Well this may not be a Dark Age battle but we decided to still use Dux Bellorum rules to re-fight a battle close to its anniversary. In this case the Shield Wall v Warrior classification still seemed appropriate.

With apologies to Mike Brady:

“Cause there’s four days in September

Romans don’t remember

There isn’t any doubting

The Germans did the shouting

Teutobourger Wald  is such a part of our renown

Cause in those woods is where we put them down”.

For those heathens or overseas blog readers that may not understand the reference, or the greatest football game of all, please see:

The time is 9AD and for twenty years, the Romans were the “bully boys” conquering and laying waste to the Rhineland province.

When the province appeared to be under total Roman control, a catastrophe erupted that claimed the lives of three Roman legions and laid Rome’s imperial ambitions for Germania into the dust.

“Remember, everything is right until it’s wrong”.

Ernest Hemingway (the Garden of Eden).

In late September, a mere 2008 years ago, while marching to suppress a distant tribal rebellion, the Romans under Publius Quinctilius Varus were attacked in a four-day battle with the Rhineland tribes. Taken completely by surprise the Romans were ambushed in dense woods.

                                           Arminius                                             Varus

Despite the defeat being a heavy blow to Rome’s military pride the fact that it took four days to totally destroy the fleeing Legions is a tribute to their individual bravery and fighting ability.

My luck had finally run out as I was playing the Romans. With Pila in hand and a steely resolve I was determined to beat the odds and become victorious in those “Four days in September” (just like the tiger of old).

Photo showing the narrow paths and dense forest as it is today (courtesy of wikipedia).

The game began with the Romans completely on the table marching towards the other side.

The Romans march into the trap.

The Germans wait in ambush.

The Germans were just out of site on the Northern side at the foot of the difficult slope of Kalkriese. South of the Roman force was a tributary of the Elba, more forest and the Grande Palude marsh.

Map of the battle courtesy of wikipedia.

The Germans attack but fail to reach the Roman line in the first turn.

A lucky dice roll gives the Roman lead cohort a  double move and promptly charges the nearest Germans.

Brave Roman archers follow suit and push back the German skirmishers.

Trying to buy time Varus charges and breaks a German warband on contact but at some considerable loss to his bodyguard (60% losses).

With his blood lust up Varus charges the flank of a second German Warband but despite having nearly three times as many dice did not inflict a casualty and was pushed back and destroyed.

With the Romans now leaderless, their retreat cut-off, and another German tribe blocking any forward movement they were determined to sell their lives dearly.

One by one the Roman units were eliminated.

The last Roman units succumb.

The game was excellent fun and the re-fight ended as expected. The staying power of the Roman shield wall still proved a hard nut to crack despite not being able to add their leadership tokens following the death of Varus.