The following battle was played on a six by four-foot table using the Triumph rule system. It should be noted that the two armies that appear here are comprised of 15mm miniatures mounted on the basing system recommended for 25/28mm figures. A normal 15mm game of Triumph would require a much smaller table and way fewer miniatures.
The field of battle
The terrain setup for this system uses a set of cards. Each card details the location a piece of terrain can occupy on the tabletop. The army that wins the manoeuvre roll may be able to adjust the required amount of terrain before placing it within the card’s guidelines. In this game, the Romans selected four elements of terrain. These were a wood, town, river and field. The road and odd tree were added as personal eye candy and have no bearing on gameplay.
As the defender, the Carthaginians must start the deployment phase by placing half of their army in the centre section of their table edge. Troops classed as battle-line must be placed on the table before lighter elements of the army can be deployed. The Romans then deploy their full force before the Carthaginians complete the deployment of their remaining troops.
For this battle, the Romans decided to place two units of rabble on the left hoping to take and hold the town. In the centre, a mix of elite and heavy infantry elements make up the main battle line. Two elements of skirmishers were placed in front of the heavy infantry opposite the enemy elephants. While the Jav Cav general and a single stand of elite foot constitute the army reserve.
Opening Moves
Worried about the Roman skirmish line moving toward their elephants the Carthaginian’s decide to extend their left flank. Two elements of Spanish light infantry (Raiders) break off from the main battle line and move quickly to outflank the weaker Italian light infantry stationed on the Roman right. A third unit of light-foot is quickly marched from the opposite flank to join the raiders while the general pushes forward to cover the space between the elephants and raiders.
The Italian light infantry shadow the Spanish manoeuvre while an element of elite Triarii is rushed up from the reserve to plug the ever-growing gap on the Roman right flank.
The Roman flank begins to buckle
Some strong pip rolls help the Carthaginians outmanoeuvre the Roman light troops. They continue to draw them away from the support of their slow-moving heavy infantry. In order to complicate Roman efforts to engage their centre the Carthaginians wheel their main formation. This places it on a slight angle to the Roman line of attack. On the far right, a single element of Caetrati moves into the village.
With their right flank now in trouble, the Romans resolve to win the battle in the centre and push forward with all speed.
Things start to fall apart
With the Roman flank now compromised all hopes of a Roman victory rest in the centre. If their elite troops could just cut a hole in the enemy line all would not be lost.
The Roman rabble are sent forward to deal with the Spanish in the village while the remaining troops on the opposite flank reform into a new line of battle.
In the centre, the skirmishers move up to engage the main Carthaginian line. Here they hope to kill the enemy elephants, or at the very least draw them out of formation.
Game over
Oh dear, it just fell apart for the Romans so quickly. A bad combat roll for the unit facing the Celtic warriors saw it quick killed and removed from the game. The fight in the centre seemed pretty even right up until a second Roman unit was doubled and destroyed by some Carthaginian heavy infantry.
This was a disaster for the Romans. With no troops left to plug the gap, the Carthaginian infantry poured through the Roman lines. Lapping around the last remaining Roman elements and ending the game.
Another great game. I must say the more I play these rules the more I like them. Fast and simple but, still much more of a thinking man’s game as opposed to the standard bucket full of dice type malarkey. Time to start re-basing some of my 28mm armies I feel.
