All (Ancient) Greek to me! Mortal Gods - My Reboot

I purchased Mortal Gods a while back in pre-Covid days with noble intentions of painting up a warband or two of Ancient Greeks but alas it languished on the plastic pile of shame for years. No more. Their time has come (see link below for more details):

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/270626/mortal-gods-skirmish-games-in-ancient-greece

I have the basic boxed game set and have assembled the basic miniature (Victrix) that came with it, which is a start. Sadly (as of time of writing) the Athenian and Spartan "special" boxes are now hard (nay impossible) to come by, bar purchasing individual separate components by Footsore Miniatures, so it look as if I am "bog standard" Greeks - which is fine by me (see below, the starting point of Mortal Gods): 

Dusting off the Mortal Gods box from the loft, I chose into two opposing sides to paint up (see below, two Lochos and their respective warbands, I am calling one Athens and one Spartan [as per the figures look and feel] despite not having the "special" faction attribute cards): 

Given I was in the 28mm Greek "make it mode", I decided to also assemble the Warlord Games 28mm hoplite miniatures I acquired from a "CoW Bring and Buy" sale [although I mostly do the buying]. They fit in well alongside Victrix (see below, I hope to give Mortal Gods a run out at CoW 2026); 

The figures are PVA-sand based and "washed" brown (see below, they are now also in their Mortal Gods movement trays which are a nice touch to the game system): 

Starting with the light psilio slingers it is time to paint them in the Greek fashion (see below, I deliberately chose the "light forces" to get my eye in, I am also resisting the opportunity to use contrast paints but rather I am using Vallejo Game Colour with MiG Ultra Matt varnish to dull everything down): 

The slingers are coming along nicely (see below, in Mortal Gods a group of three figures together on a base are referred to as "companions" - not to be confused with "The Companions" of Alexander The Great): 

Light troops are based on circular bases (see below, they move together as one block in the rules, which cuts down nicely on the level of "fiddle" moving figures about, all told there are approximately 12 [small game] to 25 [medium-largish] figures per side in a typical Mortal Gods game): 

An unusual figure in "Greek" sides in Mortal Gods (yes there are rules for Persians), is the archer, although Athens has its special "Archer Marines" that can come ashore from triremes (see below, this chap is from Victrix): 

The lights for "one side" are done (see below, all possible types - one companion base of each comprising of (3) slingers, (3) javelinmen and the more useful (3) peltasts, but the the archer is a generally just a singleton [as there were just not that many archers in a typical warband], it does not attract the eros passion from the ladies):  

Time to move onto the hoplites, the sexy side of the warband (see below, the first companion base of hoplites is in the centre of the pack on a triangular base, but more on that later): 

A close up of some javelinmen (see below, a rather bedraggled and opportunistic set of characters who are best at throwing pointy things at and then running away [fast] from dangerous things or sneaking up on flanks or from behind): 

A closer "close-up" (see below, I took my time and really enjoyed doing these javelin man, but because there were no really hard or difficult areas to paint they were done fairly fast): 

Meanwhile, the hoplites were up next and the magic number of hoplites is nine (see below, three bases of hoplite companions can "join together" to form a "phalanx"- which is classed as a combat gift/skill, allowing the troops to absorb more punishment and perform more actions because of the trained cohesion of the troops - but the phalanx can only go straight forward or pivot [powerful but awkward to handle]): 

The basic painting is done, but I returned and experimented with the Little Big Man Studio shield decals (see below, I was really impressed with the results - once I got the hang of putting them on [I did use Micro Sol and Micro Set] and repainted over bits to blend it in to the figure):  

Finally these Greeks are getting dressed and ready for battle, let's do those hoplite shields next!

First Experimental Battles - Triremes

Ok the kit (or certainly enough kit) has been painted and placed on the table = but how to play? (see below, "Red" Spartan triremes face-off against "Blue" Athenian .. as they represent ships, not squadrons, .. I think I will need more "space"): 

The "dice have it" .. coloured dice to represent hit points of damage .. six hits and you are dead. Double attacks from flank and rear. Working on the principle of one ship per model (aka "not squadrons") there  is a maelstrom of ramming and mad manoeuvre (see below, this Athenian started the day extremely confident but ended the day clinging to the wreck of his trireme with his gloating Spartan son sailing on - the Fates are extremely fickle):   

