In the Fate of All, you can execute your combats on the operational map as well as choose to get ‘medieval’ and run them on the tactical map. A very cool concept that is pretty smartly implemented overall.
How do the results compare?
Markedly different based on the one combat we have executed so far. If you will recall here {link} , Memnon, full of piss and vinegar and flush from smacking around Parmenion late last year, he attempts to intercept the two columns moving towards Sardis. I had done a roll to see if he would and then which column. He did he chose Alexander.
That combat result can be read about here {link}
Things start out the same. You work out your rout value. In this case the same as before – 14 and 17, Persian and Greek. So an unwise move on Memnon’s part in any case. Their combat value totals for land combat are 50 vs 54, Memnon will fight at 1:2, Alex at 1:1.
Persia has a lick of Light inf and skirmishers easily 2:1 and this battle is in rough/forest terrain, so a plus 2 to the DRM on the 1:2 table. Minus 1 for the leadership disparity, which seems very generous. For a net +1 DRM.
Alexander picks up a + for Heavy cavalry benefits, +1 for leadership, neither side gets a cavalry bonus of any other type. Combat is executed by both sides in a series of rounds. I rolled the rounds and tallied the stacking points lost by round below, and the impact on the Rout level in a logical manner:
Round 1
Persians Greeks
Die Roll 6 6
DRM +1/+2
Net 7 8
Result for side: 2 2
Morale: NET from 14/17 12 15
A key round for the Greeks as they choose the steps lost and pick highest Land Combat values. Reducing combat value by four by reducing Medium cav, which also have the highest replacement cost in Memnon’s current army.
Round 2
Odds remain 1:2, 1:1.
Persians Greeks
Die Roll 7 4
DRM +1/+2
Net 8 6
Result for side: 1 1
Morale Impact NET 11 14
Round 3
Persians Greeks
Die Roll 10 8
DRM +1/+2
Net 11 9
Result for side: 2 2
Morale Impact NET 10 12
This round both sides choose losses for the other. Persians kill two Heavy Cavalry lopping 6 combat Value from Alexanders force.
Round 4
Persians Greeks
Die Roll 2 10
DRM +1/+2
Net 3 11
Result for side: 3 0
Morale Impact NET 7 12
Round 5
1:2 vs 2:1
Persians Greeks
Die Roll 5 6
DRM +1/+2
Net 6 8
Result for side: 3 0
Morale Impact NET 4 12
Persia Attempts to retreat and succeeds. The roll on the retreat table losing a further 15% of steps and suffer also under the Pursuit rule also. Pursuit generates another 4 steps. This pretty much wipes out Memnon’s Army.
A significant difference in result for both sides. Alex has lost two steps of key Heavy Cav assets, that are expensive to replace. As well as a host of steps for others. In a way it kind of guts the Macedonian-Greek effort! This would lead me to want to run the tactical battles [post], they are not that much longer and you have a bit more control over losses. I do not see however how Alexander will take on forces significantly larger than his.
Video with more detail coming tomorrow.
As I see it, the two battles gave very similar results: The Persians lost with very heavy casualties, the Macedonians had light casualties.
There are obviously differences, only a flawed system would produce the exact same outcome when fighting the same battle twice….There’s no point in fighting a battle when you already know how it will end, down to the exact body count.
One correction about the Macedonian losses: The Persian red result in round 3 means that at least one step loss must be taken by a cavalry type chosen by the Persian, meaning that Alexander must lose one HC step, but not necessarily two (see 9.6); the second loss could be taken by Light Cavalry, if there’s some.
ahh good catch!
Also, no +1 DRM for Macedonian Heavy Infantry? I don’t know the exact numbers so it could be, but Alexander usually has 2:1 heavy infantry superiority.