The Roman Pond at Roll Call 2023
Gallic vs Numidians
Game 2 Gallic vs Patrician Roman
Sunday morning, after a trip down and then back up the most scenic sections of Britain's oldest motorway it was suddenly time for the 4th outing for the so far underwhelming massed Medium Foot Gallic forces.
Would today be a repeat of Saturday, or might the spirit of Asterix be infused into my troops through the power of a motorway services drive-through coffee in much the same was as hastily imbibed magic potions inspired Asterix (and Obelix) to repel the Romans in days of yore?
Well, it turned out that this mornings game would not in fact provide any opportunity to repel any Romans at all, as the Gauls would instead face another epic enemy (and sometime ally) of Rome, the Numidians
The Numidian kingdom was located in what is now modern-day Algeria and Tunisia in North Africa. The Numidians were renowned for their exceptional cavalry and played a significant role in various conflicts, particularly during the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage.The Numidians were a Berber people who had a long tradition of horsemanship and warfare. They excelled in guerrilla tactics and were known for their agility, speed, and expertise in mounted warfare. Their cavalry was considered among the finest in the ancient world.
Numidian cavalry was predominantly light cavalry, relying on the use of swift and agile horses. They were skilled riders who could quickly manoeuvre on the battlefield, allowing them to outflank and harass enemy forces. The Numidians were adept at hit-and-run tactics, launching lightning-fast attacks and then swiftly retreating before the enemy could mount a counteroffensive. Their mobility and speed gave them a distinct advantage over heavier infantry and cavalry units.
The lists for the Gallic and Numidians from this game, as well as all the other lists from the games at Roll Call can be seen here in the L'Art de la Guerre Wiki.
Suspecting the Numidians would be mostly mounted - and also secure in the knowledge that if they were not my Gallic tribesmen would be delighted to try and run over a mass of enemy javelinmen in any sort of terrain whatsoever - I sought to narrow the battlefield as much as possible, neutralizing the speed of the Numidian horsemen and curtailing their hopes of getting around my rather ponderous army's flanks
This approach had created a suitably one-dimensional terrain setup, with the battle taking place alongside a river which did indeed narrow the table significantly
Its banks were home to a marshy area (hoorah for properly logical terrain!) and some uneven ground, leading me to suspect with the benefit of hindsight that the Numidians had defended in their own lands thus denying the Gauls any opportunity to festoon the table with fields and plantations.
The end result was a game that looked well set to be a straight-up slugfest on the open part of the table, with wave after wave of vanilla Numidian cavalry (no Impact or anything clever) going toe to toe against my own fairly vanilla infantry and utterly vanilla horsemen
Non omnia possumus omnes! In the golden haze of the sun-drenched Sunday morning the battle unfolded at a blistering pace as the Gauls raced forward to try and pin the Numidian horsemen in place and deny them room to start dancing around.
This was set to be an exquisite dance of valour and fury, in which the the warring forces of the Numidian army, steeped in the rich tapestry of Punic Wars, would clash head on with the Gallic horde and then roll a lot of dice.
The Numidian horsemen, a harmonious blend of strength and grace, surged forth like desert winds, their steeds adorned with intricate braids and woven trappings reminiscent of the vibrant markets of Carthage.
Swift as the desert gazelle, they closed rapidly on the Gauls, unleashing a volley of javelins which the Gallic skirmishers were immediately hard pressed to deflect from their main combat troops following close behind. The horsemen reared up and redoubled their efforts, their mere presence evoking both awe and fear in the waiting serried ranks of Gauls.
L'Art de la Guerre hint - As you can see, I have finally started to get my sh+t together by this 4th game of the weekend, and have managed to set the main body of Gallic infantry up in two successive ranks with the idea of having "reserves" to plug any gaps that might appear in the front line once combat starts. This utilizes the greater command and control capability of the Strategist general to hopefully good effect
The Gallic warriors, fierce and unyielding, were also more numerous than their Numidian foes and this allowed the usually-ambushing little infantry command to be placed on the riverside flank of the army and then advance almost unopposed through the uneven brushland to harass the delaying screen of Numidian horsemen left to block their egress.
