30 ancient games in 30 days - games 06 to 10

Introduction

Games 6 to 10 in the 30 games in 30 days using my own rule son a 40cmx40cm table with 15mm figures.  Replaying some historical battles based on some Bill Banks Ancients user written scenarios.  Details can be found at this introductory blog post: https://shaun-wargaming-minis.blogspot.com/2023/12/introduction-to-30-games-in-30-days.html

In this post are these battles:

• CARCHEMISH, 605 BC, Babylonians under Nebuchadrezzar II vs Egyptians under Necho
• PASARGADAE, 550 BC, Persia Cyrus and Harpagus vs Medes Astyages
• PELUSIUM, 525 BC, Persians (Cambyses II) vs Egyptians (Psamtik III)
• Lake REGILLUS, 496 BC, Romans vs Etruscans
• MARATHON, 490 BC, Callimachus, war Archon of Athens vs Datis, general of Persia

CARCHEMISH, 605 BC

The Babylonians under King Nebuchadrezzar II defend the vital Euphrates River city of Carchemish against the Egyptian forces of King Necho.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Carchemish

Map: Open.

Special: None.

Babylonians under Nebuchadrezzar II (bp 3): 1 LDR, 2 CH, 1 HC, 1 HI, 2 HA.

Deploy: normal free deployment for example CH CH* HA HI HA HC.

Egyptians under Necho (bp 2.5): 1 LDR, 1 CH, 2 HI, 1 HA, 1 MI, 1 LI.

Deploy: normal free deployment for example CH* MI HI HI HA LI.

Deployment, Babylonians on the left

Not much of an advantage anywhere.  I think the best is an all out attack on both side and take advantage of any local superiority.

The Babylonians advance and shift to the right slightly to ensure they can get all their units matched-up.   The Egyptians only advance their right flank as the Babylonian centre has two heavy archers with long range bow fire.  Best to avoid.  Although one unlucky Egyptian Heavy Infantry got in range and is disordered.

The Babylonians advance their left flank chariots into missile range, as well as part of the centre.   The left most Light Infantry fires at the Babylonian chariot and return fire sees is retreat disordered.

This is becoming very interesting with the battle fragmenting as units jostle for where they make get an advantage and also nullify missile fire or, if an archer, position best to fire.   This is the case with the Egyptian right flank Heavy Infantry that has detached and advanced towards the Babylonian Heavy Archers instead of just sitting there for chariot bait, or if failing that, taking arrows. 

The game fragments while units seek advantage

The Egyptian Chariot fires at the Heavy Cavalry and they are disordered!  Halves their combat value and makes it worthwhile to attack.  The chariots do so next turn and the cavalry are routed.

The Egyptian Chariots (with general) rout the Babylonian cavalry

In a 1 in 36 fluke (two 1s) the 2 Babylonian chariots on the left flank disorder and then rout the Egyptian Heavy Infantry on that flank.

The Heavy Infantry withers under intense missile fire from the chariots.

Centre Egyptian Heavy Archers fires at the opposing Heavy Infantry that advances, next turn Heavy Archers fires again and Heavy Infantry advances into melee and both are disordered (not good for the Heavy Archers as once disordered their combat value goes from 3 to 1).  And so it happens that next turn the Heavy Archers are routed.  Meanwhile the Egyptian Medium Infantry charges the Babylonian Heavy Archers gets into combat but disordered.  Next turn in melee the Heavy Archers take out the Medium Infantry.

Babylonian Heavy Archers take out the Medium Infantry in close combat

The Egyptians have had enough and flee the field.

End game

There were a number of failed activations – group will move on a 2+ on a d6 but it is 3+ if you are a single unit.  The Egyptian failed a number of times to move their single units, particularly the Heavy Infantry in the centre that could have likely taken out the opposing Heavy Archers.

Most of the previous games have been all over in 15 minutes (excluding note taking).  This one I think went for about 40 minutes.  I pondered every single unit move to try and figure out what was the best move for not only local but in the longer term.

PASARGADAE, 550 BC

Showdown between the Medes and the Persians. The result was the annexation of Media into the rising Persian Empire.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Revolt

Map: Open.

Special: None.

Persia Cyrus and Harpagus (bp 3): 2 LDR, 2 HC, 1 LC, 3 HA, 1 MI.

Deploy: normal free deployment for example HC MI HA HA HA* HC* LC.

Medes Astyages (bp 2.5): 1 LDR, 3 HC, 2 HI, 1 LA.

Deploy: normal free deployment for example HC HC* HI HI LA HC.

