HKSW CAMPAIGN SERIES 2011 04

HAMBURGER HILL 60BC

THE GALLIC GERMAN REPULSE OF ROME

TALABECLAND PRESS

CONTENTS
Origins of the Campaign Gaul: the Arena of Conflict The Coming of Rome The Opposing Leaders The Gallic German Commanders The Roman Commanders The Opposing Armies The Gallic Army The German Army The Roman Army The Gallic German Order of Battle The Roman Order of Battle The Opposing Plans The Gallic German Plan The Roman Plan The Campaign The deployment The Initial Gallic German Attack in the Centre Julius Caesar Kens Counterattack The German Attack in the Right The Gallic Attack on the Hamburger Hill Roman Centre Crumble Gallic Left Wing Broken Final Victory of Gallic German by breaking Roman Left Wing Aftermath and Reckoning Performance of the Gallic German Army Performance of the Marian Roman Army

Origins of the Campaign

The battle of Hamburger Hill in 60BC was a turning point in the Gallic War. If the Roman won, Julius Caesar Ken may be denied Full Command of the Roman forces in Gaul for the coming battles between the Barbarian Hordes and Romans in Gaul.

As a Roman army escorting the Roman Commanders Lorento, Pronconsul Chu and Julius Caesar Ken to attend a private party held by Senator Pete, they met a Gallic German army near Hamburger Hill. After receiving the news of the Roman party, the Gallic German Commanders James and Herbert gathered their forces and rushed to attack the Roman before the arrival of Julius Caesar Kens new raised DPS Legions.

Gaul: the Arena of Conflict

Photo of the terrain in the Roman Right Wing As can be seen the battlefield was fairly open with a hill in Roman deployment areas right and a hill and a wood in the deployment area of the Gallic German army.

Photo of the terrain in the Roman Centre There were two hills facing each other. Note that Julius Caesar Ken was eating the Hamburger near the hill on the Roman side. After the battle, this hill was called Hamburger Hill in memoirs of Ken eating hamburger there)

Photo of the terrain in the Roman Left A hill and two woods in Roman deployment area and a wood in the deployment area of the Gallic German army.

The Coming of Rome

The Battle of Hamburger Hill is the opening battle of a series of battles fought between the Marian Roman army and Barbarian armies at HKSW meeting. We shall see the coming of Rome to Gaul. Kens messages to Proconsul Lorento before the Battle: Time setting is always ok by me. Unfortunately, I do not have any toys yet. In addition, I need to convince the wife to let me come because it is twice in two weeks. I think I have a high chance to be there. May god be with me. Yes God be with Ken. He has his battle and soon his toys. Warlord James messages to Proconsul Lorento before the Battle: As spoken with Herbert, he will command the barbarian hordes. Since Herbert will bring his terrain pieces and table cloth, I can bring my Marian Roman as well and thus there is no need to use other figures to make up the Roman army. Proconsul Lorentos ultimatum As informed by Proconsul Chu, he will also join our game as his Roman friends cannot attend the parties. Therefore, we shall use double tables to host an 800 AP DBMM game on that day; Marian Roman vs Gallic German (i.e. two 400 AP armies as per the lists).

The Gallic German Commanders

Photo of the Gallic German Commanders, James and Herbert during the battle

Photo of the Gallic German Commanders, James and Herbert after the battle

James was the Commander who commanded the Gallic army and Herbert the right wing ally general commanding the German army. Note that nearly all the figures used in this game were either painted by Herbert in the 1990s or by DPS.

The Roman Commanders

Photo of the Roman Commanders, Lorento, Pronconsul Chu and Julius Caesar Ken during the battle

Photo of the Roman Commanders after the battle

Lorento was the overall Commander who also commanded the left wing of the Roman army. Pronconsul Chu commanded the Roman Centre and Julius Caesar Ken commander of the Roman Right Wing.

