Iberian Fever, part 1: Ancient Front indie wargame AAR - pics, videos and blood on the battlefield
So. A fine-looking little game was posted on the sub earlier this week, treating of ancient warfare with a brisk yet efficient combat system. I gave it a go, and after a couple of battles, I resolved to record one session and forge it into an AAR. Also, note that it apparently offers TCP/IP multiplayer already, so don't worry about the AI, although it's pretty competent as it is IMHO!
Until now, lady luck has consistently blessed me with interesting battles and desperate situations. To some extent, its turn-based nature makes it far harder to game the AI, something you might manage more easily in a title like Strategos, which I recommend heartily and which remains in a league of its own. It is closer to what you would find in Field of Glory, although the clean 2D perspective lets you fight through battles far more swiftly, a welcome alternative to the sometimes more visually cumbersome 3D affairs of its honorable cousins. In terms of computer gaming, it also reminds me of the adaptations of the GMT GBOA or GBOC systems, but with a much cleaner look. Ah, these were the days...!
But enough of context. I opted for an automatic random encounter, and was granted our dear pre-Marian Romans, set against a Hispanic army. From the get-go, you may customize your starting force through a handy interface, though I rarely do so. I prefer to trust in fate and deal with the circumstances as they come, and that is precisely what occurred.
In this case, the enemy enjoyed a clear advantage in cavalry, fielding two units of light contact cavalry and one of missile, to say nothing of the two commanders who brought their own bodyguards. I had but one unit of what appeared to be light auxiliary horse, my general and his equites notwithstanding.
I resolved to make good use of the terrain. As you can see here, the battlefield generated a small, rough patch on the left, precisely on the wing where the enemy horse was concentrated. It struck me that, if I moved with sufficient speed, I could use it as a pivot to split the enemy line and focus upon his own right flank.
Knowing this, I concentrated my skirmishers and light infantry upon my left wing, for these troops could, if need be, traverse rough ground and still retain combat power and cohesion. Cohesion, marked by the little patch of color in the top right corner of the unit counter, tells you how much you may demand of a unit before it shatters, and obviously applies bonuses and penalties during combat, especially to cavalry and medium and heavy infantry. I expected the terrain to grant me a slight edge, allowing our velites, bowmen, and slingers to dance around whatever the enemy might throw at us.
In the center and on the right flank, the plan was to advance diagonally, so as to anchor the center's left upon the rocky ground, while teasing and then refusing the right flank for as long as possible. Hispanic infantry is a tough beast, and you do not wish to engage them unless you are certain you have options remaining when it comes to maneuvering around them.
The first three turns were spent setting up my army's movement. Soon enough, the enemy began to react. Clearly he would seek to contest my skirmishers while advancing his line of heavy infantry. The presence of two commanders meant that none of his forces lay beyond their reach, which grants important random bonuses to morale and cohesion. On my end, my single commander would have to be cunning enough to always be where he was most needed.
https://reddit.com/link/1vn1m0h/video/90b4z44wn2jh1/player
The plan began to work somewhat as... planned. On turn 4, the Celtiberian forces poured through the gap, taking losses from missiles on the way in, and began pressing our light troops. This was expected, though their speed left us little time to organize our defense as thoroughly as we would have liked. Our left wing was effectively split in two by the enemy horse, accompanied by a force of Scutarii. Some of our pushed-back troops fled north, taking advantage of the ability of light missile infantry to ignore orientation rules. In the rear, we began to organize a first line of defense, with units of Socii and Hastati tasked with neutralizing the enemy cavalry at the most opportune moment.
https://reddit.com/link/1vn1m0h/video/f1s9rm97o2jh1/player
The enemy proved remarkably aggressive, and sent one of his cavalry units chasing down our velites, even over rough terrain. The news was not good for them: in doing so, the force lost much cohesion, and upon emerging from the rough ground it slammed, disordered and spent, against a last line of velites who held their ground, putting them literally between a rock and hard bronze.
https://reddit.com/link/1vn1m0h/video/axllwk7uo2jh1/player
In the center and on the right, contact remained at least another turn away, as we executed a pivot, beginning to orient the battle line to face the northeast while refusing our right flank before turning it back to face the adversary. All the while, a single unit of Principes broke ranks to chase away the lone enemy missile cavalry unit that was harassing us far ahead of the main body.
The situation still seemed under control. The enemy had fragmented into three main elements, all within command range. Our left wing was engaged with their right in what seemed a somewhat balanced fight. Their center, with a mix of cavalry, medium, and light infantry, was approaching the combined might of our own center and right wing. Their left wing, composed of Scutarii and Celtiberian mercenaries, was rushing to contact, but too far distant to play a role for another couple of turns.
We sought the decisive blow on our left first. The Hastati and Socii, brought up in support, charged the cavalry unit that had been disordered by the terrain and the velites, forcing it to retire. With that cleanup, we were able to rally more skirmishers, creating a veritable killbox between the two patches of rock, with our general commanding from the very front.
At the center, Principes charged the first enemy line, made of skirmishers, to force the same result. Infantry was finally about to meet infantry, as the missile troops ran for cover behind their line of Scutarii. Turn 5 would prove more decisive.
The enemy decided to use his infantry at the center to charge ours. The gods favored us in this first shock, for the enemy Scutarii impaled themselves upon our Principes, who valiantly held their line. The first enemy unit lost 90 men in the first clash, forced to enter melee against two units at once. The second, facing only one unit of Principes, lost 60. The Romans, for their part, suffered only minimal casualties, having stopped the first assault cold with their pila and their shields.
https://reddit.com/link/1vn1m0h/video/05welagvq2jh1/player
On our left, the undisturbed enemy cavalry charged our own horse, along with a group of velites, in open terrain, inflicting heavy casualties upon the light foot. The cavalry unit, after the initial shock, was then targeted by several missile units, forcing it to retire on its own terms, but with visible loss of cohesion. The velites followed suit, in a far more disorderly fashion. The enemy horse was barely scratched, successfully widening the breach in our ranks. Worse, our general was now far to the north with a couple of units of slingers, unable to command at all and vulnerable to a move specifically targeting his escort. But help was on the way.
https://reddit.com/link/1vn1m0h/video/0ua0o987s2jh1/player
The Socii and Hastati stationed on the left flank went for the throat, attacking the enemy resolutely to open a path to their general. Though first contact was deadly for the Socii, it opened a gap where another unit of medium infantry faced the enemy's previously disordered unit, along with the neighboring archers. Even these fell back, but velites were hot on their trail and prevented them from slipping away, inflicting heavy losses. Suddenly, the enemy right wing had a brittle center of two badly disrupted (red) units. It was our turn to seize the chaos. Our own cavalry, having recovered from its first clash, slammed into the flank of the previously engaged Scutarii, now assaulted from three directions. All the while, our general exploited this new situation to rush south, and with a double activation slipped between the ranks to close on the center. Friendly skirmishers quickly closed the space in his wake, ensuring that any attempt to catch him would be met with cold iron.... For he was very much needed elsewhere, as events were about to demonstrate.
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Well, Reddit has some media posting limitations, so I guess it's a good moment to pause before things become really hot for our guys. Next episode next week, if you're still interested that is!
Cheers