After Anthony's comment on the last Clovis vs Syagrius game on how the Franks just can't seem to win, even in the hands of an experienced player, I decided to try a test game with my Vassal module, a frontal infantry clash in which the Franks form up in two lines and take the Romans head on.
I wanted the cavalry of both sides to do their best to make a difference, but in fact it devolved into a Mexican standoff whilst the infantry decided the battle.
Same terrain as the previous game.
Deployment.
Syagrius maximises use of terrain, putting the weaker Bucellarii on the hill and supporting them with archers whilst the elite Legions deploy on the plain. The vulnerable Levy and Garrison Troops in reserve.
Clovis deploys his Warriors in two lines, the first to weaken the Roman infantry and the second to finish them off. He deploys half his cavalry in a thin line - one stand per square - to match the frontage of the Breton LH. The job of the cavalry will be to survive long enough to keep the Roman horse away from the Warriors. Let's see how it works.
Turn 1. Syagrius.
Since both generals are equal in command ability dice are thrown (!!!) to decide who goes first. Syagrius gets the high throw and advances, the idea being to take full advantage of the hill upslope.
Turn 1. Clovis.
Clovis' MC on the left move behind the woods where the Breton LH will have trouble engaging them. The Warriors advance.
Turn 2. Syagrius.
Syagrius halts the infantry (a command point to do so) and moves up his LH. He wants to come to grips with the Frankish MC if possible.
Turn 2. Clovis.
The Frankish MC form line, ready for the Breton LH. The Warriors keep advancing.
Turn 3. Syagrius.
Syagrius pulls the LH back since they are at an impasse where they are.
Turn 3. Clovis.
The Warriors approach the Romans and franciscas, javelins, plumbata and arrows start to fly. The Romans are strong in missile combat.
Turn 4. Syagrius.
The Romans hold their ground and keep shooting.
Turn 4. Clovis.
Franke verhef! In go the Warriors, but they have had some morale chipped off thanks to the effective Roman shooting.
Turn 4. Melee.
The Warriors facing the Legions are taking a beating but are doing better against the Bucellarii.
Turn 5. Syagrius.
Syagrius advances his cavalry. He must try something on the wings.
Turn 5. Clovis.
The Frankish cavalry on the left continue to play coy.
Turn 5. Melee.
Nobody routs yet, but the Franks are in serious trouble. The Bucellarii get a double +1 modifier for their shaken morale intervals: one from being upslope and one for being in depth.
Turn 6. Syagrius.
Syagrius charges Clovis and gets up close and personal with the Frankish king.
Turn 6. Clovis.
The MC on the left shake out a line.
Turn 6. Melee.
The Frankish first line routs, giving morale boosts to the Romans (2 morale intervals max).
The Romans occupy the vacated squares
Turn 7. Syagrius.
Shooting all round whilst the Roman reserves - out of command - creep forwards ½ square per turn.
Turn 7. Clovis.
The missile exchange continues.
Turn 7. Melee.
Clovis and Syagrius fight to exhaustion and break off.
Turn 8. Syagrius.
The Romans keep up the shooting, waiting for the Franks to come to them.
Turn 8. Clovis.
And the Franks oblige. For Odin!
Turn 8. Melee.
The Bucellarii finally rout, but the Warriors in the centre are looking fragile.
Nearby Warriors get a morale boost from the routed Bucellarii.
And the victorious Warriors occupy the vacated squares.
Turn 9. Syagrius.
The Levy move up.
Turn 9. Clovis.
The Warriors inch forwards towards the Archers who continue to pound them.
Turn 9. Melee.
The Franks in the centre rout....
....giving morale boosts to the nearby Romans....
....and fleeing the battlefields squares for them to occupy.
Enough stands have been lost to tip average units - the Frankish cavalry - over their panic threshold and they rout.
Clovis makes it to his nearby Household Warriors.
But the loss of the cavalry units means the losses now reach the threshold of the resolute Warrior units and they break in turn. Game over!
Moral of the story: if the Franks attack the Romans frontally when the latter are in a good position, they will lose. They need to tip the odds in their favour somehow. Is that historical? Syagrius was confident about engaging Clovis after all.
