On the gaming table today is the Battle of Lake Trasimene in 217BCE. Using the Commands & Colors Ancients scenario as a starting point, the final layout materializes as shown in the table photo below. Game will be played using Basic Impetvs. As the Roman commander, Flaminius finds half of his army hemmed in along the banks of the lake while the vanguard is constrained by a narrow defile as it offers pursuit to the retreating Carthaginians. Well, at least Flaminius thinks he is pursuing a retreating enemy. Hannibal has other plans and readies his army to spring a trap. Flaminius has his hands full.
The first of several recreations kicks off with a Tuesday, four-player remote game. Should be fun especially for the Carthaginian players. Since the historical battle ended in disaster for Flaminius, my thought is to allow each team to play the scenario twice, once from each side. I am lining up games as I type.
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| Initial situation |
Off the painting desk today is a Piedmontese combined grenadier battalion for the always expanding 18mm SYW/WAS project. These 16 figures are Old Glory.
I hinted in one of the year-end accounting posts that I planned to work on reducing The Lead Pile by painting more than I buy in 2024. For motivation and provide some visibility to my progress, I created a sidebar on the main page just above my profile. As can be seen, I am already behind by buying 67 and painting only 57. I blame Newline Designs' January Sale. I need to paint faster.
More units are working through the production queue with several cavalry regiments finished and awaiting their turn for a photo shoot. More Biblicals coming up as well although painting efforts have been stymied by a number of distractions. One distraction being a modest game room clean-up when I put away the recent WAS battle. One unfortunate result of my clean-up efforts is that I have misplaced a new box of Epic 30YW figures. Before, there were three such boxes. Afterwards, only two can be found. I wonder if the missing box will ever show up?
Paint faster? Droll. Surely you will succeed in your reduction goal. Simple discipline in the winter.
ReplyDeleteSimple discipline is often not so simple.
DeleteTrasimene is an interesting scenario!
ReplyDeleteBest of luck on the reduction plan. I have more stuff coming in today! Fortunately it is not a new project, and I am also looking at yet another box or three of old stuff to send off - this time mostly plastic models.
Trasimene is very tough on the Romans. Since the historical battle is said to have lasted for three hours of fighting, perhaps, not impossible for the Romans players to exceed the historical outcome.
DeleteOn the unpainted figure reduction, I may not succeed but at least I will know where I stand.
Trasimene very much captures my interest. On the face of it, there doesn’t look like a lot of scope for widely varying plans and responses etc, so it will be interesting to see the variances between the various game sessions.
ReplyDeleteTough one to do and certainly one that I think hexes will help with the nuances of defining facings and zocs.
Good to see that Trasimene is of interest, Norm. We will see if the battle offers minimal options for the players after a game or two is in the books. Player decisions, die rolls, and responses to both decisions and die rolls can send a battle off in a number of directions. The result may ultimately be the same but the journey is what is interesting.
DeleteI wonder how many Carthaginian units will end up pursuing a vanquished foe into the lake and ending with a similar fate?
Nice addition to the SYW/WAS collection. I shall look forward to the unfolding events on the games table in due course. One has to take advantage of a sale regardless of course🙂
ReplyDeleteThanks, Phil! Yes, one must take advantage of a sale especially in these trying times. For me the Newline Designs' sale is annual rite of passage.
DeleteLooking forward to seeing Lake Trasimere. Can be a difficult day for the Romans
ReplyDeleteMe too! The day could be very difficult for Flaminius but the day is not without hope.
DeleteA nice mix of stuff going on there Jon and it will be interesting to see how the Trasimene scenario plays out. At first glance it looks all too one sided, but as we know, nothing is gauranteed in our games. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has misplaced stuff, as I cannot for the life of me find a large Earth Elemental I've had since a teenager!
ReplyDeleteA good mix of activities to keep the mind occupied. That is why we have hobbies, right?
DeleteTrasimene looks one-sided and the battle outcome was one-sided but did it necessary have to turn pout that way? With accounts stating the fighting lasted for three hours, the romans must have offered some semblance of resistance. Well, unless butchering a legion takes three hours...
I cannot imagine what became of Pike & Shotte Box #3. could I have thrown it out during clean-up? Did I give it away? We may never know. I wonder if your Earth Elemental will ever resurface?
I hope it does as it's one of my all time favourite figures! Quite where it's gone I don't know as I kept all of my old figures in one old sweet tin and it's pretty hard to misplace due to its size. Maybe during the Spring clean it may resurface...
DeleteI scoured the game room yesterday and still no missing box of figures was uncovered. What became of it?
DeleteNice setup Jon ambushes always hard to develop scenarios when every body knows what is going on. Looking forward to seeing how it works out 👍 good luck with the painting after the weekend I’m way behind 😀
ReplyDeleteThanks! If the situation is designed properly, it does not matter if the ambushed knows what is about to befall him. There will be little the Romans players can do to prevent the initial onslaught. I look forward to seeing how it works too. I may need to go back to the drawing board.
