Introduction
After playing some replays of this battle with Dominion of the Spear, I realised how interesting I find this battle. I decided to play it with the latest iteration of my Ancient Battlelines Clash rules. Previous outings with previous rules versions are with an early copy of my own rules (2012) and a few times with a major rules revision in 2021. ABC is designed to finish in around 30 minutes on a 2’x2’ or smaller table; I am currently using a 40cmx40cm table, although for Megiddo I used a 2'x2' due to the wide width of the battlefield, even with only 8 bases a side.
Battle of Megiddo 1479BC
The Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III defeats a
Canaanite coalition before the walls of the city of Megiddo.
Sources
Scenario source: Bill Banks Ancients (originally).
Link(s):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Megiddo_(15th_century_BC)
https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1101/thutmose-iii-at-the-battle-of-megiddo/
https://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/Ancient/BattleOfMegiddo
https://www.donsmaps.com/egypt2cb.html (a good summary of Nelson, see
below)
Society of Ancients Slingshot articles:
- The Battle of Megiddo (43/6-11, Alan Buttery)
- The Battle of Kadesh (55/6-13, rp.92a/16-20, Alan Buttery)
- Megiddo! (135/15-18, Ian Greenwood; comments 136/18-19, Ian Russell Lowell; 137/11-12, Karl Heinz Ranitzsch & Noel McGlinchey)
- The Pharaoh‟s Breakfast [Megiddo] (136/16-18, Stephen Allen)
Other:
- Harold Haydon Nelson Battle of Megiddo (1913) is an interesting read on the battle
Troops
Egyptians
1
LDR Leader (Thutmose III), 3 CH Chariots, 1 HI Heavy infantry, 2 MI Medium
Infantry, 2 LA Light Archers, 1 CP Camp.
Breakpoint:
2.5
Coalition of Syrians under the prince of Kadesh
1
LDR, 2 CH Chariots, 2 MI Medium Infantry, 2 LI Light Infantry, 1 LA Light
Archer, 1 CP Camp.
Breakpoint:
2.5
Scenario & Deployment
Special
rules: A draw is a rebel victory.
I have gone with a deployment loosely based on the Peter Sides scenario.
Deployment (Egyptians on the left)
Game
The
two Egyptian flanks move (the right to gin the riverbank, the left to get
closer to be able to use the light archers).
The centre decides to pause and wait for the flanks to get into position
(in reality failed to activate).
The Canaanite right flank fails to move but their light archers do exchange some missile fire with the opposing Egyptian archers (for no effect).
Exchanging missile fire on the Egyptian left flank
The Canaanite chariots move slightly off the hill, just to put a little more distance between the Egyptian chariots and the Camp.
The Egyptian’s may be able to win their right flank and so advance to the river bank. Inn range of the Canaanite Light infantry that fire and disorder the opposing heavy infantry
Canaanite light infantry disorders the Egyptian Heavy infantry
The Egyptian chariots charge in. The Canaanites fire at them on them as they approach, forcing one to slow their advance. Disorders all round, except Thutmose’s Royal Guard.
Egyptian chariots charge, one falters due to incoming arrows
The Egyptian left flank fires missiles and disorder the Light infantry. The Canaanite archers return fire and the rest of the flank moves off the hill as they need to rout the Egyptian archers.
Canaanite right flank advancing
The Chariots melee and one of the Egyptian Chariots is routed.
An Egyptian chariot routed
On the Canaanite left flank, the light infantry routs the heavy infantry (two 6’s in a row). That was unexpected.
Heavy infantry routed
Thutmose charges his chariots in but are repulsed again. On the left flank the infantry clash and are both disordered, archers fire at the other archers on the hill and the latter are disordered, the far left archers fire at the light infantry who return fire with javelins and disorder the Egyptian archers.
The Egyptian left flank is still in contention
But then it all goes pear shaped for the Egyptians. On the left flank, the Canaanites rout the archers and the medium infantry, the remaining chariot in the centre routs the opposing chariot.
Collapse of the Egyptian left and centre
This well and truly breaks the morale of the Egyptian side that abandon the battle.
End
Verdict
Wow. The collapse at the end was the Canaanites rolling a string of 5s and 6s Vs the 1s and 2s of the Egyptians. I was not expecting the Egyptians to lose. They rolled so bad throughout the game, and the Canaanites rolled so well. No changes to the rules, still happy with them. Of course, this is after 3 games with the revised rules so that can easily change :-)
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