Punic Wars test battle - with 'Midgard: Heroic Battles'

With the superb marketing strategy, and widespread push to develop a following in the 'game-o-sphere', I eventually succumbed and bought 'Midgard Heroic Battles' (I watched all the youtube videos and was convinced).

For the test game, we used 20mm plastics -- of which I am finding loads more each day ...

 

My reasoning was that now that I am consolidating all my 'Sword & Sorcery' lead pile and ancients plastics (though not an ancients gamer, I seem, to have collected a veritable shedload of 20mm Airfix, Hat and Italeri ancients over the years), I was looking for a single unifying ruleset. My thought had been to use 'Battle Command Ancients & Medieval' (effectively Piquet : Field of Battle variant), though the lure of Midgard was too strong, though Battle Command will get well tried too.

 

The Roman centre holds steady throughout

That said, it is a unique approach in many respects, more traditional in others. It will take several plays to get used to all the moving parts that are at work. The most efficient machine has few moving parts, that is not to say that the 'machine with many parts' does not give the best performance(?!) - though it can of course require the most maintenance - and depending on the system, parts might not always be required  (stretching this analogy until it snaps!!! in terms of car design -  AdBlue tank...Ah'm lookin' at you!). 

Cavalry attack on the Roman right flank

There are a number of different systems operating simultaneously in the game, necessitating an approach which rewards expertise in all, to get the best from gameplay:

• 

  Attacks in the centre - the charging mechanisms are most satisfying

  
  
  Combat is relatively simple, and works off 'buckets 'o' d6'. Now normally, this makes me scream, but seemed to work ok here.

  

  I mentioned d6 right?

•  'Heroes' and leaders can lead units, affect combat, challenge other heroes, and generally use leadership 'stuff' which affects play. They can use 'mighty deeds' as a resource to influence command and combat.

• 
  Command tests are excellently done- a flat 3+, but the need for command tests varies - i.e. 2nd move, or restraint from pursuit etc.
• Traits can affect everything from rewarding full strength units charging through to command test re-rolls. Again, this makes the difference between bland units and suitable characteristics for your favourite ancient or fantasy unit . normally I dislike traits (Slack Chowder for instance), but they really work here. 
•  A 'reputation' numberis ground down if leaders do not accept personal combats, and do not 'lead' effectively, and due to losses in combat...this was where we missed a few things, but once understood, there is a great system here.
• 
  Gameplay is rewarded by being conversant with all of these systems, so the game will take a few plays to get used to. 

To and fro on the Roman left - with the centre and right holding

Roman epic push in the centre - but it will not be enough to guarantee victory today

The Roman right flank, holds, as the Romans threaten to push the Carthaginian al;lies back to the start-line

Hero and unit match-ups on the Roman right

Scattered combats in the centre

Down to the last reputation point, the Carthaginian allies outflank the Roman centre, who had pushed just that bit too far forward