The Barbarian Conspiracy ver.2

The Campaign of the Great Barbarian Conspiracy v2

a work in progress...

The Marshal Petain Gentlemen's Club summer campaign for 2017 is the Great Barbarian Conspiracy of 368AD, using Dan Mersey's Dux Bellorum rules.  Figures will be veteran 1980s Minifigs and Irregular miniatures.  The campaign uses as its basis the relief force sent by Emperor Valentinian with the mission of reclaiming the Province of Britannia, which had been overrun by "barbarian" raiders, described as a conspiracy of Barbarians and revolting Roman units.  This army included four units, Batavi, Heruli, Iovii and Victores.

In our game the Roman relief army is commanded by Flavius Quilpius, (well the Minifigs are his after all!) and have gathered in Gaul. Landing in Britannia the Romans face a series of battles against conspiring rebels and barbarians in a ladder campaign.

The initial Roman army of 48 points will represent Flavius Quilpius forces from the continent.  Possible sub commanders include: the future Emperor Quilpius I (Quilpius Minor) and the later usurper Maximus Minimus as subordinate officers and leaders.  Roman losses will be replaced as the rebel units scattered throughout Britannia come back into line and more units arrive from the continent (for a replacement pool of a further 48 pts).

The game is a ladder campaign, comprising four separate territories, reflecting the Roman's march northwards to reclaim Britain.  The Romans must win at each battlefield to push through the Barbarians and reach their ultimate goal, to relieve (or possibly punish) the units at Hadrian's Wall.  They have only two opportunities at each battlefield, although they may retreat further down the ladder if defeated, until they are pushed back to game area 1 and forced to retreat to Gaul.

The Romans will field 48 points in battle, unless victory cards allow the conspirators to whittle them down.  Their commanders will be Quilpius Maximus and any guest players as his Tribune.  In game 4, the great showdown, each army may field an additional 24 points, ie... 72 points between their two wings..

The Conspirators will field 24 points of:

Saxons... Tossa son of Vank, Lord of the Vank-Guard, (Me)

Picts...  the McWhitmore (What bloody man is this?)
Scotti ...  the Mad O' Finnigan
Rebelling Romans from the wall... The revolting Quintus Whitmorus in a purple Toga and speedos, who has declared himself Dux Bellorum.

Losses by all forces are replaced in terms of points to offer more choice for the next battle.  The Romans must face 48 point barbarian armies in each of the territories as they march northwards.  

The campaign game uses the scenarios from Dux Bellorum and these are available within the spoils cards:

Open battle x2
Dawn attack
Village attack
Siege
River attack
End of Reign
The Bard's Tale

(the poet Marcus Obsequilis or the bard Catweasle of Lugvallium)

Cards from spoils deck at the commencement of the campaign, randomly, one to each of the conspirators, four to the Romans.  Each side may play up two two cards for a battle, one for each command.  Cards have a value in terms of army points and may be exchanged for stratagems for an individual game. 

On dicing to determine Aggressor and Repeller it is the Repeller who has the option to play a scenario card for this battle, if they have one, otherwise the Aggressor may play a scenario card.  If no scenario cards are played the game is a fair and open battle (or a normal battle under the rules)  Repeller's strategies are revealed first.

A victor in battle can draw more cards from the spoils deck, a selection of scenarios, strategies, unit upgrades, additional resources and bonus LPs that you may add to your army, or remove from your opponents.  A Maximum of four cards may be drawn by each side following a battle.

Destroy a unit of Nobles 1 card each unit.

Rout the enemy army. 2 cards
Win scenario conditions 3 cards.

If Quilpius can destroy all of the conspirator's armies he becomes Dux Bellorum.

If the conspirators destroy all possible 96 points of Quilpius' Romans the Province is lost.  The largest of the conspirators forces remaining is the winner, and may be crowned Grand Mugwump of Britannia, Dux Bellorum.

The Terrain Rules.

Terrain Positioning:

The table is divided into six sectors.  Terrain is chosen from the available list for that area and six pieces are placed.
Players choose their table base edge before terrain placement commences.

Terrain pieces are placed in an IGOUGO sequence beginning with the defender.

Terrain adjustment 

Roll one IABSM Artillery dice to indicate the direction in which the terrain must be moved, 
and three normal D6 for the distance in inches.  Dice to move the terrain piece before placing the next one.
Linear terrain such as roads and rivers must run from a base sector to end in a second sector.  

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

The actual history bit...

In the spring of 368, a relief force sent by Emperor Valentinian, commanded by Flavius Theodosius gathered at Bononia. It included four units, Batavi, Heruli, Iovii and Victores as well as his son, the later Emperor Theodosius I and probably the later usurper Magnus Maximus, his nephew.

Theodosius took advantage of a break in the winter weather to cross the Channel to Richborough, leaving the rest of his troops at Bononia to await better weather. This enabled Theodosius to gather vital intelligence.  He discovered that the British troops had either been overwhelmed, refused to fight or deserted; many also may not have been paid.

Once the troops landed, Theodosius marched with them to Londinium which he made his base. There he began to deal with the invaders:

There he divided his troops into many parts and attacked the predatory bands of the enemy, which were ranging about and were laden with heavy packs; quickly routing those who were driving along prisoners and cattle, he wrested from them the booty which the wretched tribute-paying people had lost. And when all this had been restored to them, except for a small part which was allotted to the wearied soldiers, he entered the city, which had previously been plunged into the greatest difficulties, but had been restored more quickly than rescue could have been expected, rejoicing and as if celebrating an ovation.

An amnesty was promised to deserters which enabled Theodosius to regarrison abandoned forts. A new Dux Britanniarum was appointed, Dulcitius, with Civilis granted vicarius status to head a new civilian administration.

After discovering that the local Areani had collaborated with the invaders, Theodosius removed them from their positions.

By the end of the year, the barbarians had been driven back to their homelands; the mutineers had been executed; Hadrian's Wall was retaken; and order returned to the diocese.

Theodosius also overcame and defeated the force of Valentinus, a Pannonian who had been exiled to Britain and joined the invaders.

Considerable reorganization was undertaken in Britain, including the creation of a new province named Valentia, probably to better address the state of the far north. Claudian suggests that naval activity took place in northern Britain.

It is possible that Theodosius mounted punitive expeditions against the barbarians and extracted terms from them. Certainly, the Notitia Dignitatum later records four units of Attacotti serving Rome on the continent. The Areani were removed from duty and the frontiers refortified with co-operation from border tribes such as the Votadini, marking the career of men such as Paternus.