The Temple of Kalabsha - Romans vs Blemmye using BFE2

This is the second scenario in our Romans vs Blemmye "campaign" using our variant of the 19th Century colonial ruleset Battles For Empire 2. (BFE2).

The game is set in Upper Egypt circa 400AD. The figures are 15mm and based for Armati. Each figure represents about 5 men so a Roman Legionary unit represents a Century

The Scenario
After the Romans failed to poison the oasis at Nikhab, they desperately needed to retain their hold on Upper Egypt in the face of  more Blemmye raids. At Kalabsha, near Aswan, stands one of the largest temples in Upper Egypt. Both it and the temple at Philae on the Nile form the twin pillars of Blemmye religion. Therefore units from Aswan, Abydos and Cusas were ordered to meet at Kalbasha and defile the temple. Word of this got out to the Blemmye clans who came together to defend their holy site.

The Terrain
The Temple sits in a large shallow valley running north-west to south-east surrounds by dunes and a few areas of rocky ground large enough to hide a unit.

Roman Objective
Secure the Temple by defeating the Blemmye and by having 1 unengaged legionary unit in contact with the Temple by the end of the game.

Roman Forces

1 Commander	+1 12" Command Radius, +2 if attached to unit
2 Leaders	+1 if attached to unit
Force 1: Aswan Detachment
1 x Century Legionaries	Infantry, Elite, Spears / Javelins - treat as Pila
2 x Centuries Legionaries	Infantry, Spears / Javelins - treat as Pila
1 x Egyptian Auxilia	Infantry, Foot Bows
1 x Egyptian Auxilia	Skirmish Foot, Javelins
1 x Egyptian Auxilia	Skirmish Foot, Foot Bows
Force 2: Garrison Troops from the Fortress of Abydos
1 x Century Legionaries	Infantry, Spears / Javelins - treat as Pila
2 x Egyptian Auxilia	Infantry, Javelins
1 x Auxilia Light Horse	Skirmish Horse, Javelins
1 x Auxilia Sagitarii	Skirmish Horse, Horse Bows
1 x Limitanei Archers	Skirmish Foot,Brittle,Bows
Force 3: Cavalry Detachment from Cusas
1 x Equites Ala Prima	Cavalry, Elite,Spears / Bows Well armoured, -1 to enemy fire at effective range
1 x Equites Ala Secunda	Cavalry,Spears / Javelins
1 x Ala Germanorum	Cavalry,Spears may add +1 to a UCC roll once in the game
1 x Auxilia Light Horse	Skirmish Horse, Javelins
1 x Auxilia Sagitarii	Skirmish Horse, Horse Bows

Roman Deployment

One of the three forces can be deployed in the northwest corner on Turn 1. From Turn 2 roll separately for each remaining force. On a 4,5 or 6 the force arrives on the table edge up to 24" from the northwest corner. 

1 Skirmish unit is allowed to be placed in ambush in any rocky area.

Blemmye Objective

Secure the Temple by defeating the Romans and by having 1 unengaged warband in contact with the Temple by the end of the game.

Blemmye Forces

1 Commander	+1 8" Command Radius, +2 if attached to unit
2 x Leaders	+1 if attached to unit
Agwezat Clan: "The Horse Lords"
1 x Armoured Noble Cavalry	Armoured Cavalry, Spears / Horse Bows -1 to any enemy ranged weapon fire at effective range
2 x Retainer Cavalry	Cavalry, Spears / Javelins
4 x Light Horse	Skirmish Horse, Javelins
Yeha Clan: "The Desert Lords"
1 x Camel troop	Melee weapons On contact enemy cavalry become Shaken on roll of 1,2 or 3
1 x Retainer Cavalry	Cavalry, Spears / Javelins
1 x Young Warriors	Warband, Brittle, Melee Weapons
3 x Light Horse	Skirmish Horse, Javelins
1 x Light foot	Skirmish Foot, Foot Bows
Sereyah Clan: "The Warrior Lords"
1 x Guard Warband	Melee weapons Can ignore 1 Shaken result once per game
3 x Warriors	Warband, Melee Weapons
1 x Light foot	Skirmish Foot, Foot Bows
2 x Light foot	Skirmish Foot, Javelins

Blemmye Deployment

One of the three Clans can be deployed in the southeast corner on Turn 1. From Turn 2 roll separately for each remaining clan. On a 4,5 or 6 the clan arrives on the table edge up to 24" from the southeast corner. 