The Gallic Army

The Gallic Warband

The Gallic Cavalry

The German Army

The German Warband

The German Cavalry

The Roman Army

The Legions

The Spanish foot and Thureophoroi

The German, Spanish and Gallic Roman Ally Cavalry

The Gallic German Order of Battle

Early German
A Total ME >1/4 ME Lost >1/3 ME Lost >1/2 ME Lost Cmd Points 49.5 12.5 17 25 257 B 13.5 3.5 5 7 69 C 13.5 3.5 5 7 69 D 0 0 0 0 0 Train 6 2 2.5 3.5 0 Break Points * Disheartened * Broken * Shattered

Command A 2 Army Baggage 1 C-in-C Herbert 3 Cavalry 68 Foot warriors 13 Foot skirmishers

Type Irr Irr Irr Irr Irr Bg(I) Cv(O) Cv(O) Wb(F) Ps(I)

Cmd Train CinC

AP 1 17 7 3 1

Total 2 17 21 204 13

ME 1 4 1 0.5 0.5

Command B 2 Army Baggage 1 Sub-general 5 Cavalry 5 Upgrade skirmishers

Type Irr Irr Irr Irr Bg(I) Cv(O) Cv(O) Ps(S)

Cmd Train SG

AP 1 17 7 3

Total 2 17 35 15

ME 1 4 1 0.5

Command C 2 Army Baggage 1 Sub-general 5 Cavalry 5 Upgrade skirmishers

Type Irr Irr Irr Irr Bg(I) Cv(O) Cv(O) Ps(S)

Cmd Train SG

AP 1 17 7 3

Total 2 17 35 15

ME 1 4 1 0.5

Train Command 6 Army Baggage

Type Irr Bg(I)

Cmd Train

AP 1

Total 6

ME 1

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Gallic (Belgae)
A Total ME >1/4 ME Lost >1/3 ME Lost >1/2 ME Lost Cmd Points 54 14 18.5 27.5 299 B 10 3 3.5 5.5 43 C 12 3.5 4.5 6.5 53 D 0 0 0 0 0 Train 4 1.5 1.5 2.5 0 Break Points * Disheartened * Broken * Shattered

Command A 2 Army Baggage 1 C-in-C James 4 Cavalry 80 Foot warriors 4 Javelinmen 4 Archers

Type Irr Irr Irr Irr Irr Irr Bg(I) Cv(O) Cv(O) Wb(O) Ps(I) Ps(O)

Cmd Train CinC

AP 1 17 7 3 1 2

Total 2 17 28 240 4 8

ME 1 4 1 0.5 0.5 0.5

Command B 1 Army Baggage 1 Sub-general 5 Cavalry

Type Irr Irr Irr Bg(I) Cv(O) Cv(I)

Cmd Train SG

AP 1 17 5

Total 1 17 25

ME 1 4 1

Command C 1 Army Baggage 1 Sub-general 7 Cavalry

Type Irr Irr Irr Bg(I) Cv(O) Cv(I)

Cmd Train SG

AP 1 17 5

Total 1 17 35

ME 1 4 1

Train Command 4 Army Baggage

Type Irr Bg(I)

Cmd Train

AP 1

Total 4

ME 1

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The Roman Order of Battle

Roman army under Proconsul Lorento & Pronconsul Chu
A Total ME >1/4 ME Lost >1/3 ME Lost >1/2 ME Lost Cmd Points 35 9 12 18 202 B 25 6.5 8.5 13 126 C 16 4.5 5.5 8.5 72 D 0 0 0 0 0 Train 12 3.5 4.5 6.5 0 Break Points * Disheartened * Broken * Shattered

Command A 2 Army Baggage 1 Roman General Lorento 8 Legionaries 8 German and Gallic cavalry 6 Thureophoroi 2 Legionnaires Velite (can support cavalry) 4 Unreliable Gallic cavalry

Type Reg Reg Reg Irr Reg Reg Irr Bg(F) Cv(O) Bd(O) Cv(O) Ax(S) Ps(S) Cv(I)

Cmd Train CinC

AP 3 28 7 7 5 3 5

Total 6 28 56 56 30 6 20

ME 2 4 1 1 1 0.5 1

Command B 2 Army Baggage 1 Roman Sub-general Pronconsul Chu 8 Legionaries 3 Spanish cavalry 6 Spanish foot

Type Reg Reg Reg Irr Irr Bg(F) Cv(O) Bd(O) LH(O) Ax(S)