Magnum opus! These men saw a chance to be the magic ingredient in the potion of battle today, outflanking the entire enemy army and perhaps even threatening their camp
Fired up they advanced with a speed akin to that of the untamed wolves of Gaul, their weapons brandished with a fiery determination as they raced ahead of the rest of their pack keen to liberate the North African culinary goodies they hoped to find in the Numidian camp (not that Cous Cous is all that exciting really, but maybe if you live in post-Roman Gaul there isn't much in the way of foreign food that isn't pizza and spaghetti?).
Amidst the incipient chaos, moments of calm exchanged places with violent combat as both sides were initially reluctant to make the first move with the Numidians preferring to hurl javelins to soften up the Gauls, and the Gallic troops in return were all aware that their best best would be to receive the Numidians charge at the halt rather than initiate combat themselves.
L'Art de la Guerre hint - Infantry with the Impact ability count it as a +1 if they receive a (non-Impact) mounted charge at the halt, but do not get any bonus if they initiate the charge themselves.
Desperate to disrupt the coherent line of mounted javelineeers, the Gauls decided that now was the time to do something wild and seek to turn the battle into an epicurean feast for the military-inclined gourmands senses by pushing troops past the end of the Numidian line and offering them a chance to break their formation to take advantage of it!
In terms of equipment, Numidian cavalry typically carried light weapons such as javelins, short swords, and shields. They were skilled javelin throwers, capable of inflicting damage on the enemy from a distance before engaging in close combat. Their proficiency with these weapons allowed them to disrupt enemy formations and create chaos on the battlefield.
The Numidians also had a tradition of using infantry units, although they were not as renowned as their cavalry. Numidian infantry consisted of lightly armed skirmishers who relied on mobility and agility rather than heavy armour and weapons. They were skilled archers and slingers, capable of raining down projectiles on the enemy from a distance.
But these supposedly sacrificial Gauls were in fact possessed a charisma and energy that rivalled the sun's radiance!
Clad in naught but striped trousers and an occasional organic linen peasant style smock top, these warriors of Gaul hurled a mighty 6 which echoed across the battlefield, stirring the spirits of the entire army to rise like the soaring Pyrenean Mountains!
They were a whirlwind of steel, and as the Numidians responded with their own roll of 1 it seemed as if the Gauls fighting skills had been imbued with the agility of a nimble hare eluding its pursuers.
Numidian Cavalry
Ave atque vale ! The Numidian javelin-armed cavalry in the centre of the line sent forth volleys of missiles that arced through the heavens, as if weaving a tapestry of destiny in the shimmering light of the sun. Their aim, honed through countless hours of practice, was true, striking down Gauls with the precision of a masterful chef carving delectable morsels from a sumptuous lamb or even roast camel-based North African feast.
But, the true main course of battle was now being tucked into with some relish (other sauces are available) on both flanks as the Gallic cavalry wing charged home and was joined on the opposite flank by an ever-rising tide of Gaulish infantry adding their considerable weight to the whirlpool of warfare that the seemingly rash flank move (and the subsequent 6-1 heroics) had drawn the Numidians into.
Even so after all these heroics the Numidians were still a formidable foe. More and more troops from both sides were drawn into the developing maelstrom as the Gallic warriors, their hearts ablaze with a stubborn spirit, stood resolute in the face of Numidians fabled horsemen.
With shields held high, adorned with symbols of ancient power, the Gauls formed an impenetrable wall, reminiscent of the sturdy ramparts of Carthage itself, to hold the enemy cavalry at bay even as more Gallic tribesmen also emerged from the terrain to join in the fisticuffs in a development that threatened to almost prove that this mad idea of having loads and load of rubbish troops could possibly be viable!
Finally, a breakthrough! The Gallic swordsmen, their souls and their weapons forged with the resilience of hardened iron, smashed against the Numidian spears like the rapturous clash of cymbals during a jubilant celebration and then broke through!
The Numidians were undone! All of their reserves in this part of the table had already been committed, leaving a tempting, gaping flank open for the battle-hungry Gallic tide to wash over in a sweeping attack!