Deployment, Persia on the left

Cyrus’s left flank is weak compared to the Medes.  The centre is strong and the left flank is slightly stronger as well. The weak point is that the Medes have 2 Heavy Cavalry on Cyrus right flank Vs Cyrus with one Heavy Cavalry and one Light Cavalry so if can get into combat fast enough they have superiority.  Cyrus has the Immortals next to him and that will nullify the Medes advantage, but infantry are slower than cavalry.

Cyrus advances his right flank and centre, bringing them together in one line.  The Medes mirror this, advancing their left flank and centre. However, this brings the Heavy Cavalry in range of the Persian Heavy Archers.  The Persian Light Archers fire at not only the Heavy Cavalry but also the Heavy Infantry battle line.  No disorders but the arrows cause the Heavy Cavalry (with leader) to charge straight ahead into the immortals. The Immortals had already fired to cause the charge, so don’t get to fire on contact (in my old rules they would have done so).  Once again, the 1 in 36 die roll strikes again!  The Medes roll a 1 (disordered) and then rolled to see if the leader is incapacitated – a ‘1’ so yes.

Medes Heavy Cavalry disordered and leader killed, all by the Persian Immortals.

The other Heavy Cavalry advances into the Light Cavalry and causes a disorder.  Cyrus and the Heavy Cavalry attack the disordered leaderless Heavy Cavalry and it routs.   The Person Light Cavalry is routed next turn.

The Persian right flank – Heavy Cavalry Vs Heavy Cavalry

The centre Median Heavy Infantry units advance towards the Sparabara line.  The latter fire is ineffective, the next turn the Heavy Infantry advance and the fire once again is ineffective but does cause 1 Heavy Infantry to advance into melee, disordering both Heavy Infantry and a Sparabara unit.  The other Sparabara melees but unfortunately they themselves are disordered.  The Heavy Infantry takes out a Sparabara next turn.  All is not lost for the Persians though as the Immortals are turning on their flank.

The centre battle line.

The Immortals slam into the flank and rout the Median Heavy Infantry, the Medes flee the field and the Persians win!

The Immortals on the flank of the Median Heavy Infantry

End game

Note: The Persian left flank did advance with the aim to then only advance the Medium Infantry against the Light Infantry.  But never got into range of the opposing flank.

The game was close. It was hard for the Medes to come back after losing the leader, and they did not. 

PELUSIUM, 525 BC

Persian conquest of Egypt by the son of Cyrus the Great.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Pelusium

Map: Open.

Special: Egyptian HI are hoplites (better protection against missiles).

Persians (Cambyses II) (bp 3): 2 LDR, 2 HC, 1 LC, 3 HA, 1 MI.

Deploy: HC HC* HA HA* HA MI LC.

Egyptians (Psamtik III) (bp 2.5): 1 LDR, 1 HC, 2 HI, 1 HA, 1 MI, 1 LI.

Deploy: LI MI HI HI HA HC*.

No deployment picture :-(

 

Cambyses II is only really strong on the left flank.  The centre is a bit of a gamble Vs 2 Heavy Infantry.  The right flank is fairly even as well with the Egyptian left flank.

 

Cambyses II advances his entire line.  The Egyptians advance only their centre where they have the best chance of winning).

The left flank Persian Heavy Cavalry units charge into the opposing Heavy Cavalry and Heavy Archer.  The Heavy Archer forces the Heavy Cavalry with Cambyses to retreat.  The other Heavy Cavalry attacks at 1:2 and get the worst result by rolling a 1 – Attacker Eliminated.  The Egyptian Heavy Cavalry pursues, straight into the Heavy Cavalry+Cambyses.   And the Egyptian leader scores again, rolling the only bad result for the Persians – a 6 and only the Persian Heavy Cavalry is disordered.  Next turn, the Persian humiliation continues with another 6 and the Persian Heavy Cavalry and Cambyses are gone.

The Persian left flank, half gone already.  Soon all will be lost.

The centre Egyptian hoplites move forwards with ineffective missile fire from the Heavy Archer.  But then the Heavy Archer gets a turn and OMG, three 1s.  The only result to inflict damage on the hoplites.  One is routed, the other not looking good.

Half the Egyptian’s centre already lost. 

The Egyptian right flank is advancing to outflank the Persian centre.  The Immortals advance on the disordered hoplites.  It will be a 2:1 and much better chance of destroying them than firing.   They rout the hoplites!

The Egyptian Heavy Cavalry charges into the flank of the nearest Sparabara.  Note this does not induce a flank attack bonus as the Sparabara are not also being attacked form the front.  It does not matter, the Sparabara are disordered and are unlikely to survive another turn.  And they don’t.  The Persians have reached their limit and flee.

Heavy Cavalry charges into the Sparabara flank

Just to note that the Heavy Archers on both sides were taking pot shots at one another.  A loss of a Heavy Archer would have also tipped the game either way.

