Battle of Megiddo 1479BC – a few battle reports with Dominion of the Spear

Introduction

While wanting to play some historical battles with the Dominion of the Spear expansion I went down a rabbit hole with Megiddo, the first battle in the pack.

Background

Dominion of the Spear is a really fast ruleset on a 3x2 grid.  I played a few games with it and have played about 15-20 more.  It won’t replace my other rules but is an interesting way to pass the time.  I have also used it to play a bit of a Cyrus the Great campaign. An expansion came out that has 36 historical battles and a couple of optional rules on modifying activation. I began using one of the optional rules (Attacker activates one sector, defender then activates another) after game 6 as it introduces some extra decision making. 

I wanted to play of few of them and so looked at the first one, Megiddo.  Now, Megiddo is one of my favourite battles and I have played it a few times, with an early copy of my own rules and a few times with a major rules revision in 2021.  I have thought about using it as a test battle for replaying the same battle with different rules (I may still do that).

Conveniently, Megiddo is a battle across three sectors and Dominion on the Spear is also a 3 sector game (although the rules have a way to easy add more sectors).  Megiddo is also one of those battles where the forces are not specified, other than there are chariots and infantry.  So there is quite a leeway in exactly what troops were in which sector, other than there were chariots in the centre for both sides.

The games

Game 1 is the game straight of the expansion.  A fine interpretation of the battle.

Game 2 introduces my own terrain rules

Game 3 changes the forces a little to have more of them

Game 4 changes the forces so chariots only in the centre

Game 1 Megiddo as per the expansion interpretation

This scenario has each sector populated with chariots with infantry in the reserve.  The Canaanite reserve is armoured to indicate they are on a hill. 

Setup, Egyptians at the top

Egyptian left attacks opposing chariot and the Canaanite chariots are destroyed.  Replaced with an armoured archer.  I chose the flank chariot to use for the attack as if the Egyptian won, the Canaanites would replace it with an infantry unit, and infantry do not get the outflanking bonus from a flank sector.  Also, I replaced the Canaanite chariot with the infantry archer as they get a bonus Vs Chariots.  The Canaanites choose that sector for their combat as they have a better chance at routing the Egyptian chariots.  But neither side flinches.

Canaanite chariot destroyed and replaced with archers

Egyptians choose the right flank for the same reason as the attacking on the left.  Both are destroyed and replaced by their respective infantry reserves.  Neither side has any reserves left.

Mutual destruction of chariots on the left

Canaanites choose the archers again and destroy the Egyptian chariots.   The Egyptian have the best chance in the centre so choose that for combat.  Mutual destruction again!

Egyptian chariot lost on the right and mutual destruction in the centre

The Egyptian force is down to one unit and so has lost.

Fast and furious, as designed.

Game 2 My own terrain rules

Ok, prepare for a little bit of a complication.  Here are my terrain rules as pertinent to Megiddo:

A target infantry unit on a hill count as elite for first melee combat.

A target unit in a river counts as elite for first melee combat.

First is with the same unit – if melee with a different unit bonus will count again.  If both in the same sector and both in same terrain type then there is no bonus.

If terrain is used, a unit (in a sector or reserve) sits on the terrain feature. If the unit is destroyed the terrain feature moves to the winner, unless it is a river, then remove it. If both destroyed then if a reserve unit moves into the sector the terrain feature stays in that sector with the newly moved reserve unit, else remove the terrain feature. If a unit initiates an outflanking combat, remove any terrain feature under it. A reserve unit moving into a sector keeps its terrain feature and overrides the one currently in the sector.

Also, for Megiddo there a steep cliff between the right and centre sector so no outflanking bonus is given for combat across from the right sector to the centre.  

For the battle, there is a camp in the centre behind the chariots and also Megiddo to retreat into.  While the Egyptians looted the camp while the retreating enemy managed to escape, I will assume that this occurs after the battle itself so won’t represent it in the game.

I am using the same forces as game 1 but modified as some unit no longer have specific armoured status for being on a hill.

Egyptian

Reserve: 1xElite Spearmen

Sectors: 3xElite Chariot Archers

Canaanite

Reserve: 1x Spearmen, 1x Archers (both on hills)

Sectors: 3x Chariot Archers (left defending a river, centre and right on a hill)

Setup

Egyptian left attacks the opposing chariot (hill will have no effect).  Mutual destruction.  The hill under the chariot goes at it is replaced with the Canaanite spearmen that has its own terrain feature.  This happens to be a hill so the end result is the Canaanite spearmen moves onto the hill.  The Egyptian spearmen replace the chariot.

After mutual destruction on the right

The Canaanite select their right flank for combat as it is an equal chance, compared to the other sectors where it may not be so great.  The Canaanites rout the Egyptian spearmen.  No replacement for the Egyptians. The Egyptians combat in the centre. Mutual destruction!  No replacement for the Egyptians, Canaanite reserve archers advance (on a hill).

Egyptian spearmen routed on the right, mutual destruction of chariots in the centre

The Egyptians are down to one unit so lose, again.

I do like the terrain rules for their first outing.  A bit more complexity but has a good feel to it.

Game 3 Increase the Egyptian units

Still using the same points but will take the Elite off two Egyptian chariots and add a spearmen unit to the reserve. Centre chariots are still elite to represent Thutmose III and the royal forces.

