The Battle of Tapae, 101 AD, using Three Ages of Rome - Table Setup.

This weekend I will be hosting Tom, Will and friends, Mike and Cody to play the Battle of Tapae using Three Ages of Rome (TAoR) by Philip Garton, with the Romano-Dacians taking the table for my inaugural game in my refitted wargames room, long overdue many would say, and this post picks up from my previous one looking at the preparation and planning that I did, to actually setting up the table and the armies in preparation for our game this Sunday. 

Trajan's Dacian Campaigns - map illustrating the location of our supposed battle site at Tapae in the Iron Gate Pass amid the Orăștie Mountains, close to Costesti and Sarmizegetusa Regia.

In the Prep & Planning post there is an outline to the scenario that the chaps have had as a pre-game brief, together with the opposing orders of battle and victory conditions, so if you are just picking this post up you might want to start there, as in this post I am looking at translating those armies to the table together with the terrain choices to interpret the map.

 

JJ's Wargames: The Battle of Tapae, 101 AD, using Three Ages of Rome - Preparation and Planning.

The map below is my interpretation of the one in the book used to illustrates the battle as it presumably might have been arranged with the two armies arrayed in a valley amid the Orăștie Mountains on the approach road to the Dacian capital, Sarmizegetusa Regia, near the Dacian citadel Costesti.

Below is my interpretation of the set up on my 9' x 5' table for playing the game in 28mm, with the two armies arrayed so that I could judge distances between the two forces for later deployment on the approach of the two lines.

The table arranged for Sunday's game and with both armies deployed, purely to illustrate the two forces and their respective footprints, using as I am 28mm figures. 

My use of my Roman citadel buildings to represent the outskirts of Contesti is based on an illustration in Radu Oltean's superb book, Dacia The Roman Wars Volume 1, covering the Dacian Wars of this period, a book I reviewed in 2015, and a much treasured tome in my library.

Radu Oltean's illustration of the citadel of Costesti in his book Dacia The Roman Wars.
JJ's Wargames: Dacia The Roman Wars, Volume One, Sarmizegetusa- Radu Oltean

In the pregame briefing the chaps will have a chance to arrange their troops in their preferred set up, and so the forces have been arranged on the table purely to mark up the points A,B and Y, Z as shown on the map to illustrate the width of the opposing lines on set up and the most furthest forward units, together with the space available to deploy in for both sides.

Point Z on the map for the Dacian line shows that any units deploying from here will be constricted by the woods in this area, close to the table edge.

Thus the opposing pairs of red and blue 'Carpe Diem' chits indicate those start positions illustrating the limited deployment line for the Romans, with likely just their forward line of units appearing on table at the start of the game , but with much more deployment space for the Dacians taking their blocking position across the road, with the Y position in front of Costesti giving them plenty of scope to stretch the Romans should they wish.

Point B on the Roman map illustrates my point that only the most forward Roman troops in their line of battle will have the space to deploy initially from here, with the Roman artillery keen to stake out an early position to start plying the Dacian line with heavy bolts.

The opposing set up points Y and A for the Dacians and Romans respectively can be seen in the pictures below, and as per the map, the two opposing lines will be facing each other diagonally across the valley, as opposed to the set up in the pictures.

Point Y on the Dacian side of the map marked up in front of Costesti, illustrating the scope for the Dacians to deploy all their forces in line should they choose, and to threaten the Roman left flank with and advance into the foothills ahead.

The Roman set up A marker can be seen besides the road to Sarmizegetusa Regia, better illustrating that initial Roman deployment will be limited to forward units.

I have made no alteration to my units to allow them to work with TAoR, and am planning to use my Augustus to Aurelian (AtoA) counters such as the pilum markers to indicate when the legionary cohorts have used them in combat, removing said counters as required, as well as my 'brave warrior' bases to indicate my veteran warbands, see the picture below.

Those and my unit status markers 'Disordered', 'Shaken' which will replace the disrupted status as written in the rules, and obviously, 'Rout' indicated by units facing away from the enemy. 

The orders for divisions will also use my AtoA counters with Hold and Attack orders as per the rules and 'Retire' orders replacing Withdraw.

The two veteran warbands are indicated by a pair of falx and sword wielding berserkers placed ahead of the main body of warriors.

This game is to test the rules out and see if they will work as a fast play set without losing the detail that characterises a particular era of ancient warfare, such as this early to middle period of Imperial Rome's age of conquest.

Three Ages of Rome | Groups | Facebook

Thus as well as incorporating much of the 28mm House Rules gleaned from Keith Flint on the TAoR Facebook Group, link above, which you should look at joining if interested in playing this series of rules. 

Dacian leader Scorisicus rides out ahead of his massed warbands and skirmishers

I'm not convinced about the idea of having my Roman Auxiliary Infantry, classed as 'Adaptable Infantry' running around in skirmish order, however I could argue the case for these often tribal based units from various parts of the empire bringing their looser movement arrangements to the Roman system of battle that would enable them to manoeuvre through 'Difficult Terrain' as warbands giving them a 7cm movement advantage over their legionary comrades.

King Decebalus leads a division that has two veteran warbands, one armoured, together with a veteran unit of heavy cavalry.

I also have some ideas of my own that I might adapt from AtoA that include Roman Triplex and Duplex Acies tactics and Impetuous Warbands that I feel better represent these very different armies. 

However I am getting ahead of myself and as always first things first and so lets get the play test done and dusted!

Decebalus' veteran warbands bar the way to the Roman invader.

You might also notice from the unit pictures that my AtoA Numbered Command Chits also fit well with TAoR as the respective numbered discs are placed next to their respective commanders and I intend to use them to facilitate the random draw to determine which commands get to activate in what particular order.

Legatus Pietus commands the Roman second division with Balearic slingers seen here ahead of his legionaries and auxiliaries.

No it's not Russell Crowe's Maximus Decimus Meridius, but rather the Numidian Prince Catus leading the Roman cavalry that includes his own Numidian light cavalry supported by Balearic slingers

The Emperor Marcus Ulpius Traianus, Trajan interviewing one of the locals before turning his attention to the task at hand.

So there we are, everything ready for our game on Sunday which will be the first played in my refitted room and I'm really looking forward to getting together with the chaps to put Three Ages of Rome through its paces and see what kind of a game it has to offer.

The Dacian battle line arranged in its deployment area with Decebalus' division closest to camera to better illustrate the final arrangement with the Roman army off table yet to deploy its lead units

The After Action Report for our game will follow, plus my 'The World Turned Upside Down' British Second Composite Light Infantry Battalion are nearing completion which I will be showcasing, and some new terrain items look set to join them as well, courtesy of my mate Jason.

So with lots to do, as always more anon.

JJ