An Alectoria of Alexanderians.

A Headless Body Production
Venue: Wyndham Resort, née Lancaster Host
Event: Open tourney, Round 3
Players: Phil Gardocki running Republican Roman, List 53
               Nathaniel Birrer, running Alexander the Great
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 25mm, 200 points per side.
Font: Times New Roman

Poor Nat. Having to look at this old fart now 3 times in as many months. 

The title alliterations are getting thin.  There are only so many 'Ale' and 'Mac' in the dictionary.  And I know I have inadvertently repeated a few over the decade.

The Forces

The Alexandrian's are commanded by Alexander (duh!) Normally a Strategist, but I think he was being run as Brilliant this day. The other two commanders, referred to as 'A' and 'B', and are both Competent.
4 Companions, Heavy Cavalry, Impact, Elite
1 Greek Horse, Heavy Cavalry
1 Prodromoi, Light Cavalry, Impact
1 Light Cavalry, Javelin
4 Phalangites. (Is that pronounced Fa-lang-a-tees, or Fal-an-git-is?), some Elite
2 Hoplites or Hypastpist, Heavy Spearmen
2 Elephants
1 Thracian Peltasts, (Pel-tas-tees?), Medium Sword, 2HW
4 Light Infantry, various
Breakpoint...20

The legions are commanded by Larrious, the Senior, widely regarded as Brilliant. Darrious the Elder, who was Competent, despite his age, and Darrious the Younger, also Competent despite his youth.
2 Equites, Medium Cavalry
10 Hastati or Principes, Heavy Swordsmen, Impact, 1/2 Armored
2 Newly Recruited Hastati, Heavy Swordsmen, Impact, Mediocre
2 Extraordinarii, Medium Swordsmen, Elite
2 Other Italians, Javelinmen
6 Velites, Light Infantry Javelin, most Elite
2 Syracusians, Light Infantry sling
Breakpoint...26

Display Conventions: When you see a word bubble like "Ouch!" or "Heus!", or "Ωχ!", 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 to be considered part of the fun.

The Board:

The Alexandrian horse deploy next to a muddy track.

The center taken by a phalanx of pike and spear. Elephants form up on their left.

The Romans are looking a bit nervous without any terrain to their left.

Despite facing elephants, their right is well secured with their loose order command and terrain.

A clouds eye view.

Other deployments on the 25mm tables.

These are themed games. This looks like Greeks v Macedonian.

 

Turn 1:

Alexander's horse pin down the Roman left with their lights, while the Companions attempt to turn the flank.

The phalanx barrels along, supported by two troops of Companions. The elephantry advances just a bit, their commander using his command points to spread out his skirmishers.

A half cohort of Velites emerge from the field. While the Roman cavalry gallop to the same field, to threaten the flank of the Macedonian horse should they flank the Roman legions.

Roman skirmishers advance and loose javelins.

Darrious (the younger) advances to challenge the oncoming elephantry.

Turn 2:

Greek horse run off the Velites.

The remainder of the Macedonian line advances in sync.

Numedian horse are forced to evade, but hitting troops they cannot interpenetrate, are forced to split up to get around them.

On retrospect, the evasion lines are not quite accurately placed.

(you could reedit the picture Phil)

 (shut up brain!)

Roman horse heads for cover.

Larrious's legions cant their line a bit, putting their newly trained Hastati on flank guard duty.

While Darrious (the Elder) and Darrious (no younger, no relation) advance to charge reach.

Things are about to get heavy here. So some final pictures from the con!

What is this, I don't know. I see small tripod figures attacking a ruined town.

A medieval tower under assault, while the peasants try to escape.

A perennial favorite, Battletech.

An assault on a Turkish fort.

A great layout!

And we're back! 

Turn 3:

Macedonian lights run off Larrious's Velites. Their Companions not quite turning the flank of Larrious's legions.

For they are awaiting the results of the attack by the phalanx and elephantry.

Which ran slightly in favor of the Romans. Who won 3 and lost two rounds.

Larrious orders a charge with 3 of his 4 front line cohorts. Losing 2 out of 3 battles.

The Macedonian phalanx is stalled, but the elephant command is flanked with elephants Rampaging hither and yonder.

The score is...

7 of 26 for the Romans.

To 10 of 20 for the Macedonians.

Turn 4:

Greek horse barrels down on the Roman horse. The Companions cross the flank line of Larrious's cohorts. But they will have to deal with the green Hastati first.

The rest of Larrious's cohorts are in bad shape, two of them about to rout.

Darrious's cohorts trade units with the phalanx. Darrious's "Other Italians turn the flank on the remaining troop of elephantry.

The score is now Romans, 8...

... while the Macedonians hold at 10.

Larrious has rallies one of his cohorts, and the other two hold their line.

Darrious the Elder has two legionary cohorts fail. He calls up his trainees to support his last front line legion. Numidian horse takes a position to taunt a pike taxis if it decides to fill the hole.

Another Elephant is Rampaged.

Also consuming command points is a couple of light on light action. In the Marsh, Macedonian lights are surrounded but manage to shoot their way out against the Syracusian slingers.

Numidian light horse attempt to run down Macedonian peltasts, which turned out to be fleet of foot, and evade successfully. 

The Roman score is now 15 of 26.

To 13 of 20.

Turn 5:

Companions flank Larrious's legions, and two more cohorts fall.

The phalanx engages Darrious's last cohorts.

Taking the score to 18 for the Romans.

To 15 for the Macedonians.

Larrious throws his last gasp. This was a bit complicated. First the trainee legion charged the Companions to remove their ZOC from his last front line legion. The surprised Companions rolled a 1 to 6 (Mediocre, but supported) and take two hits.

Then the Velites charge the Macedonian light horse, also to remove their ZOC from the his last front line legion, and also surprised, and took a hit.

Then finally, now freed of ZOC's the last front line legion flank charges the Companion horse. But this was not as successful other than the hit scored by the charge. 

But this attack did allow his other remaining legion to continue to stand against the pike. 

On the other flank, Darrious the Younger's Extraordinarii flank, routing a Hoplite, and now flanking a taxis of pike.

But there was a cost, the Romans are now at 19

To the Macedonians score of 19.

The game was called on time here. But both of us agreed it was tough fight and a good game.

Could the Romans have pulled a win? Possibly. Problem is that they were down to 2 front line legionary cohorts. Both disordered. Any rallies by the Macedonians would have made a push for a win difficult.

 

Calling it at 19 all was a satisfactory end for the game, the tournament, and the con.