Wargaming Through the Eyes of Julius Caesar
This is the second in a series of examinations of how traditional military thinkers can help us as players of various types of wargames. The idea of these articles is to provide both new and veteran players with sage advice that has echoed down the ages and still influences modern tactical, strategic, and logistical thinking.
Though many think of Gaius Julius Caesar as the first Imperator of Rome, the truth is that he was actually the last Dictator of the Roman Republic. Already famous for his conquests of Gaul and Britannia, the Third Roman Civil War showed him to be not merely a brilliant commander, but a masterful leader of men. The Battle of Pharsalus, the turning point in the Civil War, which saw Pompey and the Optimates suffer a massive defeat in spite of their overwhelming superiority of numbers, is still studied in war colleges around the world today. Let’s take a look at how the Dictator for Life can help us on the slightly smaller scale of tabletop wargaming.
“Fortune, which has a great deal of power in other matters but especially in war, can bring about great changes in a situation through very slight forces.”
Luck plays a huge role in wargaming, not only in your stratagems, but in the roll of the dice as you play. No matter the system, you can sometimes use ill fortune to your advantage. Certain positions and maneuvers can force opponents into specific actions regardless of success or failure of the dice. Pushing an enemy into a new position through a minor application of force is never easy, but it can be a make, or break, maneuver both you and your opponent!
“In war, events of importance are the result of trivial causes.”
Ever notice how sometimes the most unimportant move can result in the biggest shifts in a game? The unanticipated loss of a unit in the center can split an opposing force into two manageable halves, while a key unit falling back on a flank can cause an entire army to be pushed into a corner. Be careful of your own stress points and be mindful of your opponents’ stress points.
“It is not these well-fed long-haired men that I fear, but the pale and the hungry-looking.”
Veteran players often lament about ‘N00bs’, but the truth of the matter is that the newer players have a lot of advantages that the veterans don’t necessarily see. First, they are hungry for their first win. Second, they lack the prejudices that most veterans have developed (i.e. ‘I’ve done that before and it doesn’t turn out well’ syndrome). Third, they have an energy to learn all of your tricks and get themselves ramped up to speed at a pace that you would not believe. Never underestimate the young turks.
“Men in general are quick to believe that which they wish to be true.”
This is an admonishment and a reminder all in one statement. The subtle stratagem (i.e. a stalking horse unit, free avenue of maneuver, or open piece of choice real estate) is an important tool in any general’s tradecraft. Ambush your enemies, deceive them into making mistakes, strike from the unexpected direction, and you will be rewarded. Of course, keep in mind that every opportunity that you see holds the potential of a horrifyingly brutal trap set by your opponent as well.
“No one is so brave that he is not disturbed by something unexpected.”
To put it bluntly, never let them see you sweat. When your opponent does something that is unanticipated by your plans, do not panic. If you have no viable contingency, then you must think on the fly, but beware of taking the most obvious or direct of responses. It is likely playing further into your opponent’s hands.
Tactics and Stratagems of the Dictator for Life
Circumvallation: The Battle of Alesia
As Pontiff and Proconsul of Roman forces in Gaul, Julius Caesar was faced with a bloody war against the Averni general, Vercingetorix. The war ended with a major battle at a city called Alesia. The Romans invested Alesia, encircling it with massive fortifications, but they had a problem: Vercingetorix had a relief column marching on Alesia. Instead of dividing his forces and leaving half to maintain the siege and taking half to meet the approaching Averni troops, as many other generals would have done, Caesar instead build a second set of massive protective fortifications. The Roman Legions, stuck between besieged Alesia and the advancing Gauls, were fairly safe, and enemies on both sides were forced to try to take reinforced fortifications by storming them, with the predictable losses.
How can we use this? While the axiom “The best defense is a good offense” rings true, the other side of the coin is often just as true. In a gaming environment where reserves and ‘outflanking’ are becoming more prevalent across a number of different systems, the idea of forting up when surrounded by enemies to keep them from joining forces and defeating you through sheer numbers.
Failure of Numbers; The Battle of Pharsalus
One of the most important battles of the Third Roman Civil War pitted Julius Caesar against his former colleague of the Triumvirate, Gnaeus Pompeus Magnus (Pompey the Great) and his allies, the Optimates. Outnumbered more than 2 to 1 as he approached the River Enipeus, Caesar arrayed his forces in a manner expected by Pompey and began the battle. Pompey tried to be clever held his men in check, not advancing to meet the numerically inferior opponents as one would have expected. The problem with this was that Caesar was prepared for this tactic, having hidden light infantry with javelins and pilum behind the main body of his forces. When Pompey’s cavalry attempted to wipe out Caesar’s on the far left flank, Caesar pulled his own cavalry back, pulling the pursuing cavalry into range of the light infantry. As Pompey’s cavalry panicked at the unexpected stratagem, they were quickly dispatched by the Caesarian troops, ripping the flank open, and allowing Caesar to defeat his opponent in detail.
This is a far simpler lesson for us to apply to our own gaming environments. Effective screening units and proper use of deception tactics can bring an enemy to his knees through exploitation of attack and maneuver. Prevent your enemy from anticipating surprises and you can achieve victory in any medium.
Next Week: Sun Tzu
