Romans vs Sassanids

Nick has two beautifully painted armies, late Roman Imperials and Sassanid Persians. They're both very large and he had the opportunity to put both on the table for a game.  He, Phil and I were the Romans and Ross, Roger and Richard were the Sassanids.

The Romans had their legions in the center(me) their heaviest cavalry on their left (Nick) and a lighter force with Equites, Sagittari and Auxilia holding their right ( Phil)

The Sassanids deployed with their heaviest forces ( elephants, clibanarii and Savaran on their left (Ross), infantry in the middle (Richard ) and more Savaran with Daylami light heavies on their right (Roger).

The Savaran: The Persian Cavalry

 The battle would be decided on the Roman left (Nick) /Persian Right (Roger) where the Roman catafracts, supported by Auxilia would decimate the Persian Flank. Roger put up a bloody, tough fight but he just couldn't hold Nick's rampaging cataphracts. On the Persian left (Ross) /Roman right (Phil), the combination of elephants, clibanarii and Savaran didn't move fast enough to break the weakly held flank ( defended by Phil) and when things did look problematic for the Romans at that point, the Legions in the center had hit the Persian infantry and destroyed the archers....SPQR Victoria!

More !

The Persian Clibanophoroi: Literally 'Camp Oven bearer"- seriously heavy hitters

Savaran

Persian Militia and Archers

The Elephants

Persian commander- and yes Peter Callan hand painted all that stuff on the elephant!

The Persians , just out of the boxes- now time to deploy them.

Clibanarii or Clibanophoroi

Again!

I love these guys!

The Roman Commander: standing behind his Legions

The center of the Roman line.

The Romans

Armies deployed and ready!

The left of the Persian line, Heavy cavalry, Elephants and Clibanarii

The Persian Center: The militia and archers

Persian Commander behind his heavy hitters- Elephants and Clibanarii

Persian center

Persian right, light cavalry and loads of heavies

The Roman Left.

The Roman subordinate (Nick) on the left flank.

Roman Sagitarii

Roman Illyricani

Savaran rumble forward

The Romans- standing and waiting calmly

The legions with a row of bowmen behind.

The Persians in the distance.

The Legions advance!

Sagittarii race out to harass the Persians

Roman Cataphracts hit the Savaran

This was the decisive fighting on the Roman left flank.(Nick) It was here that the Romans were able to overwhelm their opposite numbers (Roger)...and snatch victory in a very close fought game.

Roman Heavies

Auxilia Palatina supporting the Cataphracts

The swirling melees across the battle field. In the center the Legions have advanced across the table to engage the Persian center.

The Legions slam into the archers.