Narona Battle Report

Well here it is at last, I've managed to steal a few moments to write a review of this epic battle. The battle was one of the best I have ever played and included everything that makes for a great day, although starting badly with me ruining my stairs carpet with my new 2 tonne gaming board, It all proved worth it in the end. The game also gave me chance to use a wealth of new scenery collected and made over the years which transformed the board into one from my childhood dreams.
Alanicus also turned up in fighting spirit with a ready made T-shirt especially made for the day, a very nice touch; If only it had bought him some luck.
Using the images from the Blog he tried to dazzle my troops with Alanican propaganda....It failed and Alanicus was forced to use the garment to make a makeshift sail to get himself back to Egypt.

The game was great and led to a really fun day, a few things really came to the fore in the action which added to the enjoyment. I think one of the greatest additions was brought about by giving the Centurions names and personal stats. I had done this months ago ( It's on the Blog somewhere). By going through a Roman book and giving Characters very simple first names and rolling them on a simple D10 table of modifiers, Characters like Turrentius and the mighty Pulex really came to life and stopped just being figures on a board of hundreds. +1 to weapon skill or +1 to Toughness really helped to flavour these old war dogs and led to some really nice moments within the game. It got to a point where I didn't want Pulex to fall and when he struggled through against all the odds I was amazed...a real hero. My heart was in my mouth for most of his dice rolls towards the end, really good fun.

Another nice touch was the use of the 'Heirs of Caesar' rules. These give Legionaries the choice of various fighting styles which really give a sense of realism to the game and allows you to tailor your tactics to fit the different situations. The first option is called 'Parry and Guard'; this gives the legionaries +1 to their armour save. This allows for a unit to hunker down and hold out better for assistance to arrive. Then you have 'Independent Swordsmen'; this gives your legionaries a +1 to their weapon skill for when they take the fight to the enemy and fight aggressively (only one rank can fight). The last is 'Relief'; for three rounds of combat two ranks can fight at once, after three they go back to one rank. This gives the unit a chance to rain down blows on an enemy for a short time to overwhelm them if time is growing short and a breakthrough is needed. These simple little touches really improved the feel of the combat and lead to holding actions and aggressive all out assaults during the day.
It wouldn't be a war game if I didn't mention the dice rolls during the day. Both of us were stunned and couldn't believe some of the rolls that day, they will be set down in history. The luck of the Slaves from the Narona quarries will live on in legend. Time and time again they held against the tough Legionaries of Alanicus. Their Leadership was five and so when they lost a round of combat two dice were rolled. If the score was higher they would of broken and ran. They found themselves in this position three times during the fighting but the Gods were with me and each time they just managed to hold their ground and fight on. It was an amazing game! Our games are few and far between these days but what a game. When the Legionaries finally broke and ran, It was the stubborn Slaves who caught them and butchered them to a man.

I hope you have enjoyed following the battle as much as we did playing it and maybe you have even been inspired by it a little.
Events in the real world have played havoc with those in the Campaign, but I'm sure the clash of sword on shield will be heard again soon. Secundus for Emperor!

Tullus and the Senate

The news of the Secundian victory put a black cloud over Tullus and set a cat among the pigeons of the Senate. Tullus had won a close battle at Valentia a few months before and had hoped for a quick victory over the shattered Secundian army. Now the Secundian General Flaccus had brought home an over whelming victory at Narona, Tullus knew the Secundian cause was far from dead. The news of the battle in Dalmatia had even got some senators motioning for peace terms with Sucundus.

Tullus's idea for a quick war was vanishing before his eyes, when he had backed the Senate and marched to war, there had only been Secundus to worry about, now there was Alanicus also. Tullus started to grow tired of this contest of egos and the constant nagging of the Senate. He longed once more for the quite life and the fields of Spain. There were murmurs in the Senate.

Secundus hears the news from Dalmatia

Secundus was delighted at the news of Flaccus's success in Dalmatia.

Alanicus hears of his armies defeat at Narona

Alanicus was seeing to his newly arrived Syrian archers when one of his Sea Captains brought him news of the crushing defeat on the fields of Narona in Dalmatia. Alanicus didn't act in his usual hot headed way, instead he took the news very calmly. He listened intently to the reports of the battle and asked many questions before retiring to his private quarters for the rest of the day. His Commanders found this new calm Alanicus even more terrifying than the hot bloodied one. A deathly silence settled on the city of Alexandria. The mood was made worse when news of the defeat reached the Tullian army camped outside the walls, who raised a mighty cheer. Alanicus didn't sleep that night.

