Saturday 15 March 2014

Big Birthday Bash

What better way to celebrate my first half-century than this:
Macedonians on the left (using my Seleucids) and Romans on the right as you look at it.  My birthday is today - the Ides of March, funnily enough - and we'll play this tomorrow.  In the meantime I wanted to take some photos of the setup.
The Macedonian right, from a Latin's viewpoint: a dozen light cavalry, 18 Companions and 12 Peltasts, with a dozen skirmish archers out front.  In the centre of the photo you can see 36 mercenary Galatian foot, who provide the link with the phalanx.
The Macedonian centre: ten units each of 48 figures, deployed six ranks deep; there are a few hoplites filling out the rear ranks.  36 Javelinmen out front.
Their left: another 36 Galatians; 12 Peltasts; 18 heavy cavalry; 12 light cavalry; and 12 slingers.
The right wing of the consular army facing them: 12 light cavalry extraordinarii, two units of 12 heavy Equites, and a dozen Cretan archers to screen them.
Two Roman legions, in proper triplex acies formation.  Each has a dozen Velites, two units of 24 Hastati, two units of 24 Principes, and two units of 12 Triarii.
Two more of the same, Latins this time.
Finally, a mirror-image of the Roman cavalry wing, except that here the skirmishers are slingers.

Terrain is like Cynoscephalae, except with two large low hills and nowt else.  I chose and set up the armies, going for symmetrical deployments to give a good old-fashioned infantry grudge match.  This will count towards the campaign, but in order to make a large game out of it I doubled the army sizes.  This will keep them in proportion so that I can work out what happens afterwards.  There are enough commands for up to six players per side, although that many people might be a tight squeeze.  Lubrication of the beery kind should help.

I wanted to put on a large game for my long-standing gaming friends and ancients players, and this seemed like a good excuse.  I have found by experience that a very large game needs to be set up in advance; that way everyone can just muck in.  Sharp-eyed observers may be able to see the various casualty markers dotted around the battlefield behind their respective units; I want to use my handmade casualty dials to keep the game as clutter-free as possible.

To be honest, I don't care who wins!

14 comments:

  1. Cheers, Andrew, hope you enjoy yours too

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well now, that makes three! Happy birthday to all of us on the Ides of March!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well now, that makes three! Happy birthday to all of us on the Ides of March!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy birthday Greg! Maybe we can form a triumvirate...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Just truly awesome! Can't wait to see how it turns out. Happy birthday.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Happy birthday and I thought my 10 units of 32 phalangites looked impressive!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Happy Birthday! hope you have a good one and enjoy the game.

    Cheers, Ross

    ReplyDelete
  8. Happy birthday!

    For my birthday recently, I got to play 2 games back to back. A rare treat, and I got my @ss handed to me in both. Here's hoping the birthday fairy is kinder to you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers, Monty. You know, I might just umpire it while becoming quietly sozzled. That way I can't lose!

      Delete
  9. Marvellous looking birthday 'cake' Paul!

    I'm another of your readers who is anticipating the result.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Happy birthday and enjoy your game - looks like a cracker!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for looking and for the kind comments, everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Very impressive Paul! And I hope you had a great birthday!

    Cheers, Simon

    ReplyDelete
  13. Cheers, Simon, I did indeed. Report to follow very soon...

    ReplyDelete