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The latest between-other-games round of Commands & Colors: Ancients with Patch was the Battle of Arausio from Expansion #2. Historically, this was a major defeat for Rome, and the scenario gives them one less card, less cavalry, and the barbarians can get an extra banner by occupying the Roman camp.

Patch had the Romans first, and he initiated battle as a LC took on a Warrior to do a hit for no loss. I countered by Ordering Lights, but got no hits in ranged combat. Patch moved up with a Line Command, and knocked out a LC when it was unable to retreat. So, I used Line Command to dive off a Light and LC with a hit each (if I’d been smart, I’d have reversed that order to trap the LC). Patch Double Timed to bring his Mediums into contact, knocking out a Medium and doing two hits to an Aux in return for two hits each on two Mediums.

I Ordered Four Center to wrap around the Mediums, and knock two out, with Caepio fleeing to one of the Heavies in reserve, while I took three hits on two units. Inspired Center Leadership, and took out two Warriors with Caepio’s Heavies, only losing a block to a First Strike. Three Units Left let me finish off a Medium, but I took two blocks in return. Patch rearranged a couple units, and Order Two Center let me trade two blocks with him. Patch Counter Attacked,  destroying a Medium and MC with Caepio. I Ordered Mediums to drive off an Aux with a loss and destroy a LC. Patch used Line Command on… Caepio (no one was adjacent) to destroy another Warrior. 4-7

In the second game, I led off with Line Command, which let me deploy a bit better, and Patch Counter Attacked, getting us nearly in contact after the first turn. Move-Fire-Move let me adjust the flanks, and do a block each to two Lights. Inspired Light Leadership brought Patch onto my flank, killing a Light and doing a block to another, while I did two blocks to a Warrior and another to an Aux.

Order Three Left let me finish off the weak Warrior, while taking a block on a Medium. A Coordinated Attack did nothing, and I Ordered Lights to do one block to a Warrior, while taking two blocks on an Aux. Patch Double Timed his Warriors into my center, destroying a Medium and Aux, and taking two blocks each on two Warriors. Inspired Center Leadership let me do three blocks across two units for no losses, while Patch Ordered Mediums to reengage the Warriors with Boiorix’s MC backing them up. He did four blocks across two Mediums, but lost three Warriors and two blocks on another in return.

I Ordered Three Center to finish off another Warrior, and Patch Ordered Two Center to finish off a Medium, but lost two blocks on a MC in return. Order Three Center let me move the Heavies up, and let Caepio join one of them, doing hits to an Aux and Warrior while forcing them to retreat. Patch Counter Attacked to force a Heavy to retreat, and I declared a Mounted Charge to do one block to a Light. Darken the Sky drove off my MC and did two hits to a Heavy. Coordinated Attack let me knock out an Aux, and do a hit to a MC while I took one hit on a Medium. Patch Ordered Three Center to pick off the weak Heavy, but instead First Strike finished off a Warrior. 7-4

Afterword

This scenario doesn’t want to follow the historical action other than the Romans are likely to aggressively move forward to attack. But there’s nothing to really punish that, and in neither game did the action ever get close to the camp.

Still, it’s a nice scenario, that plays fast for a seven-banner limit. Patch had pretty hot dice the first time, while both of our dice were pretty cold until the end in the second game.