A Selachoidei of Seleucid

A Headless Body Production

Venue: An undisclosed basement
Event: Replacement for Lititz-con
Players: Phil running Graeco-Indian, List 46
               Marc Cribbs running Seleucid
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 15mm, 200 points per side.

Round 3 of the great How-Did-I-Get-Myself-Into-This-Con!
Lists limited to #38 to 53. 

The Forces:
The Graeco-Indians are led by Laksha, the Brilliant, his brother Daksha, also Brilliant, and their younger brother, Daksha, who is still learning this commander thing.
3 Elephants, Elite
1 Indian Horsemen, Medium Cavalry, Mediocre
1 Paropamisadae......, Light Cavalry Javelin
4 Pikemen
2 Cretans, Light Infantry, Bow, Elite
2 Colonists, Light Infantry, Javelin
7 Indian Mixed Swordsmen, 1/2 Bow
Breakpoint of 21

The Seleucid 
Commanders of uncertain qualities.
2 Elephants
1 Cataphracts
2 Heavy Cavalry, Impact
3 Medium Swordsmen
3 Pike
2 Heavy Sword
4 Light Infantry
3 Light Horse
Breakpoint of 20

Display Conventions: When you see a jagged word bubble like "Ouch!" or "आउच!" or "Πορνεία!",  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.

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.

This battle is already in progress... (Yeah! 6 less panels to annotate! )

 Turn 1:

Winning the initiative, the Seleucid force of elephantry advances on the double.  They are facing mixed sword and bow in a field.  

Their pike force advances but a little.  They are facing the Graeco pikemen

The Seleucid cataphracts are facing their nightmare scenario.

Daksha's bowmen advance and loose arrows.

Daksha's pike block holds it's ground, sending their lights to impede the Seleucid pike.

Laksha's elephantry race across the board.

Turn 2:

So we are both playing refuse left while holding to center until a result has been made. 

The Seleucid elephants approach to ZOC range.

Their pike advance and slide to interfere with Laksha's elephant command.

Their light horse is recalled in the face of massed archery.

Daksha attempted to get his horse in the elephants rear, but the Seleucid commander detached a spearmen to prevent it.

The Graeco pike and elephant command advances to challenge the Seleucid pike.

Laksha keeps peeling off elements to cover his flanks while advancing on the Seleucid cataphracts.

Turn 3:

The Seleucid's attack.  Due to preparatory shooting, the Indian warriors mostly stand their ground.

The Seleucid pike charge, running off the Graeco-Indian lights.

And also sending their disordered flanking spear into a unit of Indian warrior.

Daksha's horse tries again to leak through the Seleucid line.

With the benefit of overlaps, Daksha's pike charge.  The results are a win, a loss, and a pair of ties.

Indian elephantry go to work.  Trampling a heavy spear and a cataphract.

Turn 4:

Currently the score is 5 of 21  for the Graeco-Indians, and 8 of 20 for the Seleucids.

For the newer players, the score represents the count until the army is demoralized.  Lower numbers are better.  (I know it is counter intuitive.  Sorry about that) 

Seleucid elephantry turn the flanks of Daksha's (other brother) foot, trampling a unit of warriors.  Only one warrior stands between the elephants and Daksha's (brother) pike block.

 The Seleucid commander has rerouted another of his elephant escorts to chase down the Indian horse.

The press of battle continues.  

Cataphracts charge!  Disordering one elephant and a warrior.

Other brother Daksha only has two units left.  His warrior's conform free of command points, while his horse "exits a ZOC."

The Graeco-Indians win the race to turn the flank of the pike block first.

A brave Indian warrior charged the flank of a cataphract, saving the elephant from distruction.

The Graeco-Indian score is 10 of 21

To the Seleucid score of 15 of 20

Turn 5:

On the adjacent table, the lines are closing.

The things you do when you have a Brilliant commander and lots of Command Points.

When pikes grind together, it goes on for a long time.  

Cataphracts charge the flanking Indian warrior, and trample it to the ground.  But the Indian Elephantry, still on it's last gasp, hangs on.

The Graeco-Indian score is now 15, up from 10!  The Seleucid score creeps up to 17.

Other brother Daksha moves towards his only remaining unit.

The Seleucid pike have finally collapsed.

 Brother Daksha now has a taxis of pike available to face the on coming Seleucid elephantry.

Laksha's elephants rout their cataphract foes, taking the Seleucid score to 20 for demoralization.

It was a hard fought battle though.