Battle of Asculum AAR

Tonight, a nearly full muster of the Muswell Militia, refought the second day of Asculum 279BC, using the C&C Ancients rules and Ian's (Donnington Roman and Xyston Macedonian) 15mm figures.

Below is the deployment. The Romans on the left were led by Ian and George, and the Italian Greeks and Macedonians by myself as Phyrrhus, with Chris and Dr Simon on the wings.


We Macedonians launched two stonking attacks, which should have worked.... honestly. Our first was a rush forwards by the pike phalanx in the left centre, which recoiled under a hail of pila, after failing to make any impact on the Roman line (presumably the Tarentines had failed to take to the pike). The second was a "mounted charge" on both wings with elephants and cavalry (below), which were both smashed by lucky counter attacks by the Roman cavalry.


The final shot, below, shows the situation late in the game. The Romans remorselessly ground us down to a 12:10 "Phyrric defeat".


A simple but thoroughly enjoyable game; I hope we'll play it again, sometime.