Mullah Susan 330BC

Whilst Paul was partying the night away,it was left to Brian and I to uphold the Thursday night tradition of having a "cracking" ancients game-Macedonians vs Persians!

Top photo shows the scenario,and bottom photo shows the table before any movement-Brian wanted to command the Macedonians, as Alexander the Great, after having read a good article in Wargames Illustrated last month.

One quick blast on my trumpet(now,now!!) and we were off............

I had some poor quality Persian axemen on both flanks of my main line,and decided to "sacrifice" them,in a bid to disorder Brian's Hypaspists and Phalanx,my heavy cavalry and Greeks were to be used to contain the Companion cavalry and Thracian Peltasts.

On the left of my main line,my cavalry and axemen are doing ok,this forced Brian to commit a unit of Hypaspists to support his cavalry,and I was feeling confident(fool!!)

With both flanks embroiled in melees,I elongated my front line,using my back line troops-this meant I overlapped the phalanx,and was assured of victory(can you see where this is leading?)
All depended on my flanks winning-would I be successful-of course not!! at one point I out-numbered and out-pointed Brian-all I needed was NOT to throw a 2 on the dice-and guess what?-yes I threw a 2 and lost the flank!!!

On my far left flank,Brian seemed hesitant to cross the stream and get to grips with my best troops-this is not like the Alexander I know!!

With both flanks of my main line in a "bit of bother",I decided to launch my centre against the phalanx,and hope that my reputation for good dice throwing would hold up(double fool!!)

CRUNCH!!-even being at a disadvantage against the pikes,I did well and won most of the first round melees-hurrah!!-Brian was beginning to panic-can I hold my nerve and win the next round of melees??

At last Brian sends his Peltasts against the Greeks-surely I couldn't lose this encounter-but of course I did,and the Greeks were driven back,by a bunch of Brigands!!-woe is me!
I also lost the central battle(but not before I drove a couple of phalanx units back-sort of Hurrah!!) so the game was almost over-Brian wouldn't let his Royal Squadron loose on my heavy cavalry,to finish the game,would he??

YUP!!-the end.
This was a good and interesting game,both of us employing  good and well thought out tactics,whilst staying true to the period-well done Brian.
Roll on Sunday-a Marlburian game I think,I will contact Dave to see if he can come along.