Back to Basic Impetus (3) "The Pointy End of Hoplite Warfare"

The Athenians line up to the 8cm "distance of decision". They do have an overlap advantage of six units of hoplites to the Spartan five currently in line of battle (but Sparta has a slight edge in quality), the sixth can be seen in the bottom left moving up as well as the Spartan Helot slingers moving across the back of the battle line. The bearded sea pirate of an Athenian strategos, sipping his pint of Guinness 'finches' and goes for it, electing to move the whole Athenian block as one, as is his right. The sacrifice he latterly made in the Temple of Athena in Athens Acropolis may well come off. The die is cast and a "2", the Athenian Phalanx despite their illustrious paen (battle hymn) fail to contact (see below):   

Oh dear, the professional Spartans has an automatic contact and the edge of their impetus factors. The outcome is utterly horrid for the Athenians and one of glory for the Spartans (see below). Blue or Black for disorder and Red for a combat hit (size of counter does not matter here, the Spartans just have bigger ones, nuff said). A mainly disordered Spartan line faces a disordered and hurt Athenian line.

As the rounds of melee stack up units start disappearing from the Athenian line of battle as routing hoplites discard their armour and run for the safety of the ships. True, some Spartiates have fallen, but no Spartan unit has been broken and the battle has all but been decided (see below):  

What kind of monster would insist to play another round? Well technically I needed to know the total casualty count for campaign purposes, but I also wanted to sadistically see it through to the end. I did even offer to switch sides and have the dice thrown at me, but to his credit the bearded Athenian sea pirate finished his drink to the sound of a cracked army collapsing in a heap (see below):  

Sparta had triumphed in a rather convincing historical outcome but there was concern on the mechanics of how, as in there seemed little or no benefit from playing Basic Impetus over the Full Impetus rules.

Difference between Full Impetus and Basic Impetus (lacked):

• No Multiple Moves (this makes a huge difference in game play)
• No Evades (well technically they kind of was but not explicit)
• No Opportunity Status (giving the ability to react in opponent's bound)
• No Command and Control Restrictions/Bonuses
• No Die of Destiny (re-rolls)  

Conclusion: Stick with Full Impetus, the game system is better (certainly historical flavour) and takes just as long to play. Also the rules are not like DBA to DBM, the whole idea of Basic Impetus was to bring gamers into some themes critical in Full Impetus as a transitional step, not an alternative system. Trying to remember both systems would be a nightmare for my tint little mind.An outstanding concern was how to attribute casualties to an army in a campaign, the above woulh have wiped out the Athenians. Despite this should they be allowed to recoup some?

Back to Basic Impetus (2) "The Trouble With Lights"

The bearded sea-pirate of an Athenian Strategos spat curses of utter contempt at the perceived impotence  of his "lights". At a dither with the interpretation of the Basic Impetus rules he (the Athenian) decided to try and just "throw them in" to try and make a dint in the Spartan Phalanx before the Spartans hit the Athenian Phalanx. His best hope is to perhaps with a lucky hit from missile fire. The Spartan (myself) was urging him (the Athenian) to wait and sneak round my flanks. With gusto the Athenians stayed and threw their missiles but to no effect. Then on their turn the Spartan Phalanx treated them like a speed bump and ran them down (see below):

The only memory of the Athenian lights passing was two temporary disorder markers on the Spartan Phalanx after the close combat, no more Athenian lights to worry about (see below). Note: We had by this point figured out by reading the relevant paragraphs over and over again that the two rear Spartan units were not disordered by the act of wheeling, only it they wheel and then move at the straight line afterwards.   

The Spartan Phalanx meticulously unfolds to the trembling knocking knees of the Athenians hoplites facing them (see below). The Athenian commander again was caught in another Basic Impetus rules dilemma, "he who hits first has the impetus bonus" and you can only attack in your own turn (and there is no 'opportunity status attack' as in Full Impetus). As the hoplites move 5cm + 1d3cm (6-8cm) you position yourself 8cm away from an opposing battle line and then see who 'flinches' first. I you don't get in (as in roll a 5 or 6) the momentum crashes into you instead.

The Spartans meanwhile are content to extend their line (see below):

The Athenians meanwhile edge closer to the 8cm apart distance. (Note: Some annoying light infantry worrying the Spartan flanks would have been useful at the point - salt being ground into the Athenian's open wound)

Next: The Tango Hoplite Style

Back to Basic Impetus (1): "In Search of a Quick Game"

I have a quandary. I wanted to put on the Greeks in Peril 480BC DBA Campaign at my local clubHowever the Hartlepool Club I go to have moved on from DBA to playing Impetus (and in 25mm, but that is a minor point as my 15mm kit can make up the required Impetus army lists too). Trouble is (at least the way I play Impetus) a 'tactical battle game' will take longer than an average game of DBA. Thus a question was raised, "Would a game of Basic Impetus play any quicker?" to fight the tactical battle while retaining the DBA style campaign map?

Some Athenians [commanded a nameless bearded democrat to whom I plied alcohol] landed on a rocky Peloponnesian shore to find out the answer by fighting some Spartans [commanded by me] (see the Spartan army deployed below, with a long wooden measuring stick delimiting the edge of the world). The cunning Athenian commander had placed some nasty terrain in the middle of deployment zone, the alcohol had no quite taken its effect yet, so Sparta to my frustration starts all bunched up and in two ranks of hoplites).      

The Athenians are out of their triremes and waiting for us (see below). Six hoplite formations and three light psilio formations (to use the DBA vernacular).

