ADLG Batrep: Too Late for the Romans

I think it's fair to say Ben and I quite like ADLG (The Art of War). While my Sarmatian/Alan reinforcements were (and are) still on their way, after manning the wall in Brittania, I opted to still try something different for my rematch. In the version of the story where the Roman Empire didn't fall in the 15th century (if it's Eastern, it doesn't really count?) my list is the latest of the Roman lists: Patrician Roman. I've always kind of liked the idea and my original FOG force was sort of designed to be Foederati Roman, before it became clear how efficient it was to be armoured. Anyway, I logically benched my successful force for a force containing some impetuous foot and an all impetuous cavalry wing. What could go wrong? 

The year of our lord 445 AD Gallencia Narbonesis: Patrician, the years wear on and our enemies multiply. MeNwhile, the turn of each season, the places once filled by our Legionaries are now filled by boorish and ill disciplined barbarians. And it's cold. Damned unseasonable spring snows blanket the newly ploughed fields. Bah, the barbarians, who know if they may be Vandal, Visigoth, or Anachronism, shall be swiftly defeated by the might of Rome. Then we can return swiftly to our warm campfires and drink to past glories. 

We've disposed our forces correctly. The Roman Auxilia hold the left, the unreliable Foederati foot is in the centre where they must fight, and the brash Foederati Cavalry will swamp the enemy to the right. Our Equites Sagitarii will disorder them with arrowfire and our pet barbarians will crash through. 

Jupiters Balls! (I hope the Bishop didn't hear that) The fools have been baited forward by the enemy Cavalry! Their feigned withdrawal has led our heavy horse onto the end of the enemy foot line and broken our solid cavalry wing into two. This could be bad unless our Foederati break their foot on the charge...

Alas, it was them who were broken. And so quickly. It is now down to our Auxilia to turn the battle from the left while our horse hold to the right. Idiots or no, they are skilled and well equipped horsemen and should be able to hold out vs the lighter Gallic horse. Curses, why was I sent so few trustworthy Romans for this fight? Now the Foederati foot in the centre are breaking!

The sight of what occurred next emotionally scarred me on a number of levels. 

We were slowly cutting our way through on the left but meanwhile this feckless mercenary Foederati were breaking and running. In fact, in their flight the brutes trapped our secret weapon, the elite light javelins! The day is lost! Retreat!

-------------

Well that went badly. In my defence, I hadn't realised my Cavalry would have been forced to charge from quite so far so chalk that up to experience? Sadly I wasn't to be rescued by my dice, which I had hoped would somehow produce wins whenever we got into melee. I think my dice must love kicking whatever player was down. I do think the Foederati may be worth revisiting but are probably just that one step too far from being Roman. After all I basically only know how to play one type of army. Still it was fun and the fact that things 'happen', rather than instead being long processes, kept it engaging. 

Thanks for reading.