The battle of Ravenna, Summer 69 AD
Vindex and Vitellius met again. Vitellius army was smaller, due the morale loss suffered for the previus battle lost.
The battlefield was quite open. Vitellius on the right attacked but deployed first, having a large RH and two smaller GH as support. He massed his cavalry on the right wing, keeping the inferior legion on the gentle hill.
Vindex, deploying second, set both his wings with enough troops to outflank the enemy.
Vitellius cavalry races towards the opposite wing
Vindex manouvered likewise
The manouver reminded the movie Alexander by Oliver Stone, with macedonian and persian cavalry racing parallel to each other. Once the cavalry reached the left wing, the infantry line started to advance.
Vindex tried again to send his Numidians on enemy baggage, but this time he was unsuccessful. Vitellius intercepted them with his light horses lead by a general.
This gave to the defender an advantage, but put the RCvO out of command
The fight started in the center.
Soon Vindex took heavy casualties. Vindex was notorious because he didn't like to engage his legions, of dubious quality, and Vitellius attacked right in the center.
Vindex was soon under pressure, with gaps and disorder in his line
The balance suddenly changed. Vindex charged and Vitellius' casualties mounted up. The Emperor troops made many breaktroughs
The battle near the baggage was a losing one for Vindex. Vitellius wisely committed some Auxilia reinforcements
Vitellius cavalry corps was disheartened and a major breakthrough was made by loyalist on the left
Losses mounted for both. Vitellius had two corps disheartened 1 ME away from breaking. This slowed a lot his fight near the baggage.
Vindex too suffered a lot of losses, with one corps 1 ME away from breaking as well.
The end was breathtaking, with both the army 1 element away from collapse. Vindex needed in a combat to roll 2 or plus to win, and rolled 1.
Vitellius then had a combat with one of his disheartened Lh fighting an enemy disheartened Lh as well, overlapped on a side and with the other flank closed:
It was a 1 to -1 and the Lh destruction would have made him win: he lost.
The turn after Vindex finally eliminated the element needed to break the enemy army, and Vitellius again failed the Lh combat!!
With Vitellius army broken there was an uproar by the public (including Vitellius' allies), that hoped to see the poor Vitellius lose. The players were exhausted by the tension. A nice match.
The battle was extremely balanced and decided by the die roll. The initial cavalry manouver by Vitellius was an hazard, and Vindex, instead of advancing his line, block the enemy mounted between the infantry lines, and exploit the superiority on both wings, made the mistake to follow him.
As usual Vindex was afraid to use his legions, and missed the opportunity of an easier win.
Vitellius played well also in the camp area, where the usual Lh run for baggage by Vindex could cost him the game, because Vitellius trapped the raiders, failing to destroy them just for bad luck.
By the way Vindex is still emperor, and more enemies are closing on him....