Seeking easier prey, I called on my friend, we'll call him "Dave" - who always loses in the most sportsmanlike way, so I laid a trap for him (see below, I gave him plenty of Spartan triremes to surround my defensive circle of Athenians in a prickly "kyklos" formation):  

All I had to do was survive for a set number of turns until the rest of the Athenian fleet turned up and scared the Peloponnesians away, simple. As the unwary Spartans approached I decided I would sprint out at them, like a released coiled spring (see below, unleash watery hell!): 

Except Dave had not read the script and biffed me up before the rest of the Athenians had time to turn up. Perhaps I should have waited more patiently for the attack to bounce off my prows and then I could have taken the unwary Peloponnesians in the flank or rear quarter as they drifted past in disarray (see below, as it was I traded blows and came off far worst, swimming home again): 

Sigh, I retain my 100% ancient naval record, the only way now being up. All hail to Dave the Navarch, I now tremble in your wake or rather swim pathetically!

Rules: Er, yes, there were some, sort of. I was going to play using a set called "One Hour Ancient Naval" (by "somebody" - Update [12-1-2022]: please see comments by Simon for clarification on this) whose name escapes me. However I had to roughly translate the movement in inches to hexes and related the up to 45 degree turns into a number of hex sides. I then slimmed everything down to do triremes only (Romans really liked boarding and shooting a lot), so the rules were a back of the fag packet and a bit in my head, so yes I kludged them together and called them in as I saw fit. The result being I pulled in rules from of things I had read historically or I think were in one of the many other ancient trireme rule sets I have previously read ... and so, the result was that I still lost, if I may say so in the finest of style and Dave managed his fourteenth game in a month ;) 

Ancient Naval Siege - Syracuse 414BC

I seem to be on a Worthington's Games blast at the moment. If it is not the addictive solitaire books then it is their delightful titles such as Syracuse 414BC - the tragedy of all Greek tragedies. When Athens went mad, after going bad n an "imperial" way (see below, the epic sight of a trireme beached on shore with hoplites):

This one again came from Second Chance Games (www.secondchancegames.com) and I thank them for their services to wargaming .. although this was a slightly heavier hit on the wallet being a bookcase game. I am looking forward to it, particularly as it promises to "play quick". Note: there is a two player variant but it is being sold on the solitaire slant!

Board Game Geek reference: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/336403/414-bc-siege-syracuse

What sold me was this review - I was struck down and sunk after hearing it :) 

https://boardgamegeek.com/video/389211/414-bc-siege-syracuse/discriminating-gamer-414-bc-siege-syracuse

Politics with Pointy Sticks: The Art of Diplomacy in the Peloponnesian War - pre-VCoW 2020 Tester Game

And it came to pass that the Athenians did land a force of hoplites on a beach near Amphipolis lead by the great Strategos Cleon. He incited the people of the City State of Gaton to rebel against their overarching neighbouring City State of Stoliphion, the latter being in the armed camp of Sparta. To this peril the Spartan Strategos Brasidas raised a contingent force and marched towards the sea to meet his foe in armed battle. The rights of passage to the ancient ruined shrine of Artimis being a superficial excuse for this blood shed (see below, the dots to the right are the 1/1200 scale ships of the Athenians beached on the shores):

The rocky hinterland rising up from behind the ruined shrine of Artimis is clearly visible in this picture (see below, a "Zoom special" and how the players saw most of this battle - adding beautifully to the 'Fog of War' experience):  

The two armies arrange themselves for battle (see below seen from the Spartan lines, the Athenians concentrate with a skirmish line to their front, whereas the Spartans adopt a wider horseshoe formation): 

Looking from the Athenian lines at the Spartans (see below, the Athenians hope to make a big impact against the Stoliphon hoplites, outnumbering them four phalanxes to three): 

The Athenian battlelines (see below, Xyston ancient Greeks, lovely figures - 25mm level of detail in 15mm figures, I always enjoy painting them): 

The Spartans are a mixed bunch of Irregular Miniatures and Chariot Miniatures (see below, there may be the odd Xyston Psiloi refugee hiding amongst them): 

The Athenians boldly advance forwards (see below, they clearly have a hanging flank): 

And on that flank are some Greek mercenary horses waiting their chance (see below, these are Chariot Miniatures): 

The Spartans close the Athenians, almost to combat with the Athenian Skirmishers. The Spartans swing their cavalry around to the flank of the Athenian battle-line (see below, the Athenians pepper the Spartan hoplites with stones, slingshots and various other missiles which bounce harmlessly off their Spartan armoured foes):   

