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After Patch managed to take back Hatten again, we went to the usual between-bigger-games round of Commands & Colors: Ancients, this time with a scenario from Expansion #2. Sotium features an interesting mix of scattered terrain, and both sides are a bit scattered at start, with each side’s left near the baseline.

I had the Gauls the first game, and started with a Mounted Charge, wiping out an Auxiliary (four greens!), with momentum doing three blocks to a Medium, who did two blocks to my MC, who immediately retreated to the baseline. A Light tried to stand up to LC, but took two banners, and the LC retreated back to the baseline, going down to one block, after failing to finish off the Medium. I got a Roman MC as well, but only after it did three blocks across to LC, and my MC retreated back to the line after doing two blocks to a Medium. Patch Ordered Two Right and finished off a LC.

I Ordered One (Heavy) to bring up an Auxilia, and Patch Ordered Three Left, doing a hit to an Auxilia with his HWM. I used Line Command to bring up three units on my right to do a block to a MC and drive it back to the baseline. Patch Ordered Four Left to move up, and I Darkened the Sky to get two hits on a Medium. Patch Ordered Lights to do a block to an Auxilia, forcing it two hexes back, and making another abandon their hilltop. I Double Timed on my right, only doing one block, but forcing the HWM to evade, and taking two hits each on two units. Patch used Line Command to rework his left, finishing off an Auxilia, doing three hits to a Medium, and taking two in return. Leadership Any Section let me continue in there, finishing off two Mediums, and forcing a Light to evade.

Patch Ordered Lights, finishing off Warriors, doing a hit to a Medium, and killing their leader, while taking two hits. I Out Flanked, finishing off an Auxilia after three attacks (including momentum; the first attack was three helmets with now-leaderless troops…), and taking a hit in the process. Patch used Mounted Charge to finish off a MC and force a leader to evade off-board, and finish off a Warrior. 5-6

For the second game, Patch started with Order One (Heavy) to move an Auxilia into woods, and I used Leadership Any Section to come into contact with him, forcing two retreats, while the HWM forced a LC to lose a block on a retreat. Patch Ordered Lights to move his Auxilia up and do two ranged hits (one on the HWM). I used Mounted Charge to move into contact on the left and middle… doing one hit in return for two each on a pair of MC. Patch launched a Coordinated Attack to kill a weak MC, and force two others to evade. I tried another Mounted Charge, this time wiping out a Warrior and leader, doing two hits on another with momentum, and losing the weak MC, also taking out a MC and forcing Adiatuanos back to an Auxilia, who took a hit on momentum.

Patch Ordered Two Right to form a small line, and I used Line Command for most of the left and center, though only one unit came into contact. Ranged fire chased off an Auxilia, and close combat forced a Warrior retreat. Patch used Line Command at the junction of his center and right, and did a block to an Auxilia. I Ordered Lights and did no more than force two Auxilia to retreat. Leadership Any Section got Patch’s left into contact, taking out an Auxilia. I Ordered Mediums to bring a solid line up there, and advance on my left, trading five blocks to four in hills and woods, and knocking out a MC.

Patch used Clash of Shields to do two hits a Medium, but lost his Auxilia, finished off a Medium, did two hits to another, and one to a Light. I Ordered Mediums to press forward and took out an Auxilia in two attacks. 6-4

Afterword

The terrain and setup make this an unusual scenario. It’s a lot of fun, with a good mix of units and position. Neither side has a solid line, so using Line Command and Double Time is a challenge. I spent much of the start of the second game just getting rid of moderately useful cards, because I didn’t have any section cards to force an area with. Patch pointed out how I kept everyone moving, which was good, but I was constantly at the whims of the cards, and knew it was going to end soon.