Bedlam 2, Round 1, Greeks vs. Ptolemaic

A Headless Body Production

Location:  Dave's House
Event:        Bedlam 2!  Classical Period, Indians need not apply!
Players:     Phil Gardocki, playing Hellenistic Greek
                         Joe DiCamillo, playing Ptolemaic

Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, about 200 points per side.

Scenario:The theme was "Classical", which worked out fine for me, as I am running Hellenistic Greeks in the upcoming Mid Atlantic Team Tourney this year.  So I regard this as an opportunity for tuning up.  The condemnation of the Indian list is due to the upcoming tourney at Historicon this year, "Silk Road", where Elephants should be butting heads regularly. 

The Forces:The Achaean League, Commanders Larry(competent), Darryl (also competent) and Darryl (also competent).
 

     10 Pike, 4 Mediocre

       3 Hoplites, Heavy Infantry, Spear

       2 Light Infantry Bow
       4 Light Infantry Javelin
       2 Horsemen, Heavy Cavalry, impact
       4 Light Cavalry, Javelin

       Break point 25

Ptolemy proves to be inscrutable, we will just have to judge his list as we see them.
Breakpoint around 22.

And how is Ptolemy supposed to be pronounced?  Pah Tall O Me?  PT Ol em e? To Le Me?  If the 'P' is silent, they why is it added at all?  Especially if it was translated from Egyptian hieroglyphs?  

The Greeks win the initiative and elect to attack in the plains.

Deployment:

Ptolemy's right is 2 Medium foot (one impetuous), a medium camel, 2 light foot, and a light camel.

Anchored to the field is a force of 4 pike, 2 heavy sword, and more cavalry than I am comfortable with.

Darryl looks at what is force is facing and is grinning from ear to ear.

Larry likes the match-up as well, except for all that Ptolemaic cavalry that will be probing his flanks.  His other brother Darryl is on a flank march.

 Turn 1:

And their off to the races.

The Ptolemaic phalanx marches at the double.

The roll for the flank march is made, a 6.  Too soon!

Darryl reveals his ambush.  4 taxis of pike.

Larry marches at the double as well. Now he needs to hurry as the Ptolemaic cavalry would make short work of the Darryl's cavalry.

 Turn 2:

Ptolemy suddenly grows cautious seeing what is arrayed against his right.

The Ptolemaic phalanx also holds up, while the Ptolemaic cavalry gets ready to repel the flank march.

Darryl's pike continue to advance, but are out of charge reach.

Larry continues to advance as well, cognizant of the gap between his pike and Darryls.  Also he pulls his slingers to run interference for when the Ptolemaic cavalry is released.

Does Darryl play it safe, and cover Larry's flank? Or go for the gusto.  Hell, he's Irish don't-you-know. 

His lights come in, javelins flying, disordering the defending Nubian lights.  His heavy cavalry right behind, coming in at an awkward angle for the Ptolemaic cavalry to respond to.

This also will draw off the superior Ptolemaic cavalry to the far corner of the board.
Turn 3:

On the Ptolemaic right, a unit is withdrawn.  I think it was impetuous sword, and they didn't want it to get in trouble.

Ptolemaic cavalry respond much better than expected.

Darry's Taxis goes nose to nose.

Pike on Pike action next turn.

This coming in on an angle always looks good in the history books, but doesn't work so well in this game.  Only 2 or 3 units will impact, and unless your opponent forces it, it will stay that way for 2 rounds of combat where they have support and you don't.

Darryl charges.  But flubs the die roll so the impact is even up.

The Ptolemaic forces have 2 points towards their demoralization level of 22
The Greek forces have 0 points towards their demoralization level of 25

 Turn 4:

Ptolemy breaks away with all his right flank forces.

His flank guard, medium swordsmen, pull away as well from the approaching pike.

The Hoplites serving as flank guards for the Greeks take a hit, but keep on advancing.

Ptolemaic horse run a Greek light horse off the board.  In the clash of heavies, a Ptolemaic horse is run down.

The Ptolemaic forces have 5 points towards their demoralization level of 22
The Greek forces have 2 points towards their demoralization level of 25

This side of the board just went to a 0x0 game. 

