Hill Of Watchfires - Turn IV: Attack Phase

There are no melees to calculate, but archers can shoot!

Actually, only two units of the Dacian bowmen have enemy within their three-hex range, and the rearward of those two units cannot attack as it retreated this turn.

However, the archers in the centre of the hill can shoot at my cavalry that are also on the hill, needing 9+, and the dice total exactly 9, forcing my unit to retreat two hexes, its only allowed route taking it diagonally left.

The AI receives at least seven points' worth of reinforcements at the start of the next turn

Hill Of Watchfires - Turn IV

Both sides have lost a unit, but it had better not become a battle of attrition, because if it does, I will be doomed

The start-of-turn-event die is a 1, which allows Dacian archers to perform a surprise attack, but none have a suitable target as only my cavalry are in range, and line-of-sight to them is obstructed by trees.

However, it is the Dacian archers, with an initiative number of 2, that get to activate first, but none move.

I advance my commander onto the hill at its western extremity, so he can keep the Roman cavalry in command range. I then send the leading cavalry unit to charge-attack the swordsmen lurking just off the hill. They need 7+ to score a hit, and I roll 8, which forces the Dacian unit to retreat to the very edge of the battlefield. My other cavalry advance two hexes diagonally right and charge-attack the archers at the north end of the hill, needing 6+. I roll exactly 6, forcing the archers to retreat two hexes, taking them off the hill.

Both units of Praetorian Guards advance diagonally right.

The Dacian swordsmen cannot activate as they have already retreated this turn, so I now roll three dice to see where my out-of-command legion can move. The dice land 5, 2, 1, and so, using the compass, I can advance the legionaries straight ahead.

The rearward falxmen advance a hex, and I leave my spearmen to hold their ground in the wood.

Finally, two of the warrior units, seeing that the main action is likely to take place at the west end of the hill, start moving in that direction.

The Dacian left is still very strong, but can the AI successfully coordinate tribesmen against Rome's professional troops? 

Hill Of Watchfires - Turn III: Attack Phase

If my spearmen, or the legion, for that matter, can eliminate the Dacians' only cavalry unit, that would be a big momentum swing in favour of the Romans

However, it is the Dacian cavalry, with their initiative number of 4, who get to attack first (the Dacian archers on the hill cannot shoot at my cavalry as their line-of-sight is blocked by trees). The horsemen's preferred target is legionaries, and they need 7+, but with a +1 modifier for attacking from rocky ground. The dice total 9, forcing my men to retreat two hexes to the edge of the battlefield.

Now it is my spearmen's turn. They need 6+ against cavalry, and I roll 7. This routs the cavalry as two of their possible retreat squares are occupied by Dacian warriors, including, ironically, a unit that just moved up to support them, and the third possible square is adjacent to a Roman unit (my spearmen), which is not allowed.

We now have an interesting imbalance in that the Romans have no firepower, and the Dacians no cavalry

Indeed, if you include warriors as missile men (they can on occasion hurl javelins two hexes), eight of the 12 surviving Dacian units have ranged firepower, while three of the seven surviving Roman units are mounted.

Hill Of Watchfires - Turn III

Situation after two turns

The start-of-turn-event die is a 1, allowing all Dacian archers to launch a surprise attack at a range of three hexes, but none has enemy in range and line-of-sight.

I no longer have any archers, so the movement phase begins with the five units of Dacian archers, but none makes a significant move, except, perhaps, for the forward archers near the centre of the hill, who fall back diagonally to their right.

My leading cavalry are out of command range, but I roll 6, 2, 1, which, after consulting the compass, allows me to move the unit onto the hill. I then roll 6, 5, 4, but choose to keep the unit where it is. The other cavalry are in command range, so I advance them diagonally right two hexes.

The Dacian cavalry advance diagonally to their left one hex, contacting my legion, which it charge-attacks, needing 7+, but with a +1 modifier for attacking from rocky ground. The dice total 4.

I advance my commander two hexes so he is in command range (three hexes) of all the Romans, except for the legion.

My two units of Praetorians advance, so two units are beside each other.

Both units of Dacian swordsmen stand still.

My legion is engaged, which means the falxmen are next to activate, but neither unit moves.

My spearmen advance diagonally right to contact the Dacian cavalry.

The furthest-left Dacian warriors stay where they are, being joined by the warriors nearest them, while the warriors on the Dacian left enter the trees beside the river.

The Romans no longer have any missile troops, but the AI has hardly made good use of its archers, so the point may be moot

Hill Of Watchfires - Turn II: Attack Phase

Note that the Dacian archers near the centre of the hill cannot shoot at my men on lower ground as there is a plateau effect for not being on the edge of the hill

My archers, with an initiative number of 1, attack first. They need 9+ against cavalry, but there is a +1 modifier for being in contact with the Dacians, and anyway I roll 4.

The cavalry counterattack, needing 6+, but with a +1 for attacking into trees. The AI rolls 10, eliminating my unit. Dacian horsemen never advance after a victory, so the unit remains between the wood and the hill.

