Goths deployed behind their wagon laager

Late Romans deployed

Late Roman cavalry advances on the Roman right flank

Romans charge and the Goths countercharge their flank

Roman cavalry advances on their left flank

Roman infantry are reluctant to advance!

Roman cavalry are forced to retreat

Roman infantry finally advance in the centre

Last Sunday afternoon I went over to Craig’s place to play a Goth versus Late Roman Dux Bellorum game. Craig had devised a small, two player scenario based on the Battle of Adrianople 378 AD and was keen to try it out. The Goth infantry were deployed behind a wagon laager and their cavalry were out foraging and would arrive on the table from turn two on a roll of six, turn three on a roll of five and so on and so forth. The Roman cavalry quickly charged the Goth infantry but were driven back. The Goth and Alan cavalry eventually arrived on the table on turn five and this was the beginning of end for the Romans.

The game was heaps of fun and quite satisfying, very much the historical result. It could easily have gone the other way, the Romans did have a lot of bad luck with their dice. Quite a few years ago, we played a much larger WAB game of Adrianople and this resulted in an unlikely Roman victory. The Goth cavalry only came on after the game was all over! I’m currently reading Simon MacDowall’s new Pen and Sword book, The Goths and really enjoyed his earlier one The Vandals.

Roman cavalry on the Roman left flank closes

Roman cavalry charge the Goth warriors

Goth and Alan cavalry charge the Roman right flank

Side view of the battle

Romans struggle to contain the Goths

Goth and Alan cavalry charge the Roman left flank

Romans are teetering on the edge of disaster

Roman army routs