Rendezvous with the Menapii sharp at 57BC a stone precisely next to the Ardennes

It was Ancients (28mm,  To the Strongest) and Angus and Campbell were representing the Flamic and Wallonian ancestors of that rough little patch we today call Belgium. While me and Peter were the Roman intruders, the willing henchmen of that obnoxious little man at the end of the Republican era called Ceasar, famous for torturing thousands of students of the classics in upcoming centuries with his apologetic propaganda material just to cross one little river ...

Angus had set up the forces quite traditionally in parallel lines and the two cavalry contingents opposing each other. The plan is always simple - avant! So Campbell, l as he was outnumbered, he tried to avoid my "tougher" Gallic Cavalry and charged directly into my light Numidian horsemen ... ouch.

Peter and Angus were up for a sluggish infantry havoc match, each hacking units (points) apart for the most time of the battle. What shall I say ... the Non-Romans were giving a tough fight, but still melted away more or less. It was first a near draw that then ended in a slight Roman strategical victory, as me and Peter were having exceptionally bad luck with drawing the right cards.

Unimaginable terror would have befallen the Menapii, if we would have had the right cards and probably the crosses would have been lining up a bit earlier ... hach, civilisation ... what a conversational topic that is. (No, we will abstain from any comparison between any other known historical empires, ... you have to have a "Caesar" first, and then at least an cordial or mutual agreement with a local "Pontifex Maximus" ... but that is another conversation ...)

While the rules are fun and rather simple, so were the strategic/tactical/operational requirements to handle these forces on the field. Who would risk an open battle with a much more sophisticated military power? Only clueless barbarians for sure. While I'm still waiting for ancients rules not based cinematographic entertainment and pondering how a Germanic units of the black painted Harii would look like... ;)

The Roman line and their Castra 

My flanking Horse Officer

the dirty Legion

The colourful Belgians

Throw your Pilum before the enemy throw himself at you! 

The Numidian are getting caught in a charge ...

The lines are closing in

the battle

some light horse survived ..

but them my "heavier" Gauls were attack in the flank ...

with the help of the rest of the African Light Cavalry

while in  the centre the slaughtering continued ...

ebb and flow ....

the barbaric lines are beginning to thin out

The Belgian Cavalry (already off picture)... slaughtered by my Numidians

The Romans press for the end game

The "Belgians"request more Trappist beer

The Belgian cavalry  lord pondering where his horses went ...

Peters flank ... a hack and slay

slowly the lines getting broken  ....

the last ditch attempt of some war bands to get to the Roman campus

... but been drawn away from the fight by a Cavalry flight ...

so near and yet so far ...

last war band without significance standing ...