Sunday 11 November 2012

Yet another Successor Battle

We played this one in the the third week of October, but this is the first chance I've had to sit down and put together a report.  The Macedonians attack Ptolemy's forces in Syria.  All photos are taken from behind the Macedonian army:
First up are photos of the relative army deployments.  The one above shows the Ptolemaic right wing, a powerful force of light horse, medium horse and elite lancers.
Photo numbers two has their right centre, three decent units of Macedonian phalangites.
Next comes their right centre, an equal number of lower quality Egyptian pikemen.
Finally, we have their left wing, a mixture of medium horse, light infantry and smaller elephants resting on the shoreline of the Mediterranean (represented by a strip of impassable river).  Gordon deployed their army.
I constructed the Macedonian army, and rolled randomly for deployment: a right wing echelon attack.  The first shot shows our left, which is to be refused: light cavalry, Thureophoroi, and the Foot Companions to protect the extreme end of the central phalanxes.  Skirmishers out front as usual.
Moving along into our centre you can see some of the phalanxes.
Our best cavalry is lined up against the seashore, supported by light infantry.  The right wing attack will mean that we will be skirting the hills in the enemy's centre; fortuitously, we will also be avoiding their best phalanx units.
The enemy pours forward against our weak left, taking some nasty hits from our skirimishers.
Their phalanxes occupy the low ridge in the centre.
Their low quality phalanxes, however, are a bit apprehensive, and one unit hands back with their left wing units.
Our army begins its advance en echelon.
Above is an angled shot of the centres a little later.
The same moment, a bit more to our right.
The situation develops on our right wing.
I delay the inevitable for as long as I can on my left, buying as much time as possible for my skirmishers to affect the advancing enemy.  At the top of the photo you can see that Gordon has angled one phalanx and his lancers into the centre.
A closer shot of the developing threat to my phalanxes.  Gordon will have two units capable of moving into the centre.
A large crunch on my left.  despite the enemy's weight here, I have a slight advantage due to shooting hits on the large unit of enemy medium cavalry.
Towards my right, the phalanxes are coming to grips.  It all hangs on whether I can win here before the enemy rolls up the left of my phalanxes.  The Foot Companions are going to have to sell themselves dearly.
The shape of the field to my right.
Back to my left, where things are looking good.  The enemy medium horse have been destroyed.
As expected, the enemy lancers swing in towards the flank of my Foot Companions.  They have the best morale in the army, and they're going to need it...
Instead, they go squish.
A gratuitous shot of my victorious light cavalry.  Some of the enemy phalanxes have had to wheel away from the main action to protect their own flanks from my marauding scumbags.
But all is in vain as my Guards fail miserably and the enemy lancers thunder into the rear of my phalanxes.

Oh, well, another Successor mess comes to an end.  We roll for the next campaign events, and in a series of moves Scipio presses Hannibal backwards through Liguria, Transalpine Gaul and on into Spain.  Here Hannibal has gathered enough force to make a stand, so the next battle will be quite a large one in Iberia proper.  Should be a good multiplayer fight.

8 comments:

  1. A splendid looking game, Paul!

    Simon

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  2. Nice report again, was fun to read.

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  3. Thanks for looking, guys, that was quick!

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  4. Good work again, Paul - and another 'game well played' to your compatriots at Murrayfield today!

    Cheers,
    Aaron

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  5. Nice, with good, concise and clear documentary.

    Maybe a few close-ups would be cool as it's a shame not to show off two such big painted armies some more!

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  6. Hi Aaron, at least honour was satisfied, in both games...

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  7. Hi guys, we are fortunate enough to meet in a club with a bar...

    Piotr is correct about the close-ups, I would love to do more of them. The lighting isn't very good though, and although I do try, they don't always come out properly!

    Thanks for lookings

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