Battle of the Hydaspes, 120 Points L' Art de la Guerre

A Headless Body Production

Location:  Regency at Providence Community Center, Phoenixville, Pa
Event:       Providence Gamer's Game Knight
Players:    Phil Gardocki, Mark McConnahay playing King Porus
                  Bruce Potter , playing Alexander the Great

Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, about 120 points per side. 

The Forces:
Classical Indian (list 79)
King Porus, Competent and Prince Porus, Competent
      2 Elephant, Elite
      4 1/2 Medium Swordsmen, 1/2 Bowmen

      4 Heavy Chariots, 2 Elite
      1 Medium Cavalry, Mediocre
Breakpoint of 11

Alexandrian the Great (list 40)
King Alexander the Great, Strategist, and Stavros, Brilliant
      2 Thracians, Medium Swordsmen
      1 Spartan Hypaspist, Heavy Spearman, Elite
      1 Thracian Scout, Light Infantry Javelin
      2 Macedonian Pikemen
      1 Hoplite, Heavy Spearman
      1 Cretan Archer, Light Infantry Bow
      2 Hippakontistai, Light Cavalry Javelin
      2 Scythians, Light Cavalry, Bow
      2 Companions, Heavy Cavalry, Impact, Elite
Breakpoint of 15
     

The Board

The terrain fell exclusively on the Macedonian side of the board, only one last minute adjustment by the defending Indians pivoted a field their way.  Probably this was the most significant event of the game.

Turn 1:

Alexander has decided to lead his pikemen into battle.  Stavros is with the Cavalry and is off on a flank.

A flank march roll of 5 has determined that no Macedonian cavalry will be on the board till at least turn 3, this gives King Porus an opportunity to defeat Alexander in detail.

Two Chariots head for the wings.

While Prince Porus holds his elephants back.

His father leads his elephants into a field, contracting as he goes.

Turn 2:
No dust can be seen on the horizon.

The pike cant their line to avoid a flank attack by the elephants, but yield it to a flank attack by chariots.

Indian chariots close in on the flank of the pike block.

King Porus vectors in on the opposite flank.

Turn 3:
Dust on the horizon!  Stavros will arrive next turn!

Alexander orders the Thracians to face the chariots.  A bad matchup, but it protects the Hoplites from a flank charge.

But then orders the pike block to advance, threatening Prince Poro's elephant troops. 

And, since he was flush with command points, Alexander sends rally orders to both is lights, restoring both to normal condition!

The trap snaps shut.  On the left, chariots hit both Thracians and Hoplites, damaging both.  On the right King Porus runs down the other Thracian, then pursues into the fleeing Cretan archers.

The left hand attack by the White Tiger Chariots was not handled well.  I should have attacked with just the Chariots, 1 vs all, 1 impact, 1 flank vs 0 for a + 3 to 0 (plus elite, plus armor, plus furious charge)  Instead I went in both front and flank for Medium swords 1, General 1, flank support 1 for 3 vs 0 flanked, -1 disordered, +1 support for 3 to 0 (plus mediocre) 

The score is Indians 0 out of 11, Alexander 9 out of 15.

Turn 4:

Stavros arrives, but as measured, just 5mm to far for actually participating in the fight.

The Pike roll in, but the dice favored Prince Poro's elephants.  But luckily, the flanked Hoplites and Thracians hold on.

The score is Indians 0 out of 11, Alexander 10 out of 15.

King Porus redirects his elephant to the Hoplites, while his lucky shooters take a pike from the rear. 

The score is Indians 2 out of 11, Alexander 13 out of 15. 
Turn 5:

The late arriving flank march finally has an effect, though not as decisive as it could be.  One chariot and a bowmen disordered.  The pikemen actually pull a couple of wins out, but the last Hoplite falls.

The score is Indians 4 out of 11, Alexander 14 out of 15.

Then, at the bottom of the turn, a double failure both pike fall, and worse, the flank defenders manage to organize themselves back to a cohesive line against the Companions.

And with that, Alexander's moniker of "the Great" was put back on the shelf