Post by martin on Jun 21, 2023 14:49:52 GMT
Two games of DBA, today, played solo in 15 mm.
I used a stevie’s Simple Ancient Battles, which employs a virtual grid to define position on the board, and also thins down some of the faff. I also used a solo system devised by ‘Cromwell’ to control one of the sides in each battle, as a basic form of AI opponent (see photos on the 15mm War Gaming and Painting facebook group, public group, should be accessible).
1. The Asiatic Hoplite Greeks launched an assault on the local Achaemenid satrap’s army, meeting on a relatively open plain with village, road and a gentle hill. The Greeks held position, and reset their lines initially, extending their right flank to ward off the marauding Persian cavalry, while the bulk of the Persians edged forwards into bow range and let fly. Archery proved ineffective, and the hoplite line now quickly advanced to contact. Greek cavalry overran Armenian mountaineers, and the spears of the bronze clad warriors despatched two units of sparabara and some levy hordes (Greek win, 4+Hd to 0, in four turns).
2. The Satrap now led a retaliatory raid on the coastal Greeks, besieging a fortress sited where a river met the Aegean. Archery had failed to damage the fort’s garrison, but a furious assault by Persian levies then overwhelmed these defenders and captured it (6:1 dice roll). Meanwhile the main Greek force marched steadily forwards, waiting to dress ranks disrupted by clouds of arrows before launching their attack across the stream which separated the foes. Near the sea a mass of Persian levies dipped their toes in this river to test its depth and, finding it shallow, (and ‘paltry’, per DBA rules) swarmed across. The discovery that the river was no barrier to crossing proved a godsend for the Greeks, who pressed forwards to engage the Persians on the far bank. Fighting went to and fro, the Greek cavalry being routed by their Persian counterparts, but the main fight favouring the Greek heavy infantry, whose opponents gained no benefit from defending the river-line. Another Persian defeat, by 4-2, but taking 11 turns to achieve.
Good fun…the solo rules provided a sound basic framework for control of an army*, and the ‘grid conversion’ was enjoyable to use, too. I’m sold on both 👍🏼👍🏼. * I used it to control the Persians in game 1 and the Greeks in game 2.
I used a stevie’s Simple Ancient Battles, which employs a virtual grid to define position on the board, and also thins down some of the faff. I also used a solo system devised by ‘Cromwell’ to control one of the sides in each battle, as a basic form of AI opponent (see photos on the 15mm War Gaming and Painting facebook group, public group, should be accessible).
1. The Asiatic Hoplite Greeks launched an assault on the local Achaemenid satrap’s army, meeting on a relatively open plain with village, road and a gentle hill. The Greeks held position, and reset their lines initially, extending their right flank to ward off the marauding Persian cavalry, while the bulk of the Persians edged forwards into bow range and let fly. Archery proved ineffective, and the hoplite line now quickly advanced to contact. Greek cavalry overran Armenian mountaineers, and the spears of the bronze clad warriors despatched two units of sparabara and some levy hordes (Greek win, 4+Hd to 0, in four turns).
2. The Satrap now led a retaliatory raid on the coastal Greeks, besieging a fortress sited where a river met the Aegean. Archery had failed to damage the fort’s garrison, but a furious assault by Persian levies then overwhelmed these defenders and captured it (6:1 dice roll). Meanwhile the main Greek force marched steadily forwards, waiting to dress ranks disrupted by clouds of arrows before launching their attack across the stream which separated the foes. Near the sea a mass of Persian levies dipped their toes in this river to test its depth and, finding it shallow, (and ‘paltry’, per DBA rules) swarmed across. The discovery that the river was no barrier to crossing proved a godsend for the Greeks, who pressed forwards to engage the Persians on the far bank. Fighting went to and fro, the Greek cavalry being routed by their Persian counterparts, but the main fight favouring the Greek heavy infantry, whose opponents gained no benefit from defending the river-line. Another Persian defeat, by 4-2, but taking 11 turns to achieve.
Good fun…the solo rules provided a sound basic framework for control of an army*, and the ‘grid conversion’ was enjoyable to use, too. I’m sold on both 👍🏼👍🏼. * I used it to control the Persians in game 1 and the Greeks in game 2.
