Post by martin on Nov 24, 2023 20:15:02 GMT
Ran a Bronze Age SKODBAC* campaign yesterday, with Colin and Richard, who has a new DBA Hittite army which he wanted to run out. The contending nations were designated with this in mind, and the Hittites saw PLENTY of action, fighting in the first five games.
Set in the eastern Mediterranean, around 1200BC, the nations were Hittites (1/24ab), New Kingdom Egyptians (1/22b), Trojans (1/26b) and Sea Peoples (1/28). The campaign rules included more randomised terrain than in the standard rules, and also a number of Random Events, which had some effect and added a little uncertainty to proceedings.
1. The first action saw the Hittites attack Troy. In a huge chariot clash on one flank the Trojan chariots were routed, but in the centre the Hittite foot (3Pk) pressed forward too far and were surrounded and crushed. Trojan win, 5+Hd to 3, seeing the Hittite invasion repulsed.
2. Undaunted, the Hittites attacked the Sea Peoples, who were caught near one of their cities, with their backs to the sea. The Sea Peoples marched away from the beach to meet the Hittite advance, and once again the success of the Hittite infantry was their downfall, as they pursued a slowly retreating line of Sherden warriors, were consequently outflanked and thus defeated. 5-2 win for the Sea Peoples, and the Hittites were again sent packing.
3. A retaliatory invasion by the Sea Peoples captured a Hittite city, and slaughtered the inhabitants, but a Hittite counterattack crushed the invaders. A 5 to 1+city win saw the invaders driven out of Hittite lands.
4. The Hittites were now invaded by the Trojans, who must have sensed an opportunity to crush their troublesome neighbours. Plague or camp fever had taken its toll on both armies**, each losing a random element of light troops. Caught with their backs to a great lake, the Hittites bravely fought off a Trojan landing force of spearmen and chariots, then countered with a chariot charge in the centre, killing the Trojan general for a decisive win (4g-1). The leaderless Trojans fled home, with the body of their king on his battered chariot. [So far NONE of the nations had lost their homeland to invasion, all attackers having been driven off].
5. Previously dormant Egypt now sent an army to strike at the war weary Hittites, bringing them to battle near the coast road and killing the Hittite leader. Scoring a decisive 4g-0 win, the Egyptians consequently took over all Hittite territory, making them the biggest power in the area.
6. The troublesome Sea People then picked on recently defeated Troy and met the defenders in a battle by the sea. Sending a large force to contest marshland on the Trojan army’s inland flank, the Sea Peoples’ coastward infantry held back from engaging the Trojan’s dismounted charioteers. Outfought in and near the marshes, the Trojans were overwhelmed, their camp followers put to the sword. Thus Troy fell to the Sea Peoples, who became the second major power in the area. (4-2 win).
7. Exuberant, the Sea Peoples now made a grab for the rich and fertile lands of Egypt, landing on the northern coast. Both armies prepared amphibious forces to assist in their battle plans, but a storm out to sea** put paid to that, the designated forces instead appearing on the beaches of their respective armies’ baselines. Egyptian archers, with kopesh-wielding infantry in support, fought long and hard to hold up the Sea People’s tough armoured swordsmen, allowing Pharaoh time to send reinforcements. When the bowmen finally fled, the Sea People’s general and his bodyguard, pressing forward toward the Egyptian camp, were then stopped in their tracks by Libyan warbands. With help from the Egyptian battle-line’s surviving kopesh men, the Libyans smashed the invading general’s bodyguard and sent the rest of his army into retreat. Egypt won by 3g to 2, and the Sea Peoples fled home in their ships.
And so, after seven games the political situation now sees two power bases left in play- the Egyptians, holding their homeland and the former Hittite territories, and the Sea Peoples, who have taken Troy and its hinterland in addition to their own lands. All may yet hinge on one decisive battle….
(Time ran out for the players…maybe there will be a chance to conclude this campaign sometime soon).
*Simple Knock Out DBA Campaign, as posted by Ian Hayward on his blog.
** Random Event.
Set in the eastern Mediterranean, around 1200BC, the nations were Hittites (1/24ab), New Kingdom Egyptians (1/22b), Trojans (1/26b) and Sea Peoples (1/28). The campaign rules included more randomised terrain than in the standard rules, and also a number of Random Events, which had some effect and added a little uncertainty to proceedings.
1. The first action saw the Hittites attack Troy. In a huge chariot clash on one flank the Trojan chariots were routed, but in the centre the Hittite foot (3Pk) pressed forward too far and were surrounded and crushed. Trojan win, 5+Hd to 3, seeing the Hittite invasion repulsed.
2. Undaunted, the Hittites attacked the Sea Peoples, who were caught near one of their cities, with their backs to the sea. The Sea Peoples marched away from the beach to meet the Hittite advance, and once again the success of the Hittite infantry was their downfall, as they pursued a slowly retreating line of Sherden warriors, were consequently outflanked and thus defeated. 5-2 win for the Sea Peoples, and the Hittites were again sent packing.
3. A retaliatory invasion by the Sea Peoples captured a Hittite city, and slaughtered the inhabitants, but a Hittite counterattack crushed the invaders. A 5 to 1+city win saw the invaders driven out of Hittite lands.
4. The Hittites were now invaded by the Trojans, who must have sensed an opportunity to crush their troublesome neighbours. Plague or camp fever had taken its toll on both armies**, each losing a random element of light troops. Caught with their backs to a great lake, the Hittites bravely fought off a Trojan landing force of spearmen and chariots, then countered with a chariot charge in the centre, killing the Trojan general for a decisive win (4g-1). The leaderless Trojans fled home, with the body of their king on his battered chariot. [So far NONE of the nations had lost their homeland to invasion, all attackers having been driven off].
5. Previously dormant Egypt now sent an army to strike at the war weary Hittites, bringing them to battle near the coast road and killing the Hittite leader. Scoring a decisive 4g-0 win, the Egyptians consequently took over all Hittite territory, making them the biggest power in the area.
6. The troublesome Sea People then picked on recently defeated Troy and met the defenders in a battle by the sea. Sending a large force to contest marshland on the Trojan army’s inland flank, the Sea Peoples’ coastward infantry held back from engaging the Trojan’s dismounted charioteers. Outfought in and near the marshes, the Trojans were overwhelmed, their camp followers put to the sword. Thus Troy fell to the Sea Peoples, who became the second major power in the area. (4-2 win).
7. Exuberant, the Sea Peoples now made a grab for the rich and fertile lands of Egypt, landing on the northern coast. Both armies prepared amphibious forces to assist in their battle plans, but a storm out to sea** put paid to that, the designated forces instead appearing on the beaches of their respective armies’ baselines. Egyptian archers, with kopesh-wielding infantry in support, fought long and hard to hold up the Sea People’s tough armoured swordsmen, allowing Pharaoh time to send reinforcements. When the bowmen finally fled, the Sea People’s general and his bodyguard, pressing forward toward the Egyptian camp, were then stopped in their tracks by Libyan warbands. With help from the Egyptian battle-line’s surviving kopesh men, the Libyans smashed the invading general’s bodyguard and sent the rest of his army into retreat. Egypt won by 3g to 2, and the Sea Peoples fled home in their ships.
And so, after seven games the political situation now sees two power bases left in play- the Egyptians, holding their homeland and the former Hittite territories, and the Sea Peoples, who have taken Troy and its hinterland in addition to their own lands. All may yet hinge on one decisive battle….
(Time ran out for the players…maybe there will be a chance to conclude this campaign sometime soon).
*Simple Knock Out DBA Campaign, as posted by Ian Hayward on his blog.
** Random Event.