As the scent of gently baking pasties and chips started to waft over the theatre of conflict, the gently crisping pastry casting a golden glow upon the battlefield, the clash of cultures and the symphony of battle reached its crescendo.
It was a dance of civilizations, where the vibrant colours of North African markets melded with the untamed spirit of the Gauls horsemen and fierce yet resilient infantry on the other wing.
The outcome here still remained uncertain, the fate of victory and defeat on this flank hanging in the balance like a merchant's scales laden with the treasures of distant lands.
Victrix Numidians Reviewed
In that fateful moment one could almost taste the victory, fragrant and ripe like the succulent fruits of Numidia's near-mythical orchards.
The battle raged on as the Gauls poured ever more warriors into the gaping hole on the Numidian left flank, their position an ode to the strength and courage of the warriors who had dug deep to engineer the opportunity.
The echoes of clashing blades and war cries reverberated through the rather noisy school hall, forever immortalizing this epic clash between the Numidian army of the Punic Wars era and the mighty Gallic tribes in tha annals of the Hertfordshire County Council educational establishment's 2023 military adventure yearbook.
Amidst the swirling mists of destiny a symphony of steel and valour erupted upon the verdant plains of the Rafa-bought battle mat as the Numidian warriors, their spirits afire, started to realise that the game was if not yet up, certainly headed in a non-horizontal direction which would not result in it making landfall anytime soon.
Gallic warriors were now roaming almost at will on the Numidian left, and the desert horse pastoralists had no choice but to try and force their way through the Gaulish centre before their wings collapsed like a deck of Magrebhi tarot cards
One of the most famous Numidian leaders was King Jugurtha, who led the Numidian forces against Rome in the Jugurthine War (112-105 BC). Jugurtha's tactical brilliance and the prowess of his cavalry posed a significant challenge to the Roman army, and it took several years for Rome to eventually overcome the Numidians.
In ADLG terms the Numidian army's strength lies in the countless numbers of relatively cheap Medium cavalry it can field, sometimes but not always reinforced by a solid if slightly stodgy heavy Infantry centre of Jurgurtine imitation legionaries.
Taking an almost all cavalry option will often catch an enemy unawares, and allows the army to take full advantage of sweeping the table clear of terrain - which an opponent expecting lots of Javelin armed infantry will often unwittingly cooperate with too. Medium cavalry in great numbers, with a sprinkling of Elites, is not all that great in absolute terms, but in period a massed Elite Medium horseman force will outnumber and outmatch almost any historical opponents mounted wings
Nunc dimittis! The other flank of the battlefield had by now become a cauldron of flavours, as the Numidian cavalry, mounted upon steeds that turned and twisted with the grace of wild desert falcons, continued to stand toe to toe with the Gauls, the intensity of their combat lingering on the tongue like a long-savoured bite of pomegranate, bursting forth with an explosion of crimson vitality.
Yet the Gauls still found a way to counter the Numidians fierceness, matching their fruit based savoury attacks with the audacity of a daring French chef prepared fusion dish.
The Gallic Soldurii Heavy Infantry had formed an impenetrable barrier on which the Numidian attack had faltered, their swords swinging in harmonious rhythm, slicing through the air like the rhythmic beating of a Darbuka drum (No. me neither, sorry!).
The aroma of freshly roasted spices danced through the air, conjuring visions of bustling bazaars and market stalls brimming with tantalizing treasures from the farthest reaches of the desert, when in fact it was merely the scent of too much freshly cut MDF being dragged across a tablecloth as the Numidian soldiery were removed from play in great handfuls.
The scent mingled with the sweat of Gallic exertion and slowly heated mushy peas from the nearby kitchen, an intoxicating blend that awakened primal instincts in both friend and foe alike.
The clash of cultures resonated like a harmonious blend of diverse spices as the Numidians sought to extricate themselves from trouble with the precision of a skilled chef, weaving their way back through the tumultuous battlefield, all the while nimbly evading the sweeping strikes of the Gallic warriors.
With all of the subtlety of a 2kg jar of max-strength Ras el Hanout the Gallic warriors charged forward every time, ignoring delicate sprinkle of exotic flavours in the Numidians equine dancing, and eventually, as the table ran out, finding their targets with the precision of a hand reaching for a succulent date, then simply crushing it.
