The term castra comes from the Latin and means camp or fort. It was through the use of establishing camps during the winter months as well as in normal campaign months that Caesar managed to keep peace in Gaul while he was away during the off season for campaigning.Classical Hack is well suited to scenario games and using a camp seemed like a good source for my Historicon games: The Nerve of the Nervii.

In this scenario cotta and Sabinus have been completely defeated along with their legion. Foolishly the two generals decided to abandon their winter campaign. After a lot of heated debate Cotta decided the issue. The situation was a sinple one. The local Gauls had raised an army and arrived before their camp. The Romans in the camp were offered safe conduct if they left the place.

The Romans were attacked by the Gauls shortly after leaving their winter camp along the path of their evacuation. A few survivors reach other similar winter camps of the Romans whilethe remainder managed to get back into the camp only to commit suicide rather than to become prisoners of the Gauls.

A short time after this Gallic Victory other tribes were invited to do the same. Trick the was this, get the Romans into leaving their fortified winter camps and then attack them while they retreated on ground unfavorable to the Romans. The camp in the territory of the Nervii was next on the Gallic list. Cicero the Roman commander was not so foolish as his counter parts Cotta and Sabinus. He held out long enough and at great cost in lives until Caesar relieved the camp weeks after the Gauls had begun their siege of the place.

Roman winter camps were larger than the everyday marching camps. Here (above) is a general view of the camp I have built for the scenario. I will describe what you are looking at in detail. Just follow the links below.