Cmd Train SG

AP 3 28 7 4 4

Total 6 28 56 12 24

ME 2 4 1 1 1

Command C 2 Army Baggage 16 Gallic Auxiliaries 1 Roman Ally General Spartacus Chu

Type Reg Irr Reg Bg(F) Wb(O) Cv(O)

Cmd Train

AP 3 3

Total 6 48 18

ME 2 0.5 4

AG

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Train Command 6 Army Baggage

Type Reg Bg(F)

Cmd Train

AP 3

Total 18

ME 2

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Roman army under Julius Caesar Ken

A Total ME >1/4 ME Lost >1/3 ME Lost >1/2 ME Lost Cmd Points 28 7.5 9.5 14.5 182 B 20 5.5 7 10.5 104 C 24 6.5 8.5 12.5 116 D 0 0 0 0 0 Train 12 3.5 4.5 6.5 0 Break Points * Disheartened * Broken * Shattered

Command A 2 Army Baggage 1 Roman C-in-C Julius Caesar Ken 16 Legionaries 4 German and Gallic cavalry 4 Ditch and rampart for camp

Type Reg Reg Reg Reg Reg Bg(O) Cv(O) Bd(O) Cv(O) TF camp

Cmd Train CinC

AP 3 28 7 8 1

Total 6 28 112 32 4

ME 2 4 1 1 0

Command B 2 Army Baggage 1 Roman Sub-general 4 German and Gallic cavalry 4 Spanish javelinmen 6 Thracian foot 2 Ditch and rampart for camp

Type Reg Reg Reg Irr Irr Reg Bg(O) Cv(O) Cv(O) Ps(S) Ax(S) TF camp

Cmd Train SG

AP 3 28 8 3 4 1

Total 6 28 32 12 24 2

ME 2 4 1 0.5 1 0

Command C 2 Army Baggage 1 Roman Sub-general 4 Other cavalry 4 Spanish cavalry 4 Spanish javelinmen 6 Thureophoroi 4 Ditch and rampart for camp

Type Reg Reg Irr Irr Irr Reg Reg Bg(O) Cv(O) Cv(I) LH(O) Ps(S) Ax(S) TF camp

Cmd Train SG

AP 3 28 5 4 3 5 1

Total 6 28 20 16 12 30 4

ME 2 4 1 1 0.5 1 0

Train Command 6 Army Baggage

Type Reg Bg(O)

Cmd Train

AP 3

Total 18

ME 2

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The Gallic German Plan

Gallic Warlord James sent a battle plan to German Warlord Herbert just before the battle for his consideration. Herbert told the Gallic envoy We cant read. We want to plunder and get women, attack in all fronts in the same old barbaric fashion. Kill, kill, eat, eat and waaggh, waaggh. Actually both parties couldnt understand what the other one was talking about. The Battle started at 10:00 a.m.

The Roman Plan

The administrative Roman Commander Lorento met his subordinates Pronconsul Chu and Julius Caesar Ken before the battle after seeing the enemys deployment. Well, how come the barbarians blocking our passage? We are just going to meet Senate Pete. Under Section XYZ of the DBMM rulebook, we have right of passage over their lands as an invader. Am I correct, Pronconsul Chu? Pronconsul Chu told Lorento I have printed out and bought everything, including the QR sheets, the order of battle, your movement diagrams and PIP cost tables but not the DBMM rulebook. Julius Caesar Ken said Lets teach those barbarians some manners! Lorento murmured As politician, we decide our fate by power politics and draft our battle plan in a democratic way. We have two choices, either attack or defend though I do not have time even to write the tactical plan, the contingency plan or the drill book. Julius Caesar Ken replied Today we attack! The terrain on our right is more open and Lorentos army has more auxilia. I shall take the right wing and my army will deploy to the right of the hill (the Hamburger Hill). Pronconsul Chu also concurred with Julius Caesar Kens suggestion. So he took the central command and Proconsul Lorento commanded the Roman left wing. Meanwhile, the three treacherous Light Horse Elements under Pronconsul Chu command who had eaten too many hamburgers. They had problem of charging the enemy because of a full stomach.

