DBA 3.0 Battle Report. Sassanids v Byzantines

My first chance to play the new DBA rules and although there are many changes the game flowed well and the most visible change was the movement. Light troops were  fluid and were critical in the first game as the ploughed fields became rough going when i threw a 1 for my first pip.

 With the first pip - 1, the Ax advance into the  west field to stall the Byzantine Light Horse on the Sassanid left flank. The Byzantine advance their  infantry line and send a mixed mounted force of Cav, Lh and Gothic Kn down the right flank.

With the Sassanid Second pip 1 :( , the ax moved across into the east field to stall the Byzantine  cavalry centre. In following turns the Sassanids send a weaker force of Lh up the right flank to hold off the Byzantine force and reinforced with cavalry from the reserve. In the centre the Sassanid Cin C and some cavalry engaged the  main force of the Byzantines whilst the Aux turned and killed the cavalry from the safety of the field.

The Byzantines forced  some Sassanid cavalry in the centre to retreat, replaced with the elephant. The Ax in the field continued to create problems as two more Byzantine cavalry units tried to  keep them busy and make progress on the right flank. The byzantines on the right flank were gradually pinned and killed, one of the Sassanid Lh breaking through and pinning the Byzantine C in C as the Ax killed them with the advantage of the poor terrain. 4 v1  win to the Sassanids.

The  ploughed fields and the control of the centre by the Auxilia was the critical aspect of this battle.