The Battle of Watling Street

This Sunday at the Hall of Heroes, Campbelltown NSW, one of the epic battles of Ancient Britain was refought using 'Hail Caesar' rules.


Episcope view - Bluenoses Sir! Farsands of Em!

The exact location of the battle remains a mystery, but it was known that it was fought on a ridge between two densely wooded forests, where the Roman Army was drawn up with its flanks secure...

By Jupiter! - they're coming through the forest lads!

Although Rees on the Celt side clearly wasn't paying attention to that part of the briefing as he fed his warbands through the forests to outflank the Roman left - the druids must have helped them out with some mysterious pathways...


Call for the Druids - we call upon the spirits of the Forest to aid us break that iron line...

On the day the Romans used saw tooth tactics to break up the warbands and grind them down, and Hail Caesar offers the Wedge formation to allow this to be replicated:

But our trusty Auxiliaries fought in line, so that we had a combination of line and wedges, with a few columns for our reserves:

The Roman team consisted of Matt and Rob as well as myself. For the celts Rees was assisted by Dave, or 'Custer', who is alway ready with a Cavalry charge, but light chariots will do too!

Up! - Aim! - Loose!

Needless to say half a dozen rampaging warbands appearing on the Roman Flank upset the 'cursus honorium' a trifle:

Whereas to the front, despite wave after wave of screaming, hopped up Bluenoses, bouncing off our shields, the line was holding, just:

We'd set the victory conditions for the Ancient Britons that they clear the ridge of Romans by 10 moves, recycling all of their defeated units. By the end of the game they had succeeded in gaining the left half of the ridge, so we called it a draw.

The Hall of Heroes shop armies get a run out once more...

A hard fought but sporting game, played over gorgeous terrain and great to see Matt's shop army collection growing ever larger. Hail Caesar is not too much of a stretch for Napoleonics buffs like myself who are familiar with Black Powder, and I for one thoroughly enjoyed myself!
Vale!