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The Deployment
Situation at 10:00 am - Gallic German side Seas of warband marching in front of the barbarian hordes without waiting for their baggage train which stagger behind the main army. After seeing the barbarian deployment, Proconsul Chu thought that Warlords James & Herbert may have decided that they would bring their army forward to attack instead of holding their warband to defend on spot against the Roman.

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Situation at 10:00 am - Roman Response

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The Initial Gallic German Attack in the Centre

Situation at 10:20 am Julius Caesar Ken advanced his legion past the crest line to secure the Hamburger Hill. Proconsul Chu was ordered by Proconsul Lorento, the Commander in Chief, to secure the left flank of Caesars Legion. With the hope of Warlord Herbert throwing a low PIP in his bound, rather than charging the light horses into the Barbarian psiloi which might kill some of them, thus stalling the advance of the barbarian warband, Chu obeyed the order reluctantly and advanced all his army forward as far as possible. They were in charge reach of both the German psiloi and German warband.

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Situation at 10:20 am after the initial Assault Fate smile on the Germans and they had enough PIPs to retire the psiloi behind the warband and the warband spontaneously advanced and charged into Chus legion and warband, killing a lot of them before they could fought back.

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The warbands assault on the Hamburger Hill was repulsed with heavy casualties suffered by both sides.
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The Roman losses with Pronconsul Chu bravely stalling the barbaric onslaught

Nearly all his units were cut down by the barbaric onslaught within an hour. With his two commands broken, Proconsul Chu might be the last Roman alive still fighting under his command before he was cut down by the barbarians too. There is a rumor that Chu did survive after the battle. Legend says that he even recruited some warband and become a barbaric warlord fighting for the Roman. story. This is another

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Julius Caesar Kens Counterattack

Situation at 10:20 am - Roman Response The plan was to use the Legions to hold the hill and counter attack after the barbarians attack ran out of steam. The most dangerous weapon of the warbands was their initial charge thus my instruction to deploy the legions in two lines so that the second line can reinforce the first in case of a break through. This was what Chu had done wrong in his deployment. Coupled with the occupation of the high ground this was achieved. Despite repeated charges by the warbands, the legions held their ground and finally routed the enemy despite suffering more than 50% casualties.

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The German Attack in the Right

The following is extracted from the German Herbert Saga: Warlord Herbert who has plundered and got a lot of women. By attacking in all fronts in the same old barbaric fashion, they kill, kill, eat, eat and waaggh, waaggh.

Roman sources had more details on the action here. Quoting Proconsul Lorentos brief report to the Senate after he took a proper Roman bath before taking poison: The paranoid Proconsul Lorento suspected that the German had sent an outflanking force to attack his left flank and therefore deployed his cavalry in column so that these irregular cavalry can turn left into a line facing the direction of the arrival point of the outflanking force where necessary. His legion was deployed in front of the German cavalry and the auxilia deployed inside the wood to protect the left flank of Chus legions.

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At 10:15 a.m., in supporting the advance of Chus legion, Proconsul Lorento ordered all of his auxilia inside the wood to advance. His cavalry advanced in column instead of expanding to cover the area in front of the wood of his extreme left. This had sealed the fate of the Romans left as the Roman can only use a small part of their cavalry to attack the German cavalry. With only two elements of psiloi, the woods on the Roman extreme left were cleared by the German psiloi and they flanked the Roman cavalry who broke after hearing that the legions between the two woods in the Roman left were decimated by the German attack led by the German Sub-general fighting in their front rank.

The German began their attack in the right at 10:40 a.m. Waves of German fast warband advanced spontaneously into the wood on the left of Chus legion. A lot of them were cut down by the superior Roman auxilia inside the wood. The barbaric casualties were so high that Warlord Herbert stopped their spontaneous advance to cut losses. .

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The Gallic Attack on the Hamburger Hill

More than 40 out of 80 warbands were killed, mostly at the foot of the so called "Hamburger Hill". The place is named Hamburger hill because Julius Caesar Ken was eating Hamburger on that hill before the battle.

