Battle of Auha, 291 AD

Game One

The Gepid army formed their line at the base of long difficult hill anchoring their left flank on the river. Due to the constricted nature of the terrain, the Tervingi formed deep columns requiring time to form their own battleline. Despite their laboring through the formation change, the Tervingi held the initiative and attacked.

Gepid sloth quickly dissipated as they easily countered every assault. The Gepid warband held well enough for the cavalry to cut down Tervingi warband. Score 5 – 1 for the Gepid.

Game Two

Taking advantage of the heights, the Tervingi formed their infantry along the hill crest with the cavalry extending the line from the base of the hill. The Gepid forming three columns would form a battleline beyond the wood.

Impatient at the progress made by the Gepid, the Tervingi proceeded down slope to take advantage of the disjointed formations.

First to strike the Gepid line were the Tervingi warband and within a short period the battle evolved into a number of isolated battles. Both allied contingents were engaged and earning their worth by adding to the Gepid casualty list.

Battle was fiercely fought, but the Tervingi persevered to win the battle with a score of 5 – 2.

Game Three

The placement of terrain is much what I had imagined for the actual battle. Gepid army on the left formed in three groups to face the Tervingi swarming over the difficult hill and cavalry positioned on the flat ground between the river and hill.

With contact made, the battle quickly became a brawl with warband columns pushing to and fro and cavalry followed a similar course. Flanks became exposed for brief moments only to become covered as warband moved forward.

A peal of war horns announced the death of the king bringing the battle to a quick end. With two casualties incurred earlier the game ended 4(g) – 0 win for the Tervingi.

Epilogue

Using the allied contingents did increase marginally the number of cavalry which should make mincemeat of the warband as these do not fight with their second rank. The number of casualties caused in this manner was relatively small. Of the 17 elements eliminated only 2 were mounted which equaled the number of Wb felled by knights.

Using allied contingents did lengthen the game, but this was not a critical issue. I wish to test this again but use no allied contingents.