A Pyrolyzed* of Pyrrhics

A Headless Body Production

 *You try looking an alliteration that begins with Pyr that are not chemistry related...

Venue: Lancaster County Convention Center.
Event: Historicon 2023!
Theme: Classic Age, Round 1
Players: Phil Gardocki running Pyrrhic, list 44
               Joe Alberti running Republican Roman, List 53
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 25mm, 200 points per side.
Font: Times New Roman

Time to break out the heavy metal with the 25mm figures. This is the first game ever I played with these figures. I acquired them as Hoplites, and remounted 96 as pike.

The Forces

Pyrrhus, King of Epirus and Ptolemy Soter are leading commands of phalangites. They are both rated Brilliant in this game. The last commander is Helenus, Pyrrhus's son, rated Ordinary and Included with the Cavalry Command.

2 Taxis of Hypaspist, Pike, Elite
6 Taxis of Pike
2 Mercinary Hoplites
7 Rhodians, Illyrians, Cretans. Various Light Infantry with bow, javelin or sling
2 Xystophoroi, Heavy Cavalry, Impact, Elite
2 Greek Heavy Cavalry
2 Thracian Light Cavalry, Javelin
Breakpoint...23

The 7th and 9th Legions are led by commanders of excellent character but uncertain quality.
4 Alares, Heavy Cavalry
2 Light Cavalry
10 Legionaries, Heavy Swordsmen, Impact, some armored.
2 Triarii, Heavy Spearmen, Armor, Elite.
2 Velites, Light Infantry Javelin
Breakpoint...22

Pyrrhus is most famous because of his after action evaluation after his battle against the Romans near Asculum.

Plutarch quoted him as saying, "Αν νικήσουμε σε μια ακόμη μάχη με τους Ρωμαίους, θα καταστραφούμε εντελώς."

Which is Greek to me, and probably to you as well.

Wikipedia has the quote translated as, "If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined"

Since the tournament organizer has a wicked sense of irony, he is placing me against one of the Republican Roman armies in the field today. Not one of the cavalry armies like Sassanid, not one of the 5 Selucids, or the 2 Palmyrans.

I better get used to it, the pattern will continue.

Display Conventions: When you see a word bubble like "Ouch!" or "Ωχ!" or "Heus!", this implies a disorder from missiles. Letters in parenthesis represent some value change for the specific unit. For commanders it is s for strategist, 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. I tend not to point out Light Infantry, as it clutters the pictures for no real value.

Inappropriately capitalized words are used to highlight terms that are specific to the game. For example Brilliant, Competent and Ordinary have specific game values for the commanders.

"XX" implies a unit killed in that location on that turn.

Any vagueness or inaccuracies in the descriptions is to be considered is to be considered Fog of War, and is part of the fun.

The Board:

Pyrrhus wins the initiative and elects to attack in the plains.

Deployment: 

Unexpectedly, the Romans deployed their cavalry command right behind a field of rough terrain.

In the center, the 7th Legion. Well equipped and supported by their Triarii and Velites.

Defending their camp, the newly formed, 9th Legion. They are trained well, but lacking the full legionary armor kit.

Across from the Roman Alares, a nearly identical cavalry command of Greeks, Thracians and Macedonians.

Pyrrhus takes the center. His Pike are outnumbered 6 to 5 by the Roman center.

Ptolemy forms up in a mirror image of Pyrrhus's command.

Before we begin, a quick trip through the game room. The ice field on another board:

On an 8 x 5 foot table of ice and snow, the Warrior group is running a chariot army against a Syracusian army.

Turn 1:

So the plan is to attack strongly on the left. Engage the center, and refuse the right. My cavalry has a couple of impact elites, and a light infantry that can invest the field. The Romans Alares can either stand at a disadvantage, or evade, Either way exposing the flanks of the 7th Legion to cavalry pursuit.

Helenus heads straight across the board, and towards the cavalry unfriendly pitted field.

Pyrrhus double marches in the center.

Ptolomy obliques his pike to the right.

The Roman Alares advance to face off against Helenus's horse

The Legions advance fully.

The 9th legion advances fully as well.

Turn 2:

Helenus is having a shortage of command points, and has to leave his Thracians behind. He forms up on Pyrrhus's pike.

Pyhrrus advances to charge reach.

Ptolomy sends 2 Taxis of pike to join Pyrrhus's line. Leaving 2 Taxis and his mercenary Hoplites to face down an entire legion.

The Mars/Ares eye view of the battle.

Off on the left table, Later Imperial Romans face off against the Sassanids.

Unexpectedly, the Romans launch a charge down the line. The Greeks and Macedonian horse prove their mettle, winning most of the impacts.

The seventh legion also charges, the ninth in support. Luck favors Pyrrhus. Only one of taxis of pike are disordered, while disordering 2 Roman Cohorts.

The official military observer from Howandaland enjoys the view from the shore.

The ninth legion advances and will be able to attack next turn.

Turn 3:

Helenus's Macedonian horse rout the opposing Roman Alares and pursue.

The Pike know their business and need no orders from their commander. He is free to offer encouraging words to his one disordered Taxis.

Ptolomy's pike have a victory, routing a cohort.

On the left table, slowly by surely, the lines close.

I think I missed the bottom of the 3rd. We will continue with the top of the 4th.

Turn 4:

A Macedonian Xystophoroi turns left into the Alare in the field. It routs on contact. The Macedonians then continue down the line in the flank of the last Alare.

While Helenus's personal Xystophoro routs the 7th Legions Triarii.

Scrum on the right continues. The 9th legion has yet to fully engage. But one of Ptolomy's Taxis has routed.

Turn 4 was amazing bad for the Romans. Their score is 14 out of 22

To a total of 3 for Pyrrhus.

Our game is in the end stages, while this one is just starting.

Turn 5:

Despite fighting on multiple sides, the last Roman Alare fights bravely on.

Helenus's Xystrophoroi continues to ravage the 9th Legion

The Seventh Legion charges to some good effect.

Just as the Seventh becomes fully engaged, the horns sound retreat from the Roman commander. The final score was 22 to 5

Finally some action on the left. I can even see two casualty counters in the distance.

I have a couple of hours till the next round.  

Time to wander and take in the sites.

Another ADLG game well underway. I'm guessing Gauls (left) against Greeks

On one of the Warrior(tm) tables, an excellent model of a Polynesian va'a.

Middle Earth printed on fabric. The game was held on Saturday evening.

Japanese fleet centered around the Zuikaku (Standing Crane) and the Shokaku (Flying Crane) at Coral Sea.

The American fleet at Coral Sea. Centered around the Lexington and the Yorktown.

Two Panthers break through a hedgerow.

While 2 M-10, "Wolverine"'s approach stealthily looking for a flank shot.

The Battlestars Pegasus and Galatica face off against a pair of Ceylon Base Stars.

On the other end of the technology spectrum, WWI Biplanes engage in the clouds.

A barbarian horde charges across a barren field.

Their target, a Roman field fortification

That goes on....

and on...

The Gauls may want to rethink this one.

I had a delightful chat with Goober, the traveling bear. Though he seems to be fixated on Russian mail order brides for some reason.

It's an inside joke. If you don't know, its not funny.

A French and Indian War skirmish in 54's. Real heavy metal.

I don't know what this is. Dutch flagged Frigates moored against oriental ships.

With a Oriental styled fortress (Donjon?) guarding the port.