Comitatus is Go! - First Solo Game

CRAASSSHHHH!

It's been a while since I've posted anything here, and I've always meant to have a solo game to work out the basic mechanics of the rules before inflicting it on anyone at the club. As I had the day off today I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone and play a solo game and then write a battle report.

I still think I need another game under my belt and try a few different things, as I don't think I got the hand of missile fire and I know I made a few errors with movement and the early combats. The few things I learned is that mass is might (as it should be in a god rule set!) and the Romans in defence are a tough nut to crack with infantry. 

In my next game, I think the Goths will have to use their preponderance in heavy cavalry more cleverly, and to remain in cuneus when contacting the enemy, with at least one stand behind in deeper formation, rather than dissipating their strength in spreading out. Also, there was only 10 points the difference between the two sides in favour of the Romans,  but I think the Goths could do with a little more oomph for the infantry: I'll probably have to paint another couple of stands to provide the muscle.

Apologies for the lighting; there was either not enough or too much as the sun started shining directly through the front window after starting off cloudy.

Romans starting with light cavalry closest to camera (javelin and archers), foot archers and skirmishers, then heavy javelin cavalry furthest from camera. Infantry at the rear of the formation.

Goths with light javelin cavalry, skirmishers and archers, then heavy cavalry, with two infantry cuneus at the rear.

The general's view

Goths raring to go

The Goths won the initiative and moved first

The Romans moved slowly to keep cohesion 

First contact on the flank between light cavalry, with an inconclusive result.

Gothic infantry advance

The archers on both sides couldn't hit the side of a barn!

On the other flank the heavy cavalry charged each other!

Resulting in both side retiring with disorder points!

The Romans did well! I was expecting them to be an early casualty.

The light cavalry bicker away on the other flank.

Gothic skirmishers add disorder points to the Roman infantry.

Again, the Gothic archers hit nothing! I'm sure I was doing something wrong!

Time for the Roman skirmishers to earn their keep: Theheavy infantry threw missiles and the Roman skirmishers got stuck in to the nearest stand of Gothic skirmishers,

,,,while on the other side, their counterparts tried to put the Gothic archers under pressure.

Then came the moment of truth... CHARGE! One Gothic cuneus came in, The infantry threw their missile weapons and the archers shot overhead...

,,,but the Goths moved one stand forward and crashed into the line resulting in more disorder points and leaving the Roman line shaken!

The other Gothic cuneus charged in and dispersed its strength by fanning out and attacking both remaining lines..

Big mistake, as the resulting combat proved; the Goths were broken and ended up shaken.

The next Roman turn, the middle Roman infantry line turned and charged the reamining Goth cuneus in the flank, while the shaken Roman line stood fast, pinning the Goths in front.

The Goths couldn't stand the pressure and they also broke with disorder points and a shaken marker.

Time to unleash the Gothic shock cavalry again, this time with the general and his comitatus attached!

Might is right!

The Roamn cavalry couldn't stand.

The Gothic cavalry barrelled into the Roman infantry on the right of the Roman line...

...and routed them!

They then powered off in pursuit of the fleeing infantry, but with all the Gothic infantry in a bad way, this battle was chalked up as a Roman victory!