Post by diades on Apr 17, 2021 17:16:52 GMT
Croesus of Lydia has over reached himself if he believes he can rest territory from me, Cyrus the Great of Persia. I have assembled my forces to meet his would-be invasion here, at Pteria, in my Anatolian province.
Croesus has deployed a line of spearmen in front of the River Halys, which runs from the centre in his rear towards me and his right. Behind the heavy foot lurks Croesus and more Lydian cavalry (all 3Kn) with a small wood to their left. To the right of the spearmen, on the other side of the river is a large wood, filled with his archers, slingers and javelinmen (all Ps). On their right beyond the wood is a column of Paphlagonian light horse.
Opposite the enemy spearmen I have drawn up my sparabara (8Bw) on the ridge of a gentle hill. To their left nestling between the hill and the ruins of an ancient settlement (edifice), I have my mighty ox-drawn siege tower, its ramparts packed with archers. To their left in the ruins are Armenians (3Ax) and archers (Ps). My cavalry unit, with more cavalry, camelry and scythed chariots wait in the second line drawn off to the right behind the hill.
Croesus opens the proceedings, advancing his spearmen, racing his light foot out of the woods across the paltry Halys towards the ruins and sending his light horse across the river and wide around my left flank. I order the mobile tower backed off to protect my left flank and join it, whilst wheeling my troops in the ruins to their left to face the enemy light foot, who advance into the ruins for a face off.
Meanwhile the enemy spear advance and wheel a little, leading with their right by the ruins. I order my mounted troops right, around the hill to threaten the spearmen’s left and deter enemy cavalry from supporting there. The Paphlagonians turn tail on my left and lurk behind the ruins and their infantry, joined by Croesus himself.
I send the leftmost sparabara to even things up in the ruins, but that leads to half the enemy spear advancing to try and exploit the gap. Gradually my sparabara wheel left. There are occasional clashes and many hails of arrows. Both sides move forward and back, the hill and large shields in front of my archers help them in combat!
Meanwhile, my right is threatened and immobile. I personally dash right around the hill to ease command. Opportunity presents...and I release the scythed chariots on the left hand end of the enemy spear, supported by camelry to deter enemy mounted from intervening. The enemy spear are ill disciplined, break and are destroyed, my chariots advance into the heart of Croesus’ army.
Croesus sends his remaining spears behind the chariots, hits the chariots in the flank with light horse and supports the engagement himself. The chariots spin left to face and send the Paphlagonians fleeing into their comrades’ flank, but far enough for the pursuing chariots not to catch them, although they soon do and send them fleeing again, into the edge of the ruins.
Croesus orders his cavalry in against the camels and outflanks them with the spearmen: the camels are destroyed. My right is now threatened by superior mounted quality and numbers. I redress my right, supporting the remaining cavalry with my own horsemen and sparabara. Meanwhile the scythed chariots now attack the second unit of light horse, who flee into the Halys and are thus destroyed.
On the left, my sparabara finally concentrate fire and destroy enemy spearmen. The remaining enemy light horse have returned from the ruins and the scythed chariots charge yet again, this time destroying Croesus’ Paphlagonian allies. The field is mine.
Croesus will retreat, but if he expects me to disband for the season, he will be mistaken. It is too costly to maintain this army as local garrisons or to raise it anew in the spring. I shall pursue him and crush him and see him burn for his impudence and add Lydia to my mighty empire.
Over two hours of entertainment for a 4-1 victory. My scythed chariots were uncommonly effective, excellent fun! Note the board was a full 800 x 800 and as a “friendly”, we bent the terrain rules a little. We had one extra piece of terrain and allowed the river in a slightly illegal arrangement.
Croesus has deployed a line of spearmen in front of the River Halys, which runs from the centre in his rear towards me and his right. Behind the heavy foot lurks Croesus and more Lydian cavalry (all 3Kn) with a small wood to their left. To the right of the spearmen, on the other side of the river is a large wood, filled with his archers, slingers and javelinmen (all Ps). On their right beyond the wood is a column of Paphlagonian light horse.
Opposite the enemy spearmen I have drawn up my sparabara (8Bw) on the ridge of a gentle hill. To their left nestling between the hill and the ruins of an ancient settlement (edifice), I have my mighty ox-drawn siege tower, its ramparts packed with archers. To their left in the ruins are Armenians (3Ax) and archers (Ps). My cavalry unit, with more cavalry, camelry and scythed chariots wait in the second line drawn off to the right behind the hill.
Croesus opens the proceedings, advancing his spearmen, racing his light foot out of the woods across the paltry Halys towards the ruins and sending his light horse across the river and wide around my left flank. I order the mobile tower backed off to protect my left flank and join it, whilst wheeling my troops in the ruins to their left to face the enemy light foot, who advance into the ruins for a face off.
Meanwhile the enemy spear advance and wheel a little, leading with their right by the ruins. I order my mounted troops right, around the hill to threaten the spearmen’s left and deter enemy cavalry from supporting there. The Paphlagonians turn tail on my left and lurk behind the ruins and their infantry, joined by Croesus himself.
I send the leftmost sparabara to even things up in the ruins, but that leads to half the enemy spear advancing to try and exploit the gap. Gradually my sparabara wheel left. There are occasional clashes and many hails of arrows. Both sides move forward and back, the hill and large shields in front of my archers help them in combat!
Meanwhile, my right is threatened and immobile. I personally dash right around the hill to ease command. Opportunity presents...and I release the scythed chariots on the left hand end of the enemy spear, supported by camelry to deter enemy mounted from intervening. The enemy spear are ill disciplined, break and are destroyed, my chariots advance into the heart of Croesus’ army.
Croesus sends his remaining spears behind the chariots, hits the chariots in the flank with light horse and supports the engagement himself. The chariots spin left to face and send the Paphlagonians fleeing into their comrades’ flank, but far enough for the pursuing chariots not to catch them, although they soon do and send them fleeing again, into the edge of the ruins.
Croesus orders his cavalry in against the camels and outflanks them with the spearmen: the camels are destroyed. My right is now threatened by superior mounted quality and numbers. I redress my right, supporting the remaining cavalry with my own horsemen and sparabara. Meanwhile the scythed chariots now attack the second unit of light horse, who flee into the Halys and are thus destroyed.
On the left, my sparabara finally concentrate fire and destroy enemy spearmen. The remaining enemy light horse have returned from the ruins and the scythed chariots charge yet again, this time destroying Croesus’ Paphlagonian allies. The field is mine.
Croesus will retreat, but if he expects me to disband for the season, he will be mistaken. It is too costly to maintain this army as local garrisons or to raise it anew in the spring. I shall pursue him and crush him and see him burn for his impudence and add Lydia to my mighty empire.
Over two hours of entertainment for a 4-1 victory. My scythed chariots were uncommonly effective, excellent fun! Note the board was a full 800 x 800 and as a “friendly”, we bent the terrain rules a little. We had one extra piece of terrain and allowed the river in a slightly illegal arrangement.