Clubbing it! Middle Imperial Romans vs Mid-Sassanids, Capture the Baggage Train Scenario Part I

"I marvel that you have sent so few of the riches all of which will shortly be ours. For the time being, For the time being, keep all those things in which you take such pleasure. If ever we wish to have them, we know how we ought to get them.", Emperor Galerius

We were a bit pressed for time to get the game going and with that allied to a game of roughly 4000 points a side we needed a scenario that would make the numbers  of miniatures avoid looking sparce on what is a very large. In the end we opted for a Capture the Baggage scenario as this would fit the terrain and the miniature count nicely.

The Romans, snug in their Marching Camp would be rudely awoken by the yelps and screams of the Sassanian Horse Archers. The Romans were given a large area behind a river in which to deploy, the Sassanids a small area on what would be the right flank (for the Sassanids) as the game developed.

Above and below; the horse archers of the army of Shah Narseh spread outward in order to screen the advance of Shah Narseh's Savaran. 

Shah Narseh's Savaran and three other units of Clibanarii make their way towards the Roman baggage along their own table edge,

The roman baggage rolls maximum for movement twice in a row. A mighty 20 inches in total! 

As the Sassanian army races to gain an advantageous position as do the Roman light troops. Here they pour across the river as their Drilled Legionaries advance over the bridge and fan out to create a battle line.

As the Sassanids near the baggage train, out popped eten fully armed Legionary guards and pepper the Sassanid horse archers who panic and scarper, never to play another part in the struggle! 

Above View:

They look like very well armed baggage guards to me!

Matt's Sassanid horse archers:

 

Roman Legionary Light Infantry:

Sassanian missile fire were to reduce the Roman Equites Alares down to three models but somehow they found a way in which to stay their morale. 

Things are hotting up. It's probably pertinent to point out that that the WAB V.2 Armies of antiquity V.2 Sassanid list has Noble Cavalry/Clibanarii at BS3, which is the basic BS for any troop type. This has to be one of the major flaws in the lists. It actually renders the armies missile component as ineffectual unless one was to choose to keep an all Cavalry army stationary so as to not suffer the -1 to hit. It sounds like a small hitch but when you consider that in the (Medium to) Late army this is across the board, it does nullify the functionality of the army. I'm sure that was not the intent, but it is the outcome.  

The roman lights continue to move up and hassle the Sassanids. 

That's it for Part I of the Capture the Baggage Train scenario. We will continue next week as things get violent on the tabletop!