Nevermind the Kontos

Late Romans v Sassanid Persians in 28mm

Using Never mind the Kontos a supplement to convert Never mind the Billhooks to periods earlier than the Wars of the Roses by David and Adam.

Players

Late Roman  : Adam.
Sassanids     : David Pentland.
AAR by David Pentland.

Another raid in strength on a Roman border fort by the Sassanids. A Legion and auxiliaries with a super heavy cataphract unit, light cavalry, skirmish troops, 3 Ballista's and 2 Skorpions, faced 2 elite Cataphract, 3 Clibinari (super heavy horse archers), a heavy cavalry, a heavy levy, skirmisher units and 2 Elephants.

The Persian right flank super heavy cavalry units come under Skorpion and Ballista fire from the fort and field as they advance, luckily for them the Roman dice rolls are terrible and unbelievably only 1 casualty was taken in the first few turns.

In response the Roman right flank light and Skirmish units advance towards the shrine, to meet oncoming enemy Heavy Levy infantry, and on turn 2 the Sassanid allied Horse Archer skirmishers.

Over the next few turns these units are engaged in firefights, with Roman units running forward to fire and then retreating to their original positions to stay out of close archery range. This ultimately results in the loss of the Sassanid Heavy Levy who rout unexpectedly rout following a few losses, while both sides skirmish troops take heavy losses but don’t break.

Meanwhile in the centre both sides failed to activate for the initial turns, but eventually the Elephants manage to get to charge range, and along with the Persian right wing drive into the Roman legion and cavalry. 

The Cavalry battle is virtually an even clash with the two Cataphract units nearly identical in size and armour. Only the Persians have a slight edge in quality, and it  makes the difference as they win the melee, but the Romans pass their morale check and the battle would have continued another turn had not a second Sassanid unit (Clibinari) charged to reignite the melee. Routing the remaining Roman Cataphracts, and engaging a ballista team. 

Alongside this breakthrough, the charging Elephant’s archers fired on the waiting Legionaries doing some damage before taking return arrow, dart and caltrops damage. One of the elephants was killed taking full hits, the second continued into the melee, and although losing the battle, it rampages breaking through the Roman line, and disordering the unit.

Finally back on the Roman right flank, a Roman charge by their heavy cavalry pushed back an elite Clibinari unit inflicting heavy losses on it. A counter attack though by allied heavy cavalry virtually destroyed the Roman attackers, leaving them daunted, but not broken.

At that point unfortunately the game ended. Defeat was in the balance for the Romans, with the Sassanid breakthrough on their left flank and its right flank in turmoil. Despite that its centre was still intact, and for the moment slightly ahead in points, so it was agreed to call the battle a draw.

From our point of view both Adam and myself (David), voted it a most enjoyable game. It gave us a chance to further refine our ancient version of Nevermind the Billhooks,( Mind that Kontos) and see how they played out on the table. Still some tweaking to go but I think we are getting there.

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Editorial comment.

If I were the Romans I would have just hunkered down in the big stone fort.

However they may have been concerned that the Sassanids may take a leaf out of Graham Chapmans book and daubed "Romanes eunt domus" ( People called 'Romanes' they go the house ) on the walls. Forcing them to send Centurion Cleese out to correct it to "Romani ite domum" ( Romans go home ).

Simpler just to enforce Pax Romana and send the legions in.

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Photos curtesy of Adam, David P, Gary and the Editor