Don't Throw a 1: Ambush at The Coille - A Roman v Ancient British batrep

The Rejects got together for a Rome v British bash last month. Myself and Surj picked out the Romans, who were in march column looking for a good site to make camp. Unbeknownst to us and our rather usesless scouts, a massive bringing together of British tribes commanded by Richard, James and Lee, have converged and surrounded the unsuspecting Roman colomn.
We used Posties own "Let the Gods Decide" rules, which worked very well indeed!!
See Lee's report here.

Order of Battle
Romans c/o General (Ray) and Standard Bearer
1st Command - c/o Legate Ray
1st Cohort (Eagle) 24 Figures
2nd Cohort - 16 Figures
3rd Cohort - 16 Figures
4th Cohort - 16 Figures
5th Cohort - 16 Figures
6th Cohort - 16 Figures
Legion Cavalry - 6 Mounted Figures
2nd Command - c/o Tribune Surjit
1st Auxilia - 12 Figures
2nd Auxilia - 12 Figures
5th Auxilia - 12 Figures
6th Auxilia - 12 Figures
1st Auxulia Archers - 12 Figures
8th Auxulia Archers - 12 Figures
Auxilia Cavalry - 6 Mounted Figures

Celtic Britons c/o Warlord Richard and Standard Bearer

1st Command - c/oWarlord Richard in Chariot

Warband - 24 Figures

Fanatics Warband - 24 Figures (with Attached Druid)

Slingers -12 Figures

Nobel Chariots - 4 Chariots

Light Cavalry - 12 Mounted Figures

2nd Command - 2ic Champion Chieftain Lee

Warband - 24 Figures

Slingers -12 Figures

Javelinmen - 12 Figures

Nobel Chariots - 4 Chariots

3rd Command - 3ic Horse Chieftain James

Warband - 24 Figures

Javelinmen - 12 Figures

Nobel Chariots - 4 Chariots

Light Cavalry - 12 Mounted Figures

Richard's Brits are very close to Surj's coloumn.

Surj was in command of the Roman Auxilia

Our useless Scouts

The Roman Cohorts under my command

The first turn we were all surprised at just how fast the Romans could change formation

and set up against the enemy. But I guess that's why the ruled most of the then known world!!

Due to the Fog of War, we didn't know how fast the Brits moved.

Fast was the answer!!

Me and Surj had a simple plan. He would move back asap, to the woodline and try and not

get caught out, we knew we would have to sacrifice one unit to halt the British move forward.

Surj did his normal and got into a right muddle!

Richard moves his Noble Chariots into charge range, while the rest of the Roman army run back.

Lee's fast moving Chariots move toward my Legion Cavalry who were retreating back towards their lines. But turn and face their charging foe.

Which way are Surj's Auxillia facing?

Nobody knows????

Our first mistake, was moving forward with my Cohorts, it left a rather large hole for

their Chariots to exploit.

But surly I could fire my Bolt throwers?

James won first move and had a big decision to make, head straight down the line and attack my

Bolt Throwers or turn and attack my Cohort in the flank. I guess you can see his choice

Richard moves a Cavalry unit around the woods

The Roman's just about hold their own against the Chariots and win the melee, but were severly mauled in doing so,

Richard's Chariots bounce off of Surj's Auxillia too!

This is going to be hard for the British.

Even though they hit in the flank it was still going to be hard for the British to win this fight.

James threw well, but I threw better!!

The Chariots fled the field!!!

We were winning, but it looked like there were just too many of them?

The Roman Bolt Throwers

It seemed Surj was having trouble moving back to me, so I better move up to him.

I charged in my 24 man 1st Cohort!!

For Gods sake don't lose the Eagle!!!!

Richard closed in ans Charged the Auxillia.

"Where are your Fanatics?" I asked

I got a blank look from Richard, he wasn't going to tell us.

Then his son James piped up, my Dad's got them over there (pointing to Richards troops)

"Bloody Hell James, don't tell them!" he replied.....rather loudly I might add!

he he!

Surj finally gets a nice straight line.

But has he moved back too far?

While by now, I'm all over the place!

James had a poxy little slinger unit, that kept nicking casualties.

So I thought I'd try and take them out.

My 1st Cohort's flank look depressingly vulnerable?

I move up to try and protect the 1st's flank, surprisingly Lee pushes his slingers

forward, putting them in the way of his warbands.

Its certainly a very bruising encounter for both sides.

James & Lee

Richard & Surj

Surj moves into the wood.

COME ON ROME!!!

Can we hold out?

In a change of fortune the British actually win a melee

As they have fought 2 rounds of melee, my remaining troops all have no move markers.

Fortunately so do most of the close British.

But they still have the giant bloody mob on the right!!

It was here I took the decision to retreat in good order, I couldn't take the chance on

losing the Eagle, I'd never live it down!!!

In the end it was attrition that lost us the game. We were outnumbered 2:1, but that was really the only way the British would have a chance in winning a battle against the Romans, in melee we were throwing 4's and up to their 6's, so it was hard to lose a melee. But they kept plugging away, with each melee they lost, they knocked our numbers down, to the point where we just couldn't go on. Surj was all for fighting on, we could possibly have won, but a good general knows when to retreat.
It may have helped us if Surj got back quicker, but its all if's and but's.
It'd be interesting playing a all out battle, but I think the British may need a 3:1 advantage for that.

So that's 2 games so far this year won 1 lost 1.