Phil on Ancients: Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!

A Headless Body Production

Venue: Sheraton Music City Hotel
Event: Nashcon 2025
Theme: Open theme, round 2
Players: Phil running Seleucid, list 42
David Ray, Kingdom of Sicily
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 15mm, 200 points per side.

Nashcon! The Miniature Mecca of the Mid-Southern states. Home of the Tootsies Orchid Lounge!

Dice drop is 8am. It's a bit early for starting. Breakfast choices are the Waffle House about half mile away, which would require a car. Or about $24.78 for the hotel buffet.

Its 90 degrees outside.

The buffet has an excellent sausage gravy.

I lost the battle report for round 1 due to a PIBCAK. It is a shame, because I actually won the game, but admittedly by the narrowest possible margin. So, on to round II.

The Forces:
The Kingdom of Sicily are led by King Frederick Hohenstaufen II, a Strategist, Conrad, the Competent and Abdul, the Ordinary.
8 Medium Knights, some Impetuous, some Impact, some Elite
2 Heavy Cavalry, Impact
2 Saracen, Light Cavalry, Javelin
4 1/2 Heavy Spearmen, 1/2 Crossbow
3 Arab Archers, Bowmen, Mediocre
2 Saracen Bowmen, Light Infantry, Bow
Breakpoint of 21

The Seleucids are commanded by Larricles, <Τεμπέλης>, the Brilliant. His brother Darricles <Τόλμη>, the Brilliant, and his other brother Darricles <Τόλμη>, the Ordinary.

4 Cataphracts, 2 Elite
1 Tarentines, Light Cavalry, Javelin
6 Pike
2 Argyraspids, Pike, Elite
2 Cretans, Light Infantry, Bow, Elite
2 Slingers, Light Infantry, Sling
2 Thureophoroi, Medium Spearmen
2 Scythed Chariots
Breakpoint of 19

Display Conventions: When you see a jagged word bubble like "Ouch!" or "¡Ωχ!", this implies a disorder caused by missiles. Letters in parenthesis represent some up or downgrade 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.

Any ambiguity as to what was moved or who is being referred to is to be considered Fog of War and part of the fun.

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

It's going to be a long weekend here in Nashville. 3 days, 5 games, with a fly in and out. Fortunately, the hotel is within sight of the airport, so that is just a quick hustle.

Why Seleucids? My fancy is running towards Cataphracts of late, and they have a goodly number, supported by class 'A' Infantry in the form of Pikemen. My basic plan is to keep going forward. No matter what. My flanks protected by an ablative layers of Thuerophoroi, and then Scythed Chariots. If favorable terrain shows up, so much the better.

Of course, Cataphracts lose to Knights, and do not handle stakes. But that is what the pike are for. We will see. But then, there are only about 7 knight armies at the tourney.

And of course I drew another knight army for the second round. But I have one advantage, I ran the Kingdom of Sicily list last year. With two wins, a tie, and about 13 loses. I learned a lot of how they can lose.

Deployment

On their far right, a micro command. 15 points for the archers, 10 points for the cavalry.

The main army is in the center. 4 knights well supported by lights and crossbow.

Guarding the road to Messina, King Frederick, with more supported knights.

Larricles deploys on the left with 4 taxis of pike, their flanks covered by Thureophoroi, and supported by a couple a light foot.

Between Larricles and a rough field are the brothers Darricles.

I got my terrain. Two rough patches were my troops fit perfectly. One pike on the flank just in case Frederick decides to truly go around the field an into the rear. Historically, that is a valid tactic, But with knights moving only 3 UD's a turn and a 2.5 hour limit, not a practical one for L' Art de la Guerre.

On the other hand, just like last game, one of my commands is facing next to nothing.

A point that Dave hammers home with redeploying what they were facing.

With the steady beat of drums, the Sicilians slowly advance.

Officially, I am the defender. Which means Larricles's command will never get into combat. So he advances at the double and Slides right.

The brothers Darricles advance just a UD and also slide.

The view from another table. Sorry, I didn't write down the players or armies.

Boy, we are just getting started and these guys are already going toe to toe. I am guessing Hilton's Ghaznavids. But they my be one of the other armies with elephants. There were 4 I think.

Turn 2:

Abdul has a command range problem, so only the Saracen archers move. Waiting for them to catch up, Conrad holds his line, advancing only his skirmishers.

Frederick II, however is aggressive in his attack.