A battle-royal starts with hoplite trading blows with hoplite in a grinding battle of attrition, but it is the flanking Spartan cavalry that is having a dramatic effect on the Athenian left (see below, [right hand side of the photograph] pinned to the front the Athenians were taken in the flank and crumbled - a poet would say "reaped like ripe stalks of wheat"):   

In their counterattack the Athenians dispatched the unit of Persian mercenary archers fighting with teh Spartans on their right [let hand side of the photograph below] and engaged in hand to hand combat with the Spartan Skirmishers on their right (see below, both sides hoplites in the center are approaching "breaking points"): 

And so it ends for the Athenian, a second phalanx dissipates and the Spatan phalanx under Brasidas himself destroys the Athenian skirmishers in a devastating rear attack. The last remaining (battered) Athenian phalanx faces off against the fresh unit of Greek mercenary horse in a futile battle (see below, the last remaining Athenian troops are the foolishly advised Gatonian hoplites and skirmishers who quietly "slip the field" while they can): 

Thus a forgotten episode in an ancient epic civil war ends. The ruined shrine of Artimis now resides in the Stoliphonian sphere of influence. What survivors there are of the Athenians are frantically manning their triremes, but are leaving many to the victorious Spartans who will put them to good use against their former owners. 

All-in-all a very good Zoom battle and a good run out for Neil Thomas "One Hour Wargame" rules, unashamedly simple but perfect for a remote game like this.  

DBA Version 3: Athenian versus Early Achaemenid Persian (Part 2 of 2)

After another round of infantry combat the centre looks a mess. A unit of Persian 8Bw Archers finds itself overlapped and fighting a hoplite line [1 to 5 in the Greek favour] and finds itself forced to make a fateful roll (see below, the meance is in the methodical approach of the hoplite battle line with mutually supporting stands):

As per many a historical result the Persian dies (see below, Greeks 1 - Persians 1, with the Greeks in an overall far stronger position trying to overwhelm the Persian 4Sp):

However - as it seems to be the way with all versions of DBA - you can never guarantee the win where you think you should be able to expect it (see below, the Persian 4Sp at a reduced attack value of 2, repulse the massed hoplite phalanx of supported 4Sp of attack value 5 - a sorely "missed opportunity"):

Meanwhile the Athenian 3Bw (I know they are based as 4Bw but don't tell the OrBat Police) spot a target of opportunity (see below, even better because they are hitting the Persian Bow on their rear they don't get to shoot back so the Athenians can ignore any adverse results):

This results in a spectacular success (from an unexpected Athenian source). This flank now looks ripe for Athenian exploitation (see below, Persians 1 - Athenians 3, the writing seems to be very much on the wall for this one):

The Persian archers have a very unsatisfactory time against the hoplites - that could have been because I forgot to award them a +1 tactical modifier for their double base (see below, a lot of arrows in hoplite shields perhaps but nothing much in a tactical [useful?] sense):

The Persians only real hope comes from a cavalry attack led by their General. The Persian Light Horse have already "closed the door" on the Athenian cavalry, so the Persians have a chance to turn the tables on the Athenians. As Sun Tzu puts it, "to get the best out of your troops put them on 'perilous ground' so that they have to fight for their lives" (see below, "good dice" [for the Athenians] and "poor dice " [for the Persians] or it is "death" for the Athenian cavalry):

It seems that the "gods" have favoured them "this day" and it is (unexpectedly) the Persians who recoil (see below, it is the Persian who is shaking his head in disbelief this turn (see below, the Persian cavalry chooses to recoil 40mm, simply because he can):

It is now the Athenians turn. The hoplites come forward on mass "to crunch" and "crunch" they did  (see below, hoplites love fighting poorly armed "Hoards" and "Archers" - doubles always seem to come along like clockwork):

Big gaps start appearing in the Persian line and the Athenian hoplites have the inclination as well as movement to "close the door" on the Persian troublesome 4Sp (see below, the Persian battle line has fragmented in many small unconnected fighting bodies of men, fighting desperately for their lives the Persian 4Sp seem a "lost" cause):

The Persian 4Sp are killed which seals the battle as far as DBA is concerned. Looking at the right hand side of the Persian line "escape" is only thing on the minds of the Persian infantry. How is another matter (see below, an imposing line of hoplite spears face them):

After a brief heroic counterattack the Persians collapse in a heap (see below, their surviving horse may get away but the bulk of their infantry would be doomed - so not silver lining for the Persians here! Greeks 4 and Persians 1 therefore Greek decisive win):

A "good" battle to get a feel of the rules. As it was a gentle play test of a "stand-up" fight without searching out tactical tweaks the result was as expected .. that's not to say all Greek versus Persians should be a forgone conclusion as the Greeks had a deep hatred of the Persian horse. It was well respected for and good reason. It is a long time since I have had these ancients 'out of the box' and I was pleased to see how well my paint job had stood the test of time.