1 Skirmish unit is allowed to be placed in ambush in any rocky area.

The Game

Steve and myself took charge of the Romans and Dave, Shaun and Chris played the Blemmye.

The Romans deployed the Abydos Garrison Troops on Turn 1 and hid the Limitanei Archers in rocky ground south of the temple.

The Blemmye deployed the Warrior Lords as their initial force and placed a Light Horse unit in rough ground north of the temple

Turn 2 saw all the remaining forces arrive on the table. The Romans deploying the Cavalry Detachment on the right flank and the Legionaries on the left. The Blemmye sent the Horse Lords against the Roman Cavalry and the Desert Lords towards the Legionaries.

As the Romans advanced the Blemmye Light Horse ambushed a unit of Sagitarii in the rear kicking off a savage cavalry battle on the Roman right flank

This part of the battle continued for most of the game with the Blemmye camels, cavalry and light horse wildly charging into the Roman forces

The Blemmye started feeding light foot and warbands into the cavalry battle

The Blemmye started feeding light foot and warbands into the cavalry battle

The flexibility of the Light horse on both sides led to several flank and rear attacks

The Roman right flank started to look very shaky when the Clibanarii recoiled from a warband

The Roman Light Horse suffered badly and started to disintegrate before the Blemmye onslaught

However the Roman Equites and the Germans rallied and the tide began to turn

In  the centre Roman Auxilia units advanced to take the temple

However the Blemmye warbands had the same idea

The threat of the Roman right flank collapsing forced the Auxila back causing them to become Shaken

However the right flank recovery allowed the Auxila to reform to protect the rear from Blemmye Light Horse

On the Roman left flank the Legionaries advanced in a very loose formation

Facing them was a mixed bag of Blemmye troops - cavalry,skirmishers and warband

The Blemmye charged the Legionaries without a moments hesitation

All along the left flank the Roman units became engaged

However the Legionaires and Auxilia held their ground wearing down the Blemmye attacks

It was only a matter of time before Roman steel overcame Blemmye courage

And the left flank closed in for the kill

As the Blemmye turned and fled the field the Romans marched into the Temple

The Blemmye lost 14 of their 21 units and the Romans 6 out of 17.

This was essentially a stand-up fight in which the Legionaries did very well. The remainder of the Roman forces left a lot to be desired and came pretty close to being overrun in the centre and on the right flank.

If the Blemmye had avoided the Legionaries or engaged them only with missile weapons then the outcome could have been very different.

Again the rules worked very well although we still need to iron-out the skirmisher-specific rules

Thanks to Rodge for a most enjoyable game

A few more photos can be found on at photobucket

Nikhab Oasis - Romans vs Blemmye using BFE2

Rodge put on an excellent ancients game using our variant of the 19th Century colonial ruleset Battles For Empire 2. (BFE2). The game is set in Upper Egypt circa 400AD involving a reinforced Roman Cohort of 1000 men vs 1500 Blemmye raiders.

The figures are 15mm and based for Armati. The beauty of BFE 2 is that it works with any basing system. Each figure represents about 5 men so a Roman Legionary unit represents a Century.

The Scenario
The Blemmye raids into Upper Egypt have become a real problem. Thousands of slaves have been taken and the stability and reputation of Roman rule is under threat. The Blemmye are using a series of oasis as supply points.

The Terrain
The Oasis of  Nikhab lies at the southern end of the board. Sand dunes, which block LOS but do not impede movement, surround the table edges. A few areas of rough ground slow down non-skirmish troops. 

Roman Objective
Poison the oasis at Nikhab. To do this have a Legion infantry unit or an Egyptian Auxilia infantry unit, not skirmishers, with the Pack Mule attached to it in base contact with the Oasis for a whole turn and not in Melee.

