Today we did a refight of the Battle of Chaeronea 338 BC, where Phillip II of Macedon fought the Athenians, Thebans and allies for the Hegemony of Greece.
Phil, got the Greeks, Lawrence and I the Macedonians. We were the attackers. Oddly, both sides deployed like the original armies did, with a couple of exceptions!
The lines at game start, Macedonians to the left.
I had King Phillip, with some Prodromoi, the Hypaspists and some slingers.
In the centre I had 3 Taxeis under Meleager, Lawrence had Parmenio with 2 more Taxeis on the left.
On the extreme left the 18 year old Alexander with the Hetairoi (Companions), Thessalians, Agrianes and Macedonian archers.
Phil had both Peltast units on his left, and the Athenian Hoplites.
In the centre, the Allied Hoplites.
On his right, the Thebans (including the Sacred Band), Athenian cavalry, archers and slingers.
I began by sending my slingers forward to harass the Athenians, My Prodromoi extended to my right.
Lawrence advanced his Agrianes behind his Archers. These failed to impact on the Greek lights, but they were crippled by the return shooting.
Phil extended his left onto the hill (The Peltasts) - supported by Hoplites.
Lawrence pushed his poor, shot up slingers to short range to try and damage the Greek slingers, but failed again.
Once ensconced on the hill, the Greek left seemed happy to stay there!
Lawrence was buoyed his slingers were still alive, and supported them with the Agrianes, but these all failed spectacularly to hit the Greeks!
Of course, the Athenian cavalry charged the Macedonian archers!
This did not just destroy the Archers, but took the Agrianes who were just too close by as well!!!
Phil got his Peltasts in front of his Hoplites, who crippled my slingers! (with 4 + 2 shooting dice!)
On our left, all was quiet with the defeat of the Macedonian lights.
The Athenian Hoplites moved to bypass my Phalanx.
On the left, all was still quiet.
I surprised the Peltasts as the damaged slingers charged them, he took the charge, then regretted it as my Hypaspists charged in too!
Of course the Hoplites behind charged the Hypaspists, but the unit alongside had to watch my Prodromoi. Phil brought his remaining Peltasts to deal with them.
My Hypaspists destroyed the attacking Athenians!
Phil sent more hoplites against the Agrianes, but were again driven back, my Prodromoi tried to charge the Peltasts, but they managed to evade onto the hill.
On the left, both Phalanx Taxeis - and the Hoplites opposite were moving to support their heavily engaged centres.
Phil rolled really well, and my Hypaspists broke! My Phalanx Taxis had just charged in too!
Things on my right were looking a bit ropey!!!
The left (their right).
In the centre, my Phalanx broke a Hoplite unit!
A supporting Hoplite unit charged in and was lucky, he broke a Taxis!
My right hand Taxis had been falling back, covering the flank, my Prodromoi had to charge the Peltasts uphill, but were beaten back...
...With damage!
Parmenio's Phalanx Taxeis were doing ok, but Lawrence advanced his Thessalians to cover their flank.
The battle on the hill ended with the Prodromoi defeated, but the Peltasts had been damaged too.
Parmenio destroyed a Hoplite unit despite it having a supporting unit.
He managed to beat this (admittedly already damaged) Hoplite unit too! But the Taxis was almost gone as well!
Having a hole in our Phalanx allowed the Hoplites to get on my Phalanxes flank.
Lawrence charged in with both units of Hetairoi, Lawrence rolled really well, getting a 6 on his 'Spears for Tribute' roll. That's Alexander for you!
Even his Thessalians were beating a Hoplite unit!
On my wing, my lone Phalanx unit was overwhelmed by 3 Hoplite units!
Although blown, the Thessalians beat their enemies!
Alexander now attacked by the Theban Sacred Band but countercharged and won!(The other unit had had to retreat as it was being flanked by the Athenian cavalry)
Unfortunately, this was the end of the game, as we were at 0 Rep, and Phil had 1!
A reversal of history, to be sure, but an equally hard fought battle!, and fun!
