Phil on Ancients: Sassing the Sassanids

A Headless Body Production

Venue: Harve de Grace Community Center
Event: Cold Barrage 2026
Theme: US Nationals, 2nd Period
Round: 2
Players: Phil Gardocki running Republican Roman, list 58
Joey Miller running Sassanids
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 15mm, 200 points per side.

The Forces
The Persians have a long history of warfare from horseback. From the Achaemenids, to the largely Iranian Parthians, to the Sassanids.
They are led by Shapur II, King of Kings, Brilliant, his son and heir, Prince Khori, Ordinary and Included, and their hired Hun, Akur, who is regarded as Brilliant.
4 Asavarans, Cataphracts, Elite
4 Asavarans, Heavy Cavalry, Bow, Elite
4 Hun Horse, Light Cavalry, Bow, Elite
3 Hun Horse, Medium Cavalry, Bow, Elite
2 Iranian Light Horse, Bow
3 Levy
1 Hill Tribe, Light Infantry, Javelin
Breakpoint...21

The legions are commanded by Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, Consul of Rome, a Strategist, Tiberius Sempronius Longus, Son of Tiberius Sempronius Longus, Consul of Rome, Defeater of the Boli, regarded as Competent, and Marcus Porcius Cato the Elder, also rated Competent despite his years.
2 Equites, Medium Cavalry
2 Numidians, Light Cavalry, Javelins
8 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, Medium Swordsmen
6 Velites, Light Infantry Javelin, most Elite
2 Syracusians, Light Infantry sling
Breakpoint...26

Display Conventions: When you see a jagged word bubble like "Heus!" or "ܐܘ!", 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.

The Romans lose the initiative and are required to attack in the plains.

The Board:

The Romans have the terrain they wanted, but are also the attackers.

The Sassanid right is a strong force of horse, consisting of Elite Hun shooters, and (lanceless) Cataphracts.

Their left flank consists of more Elite shooters (with lances?)

Hugging the coastline is Marcus's Italians. With a Marsh they can invest, they are well protected against the horse.

While the real Romans form up between a couple of Plantations.

Turn 1:

The Italians get their boots wet.

The Legionary cohorts advance a pace, their flanks covered by terrain.

The Huns charge the swampy ground and loose arrows.

The rest of the horse advances at a trot.

The bow armed Asavarans probe the Roman right flank.

Tiberious's orders his cohorts to angle their line.

To give the Cataphracts an awkward charge path.

Hun archers gleefully expend more arrows.

Their more formed brethren are having a harder time against the Elite Velites.

The bow equipped Asavarans concentrate their arrows on the right most Roman cohort.

Turn 3:

Giving his beleaguered slingers a break, Marcus orders a charge on the Hun lights. Which also may present an opportunity to flank the main line of Hun horse.

Tiberius's legions charge the Hun horse as well, expecting them to flee, and expose the Cataphracts to a flank charge, but the Hun's have different ideas.

Scipio's cohorts advance and prepare to receive a charge.

Seeing that the Italians are still partially in the muck, the Hun's decide to take a chance. But luck ill favored them.

The Huns have better luck against Tiberius's cohorts.

A pair of Cataphracts charge, the rest are just waiting to see the results.

Turn 4:

Two troops of Hun horse are dispersed, but one hangs on.

A valiant Velites distracts the Huns on the end, while a cohort to cut down another Hun.

The legions engage the remaining Cataphracts. On the far left, not so good, on the middle though they were successful at engaging without being disordered.

The Persians try to sneak through the Plantation, but the Velites deployed there have intercepted them.

One troop of Huns disengage. Another light attacks a cohort in the flank.

Tiberius's cohorts are weakened, but holding.

A pair of Scipio's cohorts are routed.

Putting the Roman score at 12 of 26

To the Persians score of 8 of 21

Turn 5:

Marcus reforms his line, but sends a cohort of Italians into the Hun rear.

The mainlines are a confused swirling mass of men fighting.

Scipio calls up his reserves to plug the hole left by his routed cohorts.

Most of the mercenary Huns have been eliminated. Leaving only a couple of troops relegated to distraction duties.

There are just enough horse to tie down Tiberius's cohorts (left) while they keep up the pressure on Scipio's cohorts (right)

While a single Velites camps out in the Plantation.

The Roman score has inched up by 2

But the Persians climb by 4.

This puts both armies at just over their half way points.

Probably useless, but Marcus continues to press against the Huns in front of him.

Tiberius's cohorts press against the few troops arrayed against them.

Scipio tosses in his last reserves. Flanking a Cataphract

Using their mobility, the Huns pull off a flank attack on Marcus's Italians.

And keeping up the pressure against the Roman right.

Which is holding

But the casualties continue to mount. The Romans are at 18 of 26.

To Persians just 13 of 21

Turn 7:

Marcus brings up support for his Italians, but not soon enough

Tiberius's line's up a flank and front attack on a disordered Cataphract. If only his flank guards hold.

Velites in Plantation are reinforced, time to shoot it out with the Persian lights.

At the middle of the 7th, the score is unchanged.
Looks like I failed to take pictures of the Persian 7th turn. We will pick it up a the top of the 8th.

Turn 8:

Marcus's continues to force the Huns back towards their camp.

Hun Lights protect the Persian Cataphract's flank. And amazingly, also survive.

Scipio's front line Hastati and Principes are routed. Taking the Roman score to 22. Leaving Scipio with just his lights and newly trained, and disordered, legions.

The Persians score is 15.

Hun mercenaries Disengage from a bad situation. Their brothers by the camp disorder the advancing Extraordinarii (23).

Asavaran Cataphracts charge Tiberius's newly raised legions and crush them by pure weight of arms, taking the Roman score to 25. Lower panel, center, another Asavaran Cataphract routs the last of Scipio's cohorts for a win by the Persians.