The Hambone

A Headless Body Production

Venue:   On Military Matters Bookstore.  Owner Operator Dennis Shorthouse
Event:    Prep for Barrage 2019
Players: Phil Gardocki running Nikephorian
                  Dennis Shorthouse running Gupta Indian
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 200 points per side.
Theme: Prep for Barrage 2019  
 

The Forces:

Nikephorian Byzantine

Nikephoros, the Brilliant, Pumaphoros, the Brilliant and Adidasphoros, the ordinary.

      2 Heavy Cavalry Impact, Elite

      3 Petchnegs, Light Cavalry, Bow

      2 Turkomons, Light Cavalry, Bow

      2 Varangians, Heavy Swordsmen 2HW, Armor, Elite

      8 Skutatoi, ½ Heavy Spearmen ½ Bowmen

      6 Light Infantry, Bows and Javelins

Breakpoint of 24

Gupta, 1 Brilliant, 1 Competent and 1 unreliable ordinary. 
The Gupta's are much later, but still listed as the Classical Indians.  The main difference is they gain a command point and replace their sucky cavalry for something real.
Break point 21

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 Byzantines win the initiative and elect to attack in the plains. 

Take your guess now on what the title is referring to.  A special No-Prize to the first person that calls it!


The Board:

The Gupta right has the classic configuration.

Their center is not the crenelation formation reported by witnesses.

And atypical of Indian, 4 Heavy Cavalry Impact, Elite.

You have to get up good and early to pull one on the Byzantines.  And the Indians did!  Pumaphoros rushes his command into place.

Nikephoros takes the center.  This is where he wants to be.  Except, as we discovered on turn 1,this was way too far out in the board.  We corrected it then.

The Byzantine right has Adidasphoros with his Tagmata, Petchnegs and Turkomons.

The great, before the first move ponder

Turn 1:

Pumaphoros pushes his troops forward.

Nikephoros deploys properly, then muffs the initiative roll and advances only 2 bounds.

The Turkomons lead the advance of the lights and loose arrows.

The Gupta right reveals an ambush of two Light Infantry, which join the Elephant block.

Like teeth on a saw blade.

The Gupta left charges with their massed heavies.  Turkomons flee through the ranks.

Turn 2:

Tempus Iure, Martius!

Nikephoros decides to let Pumaphoros hold the left, and obliques his line to the right to support Adidasphoros's Tagmata.

It's two vs four, but both side have a flank support. And the Skutatoi are coming up for support.

Adidasphoros could have accepted a little bad luck, but this was a lot of bad luck, as both Tagmata take two hits.

The Gupta elephants advance to charge reach.  Their skirmishers doing excellent work at both screening the pachyderms, and disordering the Skutatoi line.

Down the line the Byzantines loose volley after volley.  Dust in the wind for all it mattered.

One of the Tagmata falls.

The Guptas have 3 points towards their demoralization level of 21
The Byzantines have 5 points towards their demoralization level of 24

Turn 3:
We are coming up on the answer to the title question, bet now!

Psiloi emerge from the gully to harass the Gupta right.

Gupta archer has no peer in the ancient world, as another Skutatoi is disordered.  But they stand firm as the units from the center are in close support.

In the ancients gaming world, this is the moment  you live for. 

A fundamental truth is revealed

On the far right, the Byzantines are also having fundamental questions, like the right to breath.

We have a Hambone!  That is the bowling term for 4 strikes in a row.

The Byzantine center was relying on the left flank standing for several turns to give the Varangians time to do their magic.

Adidasphoros's troops are looking shaky as well.

The Guptas have 3 points towards their demoralization level of 21
The Byzantines have 13 points towards their demoralization level of 24

Turn 4:
After such a catastrophic event, it would be time to retire the army.  But one of the limiting factors of elephants is they are unmaneuverable.  And not having any frontal opponents, it will take time for them to have anymore effect in the game.

Pumaphoros's command is down to two Psiloi.  (Not appearing in this frame)

The Varangians charge!, they win, but not convincingly.

The Petchnegs return!  flanking and surrounding some of the Gupta Heavy Cavalry.

The Guptas have 7 points towards their demoralization level of 21
The Byzantines have 14 points towards their demoralization level of 24

Another archery duel on the far left.

The elephantry is more maneuverable then we thought.

On the Byzantine right, a brave Petchneg falls, trading for a Gupta Heavy Cavalry.

The Guptas have 10 points towards their demoralization level of 21
The Byzantines have 21 points towards their demoralization level of 24

Gupta archery continues to dominate, a Psiloi is dispersed.

The Varangians start to reform to attack the Gupta flank.

But the last straw is when the Byzantine Tagmata, conforming on the flank of the Gupta Heavy Cavalry, with support, muffs the die roll and is destroyed. 

The Guptas win with 10 points towards their demoralization level of 21
The Byzantines have 24 points towards their demoralization level of 24

I think the army needs more Heavy Cavalry.  Two might be enough for a flank guard, but not enough to win any flank action.