Pulex becomes Praefectus

Following the battle of Narona, General Flaccus decorates Centurion Pulex and other officers of the 1st Cohort with awards for valour and promotes Pulex to the rank of Prefect within the Legion. Now that Pulex had become an over night hero and was the talk of Rome, Flaccus thought it best If he was taken off the front line, knowing his death could be devastating for the morale of the army.

Pulex welcomed his new pay rise and office within the Legion; the way he saw it, he had used up all of his spare lives at Narona and didn't want to tempt the Gods any further.

Death by Decal

German War machine

As the German war machine rolls unstoppable across the top shelf of my cabinet I thought I'd better start on my British forces to slow them up. With my German Platoon done and in the bag, I have been basing up my Platoon of good old Tommys. Painting them in their ten man sections they should be quite quick to do. With Platoons being about thirty odd men, you can really go to town on single figures and their bases. It's the research aspect of war gaming and painting I enjoy the most and it's been great finally getting to grips with all the arm markings of the British forces.
The Panzer with a little more foliage on the turret and side. I later put a light wash on the glue, taking away the shine.

Rolling thunder!

My StuG III carries additional armour plating called Schurzen. It was designed to catch and detonate armour piercing shells before they could hit the main body of the tank.

My first ever Panzer

I've found there's a real gap in the market for 28mm Panzer IV's with Schurtzen plating. Mine must have been out in the field the day they were handing it out.

German Armour

This week I have finally got round to finishing off my German Platoon for 'Rules of Engagement'. The Platoon was finished before really but I couldn't help add another machine gun nest and some heavy support. Basing my collection around the events of D-Day 1944, I have covered my vehicles in foliage to help keep them from Allied eyes.

I had trouble finding a Panzer IV with the added side armour so have gone for the Panzer III, as soon as I find a more suitable model I will paint it up, I hear Bolt-action Miniatures are currently making one. I decided to hand paint the decals as I had trouble buying them on line, I will keep trying though as I have four half-tracks to paint!


The Panzer leads the way followed by the StuG III, the infantry mans' best friend.
This machine gun nest is equipped with the dreaded MG 42 or Hitler's saw, due to the noise it made.
A few twigs from the garden were gathered to make this nest.

Plastic Celts

Crude but effective when painted these cloaks should help to break up the unit.

I have finally finished my skirmishing band of Celts from Warlord Games. I found these figures great fun to put together and paint. To personalize them further I added a few cloaks to hide any sign of joining. I also wanted to have a go at painting some Celtic style tartan on them. I find by adding little extras like this to units, It makes me want to see them through to the end and not get side tracked in to something else, with so much to choose from on the painting table I have developed little ways to help me stay on target. Other painters out there will know where I'm coming from on this one.
I kept the cloaks big, flat and wide, so I could paint a nice checkered pattern on them without too much trouble and eye strain.
To give them the look of skirmishers I replaced their large shields with small round Skirmishing bucklers, a small touch but it helps them to look a little more nimble on their feet.

Syrian Archers

The Syrian army of Alanicus recruits hordes of local archers to help them push back the Spanish armies of Tullus. Alan wanted a very eastern look for these guys and I had to really shop around before I finally found it, they are from Essex Miniatures (Persian range).
To help give the unit a bit of character and add some variety to the multiple figures, I added some small bucklers here and there.

The Battle of Narona

The battle was over and pickings were great for the cohorts of the XV. They had thought they were marching to their deaths when ordered into Dalmatia, but they had emerged conquerors against all the odds.
For the German Warbands of the Marcomanni, they had never had it so good. The day would be remembered in song for years to come.

The Battle of Narona

With his entire Legionary force crumbling away to his right, Terentius ordered a general retreat. The Marines and Gallic Auxiliaries withdrew in good order across the river and headed back for Macedonia. A quick thinking Primus Pilius ordered the Eagle of the V to be given to a Decurion and sped back to Thrace, It was one of the only remnants of the Legion to return to the province. Terentius, lost in the confusion, ended up back at the fortified camp a few miles south of the battlefield. Once there he started to plan and scheme for the future, coming up with a plan of giving himself to Flaccus, knowing that Alanicus would never forgive his failure. Secundus would certainly welcome such a general as he into his ranks without a second thought, Terentius mused.
Secundus never got the chance. Terentius was found dead; murdered and buried under tents within the camp by his own 'Little Bodyguard'. However, Flaccus knew his fate would of been no better at the hands of Secundus.