Hill Of Watchfires - Turn V

This turn begins with the AI receiving reinforcements worth at least seven points

They are diced for in the usual way, the first die landing as a 5, meaning a unit of warriors costing two points. The next die is a 3, which means swordsmen costing three points, and then a 1, archers, that cost three points, taking the total past the minimum of seven.

Further dice are rolled to see where the units appear on the battlefield, and the result is they all arrive in the extreme northeast corner.

The AI now has 15 units, more than twice as many as my seven

The start-of-turn-event die is a 6 - sudden fog, reducing all bow ranges to two hexes.

The Dacian archers are first to activate, but only the unit immediately north of the hill moves, and in a direction away from the Roman cavalry.

My rearward cavalry move to contact the warriors near them, and charge-attack, needing 6+. The dice total 8, meaning the warriors have to retreat three hexes, but they cannot move into the trees, as that hex is next to the horsemen, and archers block their only other possible retreat-hex, so the unit is destroyed, and my cavalry occupy the vacated hex.

My other cavalry climb onto the hill and charge-attack the archers in the centre, needing 6+. However, there is a +1 modifier for attacking out of rocky ground. It is cancelled out by a -1 modifier for having friends in contact with the enemy unit, but that makes no difference as I roll only 5.

Both units of Praetorians advance diagonally right, taking one unit onto the hill.

The newly arrived swordsmen advance into nearby trees, but the other two units of swordsmen stay where they are.

I move my commander to behind the forward Praetorians, putting him in command range of the legion, which advances a hex.

Both units of falxmen stay still, as do my spearmen.

Last to activate are the Dacian warriors. The unit on the hill rolls a 6, allowing it to hurl javelins two hexes (this is the first time this rule has come into play in my playthroughs). There are four Roman units at the required range, but the warriors' preferred target is legionaries, requiring 7+. Modifiers for being on higher ground and for attacking from rocky ground cancel out, but are irrelevant as the AI rolls a pair of 1s. The nearby unit of warriors advances diagonally right to get alongside their comrades, and the newly arrived warriors advance straight ahead.

My cavalry are doing a decent job of sweeping the hill from the west, and my infantry are poised to join them

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