Jackson Gamers' Ancients playtest
Elephant Entanglements

Photo by Ed Sansing

We played our second Vis Bellica game on September 6, 2004. This is the Labor Day holiday here in the United States, which marks the end of summer and the beginning of school. We used two 20mm Roman armies, very nicely painted by Phil Young.

It was a Romans vs. Romans civil war battle - using approximately 350 points of troops per side Each side had five subordinate commands, plus a general and a sub-general. Side A (The Loyalists) had three legions, a unit of auxilliary archers, and a mixed cavalry unit, which included a stand of Sarmatian lancers. The side A players were Phil Young and Jay Stribling.

Side B (also claiming to be loyalists - but to a different emperor - had two legions, an allied barbarian warband, and two 5-base units of war elephants. Ed Sansing and I, being Side B Loyalists, decided that the elephants would make a good assault force in the center and would stomp everything in their path into the dust. Boy were we WRONG.

Comitting both units against the Side A's archers in the middle of the enemy line, we destroyed one archer stand and forced the other three to rout. BUT then the enemy legionnaires came in and the result was dying and beserk elephants everywhere. Before we could say "Dumbo!", we had lost 6 of the 10 elephant stands and found that elephants are not Tiger tanks! (Editor's note: seeing those routing elephants fighting among themselves or turning and charging Jim's or Ed's Roman troops to the rear - temporaritly rendered the opponents: Jay Stribling and Phil Young - Hors de Combat with laughter)

On the right flank (my side of the field) my barbarians went up against part of a legion and part of the enemy cavalry (led by the Sarmatian lancer stand). In very short order the barbarians were in hectic flight, having lost 2/3 of their strength and, with all the elephant bases lost, couldn't rally. (Editor's note: rallying/passing a morale test in Vis Bellica is adversely affected by the number of friendly stands routed or lost - up to a limit of five routed/lost stands counted as negative modifiers)

At this point, Side B decided that their revolt wasn't really necessary, pledged eternal support for the Emperor (Side A's Emperor) and surrendered.

This was our second playtest of the Vis Bellica rules. I'm sure that there were things that we did incorrectly, but we had a good game. I've also decided that it's no more elephants for this wargamer!

Photo by Ed Sansing

Side B at their muster. We started about three turns of march apart. Both sides headed for the high ground in the center of the table. Captions in Green by Jay Stribling.

Photo by Ed Sansing

Legionnaires of side B pausing to have thier image recorded by a roadside artist. The entire force was plastic troops by Hat, Airfix, Atlanti and Revell. Unlike some people (your humble scribe included) who felt that acrylic paint would not stay on plastic, these were painted to quite a high standard and I saw no flaking or paint cracking.

Photo by Ed Sansing

Officer on command elephant "Mugs" for the camera. All of these forces, on both sides, plus the velour blanket used as a table cover were provided by Phil Young.

Photo by Ed Sansing

Side B on the march, moving left to right. Note the line of elephants in which so much time and effort (and so many game points) were invested.

Photo by Ed Sansing

One of the Tribunes commanding side A (Jay Stribling) looks blearily over the table. Apparently the pre-battle omens were not good - or maybe he was just waiting for Aspirin to be invented.

Photo by Ed Sansing

The Elephants rush forward and on turn three they hit Side A's archers who stood to meet them - WRONG idea boys! Although they obtained a number of hits on the beasts, the elephants trampled or routed them all.

Photo by Ed Sansing

A similar view, but on the next turn. Note that the archers are gone. Two blue arrows and one blue dot show the position of the routing archers. One of the elephants has turned about and maddened, is rushing to the rear - straight at his own troops! Also note the blue arrow in the bottom left of the image, showing some of Side A's infantry moving to flank side B.

Photo by Ed Sansing

A Recruiting Poster shot. "Join the Elephant Corps and see the world". Unfortunately the Legionary infantry of Side A would prove much tougher than the Pretty-boy archers.

Photo by Ed Sansing

The Elephants charge into the Legions of Side A. Two of the beasts are unopposed and trundle into the empty center of Side A. Legionaries move at the double to meet them.

Photo by Ed Sansing

The right flank of Side B's line showing the Barbarian infantry ally units in bright red, being met by Side A's left flank of legionaries and (keeping well clear of the elephants) Sarmatian lancers. After two turns of Melee, the elephants shown here would be dead or moving back at their own troops, and all of the Barbarians would be in flight!

Photo by Ed Sansing

After three turns of Melee, side B's forces, are in disarray and the elephants are attacking each other.

Photo by Ed Sansing

After about four turns of melee, the Barbarian allies of Side B are in rout. They still look spiffy in those bright red robes! Note the last elelphant fleeing stright back at his own troops. Side A's forces were bloodied a bit, but are intact in neat lines (good Drill Sergants).

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