The battle had ebbed and flowed like a desert breeze, with neither side initially yielding an inch, Numidian agility intertwined with Gallic tenacity, each clash a delicate ballet of strength and grace, as the aroma of distant spices infused the air.
Caveat emptor! But now, as the end game approached, the clash of steel had decided the outcome as the Numidian army fell apart under the hammer blows of the Gallic swordsmen overwhelming both their flanks and cracking their army like a Moroccan tagine struck by a falling pyramid capstone.
The Numidian army collapsed, the mingling scents of their saffron and mint unguents permeating the very fabric of the battleground as their small lead soldier blood seeped gently into the dust beneath their feet and bore witness to the epic nature of their unsuccessful struggle
The Result is a win for the Gauls!
Click here for the report of the next game in this competition, or read on for the post match summaries from the Generals involved, as well as another episode of legendary expert analysis from Hannibal
The Gallic Commander explains the result to his friend Obelix
Asterix: "Obelix, my friend, we have emerged triumphant from our battle against the Numidians! Our Gaulish warriors displayed remarkable resilience, and we were able to withstand the relentless attacks of the Numidian horsemen."
Obelix: "That's fantastic news, Asterix! But how did we manage to hold firm against their fast and agile cavalry?"
Asterix: "Well, Obelix, the Numidians are renowned for their skilled horsemanship and swift manoeuvres. However, our Gaulish infantry and cavalry proved to be a formidable force as well. We stood our ground, weathering their attacks with unwavering determination."
Obelix: "But Asterix, their horses are so much faster than ours! How did we manage to win?"
Asterix: "You're right, Obelix. The Numidians had the advantage of speed, but we countered it with our discipline and endurance. Our infantry formed sturdy defensive lines, creating a wall that the Numidian horsemen found difficult to break through."
Obelix: "So, we didn't charge at them like we usually do?"
Asterix: "Not initially, Obelix. Instead, we focused on holding our ground, wearing down the Numidians through a battle of attrition. Our cavalry played a crucial role, launching calculated counter-attacks and engaging in hit-and-run tactics, targeting their flanks and rear."
Obelix: "Ah, I see! So, we turned their speed against them by forcing them into prolonged engagements!"
Asterix: "Exactly, Obelix! The Numidians excelled at swift strikes, but we forced them into extended battles. They exhausted themselves and their mounts, while our Gaulish warriors remained resolute, exploiting any opportunity that arose."
Obelix: "That's amazing, Asterix! Our endurance and strategic thinking won us the battle!"
Asterix: "Indeed, Obelix! Our ability to adapt and capitalize on our strengths is what sets us apart. We held our ground, weathered their assaults, and gradually turned the tide in our favor."
Obelix: "I'm proud of our Gaulish warriors, Asterix! We're unstoppable!"
Asterix: "And I'm proud to have you fighting alongside me, Obelix! Our friendship and unity have always been our greatest assets. Together, we shall continue to face any challenge and emerge victorious."
Obelix: "Onward to new conquests, Asterix! The Gauls are an indomitable force!"
Asterix: "Indeed, Obelix! The Gauls shall rise triumphantly, showing the world the strength of our Gaulish spirit!"
Hannibal's Post Match Analysis
This may have been a victory, but one which was achieved by simply standing firm in a line and forcing the enemy to attack you due to the judicious fall of terrain. There was no skill, no ideas - thou art a mere footman in the grand tapestry of thought, easily trampled upon while I am a juggler of words and metaphors, a French street performer of analysis, who thou watchest simply in awe!
You think this is a great result that vindicates your army? It does naught but prove that thy ignorance is a shield that crumbles at the first strike of knowledge!
Thou art a spineless deserter of truth, fleeing at the first sight of opposition when you try to stand tall and claim victory.
But, I see through you - thy feeble intellect is no match for the artillery of my superior knowledge, and that knowledge tells me you will return to disaster for sure in the next game
Click here for the report of the next game in this competition
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Game 2 Gallic vs Patrician Roman
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