Egyptian

Reserve: 1xElite Spearmen, 1xSpearmen

Left and right sectors: 2xChariot Archers

Centre sector: 1xElite Chariot Archers

Canaanite

Reserve: 1x Spearmen, 1x Archers (both on hills)

Sectors: 3xChariot Archers (left defending a river, centre and right on a hill)

Setup

Again, Egyptian first combat is their left flank.  No casualties. Canaanites combat on their left sector, forcing the Egyptians to attack across the river.  However, as it is all archers, the river has no effect.  Mutual destruction! Oh, now who replaces their reserve first?  I will assume it is the side that was not activated, so in this instance it will be the Egyptians that replace first with the non-elite Spearmen (save the elites for attacks on hill units).  The Canaanite replace with a spearmen as well.  If the spears were not on a terrain feature they would move into the river.  However they are on a hill so the hill “moves” with them as the river is removed.

Mutual destruction on the left.  Egyptians have advanced though through the river to the hill.

Egyptian combats in the centre and destroys the Canaanite chariot.  The archers replace the destroyed chariot.

Centre Egyptian chariot destroys the opposing chariot, latter replaced with archers

The Canaanites choose the left flank – spears Vs spears but they have the advantage of being on a hill.  The Canaanites win and the Egyptian Nubian spears are replaced with the elite spearmen.

Canaanites win on the left, Egyptians replace the loss with another spearmen unit

Egyptians choose the Spearmen on their right.  Egyptians win and are now on the hill.

Egyptians win on in the left sector

Canaanite chose the right as have an equal chance there.  No effect.

Egyptian choose the spearmen to outflank the centre missile unit.  It is melee and the missile unit cannot return fire.  While the spearmen get no bonus for outflanking, they are elite and combating missile infantry.  Those bonuses stack! The missile unit routs.

The missile unit is attacked in the flank by the Egyptian spearmen

The Canaanites have lost, for the first game out of the three.  I really do like have 2-3 units in reserve, the game takes a little longer and a few more decisions.

Game 4 Chariots only in the centre.

Other Megiddo gaming scenarios only has chariots in the centre sector.  It is the setup I have used previously so I thought I would give the battle a run with different units configuration

Egyptian

Reserve: 1xArchers, 1xSpearmen

Right sectors: 1xArchers

Left sector: 1xElite Spearmen

Centre sector: 1xElite Chariot Archers

Canaanite

Reserve: 1x Spearmen, 2xArchers (all on hills)

Centre sector: 1xChariot Archers

Other sectors: 2xArchers (left defending a river, centre and right on a hill)

Setup

Egyptians attack in the centre as it is Elite Vs non-elite.  In a reverse of history, the royal Egyptian chariots are routed and the Egyptian archers replace them.  The hill under the chariots is removed (assumed to advance).

Egyptian centre chariots routed, Canaanite chariots advance off the hill

The Canaanites attack in the centre (as if they lose, infantry will go into the centre for possible outflanking bonus in the future).  Mutual destruction.  The Egyptian moves up the Nubian infantry, the Canaanites some archers (that are on a hill so it moves with them).

Egyptian elite spears attack the missile units in the river.  The missile units attack first but if they fail, the melee will be brutal.  The missile unit fails but the elite spears rout them.  The river disappears.  The Canaanite reserve archers are put into the battleline.  They are on a hill.

Mutual destruction in the centre, with replacements, left flank Canaanite fail to defend the river and Egyptian spearmen advance to the archers on the hill

Canaanite have no really good matchups but the missile unit on the left could take out the opposing spears with not return melee.   They don’t harm the spears but the spears do not affect the archers either.

The Egyptians choose this battle again as the missile units no longer get the +1 for being on the hill.  The spearmen survive the missile fire and take the archers out.  The Egyptian spears advance.  They are on a hill, as are the reserve Egyptian spearmen.

Left flank sees the Canaanite archers routed and replaced by the last of their spearmen

Canaanite choose their right flank – similar chance of rout.  No effect.

Egyptians choose the spearmen on the hill. No effect.

Canaanite choose their right flank missiles.  Mutual destruction!

Right sector is now wide open

Egyptians choose the spearmen on the hill. The Canaanites win the melee.

The battle on the hill sees the Canaanite come out on top

The Egyptians are down to one unit and so lose.

Verdict

All the games were fun to play.  I can see myself playing more Dominion of the Spear. I continue to be amazed at the simplicity in the rules and the elegance of the 4 troop types and two attributes that capture ancient battles with a broad brush so well.  I did especially like game 3 and 4 as they had 2-3 units in reserve but that did make the game longer.  I can see myself using the terrain rules for those historical battles where it played an important part.  It will also be useful in campaign games to generate some terrain every now and then to make it interesting.  If I ever play the Two Hour Wargames scenarios with these rules, then the terrain rules will work there.  I still think they are a bit too complex for the elegant simplicity to the rules but I like the way they help visual the flow of the battle as it unfolds.  I feel I have more mutual destructions than normal but possibly not - in a game should expect one sector to have this I am fairly sure. The activating one sector for each side I have been using for a while and did not disappoint in these games either.