Sparta needs to move and expand beyond the limitations of the bottleneck of terrain (I also have six hoplite formations but only one unit of lights, but I am of better hoplite quality). The blue markets below denote disorder, but a misreading of the rules misapplied them, they shall mysteriously disappear from later photographs. Explanation [Basic Impetus]: If a unit "moves and wheels" it gets disordered, if it "moves or wheels" then it is OK. I had only wheeled my reel units of hoplites therefore I should not have been disordered.

After a conference of commanders we agree that we have over bulked the light formations using four instead of two standard DBA bases, so they "disappear" and we both agree the visual effect is much more appealing. I am still disordered when I should not be but never mind. The Athenian decides to "worry me" with some lights before I manage to lengthen my line (see below):  

The Athenian lights come into their respective missile ranges (different ones for slings, javelins and bows - which could be viewed as flavour or unnecessary complication depending upon your tastes) and we try and work out how lights can fight and evade, without the Full Impetus "evade" rule. If you move and fight then a movement combat modifier meant you could not hit! How do these lights work?

Well we couldn't quite figure it out, I thought it quite deliberately meant that you were supposed to keep to the flanks and just fight other "lights" or hunker down in bad terrain, and basically don't mess with the Phalanx which was historical. The old Athenian looked rather more perplexed and 'could see no use or reason for them' (perhaps the alcohol was now taking effect!). [Footnote: We found after an overnight read the (-1) combat modifier was not to be applied to the lights so they could 'shoot and move away', but this came too late to save the Athenian Lights as you may have already guessed by the plot spoiler below]

Next: Death of the Light Brigade

Greeks in Peril : Good Guys?

Men in Skirts:

Following on from my reading I mustered my long standing 15mm Greek collection into a semblance of City States for inspection. As per the original intention they are in DBA army format (twelve elements and their alternates). Note: Apologies from the relatively distanced long camera shots.

Athens: Mostly Xyston Miniatures, bar the Cavalry which is Chariot Miniatures. I do have the requisite mounted figures in Xyston, but it takes me a long time to paint their 'sculptures' as a good thing deserves not to be rushed.

Again Athens, this time a close up of Athenian hoplites (see below). These shields are awaiting application of the "Little Big Man" 15mm shield decals (some things don't change no matter what period I do, decals always have and will be my bugbear).

Sparta: The hoplites are from Chariot Miniatures, while the "hoard" are a mixture of Xyston Miniatures. The hoplite line has far too many officers (with their traverse crests), I will at some point have to break them out mixing them with the normal rank and file. Painting the horse hair plumes a mixture of white, red and black will help the appearance too. They also need the application of the "Veni Vidi Vici" lambda decals (no surprises there then).

Thebes: "Ooooh" gasps the crowd in pantomime horror. Greeks in alliance at the start of the invasion but they were (historically) the first to turn and go over to the Persians. Understandable when you consider that the line of Greek defense in Attica meant that their Boetian lands were left for the Persians without a fight. Even more ominous is the fact that I have managed to apply the "Veni Vidi Vici" decals (the white club of Thebes) to them. These figures are from Irregular Miniatures and despite their relative cheapness in comparison to other manufacturers they paint up extremely well. In fact I may safely say these are my favourite hoplite figures to paint. 

Sicilian Greek: These boys historically never made it to the show being distracted from the main party by a different 'invasion' from the neighboring Carthaginians (paid by the Persians to cause mischief). Gelon the Tyrant of Syracuse (tyrant  being more a term describing an ancient 'undisputed' king rather than out and out pure baddie, Gelon in fact was recognized as a very capable and enlightened ruler). Again the foot are from Irregular Miniatures and the mounted from Chariot Miniatures. 

Other "non-core" Greek City States: The front army is Thessalian (the only 'horse heavy' Greek army), a collection of figures from various manufacturers (hoplites from Chariot Miniatures, psiloi I think are from Tin Soldier, the horses from Chariot Miniatures and Essex Miniatures). Behind them are the Phokians (no that's their historical name honest), mostly light troops and a few hoplites (all from Essex miniatures - I have to sadly say Essex  hoplites are my least favourite figures of all time, it's the spear pose in particular I don't like, but the hoarder I am I won't throw them away, hence their demotion to possibly the worst Greek DBS army!).   

All the above armies are usually found fighting each other. Only the threat of the massive Persian invasion of Greece in 480BC (or BCE now as some modern historians have it) brought any form of uniformity of cause. The combination of the above armies should also allow me to field a Basic Impetus Greek Army (well certainly one and possibly a Greek (Athens/Sparta) versus Greek (as in Thebes) match up as well).

Back to reading Herodotus, The Histories, Chapter VII now, the Great King has made his preparations and has crossed the Hellespont on his big bridge of boats ;)

Next: Men in Trousers

Readings and Musings : Greece and Persia

I don't seem to be making much progress on the figure painting front, ho hum, as by the time I have sorted stuff out and placed it onto a mobile "painting tray" I soon find myself putting it all back away again with little or no forward progress  :(

The up-side I am reading more of the back log of those historical novels I have lurking on my shelves. I have just completed "Killers Of Men" by Christian Cameron (see below) and shamelessly enjoyed it tremendously: 

So much so I have now started "Marathon", part II of a his many-part(?) ancient series (see below):

It is a teasing series and has encouraged me to pick up (once again) "Herodotus: The Histories". I have skipped ahead to Book 7 which is post Marathon as it neatly ties in with the long term "Greeks in Peril" DBA Campaign 'historical project' I have been hankering over these past ten years. I now have all the DBA armies required (bar a few patch up jobs to do on a few bases) but now there is talk of doing it with Basic Impetus instead of DBA version 2.2. The question is whether is I can get my act together and arrange a firm "campaign day" or end up reading Book III in Christian Cameron's series over the summer instead.

What next: Consolidation of focus or divergence of project aims?