Somwhere in 1st Century Germany

To the Strongest by Simon Miller

130 pt game between the Romans [Marian Roman list] and Early Germans [German list].

It dawned on me, that so many other rules systems spend countless pages, using tons of charts, diagrams and examples to explain their movement rules. And, those other systems end up looking very similar on the board to so many other games using different rules.  To the Strongest has about a page of explanations for movement, and it is so easy to grasp and avoids all the fiddly stuff that is found in so many other rules.  The funny thing is, a heavy infantry unit in TtS can move 1 box typically, which is 100mm, or roughly 2 1/2 base widths, which is fairly standard for so many other rules.  Cavalry can move 2 boxes, or 200mm or 5 base widths. [For 15mm figures-for 25-28mm figures, I use a grid mat sold by Simon, and the boxes are 150mm or 6".  But the factors work out the same in that scale] Again, pretty standard distances with the other more complicated systems.  Notice, I said complicated.  That does not necessarily mean complex.   I realize, many gamers love that part and they can move their units around the board in various gyrations.  But, in the end,  it is a matter of positioning and attacking.  These are easy rules to get into, and gives a fun game with lots of figures in a fairly short period of time.

In my stage of life, it's more about easy and comfortable.😀

This is a solo game in 15mm played on a 12x8 100mm grid boxed mat [sold by The Big Red Bat Cave-Simon Miller.  Basically a table that is 48"x32".]

OOB's

The terrain was placed according to the rules, and the Germans ended up being the attacker in this game. There was a lot more terrain to begin with, but after ALL the terrain is placed, then you find out what stays, and what is moved.  This is what the game table looked like after the removal of terrain.

Small gentle hills in the center, with a forest and marsh on the German left flank, the Romans had 2 fields on their left flank, and a 2 box gentle hill in the middle.

Roman Right Flank with camp

Roman Center with fortified camp [Victory medals and extra ammunition by the camp]

Roman Left Flank and camp

German left flank and camp.

German Center

German Right Flank

Roman right early action.  Tried to move the cohort again, but rolled an 'Ace' which basically ends all orders for that command.

Plan of attack for both sides.  The Romans were able to gain the flank of Germans [easy activation s compared to doubly difficult ones.]

Opening moves

End of Turn 1.  Phil Barker would be proud!

Roman legionaries attack [diagonally] a German warband.  Pila is thrown, gladius drawn and they cause 2 hits on the warband.  [1 is saved, but warband is still going to have a hard time surviving this]

End of Turn 2

Roman right flank action.  Numidians tried to skirmish forward but rolled an Ace, so all orders stopped for this command.  

German skirmishers try to provoke the cohorts on the hill in the center.

Turn 3 action

A disordered but still effective German warband takes out a Roman allied heavy cavalry unit.

German cavalry catch a Numidian Lt Cav trying to evade, and destroy it.

German left flank warband routed [unit removed after this picture]

German right flank action

Spanish cavalry rout their German adversaries.

Marauding German cavalry sack the Roman left flank commands camp. [3 victory medals surrendered]

Romans charge the flank of a warband, but miss on both attacks.

Gladiators eliminated in the field.  Roman left flank is open.

End of Turn 5

Germans charge off the hill to force the action at this point, since their left flank is being crushed.  The veteran German warband [Save 6+] is disordered, and the Roman cohort survives intact. Had the Germans waited for the Romans to attack uphill, the German save modifier would have been 5+.

Romans catch a German skirmishing unit trying to evade.

Fierce battle in the fields.  Both Roman cohort and German warband trade blows.

German left flank in trouble and Roman right in trouble.

Spanish finally rout a German cavalry unit.  Both are destroyed with a second disorder, and both were battling with 1 disorder.  Both save on 7+.

End game.  German left flank routed, the Romans are bloodied but hang on for a victory. This was a fun game, and went about 7 turns. lasting around 2-2.5 hours.  Rarely had to glance at the QRS, and never opened the rule book.  

Since this was my first AAR and entry into my blog, I will learn to take pictures a bit more sequentially, so it will be a bit easier to follow the action.

German figures are by Forged in Battle. Camps by Baueda, Romans are Forged in Battle and Corvus Belli.