Clash of the Big Men

Cimbri versus Illyrians, to be exact. Details are sketchy, but it does seems that after an initial encounter with the Romans, at least some of the migrating Cimbri wandered south-eastwards into what is now known as the Upper Balkans, and encountered the locals, who were less than chuffed at this development. Cue an excuse for us to set out a large tribal encounter battle. Our campaign date for this one is autumn 112 BC.

 The first photo shows the German left from the perspective of the Illyrians. The daytrippers have all of their cavalry together here, with a small elite warband to their left.

The German centre: lots of heavy warband types.

Their left: a couple of looser formation warbands deployed opposite some rolling hills. Graham supplied the army and the deployment. He also ran the left half of their army while Gordon ran the right.

The Illyrian left: light horse, some heavy peltasts hiding in the trees, and some of the aristocracy on horses. The guy on a chariot denotes the chieftain commanding this wing.

The Illyrian centre: three warbands at the left of the photo, and three units of somewhat less uncivilised foot to the right.

The Illyrian right: a large loose formation warband, with more nobles and some more of those nasty peltasts. Simon supplied the figures (although he couldn't be there himself) along with a little help from me. Billy deployed the troops and ran the right half of the army; I was in charge at the left.

A long table shot of the initial dispositions from the flank at our left.

And another from the same point after the first moves. In the far distance you can see that Billy has advanced his medium foot. Whatever the outcome of this particular scrum, there will be much blood spilled: medium foot against medium foot, spiced up with some hard charging impetus, always leaves a mark. In the foreground, I am my usual boring self and use my extra light forces here to swing out in an intended envelopment.

Same place a little later. This is all about to become very messy.

Still staying with the same perspective, my shooting has eliminated the German light horse and my guys have also absorbed their initial heavy cavalry charge. Further into the distance it's all one gigantic melee.

A close-up of my victorious clan. My horse and light troops are ready to swing into the centre, while my warband has got into a small-scale fight of its own with a larger German warband in the scrub.

This used to be Billy's centre. He did almost break through here, destroying a warband right in the middle of the enemy line. but their pals held firm regardless. Fortunately for the Germans, though, their King died with them, which of course ensures the army's victory.

More victorious Germans at our right.

Oh well, at least we got to play a very large warband encounter, something we have never played before, at least on this scale. I'm sure the Germans will stir up some more of the tribes on their wanderings.

Strangely enough, the death of the German leader gives us a campaign rationale for the historical fact that the Cimbri turned north-west again after this foray: although they won the battle, the loss of their King has forced them to regroup while electing a new one.

Quote of the night: "After forty years of wargaming, I've finally painted an army that wins!" - Graham.