End game.

Well, that was a swingy game! That is what happens when you roll only 1’s and 6’s.  At the start thought it was going to be a Persians narrow win, then after the loss of the flank and easy Egyptian win, then after the centre Egyptian loss I had no idea!

Lake REGILLUS, 496 BC

The Romans attempt to throw off the Etruscan yoke.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lake_Regillus

Map: Open.  Impassable lake running just off Roman left flank to Etruscan right flank.

Special: None.

Romans (bp 3): 2 LDR, 1 HC, 2 HI, 3 MI, 1 LI.

Deploy: LI MI MI MI HI* HI HC*.

Etruscans (bp 3.5): 1 LDR, 2 HC, 2 HI, 3 MI.

Deploy: HC HC* Hi HI MI MI MI.

Deployment, Romans on the left.

This will be a tough one for either side.  Both quite well balanced, the Etruscans are stronger on their right flank, the Romans have a leader in the centre.  But the Romans will need the centre and right flank to protect the opposite.  And the other flank is about equal.

Romans advance the centre and right, the centre moving towards the right.  The Roman left flank veer to the right to line up against any opposition.  Etruscans also advance (the centre more slowly as failed a move order).  The Roman Heavy Cavalry is subject to a mandatory charge into the Etruscans and disorders a Heavy Cavalry.  In the next turn the Roman Heavy Cavalry is disordered.

The Roman Heavy Cavalry holding its own, just, against two Etruscan Heavy Cavalry

The Etruscan right flank of Medium Infantry charges into the Roman opposition.  The Light Infantry fires for no effect and retreats. A few disorders handed out in the melee.  One of the Roman Medium Infantry routs.  The Light Infantry fires at a Medium Infantry that charges in retaliation and the Light Infantry is disordered.  The Light Infantry routs next turn.

The Medium Infantry dominated flank

The centre has the elite Roman Heavy Infantry charge the opposing Etruscan Heavy Infantry but is itself disordered.

The centre Heavy Infantry action.

The Etruscans take a chance and combat the Roman Heavy Cavalry.  A lucky roll sees the Roman Heavy Cavalry +general routed.

The Heavy Infantry on the Roman right flank is free of threats and so charges the now disordered Heavy Cavalry to its front.  The Heavy Infantry to its left attacks the opposing Etruscan Heavy Infantry hoping to disorder it.  On the 1 in 6 chance, they rout.  The Romans lose.  The Etruscans did not lose a single unit!

No picture of end game as I forgot!

Another close game. Although you would not know it from the above report.  There is not much between the two sides. With only a small number of unit and a single 1d6 rolls for combat resolution it is the case that games may swing due to a high number of 1s and 6s.  Like this game.  I don’t mind, certainly makes them tactically challenging!

MARATHON, 490 BC

Athenian desperate attempt to defend from Persian invasion.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Marathon

Map: Open.

Special: A draw is considered a Persian victory.   Athenians are hoplites.

Callimachus, war Archon of Athens (bp 2.5): 1 LDR, 3 HI reduced, 2 HI.

Deploy: HI Hi(d) HI(d) HI(d) HI*.

Datis, general of Persia (bp 3.5): 1 LDR, 3 HA, 4 LA.

Deploy: LA LA HA HA* HA LA LA.

Deployment, Athenians on the left

For the last 5 times I have played this scenario I made the Athenian hoplites Phalanxes (showing my Armati heritage).  I have now come around to classifying them as Heavy Infantry, albeit with better protection against missiles than normal Heavy Infantry. This will be the first time playing with them as Heavy Infantry.

The Athenian centre may get wiped out by excellent missile fire from the Sparabara.  The flanks are where the Hoplites have a good chance Vs the lighter archers.  Just like historically the best tactic for the Athenians is to run like hell at the Persians!

The Athenians advance.  When they get into missile range the Persians unleash.  The Athenian line is a little broken up and the Athenian leader unit is disordered but otherwise still going ok.  Trouble for the Athenians – the hoplite clashes with the Persian leader unit and it routed.  The Athenian leader on the right flank also succumbs to missile fire.  Game is over for a Persian win. Due to the number of 1s, the Athenians lost this game.

End game.

So what if they did not roll a 1s against the Athenian general unit? I played as if the Athenian general was not routed and the hoplites managed to hang on.  The general routed the 2 Light Archers facing them and two Sparabara were lost in the centre. Greeks win!  As I wrote for the last scenario, the game rests on a few dice rolls but I like the broad brush approach, all it takes is a 1 in 6 chance and the game can go the other way.

I really like playing Marathon because with the small number of units and the quick brutal rules, the game plays out different every time!