Gallic losses and broken warbands chased by Caesars Legions

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Roman Centre Crumble

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Gallic Left Wing Broken

As Caesar is used to fight alone thus all the commands he has on this occasion has cavalry elements. This proved to be a mistake as this leave him short on cavalry in fighting the Gallic left. This finally led to the collapse of the Roman extreme right cavalry units. However, when in conjunction with the legions, the auxilia hold the warbands for the whole battle and contributed the defeat of the Gallics largest command.

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Final Victory of Gallic German by breaking Roman Left Wing

At around 11:20, with Proconsul Chus commands broken, the auxilia of Lorento Legion inside the wood were flanked by the pursuing German warband who cut them down. Around 12:00 noon, Lorentos Command was broken and the battle ended in a barbarian victory. Lorento retreated to his villa nearby, wrote the report, took the poison in his bath. Should Lorento be able to break the small German cavalry commands, then the barbarian would have lost the battle. Situation on the Roman left wing at end of 11:20 a.m.

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Aftermath and Reckoning

Performance of the Gallic German Army Extract from the Gallic Warlord James:

The battle is straight forward. The warband at the centre and 2 cavalry wings at the extreme left. CC started at 3rd bound. My cavalry wings broke Roman's extreme right wing with the Roman's sub-general killed. My warband command was also broken which was the largest of the army but not yet shattered. Roman's legion command was also disheartened. It was my moral victory for at least 1 of the Caesar's command was broken and the legion command was disheartened.

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Extract from the German Warlord Herbert

Few tactical points for sharing: Firstly, I released my warband horde Wb(F) into the dense wood to attack the Roman Ax(S). They have no close combat terrain penalty fighting there. The result was disastrous as there is no rank support for them when fighting in difficult going. My warband couldn't kill the Ax(S) even when I roll 6 and he roll 1 on initial impact if I am overlapped in both flanks. However, when the Ax(S) strike back, my Wb(F) suffered a negative one modifier for being overlapped (if I recoiled them in last bound, I have to follow up, thus exposing at least one of my flank usually) and further a negative one grading modifier for being a fast type if I score less, so they melt down easily. The conclusion is not challenging those bloody Ax(S) in wood with warband fast. possible. Simply ignore their presence where

Secondly, combat of warband against warband is very bloody as the element behind the front rank will also be destroyed if the first rank is destroyed, even if they are warband!!

Thirdly, cavalry are very useful against heavy infantry such as blade, pike or spear. When in close combat, their combat factor is 4 against Foot and they need not follow up means they can keep the line intact. Even though blade also has combat factor 4 against mounted, the cavalry cannot be overlapped by infantry during their own bound. All the above favours the cavalry against the infantry and eventually breaks the infantry line.

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Performance of the Marian Roman Army

Proconsul Chu strictly follows the explicit order of Lorento to support the left flank of Caesars Legions; even at the cost of his legions and warbands, though he did deployed his legions wrongly as considered by Caesar. He will be remembered by the Roman as the Bravest of the Brave who had sacrificed his army to protect the flank of his allies. Chu was died fighting the barbarian. The Barbaric view was that if Proconsul Chu did not advance his legion and warband to protect the left flank of Caesar's legions, Caesar may need to diverse his forces to secure the flank of the Hamburger Hill. Before committing suicide after the battle, Proconsul Lorento admitted that he did give a clear order to Chu to secure the left flank of the hill with his Gallic ally warband though it was the first time that Proconsul Chu fought against warbands and therefore he advanced the legion and the warband in double lines within charge reach of the enemy without knowing that the second rank would also be killed by the warband should they charged him and win the ensuring combat. It is probable that Proconsul Chu was misled by the three treacherous light horses under his command that had problem of charging the enemy because of a full stomach. These treacherous light horses were also destroyed by the warband in the battle.
Editors: Ken Chan and Lawrence Ho Writers: Christopher Chu, Herbert Wong and James Cheung

Dedication For all the Great Leaders of The Hong Kong Society of Wargamers who are outside Hong Kong (especially Pete Summers, Ken Lloyd, David Russell, Chris Briggs, Bill McIntyre, Ken Davey, John Cartwright) and Tony Lee (RIP)
Copyright 2011 The Hong Kong Society of Wargamers www.hksw.org

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