The Road to Bedlam, Part 2.

A Headless Body Production

Venue:   On Military Matters Bookstore.  Owner Operator Dennis Shorthouse
Event:    Practice for the upcoming event, "Bedlam"
Players: Phil Gardocki running Hellenistic Greek (Acheon League)
                  Dennis Shorthouse, Carthaginian (North Africa)
                 
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 200 points per side.
Theme: Open, Roman Classical


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

    
Carthaginian.  Hannibal (strategist), 2 others, one brilliant.
     3 Elephant Mediocre
     6 or so Medium Swordsmen, some impetuous, some impact
     1 Citizens, Heavy spearmen, Elite, Armored
     6 Light Infantry Javelin
     3 Light Infantry, Sling, Elite
     5 Numidian Light Cavalry, Javelin, 1 Elite
     2 Medium Cavalry
Break point around 26

Dennis has a wonderful bookstore in Hopewell New Jersey, that he has been running for many decades.  Imagine going through a library that is nothing but military history.  If you don't think you knew him, he is a long time supporter of Historical Miniatures Gaming Society, and held the coveted #1 spot in the dealers area for over 20 years.  So if you have been to any of HMGS's events at the Lancaster Host, you probably have met Dennis at some time.

The Scenario:

2nd practice session for the upcoming team major event, Bedlam!  We played earlier today and the Greeks were slaughtered.  Both lists have made minor adjustments done to them.  The Greeks have traded a Hoplite for 2 Light Infantry.  The Carthaginians, well, we will have to just see.

The Board:

The Carthaginians, with an initiative of 4, lost the initiative roll to the Greeks, and will defend in the plains.  And no, this is not just a copy paste error from the previous battle report.

Hannibal deploys at the point of honor on the Carthaginian far right with 10 units.

On the far left are the other two Carthaginian commands, dominating the road and fields.

Why did Hannibal deploy this way?  It could be because of the previous battle, where I deployed my smaller, and mediocre, pike on my far left.  It turned out to be a major, game losing mistake.  Surely I couldn't be so stupid as to do it again?

Darryl has no memory of his earlier events, and deploys in exactly the same location.

Larry is deployed to form an angled attack, but using the field for flank protection.

His other brother Darryl, cannot be seen.

Turn 1:

Darryl slides left, and double advances. 

Larry's attention was elsewhere and only advances a little bit.

Hannibal, confident that his lights can hold back the advancing pike, turns to receive an expected flank march.

Considering how the game earlier in the day went, this is not an unrealistic expectation.

The two remaining Carthaginian commands maneuver to attack the second Greek Phalanx. 

A group of light infantry is retired to defend the camp.

Turn 2:

A flank march is rolled for and no dust can be seen on the horizon.

Darryl's Phalanx charges, running of the Numidian lights.

Darryl's advance is forcing Larry's Phalanx to keep pace.

An ambush is revealed.  Javelinmen and slingers.

Hannibal orders a general retreat

While Carthaginian slingers begin to harass Larry's phalanx.

Numidian cavalry turn the flank of the lights in the field.

Turn 3:

This would be a good turn for the flank march to arrive, but as of yet, no dust is visible.

Darryl keeps up the pressure.

There is a growing gap between the two Phalanx's.

Larry issues orders to his lights, and that is all he does.  His confused ramblings are badly interpreted.

Hannibal continues his retreat to the boards edge.

Numidian lights shoot the gap between the pike.  Greek peltast attempt to hold the gap, but only briefly.

The Carthaginian lights probe for the gap between the field and the phalanx. Carthaginian cavalry is brought up to keep the Greek peltasts from interfering. 

Turn 4:
Dust on the horizon.  Darryl's cavalry command is in sight on the left side of the board.

Darryl ignores the Numidians on his flank and continues to pressure Hannibal's command.

Larry is more of a strategist.  He is able to charge his Phalanx, causing the both the Numidians and the slingers to flee.

He is relying on his Hoplites and Peltasts to keep his Phalanx's flank secure.

Hannibal buys time by throwing his Citizen spearmen at Darryl's Phalanx.

This is not as bad as it looks.  The Citizens are both armored and elite.  The Greek pike is mediocre.  So while there is no chance of the Citizens winning, there is a great chance of them holding up the phalanx for a while.  Also, freed of the heavy foot, the remaining elephant and Spanish units can move their full speed of 3 UD's.

Larry's phalanx is now facing nothing but lights.  This is not a good thing.

Carthaginian horse is exploiting all the gaps, while their elephant command is heading for the flank of the phalanx.

Turn 5:
Horns!  Horns of the Greeks!  Darryl has arrived!

Darryl arrives and splits his command.  Heavy horse to support the pike, light horse to go around the back and hopefully take the pressure off the lights swarming Larry's phalanx.  The Carthaginian Citizen Spearmen stands against the full might of Darryl's phalanx, and only receives one hit.

Ignoring the lights, Larry splits and turns his phalanx to face the real threats.

Every now and then, heavy foot can catch light horse. 

One of the light horse could have evaded off the board, but Dennis didn't want that and so they stood.  Then we did not handle this one right.  The first light cavalry took the hit, and fought the Hoplite with support.  It should have been handled as both lights fighting both Hoplites.

And this was why the Numidians stood.  To give the Carthaginian horse a shot against the Hoplite flank.

Hannibal commits his Spanish to the fray.  He keeps his elephant back to check the Greek cavalry.

Hannibal's light horse has leaked through the gaps.  To be fair, there were a lot of them.

Carthaginian cavalry charge the flank of the Hoplites, and are rebuffed.

 Another Numidian light horse falls.

Turn 6

Chaos reigns in the center.  Something a competent commander should avoid at all costs.  Especially when most of his troops are semi unmaneuverable.  What makes this worse is that elements of all 3 enemy commands are being vectored against Larry's phalanx.  So there are enemy troops everywhere.

Greek Heavy Cavalry take the Carthaginian Citizens in the flank, securing their fate.  The other heavy horse gets out of the way of the elephant, letting the pike handle that work.  The Spanish give it their all, but it isn't enough.  Hannibal's command is about to collapse.

Larry begins to expand his pike.

Another elephant battlegroup is about to attack.  They were expecting a flank, but are now looking at frontal pike.

The other elephant group hasn't cleared the field yet.

Hannibal takes a shot, charging Greek Heavy Cavalry.  But support and the elephants being mediocre both have a hand in this fight, and the cavalry are not broken.  But the Spanish have been finished off.

Contrary to appearances, all the units are in contact.  Long pike creates difficulty in the line ups.  The Elephant "Death Star" charges, and is rebuffed.

The other "Death Star" also charges.  In theory, the Peltasts should fight the elephants but I didn't want it to come down to a die roll.

And, the game was called on time.  The score was a minor win for the Greeks.

Hannibal's army has 14 points towards its demoralization level of 26
The Greeks have 9 points towards their demoralization level of 25