Larricles advances and slides. He orders the Cretans out of cover to harass Abdul's horse.

The Cretans are at a safe distance from being run down, and if Abdul charges, his archers will continue to have out of command difficulties.

The main body of of the Sicilians are the focus of two of the Seleucid commands.

While the remaining command is now dedicated to covering their flank.

The game started early, and biological imperatives are hitting. Time for a quick walk through the Age of Sigmar room. They were playing late last night and haven't started yet.

An excellent blimp model.

A very nice step pyramid model.

A Conan themed table.

Obviously Egyptian.

A lava field

A moonscape perhaps?

Turn 3:

Yeah, yeah, nice pics, but quit the jibber-jabber and get on with the game.

Dave took over my side of the table to move Frederick's command.

I don't often take a picture from my opponents side of the table. Too lazy and too overweight. But it does offer perspective. My opponents armies always look so impressive. But this is what he is looking at.

With a surplus of command points, Abdul makes two orders.

While Conrad and Frederick's commands are content to volley crossbow bolts.

Frederick makes a decision to push the edge of the board to circle around the field.

Larricles's screen is shot away during his final approach

Darrycles's Cataphracts make their first charge. They are down 2 to 3 but roll favorably on the dice.

Turn 4:

Another view from Dave's World.

Abdul runs off the Cretans. Next up, the Scythed Chariot!

A couple of knights are in position to charge. One dice off is even, but the other is again in favor of the Seleucid Cataphracts.

Saracen light horse close in on the hanging taxis.

The Chariots charge, flip, and burn. Larricles's phalanx lowers their pike and charge into the Sicilian half spear/crossbow. Feeling good about this plan, Larricles leads the charge.

Not to be out shined by their brother, Darricles and Darricles also lead their battles from the front.

Brilliant or not. Hindsight is 20/20. Larricles's pike would have done two hits anyway. Darricles's cataphract lost by 2, Darricles took it up to lost by 1, and armor saved. Darricles pike won by +1, so his additional +1 wasn't a factor.

One failed rally attempt, followed by a successful javelin throw later...

Turn 5:

The Saracen archers darken the skies.

The Thureophoroi mission is to flank guard the pike. Which they are doing now.

A Sicilian spear and knight have routed.

The Saracen's light horse know their business.

The Cretans reemerge again from the vineyard.

With the Sicilian spear routed, Larricles's pike ascend the hill. One taxis falters in mid charge and is routed.

Darricles punches through the Sicilian line.

....

At the bottom of the 5th, the score is 12 of 19 for the Seleucids, to 13 of 21 for the Sicilians. A virtual tie.

Turn 6:

Abdul charges the flank the phalanx. His archers turning on the flank of another.

Conrad commits his remaining two troops of knights to battle.

The road (pike)block is cleared. It is a race for the camp.

The scores are 16 all.

Larricles has a shortage of choices. His one pike must either conform against the Saracen archers on the hill, and be facing enemy on multiple sides, or move away. So it moves away. Knowing it is going to be flank charged anyway.

Sicilian Knights trample a Cataphract with iron shod hooves.

Seleucid lights try to slow down the Sicilian advance on the camp.

The Scythed chariot charges, and scores it's first win of the tournament.

Taking the score of the Sicilians to 18 of 21, to 17 of 19 for the Seleucids.

Turn 7:

In retrospect, I don't think the charge on the hill was legal. Saracen archers charged into the rear of the pike. Followed by light foot in the front. Causing a hit. But as the game stands, the charge went through. The pike rolled very well, and won, causing a hit on the light foot. Taking the Sicilian score to 19.

Sicilian knights conform on a taxis of pike, causing a hit, taking the Seleucid score to 18.

The chariot on light fight continues.

The Sicilian score is now 20.

At the bottom of the 7th, with help from the Cretans, Abdul is killed, and his heavy horsemen routed. Larricles leads another pike up the hill, routing a Saracen archer.

Darricles leads his Cataphracts into the last of Conrad's knights. While a taxis of pike flank one of Frederick's knights.

The Saracen light horse finish off the chariots, just in time for the horns sounding retreat.

The final score was 21 to 18. A very unimpressive win.

What went wrong?:

Again, my balanced deployment faced a deployment where my opponents forces were mostly on one side, requiring a 70 point command to hurry up to even get into combat. I'll have to ponder my response to that.

More pics from the convention.