A Galvanization of Galatians

A Headless Body Production

Venue: An Undisclosed Basement
Event: Classical Theme
Players: Phil Gardocki running Indians
              Tommy Worden running Galatians
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre v3.0, 15mm, 120 points per side.
Practice game for an up coming round robin tournament.

The Forces:
Classical Indian (list 79) Are commanded by Earasi, the Brilliant, Brother Darasi, the Competent
    2 Elephant, Elite
    3 1/2 Medium Swordsmen, 1/2 Bowmen
    1 War Wagon, Mediocre
    1 Heavy Cavalry, Impact, Elite
    2 Light Infantry, Bow
    1 Heavy Artillery
    1 Herd of Stampeding Cattle
    1 Light Horse, Bow
    1 Light Horse, Javelin
Breakpoint of 13

Galatians (list 72) Commanded by Taskos, the Brilliant, and the Paionian King, Patraus, the Ordinary
    6 Warbands, Heavy Swordsmen, Impetuous, Elite
    2 Medium Cavalry, Elite
    2 Light Infantry Javelin
    3 Javelinmen
    2 Light Infantry, Javelin
Breakpoint of 15

A new 120 tourney  set in the much more photogenic classical era!  I picked the Indians, not for the winning edge of the troop types, but because the pictures of the narrative.  Elephants, Chariots mounted as war wagons, a stone thrower and a herd of cattle.  Supported by mediocre mediums in hand to hand, and a single, excellent Heavy Cavalry.  What's not to like?

A note on annotations. When you see a word bubble "Ouch!", ("Ai!", "आउच!", "Heus!") this implies a missile hit.

Letters in parenthesis represent some value change for the specific unit. For commanders it is b for Brilliant, c for Competent and o for Ordinary, u for unreliable. For troops it is e for Elite, and m for Mediocre. Other abbreviations, Hvy Heavy, XB Crossbow, LB, Longbow, Jav Javelin, 2HW 2 Handed Weapons, B Bow, Kn Knight, HKn Heavy Knight, HC Heavy Cavalry, Md Medium, Sgt Sergeants, LC Light Cavalry, Chr Chariot, Cat Cataphract, Pa Pavise, LI, Light Infantry, HG Hand Gun, FKn Foot Knight, Hvy Spear, Heavy Spearmen.

"XX" marks a unit killed in that location on that turn.
"????" is an ambush marker, and so it is unknown at this time.

Scores are presented in a confusing manner. This is because it is measured in number of points towards the demoralization. If I say the score is 15-8 in favor of Milan, that means the Burgundians are have 15 points towards their demoralization level of 19, while Milan has 8 points towards their demoralization level of 20. But saying 15-8 is just more intuitive. 

Dennis Shorthouse, Proprietor of On Military Matters book service., has organized an another tournament using a battle grid system of his devising. All figures are place on a grid so players can play over a telephone without a video component.

The board is 15 by 20 UD's. The rows are labeled H - A. Each side has their own H-B, and the A row is divided in half. The columns are numbered 1-20. Terrain sizes are 2x3. 

This is a practice game for the upcoming tourney with a medieval theme.

Deployment:

Taskos takes position to the right of his infamous warbands

On the Galation left, Patraus with his Paionians.

Darasi has a short command of war wagons, bowmen, lights, and

A herd of Cattle and Catapult.  Brother Earasi has the Elephants and supporting troops.

Turn 1:

Taskos takes his horse to the far right, while his warbands advance a march.

Into the flying rocks of Darasi's stone throwers.

The board is narrower than normal.  And Light Horse actually start in charge reach.  The Paionian horse charges.  The Gupta light horse immediately flee the field.

Which brings the score to 1-1.

Darasi sees how vulnerable is lights are, and recalls his immediately.

Earasi makes a short move forward, but in charge reach of the Paionian Javelinmen.  His Heavy Horse charges the Paionian Horse, who retreat laughing.

Turn 2:

Galatian horse continue to advance, hoping to trap the Indian lights.

And orders his Paionians to engage with the elephants.  The dice favored the Indians, but one elephant is badly mauled.

Ganish knows his own.  The score is 2 to 2.

Taking advantage of the field, The Indian bowmen shoot at long range, and out of charge reach.

The Galatian lights attempt to engage the artillery, but are intercepted by Indian lights.

An elephant panics and runs.  But a Paionian warrior is flanked by Gupta cavalry and run down.

Turn 3:

Taking the score to 3 to 4.

Taskos tries to reposition his horse to a better position, and only runs into arrows.

The remaining warbands advance, leaving one behind to rally.

Gupta cavalry pursue into the next Paionian warrior.  But are terrorized by their own elephant, and are rebuffed.

Indian Bowman take up position in the field and continue to loose arrows.

The cattle are released!  Catching the engaged Galatian lights in the rear.

I mailed Tommy an apology here.  I forgot the cattle were impetuous, and should have charged on turn 1 when the lights were in range.  It would have changed the center fight considerably, win or lose.

Indian bowmen pin the Paionian lights against the edge of the board.

The score is Earasi-4 to Tarskos 8. 

But the Galatians have a larger breakpoint of 15, so the Indians are 8 away from breaking, the Galatians 7.

Turn 4:

Tarkos retires his horse.

And brings his warbands into charge reach.

Paionian lights shoot it out with the Indian bowmen

Taking the score to 5-10

Taskos has an abundance of command points, prompting 4 units to rally.  And none of them do.

The cattle charge again, rolling a 6 to the Galatians 1.  Only being elite saved the Galatians from destruction.

Once the cattle herd moved on, the catapults have another target to shoot at.

On the left, the Indians charge the Galatian corner, with a flank charge provided by Gupta's heavy horse.

Taking the Galatians to 1 from demoralization.

Turn 5:

More rally attempts, more volleys of arrows.

The cattle herd is dispersed.

Paionian lights charge Indian lights.  One is caught and run over.

Emboldened, Indian lights take a position off of a warbands flank.

The last Indian light foot is in corner to corner contact with the Paionian lights.  He conforms to the front.  The Paionians see the next move and opt to evade.

What did they see?  Earasi had enough command points to turn the unengaged elephant around to hit the lights in the flank, causing the 15th point of demoralization for the game.

But instead, rolled a 5 on the evade, and left the board for the same point

Giving the game to the Indians.

But what if the Stampeding cattle had been handled correctly?

Turn 1) Herd charges and is destroyed by LI

Turn 2) Galatian LI advances to charge position of the catapults, but is still intercepted by Indian LI.

Turn 3) Galatian LI charges Indian LI, but the roll was tie, so the fight continues.  LI on LI continues to fight, with the Indians having a 1 point advantage, as they have support.

Turn 4) Warband v herd fight does not occur, supporting the left most warband, which takes only 2 hits vice 3. Score is 5-11

Turn 5) Both Paonian LH charge and destroy Indian bowman.  (it was a tie when 1 on 1).  Score is 6 to 11.  Light on light action is still inconclusive.  Medium horse moves out of bow range.

Game continues to turn 6.  Paonian LH charges Gupta Heavies in rear, scoring another hit.  Galatian LI destroyed by Indian LI.  Warband disorders bowmen.    Remaining warbands close in on artillery.  One medium horse rally, Paonian light horse approaches Indian camp.  Score 7 to 12

Bottom of turn 6, Warband destroys bowmen, score 8 to 12.

 Elephant charges LH, destroying it.. Final score 8 to 14.

Top of 7.  Paonian LH kills Indian LI.  Warbands destroy artillery  score 12-14.  Other engagements take the game to mutual destruction.