DBA Version 3: Athenian versus Early Achaemenid Persian (Part 1 of 2)

I wanted some hands on practice with DBA Version three. So a friend and myself played through a simple Early Achaemenid Persian versus Athenian hoplites. It was the Athenians who were the aggressors - they must be meddling with the Ionians again, so the Persian chose a gentle battlefield that suited cavalry. Two small hills to assist in defence and two "ploughs" .. which disappeared as "1" was not thrown on the first PiP die roll (see below, both armies were horseshoed in their deployment - Athens top and Persians bottom):

A little bit of a shocker, I thought I was well endowed with Persians but I was a "hoard" [7Hd] short so I 'borrowed' one from the Spartans. This means there will be some extra painting to be done for DBA 3 which in itself is not a bad thing. The Persians below are all Xyston, beautiful figures and I tried to labour the love and attention that befits 25/28mm on these 15mm beauties. (see below, incidentally these are Xyston's Later Acheamenid Persians who would have fought the likes of Alexander - they recently [or rather since I have painted mine] have brought out true SparaBara which I undoubtedly must invest in at some point): 

I found myself performing strange gymnastics with the Persians, by shoving the light horse on my flank to the outer zone. leaving a gap for my 3Cv to fill up later. This all seems a tad geometrical and artificial but the way in which the rules push you (indirectly) to play - I have big hopes of converting these DBA armies into the simple Alexandros tactical battle system but more of that another time (see below, my creative deployment [I kind of hate myself for doing this], in the background you can see my Irregular Miniatures stockade camp - populated by Psilio pretending to be camp followers, I need to base up some civilians here): 

The Greeks (more from Xyston - but sporting the fabulous Little Big Man 15mm Ancient Greek Hoplite Shield Transfers) have a simpler time of it (see below, another stockade camp can be seen in their rear - and a less pronounced horseshoe formation [deployment] to expand out from):

The Armies:

• Athenian: [3Cv, 2LH, 3Bw, 4sp(Gen), 8x4Sp]
• Early Acheamenid Persian: [3Cv(Gen), 3Cv, 2LH, 4Sp, 4x8Bw, 3x7Hd, 3Ax]

The Persians try to fan out their army. Not a problem with the mounted, but the foot look a little laborious (see below, the Persian infantry certainly don't want to be mixing it with the Athenian hoplites, their hope is that their Cavalry have successes on the flanks of the Greeks and it's game over before the heavy infantry clash):

The two battle lines approach with both sides desperately trying to "fill out" to get that overlap advantage (see below, the Greeks are slightly ahead with 10 bases in position compared to the Persian 9):

The Greek attempt a bold and adventurous outflanking move with their Light Horse [2LH] against the Persian right (see below, the Greek 2LH flanks the defensive stance of the Persians):

The rest of the Greek battle line advances to almost touching distance (see below, they [the Greeks] also survive the first of many arrow storms - shield [i.e. hoplon] and hoplite armour preventing serious damage):

Locking horns the battle starts in earnest as the battle lines clash - just as the hoplites wanted it (see below, with a basic value of 4 from the 8x4Sp the Greeks have the advantage in infantry against 3Ax value 3, 7Hd value 3, 8Bw valueu 2 with only one 4Sp value 4):

The strange combat is the Persian 8Bw [value 4] versus the 2LH [value 2] with the mounted at a distinct disadvantage (see below, the horse will have difficulty disengaging getting out of bow range): 

Good Persian dice and poor Greek dice mean first blood to the Persian as the Greek Light Horse is doubled and dies (see below, Persians 1 - Greeks 0):

Meanwhile the Greeks bounce the majority of the Persians back in hand-to-hand melee, without scoring any kills (see below, there may be opportunities on the following round but the initiative lies with the Persian commander and his important PiP roll):

The Persians are looking desperately for their cavalry that has massed on the left flank to do something decisive.