Falling Sky – Playing The Great Revolt (52 BC) scenario

The COIN series grows rapidly, with the new volumes being announced every few months. This is not surprising, as the concept and mechanics laying behind COunter INsurgency games are very attractive and still pretty innovative for most of the players. Despite so many new titles, I find Falling Sky as my favorite one.

What is the reason? First and foremost theme, with Ancient Rome, Caesar, Gauls as main actors in this story. I love that part of human history and you do not have to convince me to play the game connected with that epoch. Then, we have a very fitting – for COIN system – situation, with all-mighty Rome, pretty powerful Arverni and Belgae and nimble Aedui. The interactions and connections between factions can become very complex and intriguing, making each game a completely different experience.

So when Brent asked if I am interested in another Play By Email game of Falling Sky, I immediately agreed!

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My other articles in the Falling Sky series:
[REVIEW] Falling Sky 2nd Edition + Ariovistus
Falling Sky – 52 BC scenario
Falling Sky – 53 BC scenario
Falling Sky – 54 BC scenario
Ariovistus – Vassal play
Ariovistus – Vassal play, second attempt

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SET-UP

Let me invite you now to picture-rich session report, where I am describing the fate of the Gaul 🙂 We decided to play the shortest, 52 (BC) The Great Revolt scenario – while pretty harsh at the beginning for the Belgae, it seemed the best suited for PBEM play.

YEAR 1 (52 BC)

The summary of actions in first year:

• Arverni got an incredibly lucky series of cards – not only Vercingetorix Elite become active but a timed devastate killed two legions!
• Belgae very nicely recovered plus managed to wipe out Romans from Nervii. On top of this, they equipped their armies with Ballistae capability.
• Caesar decided – before turning against Gauls – to make sure that Germans will not be a problem. Their tribes were harshly treated and dispersed.
• Aedui lost Bituriges to Arverni, but migrated West to Pictones and Veneti. Still, that split of Aedui controlled territories will be a big problem for them in the future.

Summary of a year: Arverni are on a verge of victory, Belgae resurrected, Romans crushed Germans and Aedui migrated West.

YEAR 2 (51 BC)

Key developments of the second year:

• Arverni and Aedui switched the places, with the former taking Bibracte and the latter Mandubii. Pictones was also brought back to Arverni domains.
• Belgae migrated to Britain, being very hard pressed in Nervi.
• Rome – having supply lines assured via Germania – moved against Belgae to crush them once and for all. Nervi indeed was conquered but other than that, Belgae were keeping quite nicely. Caesar got also a great lieutenant – Titus Labienius – who dramatically improved the area of effect for his special abilities.

A year in a nutshell: Constant development of Arverni, who focused on Aedui and uninterrupted war between Belgae and Rome.

YEAR 3 (50 BC)

Main actions of the third year – no more alliances, everybody for himself:

• Rome this time decided to go south and obliterated home region of Arverni.
• Arverni on the other hand used perfectly the Devastate special ability, cutting the Caesar forces in half – southern and norther part. The latter was destroyed by Belgae, the former moved as far as Pictones.
• Belgae actually were very, very close to victory so the alliance with southern Gauls unfortunately was quickly cancelled by Vercingetorix moving to Atrebates and creating there another home region for his tribe 🙂 You know, everybody for himself in last year…
• Aedui – as Brent said – were poor men of Gaul, under constant attack from Arverni and other factions. Even their new, superb Capability did not help.

SUMMARY OF THE GAME

The final scores were as follows (number show the distance from automatic victory):

1. Rome (Mark): 0 (tie breaker winner)
2. Michal (Arverni): 0
3. Belgae (Jan): -7
4. Aedui (Brent): -10

That was incredibly close game – to large extent directed by the events from the beginning of the game. I rarely ever play as Arverni and their victory conditions are probably the most difficult ones – but still, the Roman victory come only after tie breaker. On a side note, the fact that Rome pulled-out the win was great feat from Mark – the Arverni-Belgae alliance really was keeping Romans most of the game in check – till the moment those factions attacked each other. As for Aedui, I saw so many games when they sneaked out victory in last moment, that my Arvens were always eager to pound the blue blocks.

Fantastic game with fantastic players – great thanks to Brent, Mark and Jan for the game!