A Pythagorean of Pyrrhics

A Headless Body Production

Venue: Harve de Grace Community Center
Event: Barrage 2025
Theme: Classical theme, round 2
Players: Phil running Seleucid, list 42
              Tom Hazlett running Pyrrhic
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 15mm, 200 points per side.

This the second round of the world famous L' Art de la Guerre tournament in "clouding over" Maryland!

The Forces:
Pyrrhus, the Strategist, takes the field with two commanders of lesser renown. 
6 troops of Heavy Cavalry, qualities uncertain
4 troops of light horse, qualities uncertain
6 Pike, some Mediocre
2 Galatians, Heavy Sword, Impetuous
3 Medium Swordsmen, Impact
4 Light Infantry
Breakpoint of 25

The Seleucids are commanded by Larricles, <Τεμπέλης>, a Strategist. His brother Darricles <Τόλμη>, the Brilliant, and his other brother Darricles <Τόλμη>, the Ordinary.
6 Pike
2 Argyraspids, Pike, Elite
X* formally known as Xystophoroi, Heavy Cavalry, Impact, Elite
4 Thracians, Medium Swordsmen, 2HW
2 Thureophoroi, Medium Spearmen
2 Cretans, Light Infantry, Bow, Elite
2 Cretins, Light Infantry, Bow
2 Slingers, Light Infantry, Sling
2 Scythed Chariots
Breakpoint of 22 

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.

Deployment:

The Seleucids won the initiative and elect to attack in the plains. 

The Pyrrhics are at the top.

Turn 1:

That is a lot of horse facing Darricles's Thracians.  

There was a hope that the Marsh would be unoccupied, and Larricles's Thureophoroi could take advantage of it.  But Pyrrhus has that covered.  So the advance of the Seleucids will be sliding away from it.

Pyrrhus's horse know they have an advance and advance at a gallop.

Their phalanx advance short, but oblique to match the Seleucid phalanx.

Turn 2:

Darricles has one trick in his quiver.  His warbands charge the Pyrrhus's light horse, then his light foot advances for a gratuitous shot, and scores lucky.

The rest of the Seleucid phalanx continues to oblique away from the Marsh.  Their only horse however, takes a long route around it to see how Pyrrhus will react.

The Pyrrhic horse makes a cautious charge.  Leaving their disordered troop behind.  They win one fight on their right, but their left charge is against spear armed Thureophoroi, and are stopped in their tracks.

One of Pyrrhus's light horse is sent off to intercept the Seleucid Xystophoroi

Pyrrhus's phalanx continues to line up with the Seleucid phalanx.

Their mediums complete their passage through the Marsh.

Two mistakes this turn.  One, Tom thought his Heavy Cavalry without Impact had furious charge against Medium Infantry. And he thought the Medium Infantry had a movement of 3 UD's in the Marsh.  One error was caught at the time of combat.  The other not until turn 4 or so.

 

Turn 3:

Darricles orders a charge by his Thracians, winning two fights, one where 2HW mattered.

Darricles orders a charge by his left most taxis, and are heavily disordered.  But the remaining line is behind the cavalry's flank, and covered from ZOC by skirmishers.  Which will force a decision.  Charge the somewhat superior phalanx of the Seleucids.  The Seleucid pike is a mix of Ordinary and Elite.  Whereas the Pyrrhic is a mix of Ordinary and Mediocre.

Larricles's reserves intercept the mediums exiting the marsh.  If they can be caught in that position, then they are at a combat disadvantage.  He also recalls 'X', as they were not going to get to the camp with the light horse sent to intercept them.  And from there, they can run down one of the Mediums in the Marsh as well.

A warband of Thracians is defeated.  But much of the Pyrrhic horse is disordered.

The Pyrrhic phalanx charges down the hill, and is favored by fortune.

The battle at the Marsh continues to develop. 

Turn 4:

Darricles's Thracians continue to fight on.

A Seleucid taxis is routed.

Larricles's phalanx charges in.  And is disordered down the line.

 

Taking the score for the Seleucids to 14 of 23

To just 9 of 25 for the Pyrrhics

The Thracian line is flanked and two warbands are routed.

A troop of Pyrrhus's heavy horse is routed, but another Seleucid pike is routed as well.

Larricles's right hand taxis is surrounded and surrenders.

 With this I just surrendered.  The Pyrrhic score was just 12 at this point, the Seleucid was at 22.  

 Pictures from around the con.