Alexander v Darius III

 Today, Tony brought down his Alexandrian Macedonians to fight a Persian army based on the force at Gaugamela.

We randomised who got which army, and I got to be Alexander, with Rhod playing Parmenion.

Lawrence (Bessus) and Tony (Darius III) took the Achaemenid Persians...they got to be the attackers too!

The armies at game start.

I, Alexander had 2 units of Hetairoi, (or Companion Cavalry) the Prodromoi,  the Hypaspists... 

... and two Taxeis of Pezhetairoi (foot companions- pikemen)

Rhod had 3 Taxeis of and two Taxeis of Pezhetairoi ...

...the Thessalian cavalry, the Agrianians , some Thracian Peltastoi and some slingers, pretending to be Cretan archers!

Opposit Rhod, Tony had Skirmishers Mardian Archers, Takabara and Kardakes.

In the centre, backed by 'Hordes' he had some Greek Hoplitai and some 'Apple Bearer' Persian guardsmen, supported by a scythed chariot.

Lawrence took some Paphlagonian and Skythian light cavalry, some Elephants, a unit of elite Persian cavalry with 3 other Persian and allied cavalry.

Lawrence started by flinging his light cavalry forward, threatening my flank.

The rest of the cavalry wing moved forward more slowly.

Tony advanced too, using his massed archer units to harass Rhod's wing. 

Disaster! A shot from the Skythians killed my Hero Craterus!

I countered as my Hetairoi drove the Skythians off, while my Prodromoi moved out to face the Paphlagonians.

Rhod's lights were being driven back.

One off my Hetairoi units destroyed the Elite Persian cavalry and then attacked the Persian cavalry behind, severely damaging them too, sadly, the Persians threw well and my Companion unit broke, Alexander made his escape!!!

My wing was looking stressed, as more Persian units moved forward.

I advanced my Hypaspists with a unit of Pikemen (yeh I am giving up on the Greek titles now!) - to try and face the Elephants together.

Rhod was not losing any units, but was getting driven from the wood.

Unfortunately for my plan, the Elephant danced sideways and hit my Hypaspists only.

The Persians charged the Thracians and broke them.

The scythed chariot barreled into my Pikemen, causing damage, but it did not survive the encounter itself!. 

My wing was being forced to one end of the table.

The Elephants drove back my Hypaspists, and Alexander was wounded!

Rhod advanced his Pezhetairoi, crashing into the Hoplites and Apple Bearers, while his Thessalians hit a Skirmisher unit.

(This was how the table looked at this point.)

The Thessalians crushed the skirmishers and the Agrianians hit the Mardians. 

Alexander limped away again as the Elephants trampled my Hypaspists!

I managed to maximise the use of the 2 units left on my right, but couldn't prevent the Elephants swinging behind my Pezhetairoi.

The Thessalians were hanging on there!

With the Persian cavalry wing facing my cavalry, a gap appeared which allowed my Pezhetairoi to exploit.

The Agrianians beat the Mardians!

My Pezhetairoi charged the Hordes, as Alexander went for Darius!!!

The 'Cretans' routed a flanking skirmisher unit which had been threatening the Thessalian's flank.

The Thessalians threw VERY well!...

...Routing the last Persian light unit!

The Takebara and Kardakes moved forward to protect the Apple Bearers' flank.

My Prodromoi charged and routed the Paphlagonians.

The Takebara were charged by the Thessalians, but the Apple bearers were broken by the Phalanx.

They were followed by the Greek Hoplites!

On my wing the Prodromoi were charged by the last full strength Persian heavy cavalry unit. I had to turn a pike unit to face the Skythians, while my last Companions faced a weak Persian cavalry unit.

The Hordes, encouraged by Darius were still holding, so another damaged Pike unit joined Alexander's.

A Pike unit charged to help the Thessalians against the Takebara.

The first Horde unit, despite having fought out of its skin, finally succumbed to the Phalanx.

We then discovered, the game had ended, my Prodromoi were losing against the Persian cavalry, so it was as well!

The Elephants, having been wounded by the Hypaspists, was unable to catch my Phalanx.

The last Horde unit was at breaking point.

We totted up reputation and the Macedonians had +5, the Archaemenids -5!

A fun game, at least for me!!!

 

The Parthians strike back

 Today, we had part 2 of our Sassanid revolt series, we changed sides, so Phil and I had the Parthian empire, while Lawrence and Tony used the Sassanians. Tony diced for the Sassanids and got to be the attacker.

The Parthians set up, with me on the right and Phil on the left.

I had 5 units of Horse Archers and 2 of Cataphracts.

Phil on the left took the light infantry, 3 units of Horse Archers and 2 of Cataphracts.

Opposite Phil, Tony put his Elephants in the front line again, leaving his militia, skirmishers and Daylami on the right.

They had a long line of Asavaran heavy cavalry and a unit of Cataphracts.

Lawrence led the Asavaran and the light cavalry.

Tony advanced aggressively with his foot archers 

One unit was quickly dealt with by Phil's Horse archers!

Lawrence advanced with his Asavaran, hoping to beat my light horse archers before dealing with the Cataphracts.

On the left, Phil was moving to wipe out the remaining Sassanid light infantry.

I had to slow the line of Asavaran so charged in with a Cataphract unit, I had to sacrifice a damaged horse archer unit to ensure I only had to fight 1 Asavaran unit with my Cataphracts. The Asavaran broke on contact...

...but, no surprise, my light horse broke too!!!

Phil's massed archer wing wiped out another bow skirmisher unit.

The remaining Asavaran swarmed through my line, but I managed to pin 2 units with my Horse Archers, an Asavaran unit charged the flank of my Cataphracts!

Phil's Cataphracts charged the Sassanid Immortals, driving them back into their own elephants!

My Cataphracts held! and damage was equal on both sides!

Phil was trying to apply flank pressure on the Elephants and let his infantry deal with the Sassanid militia.

The Sassanid Immortals were still being driven back, but Tony had managed to reverse his Elephants out of the way!

My Cataphracts were losing to the Asavaran, both needed one more Stamina loss to break!

The 2 Horse Archer units were still holding the Asavaran, how long could they keep this up?

On my right I only had one Horse Archer unit left against the 2 Sassanid units.

I was lucky, in the last turn of melee, my flanked Cataphracts destroyed the Asavaran!

The 2 Sassanian Horse Archer units saw off my last flank unit (sigh!)

My second Cataphract unit was more or less on his own, Asavaran on one side, Light Cavalry on the other!

My Last Horse Archers decided to make a fight of it before they got overwhelmed.

Phil detached 2 damaged Horse Archer units to help me.

His Skirmishers were whittling away the massed Militia.

One of my Horse Archer units was destroyed, but damaged the Asavaran.

My damaged Cataphract unit finally got turned round to face the Sassanid Horse Archer units, the other was stuck and surrounded!

Phil's Horse Archers were delayed getting in behind the Sassanid line.

His Cataphracts charged the flank of the Elephants, (having destroyed the Immortals) -and the Thureophoroi charged a Militia unit!

But at the end of the turn...

The Sassanids had -2 Reputation and the Parthians +4

A tough victory for the Arsacid empire!