Post by diades on Jun 6, 2020 22:07:47 GMT
I have held my part of Thrace like my ancestors before me against all comers. A new threat was on the way, Darius of Persia, with an army allegedly as numerous as the sling-stones in our mountain streams. I chose a good place to face him. He would have to approach me between a large steep hill on his right and a large wood on his left. On my left was another large steep hill and a good road led from right of my centre out beyond his left flank. I placed my archers and slingers out front and centre. Behind them were half of my peltasts. Further back and to the left my remaining peltasts deployed behind the hill. Further back still and central were my horsemen and my bodyguard and I.
Darius's army emerged. The space between the hill and woods was filled with Sparabara, the Immortals occupying the right hand end of his line. There were more men in just those units than in my entire army, and it was but a third of the units he deployed. Centred behind his Immortals were his lighter troops, Armenian hillmen with archers inside and Psiloi outside. Behind them were his cavalry and light horse. On his left flank at the back of the woods were his levies, whilst Darius commanded from behind the wood with his cavalry guard.
I sent my archers and slingers forward in column to the right towards the woods, whilst the peltasts to my left moved further left. They would be a match for the Persian mounted if they attempted anything on that flank and could race over the hill to take the enemy infantry in the flank if necessary. Darius sent his sparabara forward en masse, with his Armenians tucked in behind the Immortals. His mounted moved into position behind them ready to deploy wider right when the hill would let them. Meanwhile the levies advanced in column onto the road.
My archers and slingers entered the woods and my central peltasts stepped right to straddle the road. Darius kept his infantry advancing, whilst his archers and Psiloi raced left behind them into the woods. Surely my boys will sort them out.
Meanwhile the peltasts on my right continued down the road to be able to threaten the enemy levies and add support in the woods. Darius's infantry split. The units closest to the wood wheeled outwards to shoot my peltasts in the flank. My boys race on, but I lose my slingers in the woods and my archers back out pronto to draw the enemy bow fire, my boys are too good at hiding and dispersing for arrows to harm them.
The bulk of my peltasts take on the levies, whilst some of them destroy enemy Psiloi in the woods. The sparabara wheel forwards again and their comrades move up beside them. They will soon have my horsemen in range...Surely my brave troops can match the Persian's levies and light troops...
Disaster! I lose peltasts in the wood and two more against the levies. If even Darius's weak troops are this strong, it is time to send him some gold and a daughter or two...
The history books I have record Darius I adding the province of Skudra to the Achaemenid Empire around 519 BC, which is generally acknowledged as Thrace. The Army Lists only provide I/60a as Thracian enemies, which would be in Cyrus's reign. We used the a list Army, but still considered Darius as the Persian general. If the references I have are correct, of course it should have been I/60c as the army.
Darius's army emerged. The space between the hill and woods was filled with Sparabara, the Immortals occupying the right hand end of his line. There were more men in just those units than in my entire army, and it was but a third of the units he deployed. Centred behind his Immortals were his lighter troops, Armenian hillmen with archers inside and Psiloi outside. Behind them were his cavalry and light horse. On his left flank at the back of the woods were his levies, whilst Darius commanded from behind the wood with his cavalry guard.
I sent my archers and slingers forward in column to the right towards the woods, whilst the peltasts to my left moved further left. They would be a match for the Persian mounted if they attempted anything on that flank and could race over the hill to take the enemy infantry in the flank if necessary. Darius sent his sparabara forward en masse, with his Armenians tucked in behind the Immortals. His mounted moved into position behind them ready to deploy wider right when the hill would let them. Meanwhile the levies advanced in column onto the road.
My archers and slingers entered the woods and my central peltasts stepped right to straddle the road. Darius kept his infantry advancing, whilst his archers and Psiloi raced left behind them into the woods. Surely my boys will sort them out.
Meanwhile the peltasts on my right continued down the road to be able to threaten the enemy levies and add support in the woods. Darius's infantry split. The units closest to the wood wheeled outwards to shoot my peltasts in the flank. My boys race on, but I lose my slingers in the woods and my archers back out pronto to draw the enemy bow fire, my boys are too good at hiding and dispersing for arrows to harm them.
The bulk of my peltasts take on the levies, whilst some of them destroy enemy Psiloi in the woods. The sparabara wheel forwards again and their comrades move up beside them. They will soon have my horsemen in range...Surely my brave troops can match the Persian's levies and light troops...
Disaster! I lose peltasts in the wood and two more against the levies. If even Darius's weak troops are this strong, it is time to send him some gold and a daughter or two...
The history books I have record Darius I adding the province of Skudra to the Achaemenid Empire around 519 BC, which is generally acknowledged as Thrace. The Army Lists only provide I/60a as Thracian enemies, which would be in Cyrus's reign. We used the a list Army, but still considered Darius as the Persian general. If the references I have are correct, of course it should have been I/60c as the army.