Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.

[Renatus]

. . . these 'woods' are not impenetrable jungles, after all! . . . Result - Romans surrounded and attacked from all sides by a vastly superior force . . .

As I have said, it is for Deryk to justify his choice of site. However, if he is right, the following may be relevant:

1. The area is well-wooded, even today. It was probably even more so in the 1st century. Climax woodland is not the ideal terrain through which to launch a major attack.

2. Paulinus will have drawn up his battle line facing the direction from which he expected the attack. This will probably have been the position of the Britons' camp. If he had the time to prepare that we have postulated, he will probably have already reconnoitred several potential battle sites to cover most eventualities.

3. He was evidently alive to the possibility of attack from the rear and for that reason satisfied himself that there was no threat from that direction before committing himself to battle. It may well have been wise for the Britons to have considered an enveloping attack from the rear and flanks as suggested by Nathan but either the terrain did not permit it or, perhaps more likely, their over-confidence led them to believe that they could overwhelm the Romans with a frontal attack.