Roman Forces
1 Commander	+1 12" Command Radius, +2 if attached to unit
1 Leader	+1 if attached to unit
1 Pack Mule
1 x Century Legionaries	Infantry, Elite, Spears / Javelins - treat as Pila
3 x Centuries Legionaries	Infantry, Spears / Javelins - treat as Pila
1 x Equites Alae	Cavalry, Spears / Javelins
1 x Estate Bucellarii	Cavalry, Spears / Horse Bows
2 x Egyptian Auxilia	Infantry, Javelins
1 x Egyptian Auxilia	Infantry, Foot Bows
2 x Egyptian Auxilia	Skirmish Foot, Javelins
1 x Egyptian Auxilia	Skirmish Foot, Foot Bows
1 x Auxilia Sagitarii	Skirmish Horse, Horse Bows
1 x Auxilia Light Horse	Skirmish Horse, Javelins

Roman Deployment
The force marches onto the table from the centre of the northern edge

Blemmye Objective
Destroy the Roman force before they reach the oasis. Beating the Romans will enhance your reputation and further weaken their hold on Upper Egypt

Blemmye Forces
1 Commander	+1 8" Command Radius, +2 if attached to unit
2 x Leaders	+1 if attached to unit
1 x Armoured Noble Cavalry	Armoured Cavalry, Spears / Horse Bows -1 to ranged weapons
3 x Retainer Cavalry	Cavalry, Spears / Javelins
1 x Camel troop	Melee weapons On contact enemy cavalry become Shaken on roll of 1,2 or 3
4 x Light Horse	Skirmish Horse, Javelins
1 x Guard Warband	Melee weapons Can ignore 1 Shaken result once per game
1 x Warband	Melee weapons
1 x Archer troop	Foot Bows
2 x Light foot	Skirmish Foot, Javelins
2 x Light foot	Skirmish Foot, Foot Bows

Blemmye Deployment
5 units can start on the table in the southern 1/3 of the table
1 of these units can deploy in terrain in ambush anywhere on the table
The remainder arrive randomly from the south, the east or the west

The Game
Paul and Graham took charge of the Romans and Shaun and myself played the Blemmye.

The Blemmye deployed the Guard Warband and the Archer troop in front of the oasis, a light Bow unit was deploy on dunes to the east and the west and the Camel troop was hidden in ambush in rough going on the Roman right flank

The game started with the Romans deployed en masse on the northern table table. The Blemmye had 3 Light Horse units arrive on the eastern edge which were sent forward to harass the Roman left flank

As the Romans advanced they dispatched units to take on the Blemmye light horse and to engage the Blemmye skirmishers

This advance triggered the Camel ambush against a Roman light foot unit which held owing to the rough terrain

On the Roman left flank the Blemmye horse charged in against skirmishers. Bad dice gave the advantage to the Roman skirmishers - no doubt bolstered by the arrival of the Bucellarii

I haven't painted any casualty markers yet so we use Smiley Faces - red is Shaken, Yellow is 1 kill and Green is 4 kills - it makes for a happy game

As the Cohort advanced to the oasis the Blemmye Heavy cavalry arrived on the southern edge and deployed to meet the threat. The pack mule bio-weapon is in the centre of the cohort

Having seen off the skirmishers the ambushing Camels were charged by the Equites Alae. The smell of the camels causing the Alae to become shaken

Although having being reinforced by the cavalry, the Blemmye line looked woefully inadequate to face the Roman juggernaut. Even skillful maneuvering  left huge holes in the line.

Left to their own devices the Equites Alae and the Camels fought out their own little war

As the Blemmye cavalry appeared before them the Romans formed their own battleline

Having seen off the Blemmye Light horse the Roman left flank raced forward to support the centre only to be attacked by skirmish foot and horse

In the centre the Blemmye Guard warband and Noble cavalry rolled fanatic charges and hurled themselves forward into the Roman cohort

To support the centre the Blemmye cavalry launched attacks along their left flank against auxilia and skirmishers

As the battle lines engaged the Pack Mule and escort hung back waiting for a gap to appear

Suddenly the centre Century advances past it's engaged comrades to take on the lone warband protecting the oasis. The Roman commander sensing that this is the moment pushes the century protecting the pack mule forward. A Roman Victory is at hand!

How cruel are the Fates - a Blemmye cavalry unit lurking out on the left flank dives into the rear of the Roman centre and rides  down the Roman second in command and the pack mule. Unable to poison the oasis the Romans concede the game.

A cracking game that once again came down to the wire.

The Blemmye commanders spent a lot of the game worriedly looking at the overwhelming number of Romans heading towards them and even when the cavalry arrived it barely evened the numbers.

The Noble cavalry and Guard warband  going fanatic stopped the Roman line in it's tracks. However the push forward by the Roman commander would have been a game winner if they hadn't ignored the lurking Blemmye cavalry.

BFE2 makes for a very refreshing alternative to the standard Ancients game of line them up and charge. We intend to do more of these scenario based ancients games

More photos are at my photobucket site