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Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.
Quote:However, I'm still wary of the possibilities of an outflanking move from the east and north-east, leaving the Romans stuck in their defile with no route of retreat. Although I recall your good point about Paulinus ensuring there were no enemies to his rear, I still think that such a famously clever and cautious general may not have wanted to risk having his force surrounded and trapped.
I think that it's a case of playing the hand you've been dealt. Tring has a number of advantages from the Roman point of view. It is close enough to St Albans for Suetonius' scouts to track the movements of the rebels and, depending upon those movements, offers him a variety of options. If the rebels proceeded up Watling Street on the way back to their homelands, he could go up the Icknield Way and intercept them at Dunstable (I thought you'd like that!). If they approached along Akeman Street, he could withdraw a little further and see if they turned south down the Icknield Way or continued westwards. In the first case, he could follow, knowing that their slow pace would allow his reinforcements to catch up, until he felt strong enough to give battle; in the latter, he could keep on withdrawing, all the time getting nearer to his reinforcements, again until he had built up sufficient forces to give battle. Finally, as happened, he could stand his ground and give battle where he stood.

The concept of offering battle allowed the army that occupied the battleground first to dictate the terms of the battle. Its opponents could then either accept battle on those terms or refuse it. By ensuring that his flanks were covered by higher ground and that his rear was protected by the wood, Suetonius compelled the rebels to attack his front through the defile, which suited his inferior numbers.
Michael King Macdona

And do as adversaries do in law, -
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
(The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1, Scene 2)
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Messages In This Thread
Re: Calling all armchair generals! - by Ensifer - 03-11-2010, 03:13 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-18-2012, 06:26 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 12:02 AM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 02:50 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 05:40 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 11:26 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 05:11 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 09:42 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 10:10 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 03:11 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 03:25 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 08:36 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-26-2012, 02:57 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-27-2012, 01:50 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 08-05-2012, 02:24 PM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-07-2014, 02:18 PM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-08-2014, 01:50 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-11-2014, 02:03 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-18-2014, 07:54 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-20-2014, 02:37 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-25-2014, 08:29 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Renatus - 03-10-2015, 05:42 PM

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