I'm relatively new to "To The Strongest" (TtS) and up to now I've been playing with various substitute figures while I get the feel for the rules and various armies. After a lot of painting and basing I've build up both early Imperial Romans and Ancient British armies. (I've also created Sarmatian army for a future Dacian/Sarmatian wars with Rome project.)
I decided to start off as I mean to go on and dive straight into a linked battle style campaign as opposed to one off encounter battles. Rather than a complicated system of off table map manoeuvres and supply management, the campaign is a series of linked battles intended so that each can be played with any number of points/players. There is in a minor bonus to the loosing side to give them a boost in the next battle.
The campaign rules can be downloaded here.
The first Battle
Coordinating a number of players proved a challenge due to holidays etc, so I decided to kick off the campaign with a 1:1 battle with my friend John. The battle was fought on his large 12' by 4' table, so with 10cm boxes the battlefield was 24 boxes wide. No secure flanks! Just how it should be.
The forces on each side were 4 commands with a total of 170pts each.
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The scenario called for an ambush by the British which means each Roman unit had to test to see if it was disordered. Almost the whole roman command turned out to be disordered.
The British advanced but the cowardly Trinovanties warriors held back fearful of the Romans.
Despite being disordered the Romans advanced planning to deal with the Iceni warriors before the Trinovanties found their nerve, intending to address their order as they advanced.
The Trinovanties light chariots were maned by braver warriors than their foot and charged recklessly across the battle field, flanking and enveloping the Roman right wing. I was amazed to see 4 light chariots destroy 3 roman units for the lose of just 2 chariot units.
The Roman left followed the battle plan and broke the Iceni Cavalry and the slingers, driving them back and killing three out of four.
The centre was where the battle was going to be won or lost.
The Roman veterans destroyed the Iceni warriors. However the overall battle was close. The Romans had 2 VP left and the British 3 VP. The Romans had a three cohorts try to destroy one double disordered warrior warbands but failed every time.
The Trinovanties shamed by the fearlessness of their light chariots charged across the battle field and slammed into the Romans with little to no effect.
The victory looked to be Roman but then one of the light chariot units slipped around the woods and into the flank of a disordered veteran legion and rode Rome's finest into the ground.
VICTORY for the British!!! 17 VP taken to 14 VP lost
After Action Report by Tulius Octopus, Roman Commander
We was robbed...I was distracted trying to buy tickets for the circus and allowed myself to get over confident. Those British Light chariots and cavalry were far more dangerous than I expected. A more compact formation with stronger flanks would have been a better formation.
The Ninth legion are on their way north and will crush the British in the next battle!.
The Game
It was a fun battle. I was commander of the defeated legions and my friend John the victorious British. It was a very close battle with both of us just needing to destroy one unit to gain victory. It was the first time we remembered to check for Generals as casualties and the loss of the Roman commanded on the right wing was a blow. I made a mistake in the rules telling John that Light troops could not charge the front of formed heavy troops but allowing him to charge the front of disordered heavy troops. To be honest I don't think it would have changed the result of the battle. His light troops were running rings around my flanks.
The Warriors did seem weak compared to the Roman legionaries but we have a few more battles to test this theory.
The next battle is the encirclement of the IX legion and the Romans will have 3 extra heroes.
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