Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

[Ed Kollmer]

2nd Battle near the Antonine Wall:

Arturos walked around the hastily pitched camp and surveyed the reorganizing of his army. It had been around a week since his defeat at the wall. He knew he now had to buy time to reorder and link up with Ambrosius. This next battle would decide the fate of Britain and his own desire to create a new Britian and bring back to the kingdom Excalibur, the Ark and the Grail and in so doing restore the Western Empire.
Suddenly, he heard the galloping hoof beats of an approaching horse. He turned just as a scout slide from his saddle and breathlessly reported.
“Ambrosius is beyond the hill.” As he pointed to the distant rise.
Arturos leapt upon the horse and ordered.
“Run to Merlin and Cadoc and report.”
Quickly he galloped away.
Moments later:
He crested the rise and there before him as a living road stretched the Ambrosius’s army.
He smiled and spurred his horse on.
Soon four riders broke away from the human stream to meet him. Quickly, he recognized the aged smile of his mentor, Ambrosius
As the four reined in their mount, his gaze fell upon the unexpected face of his father, Uther. He lent over and grasped his father.
“You came. Are you well?”
“When Ambrosius decided to come, I had to come. My sword arm is well.”
“I hear you have really stirred up a real hornet’s nest, my Bear.” Ambrosius mused.
Arturos turned.
“Indeed, my liege. And they are hard upon our heels. You came in good time this day. Tomorrow, they will be forming just beyond that rise.”
Let’s to your camp and give Bridei a surprise tomorrow.”
Together they trotted off to Arturos’s camp.

ROMAN-BRITS
(Ambrosius – Matt Webster
Arturous – Jevon Garrett
Uther - Edward Kollmer)
2El Uther IrA,EHC,L,sh
2El Combrogi IrA,EHC,L,sh
2El Romano-Brit,RC,HC,Jls,sh
4El Scouts,RD,LC,B
6El Comitatus,RB,LMI,Jls,S,Sh/Jls,sh
2El Comitatus,RB,LMI,Jls,S,Sh/Jls,sh
8El Militia,RC,MI,Lts,sh
6El Bowman,RD,LMI,B,sh/B
12El Tribesman,IRC,LMI,Jls,sh
2 Palisades.

2El Cei,Romano-Brit Cav RB,HC,Jls,sh
2El Romano-Brit Cav IRB,HC,Jls,sh
2El Romano-Brit Cav IRB,HC,Jls,sh
2El Scouts RC,LC,Jls,sh
6El Bowman,RD,LMI,B

6El Mull,Saxons IRB,HI/MI,HTW,Jls,sh
6El Saxons IRB,HI/MI,HTW,Jls,sh /IRC,Jls,sh
6El Skirmisher IRC,LI,Jls,sh

2El Ambrosius, RB,HC,Jls,sh
4El Alans IrB,EHC/HC L,B
4El Comitatus,RB,LMI,Jls,S,Sh/Jls,sh
6El Militia,RC,MI,Lts,sh
6El Militia,RC,MI,Lts,sh
4El Saxons IRB,HI/MI,HTW,Jls,sh /IRC,HTW,Jls,sh
12El Tribesman,IRC,LMI,Jls,sh
1 Palisades

2El Arturos,Romano-Brit Cav RB,HC,Jls,sh
2El Romano-Brit Cav IRB,HC,Jls,sh
2El Scouts RC,LC,Jls,sh
4El Comitatus,RB,LMI,Jls,S,Sh/Jls,sh
6El Militia,RC,MI,Lts,sh
6El Militia,RC,MI,Lts,sh
4El Saxons IRB,HI/MI,HTW,Jls,sh /IRC,HTW,Jls,sh
12El Tribesman,IRC,LMI,Jls,sh
8E Skirmishers IRC,LI,jls,sh
1 Palisades

Total 3395pts

PICTS
(Bridei – Matt Kollmer
Talorc – Bill Low)
2El Bridei IRB, LCh,Jls
3El Chariots IRB, LCh,jls
4El Horse, IRC,LC,Jls,sh
8El Warriors IRC,MI,Lts,Jls,sh
3 x 9El Warriors, IRC,LMI,Lts,Jls,sh
4El Attecotti IRA, LMI,Jls,sh
6El Skirmish IRC,LI,Jls,sh

9El Talorc IrB/C,LMI,Lts,Jls,sh
3El Chariot IRB,LCh jls
4El Horse, IRC,LC,Jls,sh
2 x 9El Warriors, IRC,LMI,Lts,Jls,sh
2 x2El Attecotti IRA, LMI,Jls,sh
6El Skirmish IRC,LI,Jls,sh
8El Archers IRC,LI,B

2El Sub,IRB, LCh,Jls
3El Chariots IRB, LCh,jls
4El Horse, IRC,LC,Jls,sh
8El Warriors IRC,MI,Lts,Jls,sh
3 x 9El Warriors, IRC,LMI,Lts,Jls,sh
4El Attecotti IRA, LMI,Jls,sh
6El Skirmish IRC,LI,Jls,sh

