Gallic War Campaign

Hugo (Romans) and I (Gauls) have decided to play all of the Gallic War battles as a sequential campaign in historical order, and updating our progress on the website in the forum.

We've organized all the battles we could find, modified some, and even created a new one to try out We have them all on a spreadsheet (linked below), and have saved the logfiles for anyone who is interested.

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10sS9G-ia...M4KE_C5hQ/edit#gid=0

We have been able to meet up around noon (EST) on most days, despite being on different sides of the Atlantic, and are moving pretty quickly through them. We will try to update the battles and post the logfiles as we play them out. I think I can speak for Hugo when I say we have enjoyed the competition and immersing ourselves in the conflict!

Arar River

www.commandsandcolors.net/ancients/maps/...rar-river-58-bc.html

A tricky task for the Gauls, with one leader and four cards. The rules state two VPs can be gained for exiting the board, but since we both assumed that was on the Roman side of the board, this was improbable for sure! Without the river limiting the Gallic options, this one might be a bit closer based on the forces involved. However, the cards on this day did not allow for much movement on the Gallic side, before Caesar seized the initiative.

Therefore, the game was decided in the center, and Julius Caesar made sure that this one would not last long. Crushing any unit that dared venture against the Roman lines, this game was very quick, though entertaining, as the Romans quickly jumped out to a 6-0 lead (I would guess this doesn't happen all that often in the CCA world, kudos to Hugo), and the Gallic leadership was content to claim a "moral" victory by eliminating two units before ultimately falling in the early actions of a Darken the Sky.

Fun game, imbalanced scenario, crushing Roman victory.

7-2 Romans.

Bibracte

www.commandsandcolors.net/ancients/maps/...-bibracte-58-bc.html

Disheartening loss for the Gauls. Again, perhaps a few rolls from respectability, but due to the cunning of Caesar, who wisely refused to move off of the hills to engage the rowdy barbarians in the open field. Though I quietly cursed him at the time, it definitely makes sense now that I think about it...he had the advantages of higher ground, better ranged units, and more cards.

The Gallic high command decided to foolishly press the issue on the Roman right, but the Roman counter attacks were just enough to keep the barbarians at bay and off balance, so the Clash of Shields wasn't as effective as it could have been. A salty Aux unit managed to gain the hills behind the Roman right, but could not make it count in the end, as the Romans were again one step ahead of the Gauls.

7-4 Roman win.

Plain of Alsace

www.commandsandcolors.net/ancients/maps/...of-alsace-58-bc.html

The Gauls were feeling pretty vulnerable after two drubbings, especially at Bibracte when it seemed they might stand a chance, so they decided to call upon their Germanic barbarian "kin" to help turn the tide. Sadly, not even Teutonic furor could defeat the Romans on this day.

After both sides quickly maneuvered to close ranks and do battle, the Gauls were able to score an early 3-1 advantage with some fortunate rolls and pierce the Roman left, as Caesar led the advance on the right. The Romans closed ranks again on their left, and unleashed Caesar to make mayhem on the Gallic flank, which he did with murderous efficiency. A desperate charge by the Gauls evened the score at 4-4, but the counterattack by Caesar was too much, and secured a Roman victory. The Roman high command was once again a step ahead all game.

7-4 Romans, a back and forth battle, ultimately decided on the Roman right.

I'd like two things in these reports
1. A link to the scenario
2. A special campaign rule that if Caesar is killed, the Gauls win

Axona (revised)

Both myself and Hugo were excited to test this one out, as we had decided to modify the original scenario somewhat to give it the typical layout with sections.

Historically, this battle was fought and won on the far side of the river, as Caesar hastily marshaled his light troops and auxiliaries and secured the river's ford before the Gauls could establish a strong position. The remainder of the two armies were hesitant to cross the swampy marsh that separated the two armies, and the Gallic threat was neutralized. According to Wikipedia, "The crux of the battle lay in the small marsh that was situated between the two armies, and both forces anxiously anticipated the other's crossing of this obstacle,"

This battle played out similarly, but with ahistorical results, as the Gauls were able to grind down the Roman units sent across the river, while the Romans struggled to respond due to the lack of useful cards. This in turn forced the Romans to attempt a marsh crossing, where the Gauls were able to keep them at bay just long enough to rout the Roman left, forcing Caesar to advance to try to save the day. Although there was a time where Caesar appeared he might do just that, it was not to be as he fell victim to a savage counterattack sweeping down the hillside, and he himself became the final banner of the game.

Gauls win a hard fought and fun battle, 7-5. Caesar dies on the banks of the Axona, but had we been playing with the "if Caesar dies the Romans lose the entire campaign" rule, it is likely my opponent would have evaded farther away.

reports of Caesar's demise have been exaggerated

be interested to see your version of the scenario, because this version seems very awkward
www.commandsandcolors.net/ancients/maps/...view=article&id=1147

River Sabis

www.commandsandcolors.net/ancients/maps/...ver-sabis-57-bc.html

This one looked to be a chance for the Gauls to surprise the Romans and play a more equal contest, but the fortunes of war favored the Gauls at every instance.

After some initial sparring, a Roman move to cross the river on the Gallic right was met with a desperate Spartacus card play, which allowed an Aux to weaken and then a MedCav to miraculously destroy a Roman HI in a river hex, and then advance to trap and eliminate an exposed LB unit as well.

(Little did we know that these dice, and the fortuitous cards drawn in a 4-card Gallic hand, would be the norm for the next few turns, as there were few misses by Gallic dice, and against all odds, the cards allowed a steady amount of pressure to be placed on Roman lines)

Fearful that Caesar, as one might expect, would be immediately moved to re-stabilize the Roman left, and personally lead an irresistible Roman assault, the Gauls instead were able to eliminate four more Roman units, plus a leader, across the river. This gave Caesar considerable pause, and after reforming the Roman lines it was obvious the Gauls still faced a considerable challenge to try to gain the last banner, having to make a river crossing against an enemy with solid ranged weapons and 6 Command Cards  . However, the Romans got little help from their cards, and timely Gallic cards let them threaten the Roman left to disguise an assault on the right that gained the last banner, after a brave but foolhardy warrior charge in the center.

8-2 Gauls. The expenditure of good Gallic fortune in this one is sure to result in future Roman victories. Very unlikely result, fun scenario.

note: logfile interrupted, in two parts

See revision of Axona below as separate reply.

Axona (revised setup): tried to emphasize importance of marsh