Carthage Versus Republic Rome Armati rules

[PaulRPetri]

I had not broken out my Republic Romans and Carthaginian forces in a long time and I wanted to try out an "Old" new set of rules Armati. Armati came out in 1994 I think and replaced Tactica which was penned by the same designer. I love Tactica but wanted to see the difference in the two rule sets. So my buddy Brian and I had a quick game at the Hobby Store to see how we liked them and also figure out how to play them!
Naturally I forgot to take some pictures until the game was well underway! To spare the suspense my Carthaginians were crushed by those damn powerful Romans!! Here are some action shots. The game was played on a 6 foot by four foot mat.





















My destroyed forces!!


more dead and a giant hole in my lines!!


The right flank of my arms after my elephants had been ambushed by the Roman Velits!!


The rules are much more streamlined than Tactica and the game played out in under two hours from set up to take down and we did not know what we were doing. Some very interesting game mechanics that make you think quite a bit. Always my down fall!
Thanks for looking

[Ochoin]

An excellent looking game.
Romans. I've gamed against them (mostly) & with them (sometimes) on many occasions, using various rule sets.
They "always" win.

There are exceptions - in a game were 2 Roman columns were travelling through a hilly, forested area, the Celts won. It would have been hard for them to lose. In games where the enemy (Celts or Carthaginians) significantly outnumber the Romans, they win.

You may make the point my crummy generalship is an issue & you'd be right! But I just think they're too powerful. I decided to sell my Polybian Roman army earlier this year & am nearly finished building a Pyrrhic Greek force to fight my "Carthos" or Celts.

I'm using Hail Caesar rules but will look at your Armati. They sound promising.

donald

[PaulRPetri]

Thanks for the info Donald. I just finished Pyrrhic force myself which I had the figures lying in boxes for years. I will give it another shot with the Carthaginians maybe I can turn the tables. If not the Greeks will make an appearance.

[PhilC]

That's a classic, in an excellent version.
I remember the enthusiasm that took me when Hät produced Republican Romans and Carthaginian forces in the previous century, I couldn't believe my eyes! On your gaming table, they still look great, congratulations

[PaulRPetri]

Thank you very much Phil!

[Beano Boy]

Great Stuff!
Many thank's PaulRPetri ,and your buddy Brian!
Best Regards BB

[Santi Pérez]

An impressive display with such well painted armies and a so comprehensive photo report, Paul. Thanks for sharing it.

Santi.

[Peter]

Nice table full of very nice painted figures and a nice game report! Thanks for sharing!

[PaulRPetri]

Brian and I had another game this week. Was much closer I had a chance to win but my slingers and dice rolling failed me!! Here are a few action shots.
We expanded the table to a four foot wide by eight feet long. Almost the size for a standard 25mm game. The table needs to be 5 feet wide but it did not seem to matter much.

I have to figure out a better plan for my elephants. Did not do much again.


The center clashes.


Brian massed all of his cavalry on my right flank which was not what I was excpecting! Deployment is done with a cardboard wall separating us so it is in secret!


On my left flank my Numidians were not very effective and my foot had a long march to the enemy.


I have been flanked!!


A slugfest in the center!


My Celtic war bands let me down as well.


A very fun game that went down to the wire. Still have a few rules to iron out.

Thanks for looking

[Santi Pérez]

Another impressive display and report, Paul

Santi.

[PaulRPetri]

Thanks Santi!

[PaulRPetri]

For those brave souls who have read the last two after action reports here is a third with another ignoble loss by yours truly. I took a few pictures of the foam core wall we use to deploy in hiding. As silly as it looks it adds a great deal of tension to the game not knowing your opponents exact set up. To be clear the rules restrict what units can deploy in which section of the table, for instance all heavy infantry is restricted to the center section of the table.




Brian massed all of his cavalry on my left flank, 2 units and had none on my right flank which I had placed my 2 heavy cavalry units.




A bunch of overview shots.






On my left flank my light cavalry was attacked by the Roman heavy cavalry.


Climax in the center I could make no impression on the Roman battle line.


I knocked out 2 roman units 3 away from victory but my line broke and was flanked and the roll up of my line could not be stopped so we called the game a Roman victory, followed by tears of sadness flowing from my eyes!




After 3 games it is clear to both of us that the Roman army is probably rated too high. Without getting into the weeds too far on rules all of the Roman infantry is rated the same very high, instead of the first line Hastatii being a base level, with the second line Princeps being a notch higher followed by the Trarii another notch higher. We may adjust things in the future but next week my Phyricc army will take the field let's see how that goes.
As always thanks for looking.

[Ochoin]

Another great AAR.

I've never done it but I am really appreciative of the use of the 'blind'. As you know, there are several deployment methods but none, I think, as effective as this.

Romans. Sigh. I am no longer a believer in having strictly balanced armies. You could give your poor "Carthos" extra units. Or make the Romans deploy first. Or set victory conditions that give them a chance eg hod a mountain pass. I sincerely don't mind losing wargames, which is lucky because I lose more than I win. But there has to be a possibility of victory.

Good luck with Pyrhhus & friends.

donald

[PaulRPetri]

Thanks for the kind comments Donald!
I have used the blind for several games including some SYW battles always adds some fun! We are thinking of downgrading the Romans in future games. Armati has a simple melee system were each player throws a d6 and adds this to the units fight value. The higher score wins. All Roman heavy infantry have a Fight Value of 7. My Spanish are a 6 and my Gauls are a 5! I do have 2 units of Carthaginian veterans that are 8's. The problem is that the Romans have 12 infantry units and the Carthaginians have only 8. So I have to knock out infantry units some how with my cavalry which are 4 fight value! Tough going.

[Ochoin]

Oh, & nice figures. individually & collectively, this is quite the spectacle.

donald

[Beano Boy]

Thankfully many years ago together we saved this sub forum on Benno's Figure Forum.
And now we can all enjoy armies at each other in open gaming display.
Such armies march upon ever increasing table tops,
very true,
but where does one stop?
i used to use eight tables pushed together,
giving me an area of twenty feet by five,
however even that was not enough! Eh!
It was the bright beaming case BB,
had also started collecting tables too. What?
Very true,
So thanks for posting again PaulRPetri. BB

[Ochoin]

T
had also started collecting tables too. What?
. BB

[PaulRPetri]

Thanks BB!! Here in the midwest of the USA when I really started wargaming properly in the mid 1980's the standard table size was six feet by twelve feet. Funny how things are established and nobody knows how it happened!
Im glad you saved the gaming part of this forum BB!!!

[C M Dodson]

As a former war gamer that blind idea is excellent.

The traditional block units used until seen was ok but this is on another level.

The element of surprise is back!

Lovely figures and photo report.

Best wishes,

Chris

[PaulRPetri]

Thanks Chris I really do appreciate the kind comments.