DeleteIf you fancy trying your hand at this battle, let me know.
As others have commented, I have always thought Trasimene wouldn't be a lot of fun to play as a Roman, but I suppose it always comes down to what the victory conditions are. I'll certainly be looking forward to your AAR. Lovely combined grenadier unit. For a second there, when you mentioned reducing the lead pile, I thought you were going to say you were going to sell something. Glad to see it's just speeding up the already prodigious output.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the victory conditions are what make many scenarios (especially lopsided historical ones) worth playing. In this case, I suggested paired games in which teams swap sides and replay. Whoever sees the most success as makes as Flaminius gets the tip of the hat.
DeleteNot selling off The Lead Pile although Nancy mentioned that I sure have a lot of figures when we were hunting down the missing box of figures. If the sight was not so embarrassing, I am tempted to take a photo of the pile purely for archival purposes.
Great new painted minis Jonathan!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michal!
DeleteLooking forward to this despite the almost certain outcome. If only Flaminius had thought to equip his men with inflatable arm bands.
ReplyDeleteI anxiously await the start of hostilities too. Flaminius is not without hope…at least on paper.
DeleteLooking forward to it too, Jon - though it looks a tough one.. The 'big decision' of the battle has already been taken by Flaminius - our job is to make the best of the situation he has walked into! Thanks v. much for inviting us, let's see how we do!
DeleteYes, the job that you and Mark are faced with is how to extricate the Romans from the situation Flaminius stepped into carelessly.
Deletecool scenario. I like the idea of each player being able to try each side (common in C&C).
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'll catch up the painting deficit shortly. 10 is not a big number, and there can't be sales all the time right? 😁
PS. I might steal that idea of a side bar for my tracking my hobby budget.
DeleteThanks, Stew! When the historical battle was so one-sided and having one army at significant disadvantage, swapping sides and replaying seems a fair test of mettle.
DeleteYou might be surprised at how frequently sales crop up!
Tracking stuff is a useful role for sidebars.
DeleteThe Piedmont figures look great! Reminds me that "You Have to Die in Piedmont!" has been on my "to read" list for sometime and I should pick that up. As for the lead pile, I think with a goal like that, you're allowed to wait at least until mid-year before you judge your performance - after all, purchasing miniatures takes no time at all and you have the rest of the year to paint them. Indeed, I'd divide the 67 acquired in January by 12 for evaluation's sake, which means you have painted almost 10x as many as you acquired!
ReplyDeleteThanks, John! i have the Badone book and it is a source for much mind wandering about scenarios. Great source for reference and inspiration.
DeleteYou are right. My sample size is much too small to be worries about Lead Pile expansion just yet.
I do like the idea of refighting unbalanced history and seeing what happens. Looking forward to see how your alternative Flaminius's (Flamini?) fare. The painting balance idea is good however... I've yet to succeed over many years although enjoyed myself trying. Sales are not good but in all honesty any "new" project or "old" project which needs just that one extra regiment can be enough. What makes it worse is that the better half worries more about the impact of the ever expanding library (another first world problem) on the structure of the house; if only she knew.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, I really enjoy repeated fights of the same historical battle whether balanced or unbalanced. I think these exercises offer insight for all involved in addition to improving play. The first playing of Trasimene today was a good one.
DeleteI have a problem with an expanding library too but try to keep the current state in equilibrium.
Well, I can't comment on the lead pile v painting Jon, as I now probably have as much unpainted lead and plastic as I have done for many a year - having recently divested myself of almost the entire amount of hobby cash I had gradually accumulated throughout 2023!
ReplyDeleteI like the latest painted figure, of course, and also look forward to seeing how the refight of the ambush by the lake goes - did you and Peter in Australia refight that one quite recently - I have seen it somewhere in the last few months.....
Hi Keith, you have a very good memory! You are, indeed, correct about Peter and I fighting Lake Trasimene earlier.
DeleteWe discussed fighting the same battle each of us hosting the game on our table with our figures and our choice of rules. Peter went first and now it is my turn to reciprocate. Our rematch is scheduled for later in the month. I figured since I had the battle laid out and scenario finished, getting in only one battle seemed a shame. Looks like this one will be fought several times.
The running of the first battle did not disappoint. Great fun!
You're a very busy boy! I'm looking forward to playing the Lake Trasimene game. I've played a solo version of this battle using the To the Strongest rules and my 6mm armies so it'll be interesting to play it with you.
ReplyDeleteKeeping busy is good! Since you have played this battle you will know what to expect on both sides. Hopefully, when we wrangle the Rejects to the table for a game, you won't be disappointed.
DeleteGreat battle on the table and fine grenadiers.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteLovely looking Piedmont unit, tough battle for the Romans, death, taxes and Newline sales!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain caveadsum1471
Thanks, Iain! I much prefer the annual Newline sales over death and taxes.
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