The Successors Wars Begin in Earnest

The Ptolemies have taken Syria from the long-independent Satrap, or at least his descendants, in our Empire campaign.  This is something the Macedonians themselves never managed.  It was a classic Successors battle, using Early Seleucid for the defenders and Ptolemaic Egyptian for the invaders.  I don't have a deployment plan, but it was a case of large phalanxes in the centre plus loads of other stuff on the wings, for both armies.  William organised and deployed the attackers, while I set up the Seleucids.  Tha battlefield was somewhat constricted by a river running down our right flank, and some steep hills on our left.  The latter played no real part in the game as we attacked anyway.  Gordon ran our left, facing William; Michael took our centre across from Billy; and I had the Seleucid right, facing Simon.

A view of the advancing armies, looking leftwards from my position at the right rear of the Seleucids.

The right of the phalanx links with my wing via a large unit of elephants.  Ptolemy didn't bring any of these with him.

My force comprises (from the left): a unit of 12 Companions; 12 camel riders in column; and two units of 8 Skythian horse archers.  The usual skirmishers are out front.

A view to the left again, as the armies get closer.

The phalanxes close.

The enemy hangs back a bit on my wing, mirroring the situation on Gordon's flank on our far left.

A quick look at the far left.

Push of pike in the centre.  Both sides have slight advantages at various points in the line.  This is going to be close either way.

I hold the elephants back a while.  They are facing two units of phalangites, at least one of which is elite.  Besides, I want to try to turn the enemy flank.

The fight on Gordon's wing.

My camels have a good time attacking the enemy's Companions, which means my unit of lancers can remain in reserve.  In the meantime, my Skythians attack the enemy peltasts.

Gordon has pressed the enemy well back on our left flank and Michael is making inroads on their phalanx.  The two units you can see at the centre top of the photo above are destroyed Ptolemaic phalanxes.

More of Michael's phalanxes press forward.

And then disaster strikes the Seleucids: with the enemy on the verge of defeat, a morale cascade from one defeated phalanx disntegrates the Seleucid line.  Ptolemy's army triumphs (barely) and Syria is now his.

 And we'll see how long it stays that way!  Next up: the Persian loyalists again attempt to take Persia itself back from the rebels.  We'll use Bactrian Greek for the attackers, and Eumenes for the defence.