Collaborative Campaign Year 19

 Year 19 of the Campaign (the Year of the Hyena) sees further action in the Northwest of the continent. The following report and photos are courtesy, and property of Mark Cordone.

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 Scouting, flank marches and a terrain generator for Dominion games:

I'm using the following variants for my Dominion games:

Scouting:  before a battle both sides roll 1d6, with the side with more cavalry and/or a better general getting a+1 modifier.  The high roller chooses to be the attacker and set up second, or be the defender and roll 1d6 on the table below. Re roll ties.

1). No significant terrain features.

2). The defender has a ridge of field fortifications giving defensive advantage in two adjacent sectors of their choice.

3)  the defender has a hill or field fortifications in their center sector giving defensive advantage.

4). The defender has a BUA giving defensive advantage in their (1-2) left, (3-4) center or (5-6) right sector.

5)  the defender has a wood or bad going giving defensive advantage in their 1-3) left or (4-6) right sector.

6) the defender is behind a river or canal with a bridge or ford in the center sector.  They have defensive advantage in the right and left sectors but only vs melee no shooting. 

Flank marches:  if there was a tie on the scouting rolls one side or the other will attempt a flank march.  Roll for which , 1-3 defender, 4-6 attacker.  After deployment that side will take one of their units from the reserve and place it off to the side of the left or right sector, player choice.  Beginning at the end of that players second turn roll 1d6, on a 4+ the unit arrives and makes an immediate flank attack in that sector.  Keep rolling until the unit arrives or the battle is over.

Beginning on the other players next turn, if they have a choice of attacks, they may attack the flanking unit, effectively opening a fourth sector. The flanking unit automatically turns to face. If either unit in the fourth sector is unopposed and that players left or right wing sector next to it is vacant on that players unit automatically slides over to the vacant sector, closing the fourth sector.

The Battle of Pornetia

Picenian Army (Red) v Cyraenian Tetrapolis (Blue) - Ed.

The truce signed between Picenia and the Cyraenian Tetrapolis after the battle of Norpalae was extended the following year with both sides agreeing to meet annually to discuss extensions.  The year of the Hyena saw the representatives of the Tetrapolis delayed for the summit on Therissia by storms at sea.  This was the excuse the Picenians were looking for to resume hostilities and the day after the last appointed date they began operations, hoping to gain an advantage.  When the Tetrapolis delegation arrived a few days after that they were detained and informed they were now prisoners of war due to their failure to honor the agreement.

The Picenian plan was for a two pronged offensive, with a land army crossing the border and attacking Sentis while a fleet escorted the transports carrying a second army to attack Kartos.

The operation started as planned for Picenia, surprise catching the Tetrapolis somewhat wrong footed and therefore slow to concentrate.

At the beginning of the fifth month of the year of the Hyena the Picenian army under Decimus Janius Albinus invaded Sentis and began devastating the countryside in the hopes of drawing the city's Tyrant out to offer battle.  This plan succeeded and Anaxander marched out with every man he could muster and met the invaders on a large open plain north of the city.

The battle was delayed by a day due to storms and heavy rain the day before, and it was on a muddy field that the two armies deployed for battle.

Albinus had the veteran 7th legion (disciplined) in the left sector, his archers in the center and the 9th legion on the right.  In reserve he had the veteran 6th legion (disciplined) and his cavalry.  All together he had some 19,000;foot and 3,000 horse.

Anaxander deployed his two phalanxes to the right and left with his elite elphas (elephant) corps in the center. In reserve he had the city militia and a mixed, unreliable, unit of cavalry and peltasts.  He sent his cavalry on a ide flank march to fall upon the enemy left once the battle was fully underway.  He had about 20,000 infantry, of verying quality, 4,000 cavalry and 100 elphas.

The battle opened with fighting all along the front. At first it was inconclusive, but eventually the Tetrapolis phalanx in the right sector and the Picenian archers in the center gave way leading to a confused melee as both sides made flanking attacks and reinforced their lines from the reserve.

 Anaxander rallied the routed phalanx as his cavalry crashed into the flank of the 7th and routed them.  Albinus ordered his cavalry to counter charge and stabilized his left then rallied the 7th.

The battle then entered its final, bloody phase as Anaxander's men slowly gained the upper had.  The battle was finally won when his elphas charged and put the 7th legion to flight.

Anaxander's army as too exhausted and battered to mount an effective pursuit.

Next, the second part of the Picenian offensive.

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Thanks to Mark as always. Picenia is not invincible after all; or will they bounce back?