Trying out new Ancient Rules

Peter Collidge & I have been working on a set of Ancient rules for a few weeks.  Until now it's all been theory as we played email pinpong with the draft.  Today we did our first play test. 

Jim of Epirus v. Peter of Rome

Rome deployed conventionally with the 2 legions in the centre & cavalry on each flank.  The Greeks deployed in 2 lines.  The phalanx was in the rear line.  The front line had elephants on the left supported by peltasts, barbarian foot in the centre with skirmishers in front & all the cavalry on the right.

The Greek first line charged.  The elephants took out the cavalry on their flank but were stopped by triari.  In the centre the warbands were quickly dispatched by the legions.  On the right the Roman heavy cavalry was swept away.  The Greeks weren't entirely happy with the first wave, the legions lost a few casualties, but triari supported by light cavalry made exploitation of the advantage on their right difficult & the loss of all their skirmishers in the centre was a worry.

It took a while to get the phalanx moving & this gave the Romans plenty of time to reorganise their line with fresh troops in front.  The phalanx rumbled forward, surviving the velite's javelins reasonably well before the Roman 2nd line countercharged.  The right end of the palanx was doing ok, but the left end broke.  With half their phalanx routed & most the rest of the army shaken it was all over for the Greeks.

The rules play much like M2M & Black Powder and although this was their 1st outing, they worked fine - we found a few omissions & identified a few tweeks to investigate.  But a very enjoyable game.