Option | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| A (stay put) | 0 | |
| B (move to Roman right) | 1 | |
| C (advance with rear LG line) | 0 | |
| D (other: join front rank LG) | 1 | |
| D (other: move fwd to rally) | 1 |
Option | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| A (move velites into the river) | 2 | |
| B (advance with first LG line) | 1 | |
| C (other) | 0 |
My thoughts:
We're still a little light on the voting. Thanks to all of you taking the time to send me your opinion.
In some ways, Plautius's move is a tough decision because on this turn he can't do much of importance anyway. One correspondent pointed out, correctly I think, that Plautius's most valuable asset is his "2" initiative, which guarantees a Roman first move (barring Pyrrhus's EIO) on the next turn. With that in mind, I agree that Plautius should move forward. He needs to anticipate where the Roman front line will be next turn, and be in position to activate it.
Rebilus needs to clear away the Epirote skirmish line, so the legionaries can cross the river unhindered and cut up the enemy center while Pyrrhus is attending to his flanks. The velites can manhandle skirmishers with impunity -- the latter should just OW -- and get across the river. But the Epirote LI in the center must stand, leaving the attackers stuck in the river with a 2L combat shift. For LG units, the attacking prospects are good (column 6, attack superior) but the velites stand much less of a chance (column 5, no superiority). Unfortunately for the Romans, the cohorts are too far away to enter the river on this activation.
Since momentum isn't an issue (why allow Pyrrhus a trump?), the choice boils down to whether the Romans can afford to wait until the "3" initiative leaders are activated to forge across the river, or should they go ahead and commit the velites?
Time benefits the Epirotes more than the Romans, so I agree with majority that the the Romans should send in the velites.
The Roman advance is slightly to the right, to avoid giving the SK on the Epirote right any OW possibilities.
I realized too late that I should have specified in the "advance the velites" option whether the velites should shock attack or not (as LI, they get the choice). I have opted here to have them not shock, as the odds are too disadvantageous. If there was a good chance of dislodging all four enemy LI, and hence maintaining the integrity of the Roman line, it might be worth it. But I think the chances are too slim to make it worthwhile.
Missile fire exchanged, of course. The results slightly favor the Romans. All fire which didn't hit resulted in Missile Low, which (to reduce clutter) I've not noted on the map.
Socrates and the Epirote skirmishers (now there's a band name...) perform OW. Socrates moves so that he can order either the left flank SK line or the LI line, depending on later developments.
It's now time for the initiative "3" leaders to move, and since both sides have leaders with that rating they roll the die to see who goes first. Luck is with the Romans, as they get dr 5 to the Epirote's dr 0.
What leader should the Romans activate (Drusus, Falco, Cassius, or Magnus), and what should that leader do?
If you choose Drusus, and you want to attack the Epirote flanks (HC or SK), how should the Romans arrange their attacks, what OW (if any) should Pyrrhus do, and should the defending units use reaction facing change (from the SPQR errata: roll <= TQ and change facing one vertex, else rout)?
I suspect I'll get an unanimity here, but you never know....