Next month I am planning to give the Roman-Dacians a run out and to entertain my two lads, Tom and Will, and their friends, some new to historical wargaming and with Will having a particular affection for ancients; with a planned scenario based on the historical Battle of Tapae and allowing me to try out a set of rules I've had in my collection for a few years now, Three Ages of Rome from Helion Wargames, written by Philip Garton.
The rules fit perfectly with my collection of figures with, as their title suggests they being designed specifically for and covering the three ages of Imperial Rome, namely the Expansion of Rome's Imperial Empire, 70-30 BC, The Establishment and Consolidation of the Empire, 30 BC to 200 AD and the Decline of Empire, 200 AD to 450 AD.
They are titled as 'fast play for exciting ancient battles', with the first part of that sentence not often being an aspect that would normally excite my interest, as my experience of many 'fast-play' rules has been regularly underwhelming, given the often fast-play aspect is gained at the expense of losing period feel and detail and the erring towards the 'game' aspect rather than the 'simulation' I prefer my rules to lean to.
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| The last time the Romano-Dacians were out on the table was in December 2019 with this river crossing scenario using Augustus to Aurelian rules with Will, Ben and Tom. JJ's Wargames: Augustus to Aurelian - River Crossing |
So the fact that 'Three Ages of Rome' has made it to a play test, for which I have some eager guinea-pigs to humour my interest, reflects my impression that these rules might have struck a balance on the game-simulation spectrum that warrants further investigation with a game.
This scenario is based on one of the six scenarios contained in the rules covering the three periods, slightly adapted for my table and collection, with the rules composed specifically for 15mm but with the simple adaption of increasing all measurements by 50% for use with 28mm.
The chaps have had the following briefing:
The Battle of Tapae, 101 AD
Since the reign of Augustus, the Dacian frontier had been relatively peaceful. Although there had been periods of skirmishing, there had been no open warfare. This changed dramatically in 88 AD when the Dacians, under King Duras, invaded the Roman province of Moesia. The Roman Emperor Domitian immediately responded but his general, Cornelius Fuscus, was defeated at the first Battle of Tapae by the Dacian Decebalus. Another Roman general, Tettius Julianus, was more successful and the subsequent peace treaty lasted for a decade.
Decebalus continued to undermine the security of the Dacian frontier. He made alliances with other tribes to put pressure on the Romans. The new Emperor, Trajan, needed time to organise an army to respond to this renewed threat. By 101 he was ready to launch his own offensive. His army followed much the same route into Dacia as it had 13 years before.
The road to Tapae follows a valley directly towards the Dacian capital, Sarmizegethusa Regia. Decebalus decided to block the Roman advance at this point. No one has found any contemporary documents describing the course of this battle. What is known is that it was hard fought. It has been said that a thunderstorm broke out which was interpreted in opposite ways by the two sides. The Romans took it as a sign that Mars, their god of war was arriving for their side. The Dacians took it that their gods were dissatisfied. Whatever the truth, the Dacian army eventually gave way, leaving the route to their capital open.
It was to take five more years of hard campaigning before Trajan could claim control over his new Dacian province. A few years later, Trajan commissioned the building of one of the most famous Roman monuments. Trajan’s Column stands both as a monument to Trajan’s achievements, and also a reminder to everyone of the power of Rome.
Early Imperial Roman Army
Objective
The aim is to break the will of the Dacian Army and force it to retreat. A secondary objective is to exhaust any Dacian command without exhausting any Roman command. This would be a minor victory.
Dacian Army
Objective
The aim is to break the will of the Roman Army and force it to retreat.
The Battle of Tapae, 101 AD, Commander Ratings
Trajan, born Marcus Ulpius Traianus on 18th September AD 53 in Italica, Hispania Baetica (modern Andalusia, Spain), was the first Roman emperor born outside Italy. He came from a family with a strong military tradition; his father, also Marcus Ulpius Traianus, was a distinguished general and senator who served in the Jewish War and became consul. Trajan received a comprehensive education in rhetoric, philosophy, and Roman law, and began his military career as a tribune under his father, later commanding the Seventh Legion in northern Spain.
Trajan gained prominence during the reign of Domitian, serving as a legatus in Germania and Hispania, and later as governor of Upper Germany and Pannonia. Following Domitian’s assassination, Emperor Nerva, facing a succession crisis and pressure from the army, adopted Trajan as his heir in AD 97 due to his military reputation and popularity with the legions. Trajan became emperor in AD 98 upon Nerva’s death, marking the beginning of his rule as the second of the Five Good Emperors.
Trajan is celebrated for his military campaigns, particularly the Dacian Wars (101–106 AD), which resulted in the conquest of Dacia and the acquisition of vast wealth for Rome. He also expanded the empire eastward, annexing Arabia, Armenia, and Mesopotamia, reaching the Persian Gulf, and briefly surpassing the territorial limits of previous emperors. His victories earned him the honorific title Dacicus and solidified his reputation as a soldier-emperor.
Trajan’s Experience Rating = Veteran
Pietas and Catus have four or more years experience in military command and will roll a D6 to determine their Experience Rating, 1 = Politico, 2-4 = Normal, 5-6 = Veteran
Decebalus was the last king of Dacia, ruling c. 87–106 AD, who unified Dacian tribes and resisted Roman conquest under emperors Domitian and Trajan. Noted for strategic skill, fortifications at Sarmizegethusa Regia, and use of the falx weapon, he won early victories like the ambush of Cornelius Fuscus but was defeated in two major wars (101–102, 105–106 AD). Pursued after the fall of his capital, he committed suicide rather than be captured, becoming a celebrated symbol of courage in Romanian history.
Decebalus’ Experience Rating = Normal
Scorisicus has four or more years experience in military command and will roll a D6 to determine his
Experience Rating, 1 = Politico, 2-4 = Normal, 5-6 = Veteran
Needless to say, I am by no means the first person to try these rules, part of a series written by Phil Garton for Helion, and in the best traditions of the best way of walking through a minefield, namely follow in the footsteps of someone who has already made it through to the other side, I have naturally trawled through various other blog posts covering them and their playability as well as joining the small Facebook Group page in anticipation of setting up this game and garnering a few House Rules and adaptions that have come forth from more experienced users of the rules.
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| Three Ages of Rome | Groups | Facebook |
I intend to make best use of those House Rules many of which covered off a few of the aspects I had already noted to make changes to, and incorporating a better QRS than the one contained in the rules, they being far more encompassing for all the aspects of play that might crop up, together with my own page references to the rule book, should I need to clarify a point for the chaps playing.
So there we are, a little diversion from all things American War of Independence orientated and a game that will not only be the first one to be played in my refurbished room, but one I'm hoping might lead to other ideas for my Romans and Dacians going forward into 2027.
As always more anon.
JJ
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