I am going to briefly describe the battle, as I think the pics should do it justice. Despite my desire to write an epic story full of color and glorious words, lets just get to the meat shall we?
Turn 1 for Macedon (M)
The Peltasts move up for a few turns to soften the SK’s and Phalanxes across the shore using Hit & Run
The Persians (P) respond in kind. During the second M turn they inflict 6CH’s!
Parmenion seizes and moves up to secure the left flank from a charge from the Bactrian Cav.
Persian’s second turn they inflict 5CH on the Macedonian Peltasts. We are ‘right’ rolling today! Further Macedonian and Persian attacks in their 4th and 5th turns inflict more damage.
So much in fact that some of the Macedonian LP’s move back, having done their job and no longer missile effective they make room for the PH’s.
Its Macedons T6, The Cardaces in 2416 dies under Aristedes, a Susian Archer dissolves and the Cardaces in 3708 on the high ground dies form missile wounds too. The Cardaces had no where to run hemmed in by SK’s in the rear and not wanting to leave the line they died where they stood.
M RPs = 22
P RPs =0
Aristemedes adjusts his line and Darius seizes pushing his HC into the holes left by missile fire. Just in time as Macedons T7 sees the Ph’s activate and surge to the rivers edge.
Alex immediately seizes and charges his HC into the fray at the very center of the Persian line. The gap woefully plugged by 2 SK’s presents an opportunity to penetrate and flank the Greek HI.
The HC moves thru and flank attacks the Greek Allies #3.
The Persian Aux fire and miss, The Macedonian LPs’ clear the point in the Pinarius. Alex continues to push deeper and Craterus seizes. Its the end of Red T11, Blue
Turn 7.
Darius’s Immortals kill an LP and push them back off of the point in the Pinarius on the Persians 8th turn..
RPS= 22
RPS=5
Macedonian Turn 12 and 13 inflict 4 CH’s on the Greek Merc, an Immortal takes 2H and retreats, and another Cardaces bites the dust.
RPs= 44
RPs= 5
Nabrazenes is eager to get into the mix – he attempts to repulse Alexander with LC. The Agema easily fends them off taking a CH in the process. The other cav unit is not so lucky taking 2 CH and being pushed back.
Despite Alex being engulfed and his units taking CH’s they are holding their own against the Persian Light Cav. The Agema is tough!
With the Greek Merc dead the body count starts to rise for the Persians as 2 LC break as well against the HC of Macedon. But they do manage to kill an LP and one HC.
Persia RP =23
Using the rule that no unit can activate more than two times in a row is really helping to spread the battle around a bit!
On the Persian Left flank Aux, and Nabrenezes activates his Persian LC to cross over the Ford.
Nicanor reacts to cover the Center of the Macedonian line. And mostly crippled LP’s move to give the PH’s time to react as well.
After some repositioning, the two armies square off and get back at it. The faster LC from Persia do manage to get around the flank of Nicanor and the Paoenian LC. Lets see what they do.
They close rapidly, now you may think they cannot shock due to being out of command… but look where Nabrenezes is…just 6 hexes away.
Now here is where a late night accounting error lead to the demise of a PH. I miscounted CH’s, in essence we woud have staved off losing a Phalanx for a turn. The combined 3 unit attack and flanking of the PH crushed it, especially since it had no where to retreat too. After Nabrenezes seizes they kill an LP.
Craterus jumps into the mix to aid the 2nd PH inline.
The big picture at about turn 18 for Persia turn 20 for Macedon. Persia has 45 RPs and Macedon 80. Across the river one of Alexanders HC dies. Darius is in the game still, hanging on by a thread.
A view down the length of the Pinarius river shows the chaos mid field. The next few turns are spent with Alexander getting outta of dodge and Craterus punishing the HC & Greek Mercs across the river, and continuing to push the limits of his command skills driving back the Persian Cavalry units on the right. Nicanors position has given the Persian Light Infantry pause. The Heavy Infantry look VERY tall on the rise across the ford.
Aymntas inflict an ass whacking on the HC trapped by their own SK’s,and Ptolemy, far from dying as he did in this battle takes on a HC and a Greek Merc and wipes them out, with a #h and Retreat turning into a mass of CH’s for each unit not being able to retreat.
The Persians caught in one tough situation after another have had little chance to get those darn SK’s outta the way.
By turn 24 for the Macedonians its all over. 130 Rout Points have been accumulated. The Persian center is gone, Darius does indeed soil his Chariot and flees the field.
In terms of game play this is a fun challenge for the Persians. Some better choices around moving the SK’s out of retreat paths, and perhaps committing the right flank of Darius, which presented its own challenges with the Greek merc unit there. On the Persian left an earlier commitment might have made a difference? The attack by the LC drew off 4 PH’s, which slowed the center down but did not do much to stop Alexander and his Companions in the center.
What else could we have done differently? I look forward to your comments.
–Besides the fact that I dont clip my counters that is!