My legion attacks the forward warriors, needing 6+. I roll 7, forcing the Dacians to flee two hexes, back onto the hill.

First blood to the Dacians

Hill Of Watchfires - Turn II

I could send troops onto the high ground this turn, but a better plan might be to send my cavalry sweeping round the hill to pick off Dacian stragglers to the north

The start-of-turn-event die is again a 2, but again it has no effect as there are no falxmen waiting in ambush in trees.

My archers advance into the wood, while the five units of Dacian archers either remain where they are or make a diagonal movement.

I advance my commander one hex diagonally left so he can control the Roman cavalry as it heads west of the hill.

The Dacian cavalry descends from the hill to contact my archers in the wood, but cannot charge-attack as charging into trees is not possible.

One of my Praetorian units enters the wood, and the other advances alongside the commander.

The Dacian swordsmen on the hill stay where they are, but the other unit withdraws diagonally right, away from my advancing cavalry.

My legion is out of command range, but I roll three dice (4, 1, 1), and consult the compass in the bottom right of the map, using a 1 to advance a hex.

The falxmen remain in reserve.

My spearmen enter the wood beside my archers.

The forward Dacina warriors advance diagonally right to contact my legion. The warriors on the hill remain there, and the warriors to the east of the hill advance a hex.

Two melees to be decided

Hill Of Watchfires - Turn I: Attack Phase

My archers at the only ones able to attack ...

... and they shoot at the warriors who have just descended from the hill.

Archers shooting at warriors need 8+ from two dice to score a hit, and there are no modifiers, but I roll 4.

Hill Of Watchfires - Turn I

Initial dispositions

The start-of-turn-event die is a 2, meaning falxmen in trees can immediately attack any enemy in an adjacent hex, but this has no relevance at this stage of the battle.

My archers have an initiative number of 1, and I advance them a hex.

Dacian archers are next. The three units on the hill stay put, but one of the units to the north of the hill advances diagonally to its left.

Both my cavalry units advance two hexes, while the Dacian cavalry remain on the hill.

Both my guard units of Praetorians advance a hex, but both units of Dacian swordsmen stay where they are.

My legionaries advance a hex, but the falxmen remain in reserve at the north end of the battlefield.

My spearmen advance a hex, and I move the commander into the wood, keeping all Roman units within command range (one advantage of having fewer, but high-quality, units is that it is easier to control them with the commander).

A unit of warriors somewhat impetuously advances off the hill.

The AI's plan seems to be to hold fast to what it already possesses, although one group of warriors is in danger of spoiling things with ill-discipline

Hill Of Watchfires - Roman Dispositions

The Dacians are strong by the river, but have left their other flank weak, which looks to give the Romans their best chance

This suits me as I do not want my men fighting from water hexes (attacks from such a hex carry a +2 modifier, which would be difficult to overcome), and I do not want my cavalry slowed by the river (mounted troops have to halt as soon as they enter a water hex).

If I can seize the west end of the hill (assuming north is at the top of the map) I will be able to mostly avoid having my troops fighting from lower ground

Hill Of Watchfires

THE third scenario in Mike Lambo's solo boardgame book Commander - Romans v Dacians is Hill Of Watchfires.

The human plays a Roman commander tasked with clearing the large hill of Dacian hostiles

The AI receives troops worth at least 38 points, chosen by rolling dice.

Die Unit             Cost   Total

1     Archers       3pts    3pts

6     Warriors      2pts    5pts

1     Archers       3pts    8pts

3     Swordsmen 3pts    11pts

4     Falxmen      3pts    14pts

1     Archers        3pts    17pts

2     Cavalry        5pts    22pts

1     Archers        3pts    25pts

5     Warriors       2pts    27pts

5     Warriors       2pts    29pts

1     Archers        3pts    32pts

3     Swordsmen  3pts    35pts

4     Falxmen       3pts    38pts

In scenario two, the AI had five units of cavalry; this time it has five units of archers.

The latter may be particularly useful in defending a hill as they will have a -1 modifier while shooting at a range of up to three hexes.

I receive at least 35 points, selected similarly, except my allotment starts with the commander, who costs 5pts.

Die Unit             Cost    Total

-     Commander 5pts     5pts

1    Archers         3pts     8pts

6    Spearmen     3pts     11pts

3    Praetorians   5pts     16pts

3    Praetorians   5pts     21pts

2    Cavalry        6pts     27pts

2    Cavalry        6pts     33pts

4    Legionaries  3pts     36pts

An interesting mix, with an emphasis on high-quality, but expensive, units - five of my eight units cost at least five points.

To win, I have to clear the hill of Dacians, so none is on high ground at the end of turn XII. I certainly cannot afford a battle of attrition, as the Dacians have 13 units - five more than I have.

Dice throws determine where the Dacian units start.

The Dacians are strong in the centre, and on their left, near the river