9El Sub IrB/C,LMI,Lts,Jls,sh
3El Chariot IRB,LCh jls
4El Horse, IRC,LC,Jls,sh
2 x 9El Warriors, IRC,LMI,Lts,Jls,sh
2 x2El Attecotti IRA, LMI,Jls,sh
6El Skirmish IRC,LI,Jls,sh
8El Archers IRC,LI,B

Total 3400pts




Next day:

Uther, Arturos and Ambrosius rode out together followed by the long columns of the might of Roman Britain.
Ambrosius looked to the left. The palisades were built one on the far left as well as one in the center and another center right.
“Arturos, your command will move to the left. Cei will flank march and come in on your flank. Uther, hold the right. I will hold the center.” Ambrosius commanded.
“Uther, your horn blast will signal attack. It will let us know if you are winning. When the Picts hit our palisades and spend themselves. I will order the attack.”
“Arturos…..”
“Ambrosius, Look……..” Aquila cried.
There before their eyes, spreading out across field and rise, hordes of warbands slowly permeated the landscape. Warband upon warband advanced. The field itself seemed to be alive with the Picts and allies. They stretched as far as the eye could see.
“Don’t let this sight shake you. We will push this heathens back from which they came.” Ambrosius roared.
“To your positions They are not soldiers - they're not even properly equipped. We've beaten them before and when they see our weapons and feel our spirit, they'll crack. Stick together. Throw the javelins, then push forward: knock them down with your shields and finish them off with your swords. Forget about plunder. Just win and you'll have everything."[*
(Suetonius at battle of Watling)
The three rode off to their commands.

Across the field:

Bridei’s chariot galloped up on the rise. Their warbands were as numerous as the grass in the field.
“What do you say, Bridei” Talorc asked.
“We will wash them away as flood on the plain. I see Maeve has come with her troops. She will take the far left flank. We will see if that White Spear is worth anything.”
“Do we know if SHE will come.” Talorc asked hesitatingly.
“We will……”
Almost on cue, there on the right a shout went up.
“The Horned-One, The Horned-One….”. The cry rose from the warbands on the right.
Bridei and Talorc snapped their view to the right and on the far right chariots galloped on the rise, and a Horned crested woman warrior in a chariot directed her company to the fore.
“Our chances have just increased, Talorc.” Bridei stated smiling.
“Talorc! To your troops. We attack.”

Soon the warbands as a giant beast roused itself to the attack. Maeve urged on her warbands The White Spear stabbing the air. Shortly, the war cries
broke the silence of the plain. Mull and his two Saxons units replied and countercharged. The clash was thunderous but the HTW, Jls of the Saxons was more than the Picts could take. One Warband broke and the other was recoiled and shook.
Uther leading the Combrogi was surprised to see that the Pict left flank was open.
“Mull has broke their center. There is the hole we need. Ride to it, Uther.” Aquila cried.

Unbeknowst to Uther on the left, Arturos seeing the on rush of the Picts, charged his LC and burst through them unfortunately they found themselves in the wood and surrounded. The Picts eventually destroyed them. However, the push was on, Saxon and Comitatus pushed forward and routed or shook a warband. He looked to the left and murmured, “Where is Cei?”

Ambrosius gazing to his left and seeing Arturos advancing gave the Attack signal. The Saxons, Comitatus and Militia marched forward. They blunted the Pict advance and soon the Pict line was cracking.

Sensing Victory, Uther scanned to the left. How were Ambrosius and Arturos fairing? He could see banners advancing. He could almost taste the victory. Suddenly, he heard Aquila shout.
“Uther the palisade!”
He turned to see a Pict warband push back the LMI B from the Palisade and converted charge into a comitatus unit. He also looked with horror as a second warband lead by Talorc charge Mull’s Saxon before he could rally them. Swiftly the once broken Pict line was now being filled as Mull and his Saxons routed before him.

Simultaneously, on the Brit left flank, Arturos and Ambrosius continued their advance.

Bridei racing along the line saw with dismay as his center was caving. Defeat was near. Suddenly his view fell upon the chariot of the Horned-One. Her fury enflamed, she drove her chariot down among the waving warbands As a divine wind that inspires the hearts of failing hearts, the Horned-One turned the tide. (MattK rolled up 4, up 3, up 4 and maybe an up 2, while Jevon and MattW rolled average or down). Soon the face of victory turned. Britain militia and comitatus were routing or retreating.

Arturos looked to the left. Where is Cei.
Suddenly, the cheer went up, “Cei, Cei…… on the flank.”
He smiled, maybe there was still time to snatch victory back. He looked to the horizon. The day was well spent and the sun was setting.

Concurrently, Ambrosius seeing his center collapsing and ignorant of Cei’s arrival, also looked to the sky and prayed.
“Give me victory or give me night.”

Bridei also seeing Cei’s advance on his right and fearing that the goddess of victory, fickle as she is, might switch sides again, sounded the recall horn.

Days after the battle as reports reached the council in Londonium, results were confusing. 30 points separated the two forces. However, was it 30 points in the Romano-Brit favor or the Pict favor. The results were not confusing. Uther returned to Wales, Ambrosius moved to Venta Bulgarum, the seat of government, and Arturos returned to Rutupiae for rumors of Saxon invasion and the build up of Proconsul Trajanius in Brittany. Bridei halted at Hadian Wall. The Antonine wall was lost to Romano-Britain forever.