DBA Rome v Gaul - time for a bash!

With the exceptionally hot weather I'm having a few days break from painting, I have a few other things to sort out. Yesterday morning on impulse I unpacked the folding board from it's bag, laid out a few terrain bits and having rolled for board edge and attacker defender deployed some soldiers. Rome v Gaul was the choice - both these armies having expanded somewhat beyond 12 elements per side just because you get so many per bag - and with the Gauls choosing to defend and deploy first the Romans deployed in their traditional 3 line battle formation with the Velites in this case protecting the flanks. I had a fun couple of hours that resulted in a Roman victory although I have to say I was surprised just how tough the warbands proved to be when fighting 'blades'. The initial light chariot charge was easily beaten with all three elements forced to 'flee' 600 paces which effectively put them out of the fight. One shock was that Roman 'blades' when beaten by half or more on the dice off are immediately destroyed as I learned when 3 elements of legionaries were lost in a single turn as the Gauls rolled up the front line! As a result the second line - the Princepes - were bought up to extend the ranks and the tide than slowly began to turn as the combats started with a useful flank overlap in favour of the Romans. The trusty spear armed  veteran heavy infantry of the third line - the Triarii - advanced menacingly in support ready to fill any gaps but were not needed and did not see action. On the Roman right, which was protected by cavalry including the General, the warbands were kept at bay although I was wary of committing the Generals element to combat preferring to use as a flank support. I called it at 5 elements lost by the barbarians but probably could have continued a bit longer.

All in all an enjoyable experience as one who has struggled with enthusiasm for the gaming side of the hobby for some time and no doubt I will play more using some of t he numerous DBA armies that I now have, probably  sticking with the basic 12 elements per side. But it's clear that this compact 30 x 20 board can produce an exciting and enjoyable game  and will offer me lots more going forward especially as I become ore familiar with the nuances of the rules.

I have now just started army number eight, classical Indian, with a test paint of some war elephants, huge in 3mm scale :)

The army of King Porus begins!