The game will now be won in the center.  Both sides pick up a pair of hits on their pike.

Now look at this picture.  We all see the undefended camp.  The whole flank march is about the camp.

So what does Darryl do?  He is still trying to win this fight.

I am not going to live this one down for quite a while.
Turn 5:

Boring and a waste of time.

The center fight is running to the advantage of the Ptolemaic pike.

Ptolemy see's Darryl's error, and is not going to give him another shot at the camp.  He runs off another light horse, and crushes a heavy horse to the dirt.

Larry finally gets another taxis into the fight.

Where it is promptly disordered.

Darryl finally see's the futility of his efforts and charges to the rear.

The Ptolemaic forces have 7 points towards their demoralization level of 22
The Greek forces have 7 points towards their demoralization level of 25
Turn 6:

Ptolemaic lights surround Darryl's pike, but are largely ignored.

Ptolemaic pike make quick work of the newly arriving taxis.  But their flank is turned.

Ptolemaic cavalry are in pursuit of Darryl's last heavy cavalry.

Darryl's flank guard, a heavy spearmen, turns to confront their tormentors.

The Ptolemaic pike has been charged in the flank, but still is holding on.

Medium spear charge light horse, which elect to stay. 

The last of Larry's pike finally get into combat. They win, but not decisively. Darryl turns on his pursuers, but despite his advantages, loses the impact.

The Ptolemaic forces have 7 points towards their demoralization level of 22
The Greek forces have 9 points towards their demoralization level of 25

 Turn 7:

Some finegeling here, but nothing decisive.

A Ptolemaic pike falls, as well as a Ptolemaic heavy sword, but a Greek pike is flanked.

Darryl is surrounded and wounded, decides to lead from the front, and disorders his attackers.

While his penultimate light horse is surrounded and destroyed.

There is a lit going on here.  On the left, Hoplites run off the light camels.  They hope to pin them against the river.  On the right Hoplites charge a Ptolemaic pike in the flank.  Near by, another Ptolemaic destroys a Greek pike.

Even when taken in the flank, Ptolemaic pikemen prove their worth, and repel the Hoplites.

The Ptolemaic forces have 9 points towards their demoralization level of 22
The Greek forces have 13 points towards their demoralization level of 25
Turn 8:

Waving their fannies from the brush, the Ptolemaic mediums depart.  Their mission was accomplished.

The center and right is rife with confusion.

Darryl dies with his men. 

The game is winding down to it's inevitable conclusion. 

Turn 9:

Final.  Only two of Larry's pike survived, but at least that means they fought.

Darryl's cavalry command had one element left on board.

Even in the end the units fight with elan.  Flanked and unsupported, a disordered pike wins the current melee.

But bravery only gets you so much.  On the bottom of the turn, it too falls.

Ptolemaic cavalry run of the last Greek light horse for the win.

The game did not go the distance as Ptolemy pulled a complete win in the end 25 - 9.

So what went wrong?  Part of the problem is the short command of pike.  While it was more than sufficient to handle what ever it was going to face coming out of that field, it also meant that opponent would never make contact.  Thus over committing the force, and giving a point advantage of about 18 to  Ptolemy elsewhere.  As a flank guard for the main pike force it seems to be inadequate in force structure as well.  It cannot handle terrain, nor is fast enough to be the outer wing of the main pike block.

Despite the total destruction of the cavalry command, it did quite well.  Its primary mission was to keep the Ptolemaic cavalry off of the main pike blocks right flank and that was a success.  In when destroyed, it contributed 10 points towards the demoralization of the Greek army, but it inflicted 6 in return.  IF I had taken the camp, this would have been a dead tie at 10 each.  Against an army that is smaller than me, that would be considered a (Pyrrhic) win.

The main pike block.  How is it, that I could not get the main pike block to hit another main pike block?  This is where the win is, and yet, it was a total farce, from deployment to final contact.  The angled approach has it's advantages as it makes the exposed flank harder to reach, but you pay for it in that not all your pike can contact in the same turn, giving your opponent many opportunities to adapt.  

I think the smaller pike command needs a rework.  Fewer pike to connect to the main block, medium spear to handle terrain and deflect cavalry, and a couple of light horse to keep from being flanked.