panjo and Andy had the gallant, brave but, finally, hopeless Romano-British. 

Turn 2 and the Britons arrive

The Saxons were on a mission to raid a farm, which was about as far away from them as it could get.  They managed one move, then the initial defenders arrived.  The Saxon lord, Stinky Nathan led his entire force up the right hand side of the table, managing to keep them together in a most un-Saxonlike manner.  He had two units of Gedridht(Elite), three units of Duguth(Warriors) and a unit of archers.  Panjo was the lord of the Romano-Brits and managed to bring 5 of his 7 units on in turn 2.  His force had the Comanipulares(Elite), a unit of Milites(Warriors) and two units of Numeri(Levy), supported by a group of archers. 

Saxons split up as the Britons advance

The Saxons decided to split their force, with Stinky Nathan taking the elites forward alone to raid the village, while Zob and Colin took the Duguth and archers to block the approaching Britons.  Panjo led his troops forward in two formations, one of the Comanipulares and Milites, led by Andy, the other of the two Numeri units, led by himself. The remaining units of the British arrived behind the farm, ineptly commanding by me.  One unit of Numeri and one of Milites, the foolishly bravely advanced to defend the farm from the approaching elite Saxon warriors.  Levy against elite, not a good match up!

Fight!!!! 

The Saxon archers were on form, killing two of the Britons best troops.  Colin decided to have his formation of two units of Warriors charge the best troops of the Romano-British.  It went fairly well for the Britons, with the Saxons bouncing and falling back.  The Britons were forced to take a step back as the Comanipulares had 6 shock, but only 4 men.  Luckily they managed to maintain their shieldwall formation.  The Saxons had lost 3 men, splitting their formation and pushing them back several inches.
Zob then charged his fresh unit of Saxons into the shaken shieldwall, killing two more elite British warriors and scattering them.  The remaining British warriors were shaken by this and fell back.  Colins men rallied and charged the Levy, who were all fired up after seeing off the Saxon archers.  Twelve men, led by Dux Panjo and his champion should hold off 9 shaken Saxons, shouldn't they?  No, not at all!  Meanwhile, in the village, it had all gone to bats**t!  The elite Saxons charged into the British shieldwall, throwing axes and spears as they came (sneaky Strong Arm fate card).  12 dice, causing shock on a 5+ and Stinky Nathan managed to get 8 hits!  The Saxons smashed the shieldwall and scattered the warriors to the winds, pushing them back 6 inches.  The levy were also shaken, falling back 3 inches.  This shattered the shieldwall and things were looking bad for the farmers.

The final turn of the game was no better for the Britons and they were forced to quit the field, leaving the Saxons to stampede the women and rape the livestock. 

Oh dear, its all gone a bit Pete Tong.

A fun game was had by all I think, disturbed only by the constant fragrant rumblings from the lower regions of Stinky Nathan.  Next week sees the first battle in a new campaign, with Saxon Colin attacking Romano-British Panjo.  The rest of us are playing X-Wing upstairs.