Delium BC 424 : Part VI (The Athenian Hoplite Charge)

An opportunity arose on the Athenian right wing cavalry (or rather the one remaining stand of it) when an over zealous pursuit/exploitation by the victorious Theban cavalry left a flank exposed in an "no recoil possible position" (see below):

The Athenian C-inC seized upon this moment and scored the "first victory" in the game for Athens. Could this be the turning point and reversal of fortunes? (See below, as the recoil result becomes a kill because the Thebans stands are not facing in the same direction) 

Note: This was the first time the "generals" had seen the turn to face an attack from the flank rule in conjunction with the DBA legal recoil restrictions.

Given the auspicious start to the turn the emboldened Athenian C-inC raised his arms in divine supplication to the heavens and committed his sixteen stands of hoplite warriors to assault up the hill hoping to shatter the Thebans.

What would the 'Fates' deliver unto the supplications of the Athens?

"Like grain the Athenian hoplites were harvested by the Theban farmers". In a series of disastrous dice rolls that will live long in the memory of Athens and her allies, two thousand of the finest Athenian hoplites were lost (four stands in all). Hoplites alas Athens could ill afford to lose and losses inflicted which left the Athenian left wing totally demoralised and the Athenian army almost to breaking point (having lost 10 stands, 12 breaking the army, see below):

Note: The moment happened so fast that only the aftermath was caught on camera for posterity.

Meanwhile at the other end of the battle line the Athenian high point of the battle was recorded.

Akin to Picket's Charge at Gettysburg well over a millennia later, the Athenian C-in-C "budged2 the Thebans off the crest of the hill. Alas this was a very localised victory was insufficient and unrepresentative of the day to be anything other than an allusive footnote "on what perhaps could have been" (see below):

Further disaster followed as the Theban Psilio returned to the camp and this time pillaged, looted and burned it to the ground (see below)

The sight of the their camp burning finally broke the Athenian army (taking the total Athenian army losses to 12, the official BBDBA army break point for a twenty four element force): 

Spelling out the final act of this Athenian tragedy, and playing the turn out in full, the final Athenian casualties (another two hoplite stands) caused the demoralisation of the Athenian right wing as well (see the gap in the line below):

As means of a final reckoning the Athenians had lost 14 stands to 1 and both Athenian wings had been demoralised as well as the the Athenian army break point being reached (surpassed). It was a comprehensive Theban victory (as per history but through rather different circumstances).

Full thanks and credit must be given to the generals who gave their all to the battle, played it in great spirit and all generals were in no way disgraced by their endeavours (as it is a very hard battle for the Athenians to win). The generals have now progressed fully into the ranks of the wargaming hobby with battle deeds to recount (or rewrite) at length when tankards are full.on long winter nights.

The campaign is scheduled to continue in the autumn with the battle of First Mantinea 418 BC when the Argives will take on the Spartans. 

Delium BC 424 : Part V (The Athenian Right Wing Collapses)

As written in the fates the left wing Athenian cavalry perish, this brings the Athenian left wing to 75% demoralisation, one more stand and its use as an effective fighting force is gone. It is use it or lose it time for these Athenians (see below)

Meanwhile on the Athenian right wing another round of epic cavalry battling is enacted (see below):

With disastrous results for the Athenians as their bellowed "light horse" (on which the Athenian C-in-C had very high hopes) perishes, bring the Athenian left wing to 50% of its demoralisation total (see below):

All four wing combats had gone awry for the Athenians. As a measure of his stoic composure the Athenian C-in-C showed no signs (outwardly) of being ruffled and merely dressed his hoplite lines into a long contiguous front, very impressive (see below)

The Theban's sensing more blood came hard and fast against the Athenian right wing again (see below):

However this time the Athenian cavalry was up to the task and regained some of its former prestige. The Athenians repulsed the Theban attack and then drew back into a better defensive position (see below):

The Athenian C-in-C lined his hoplites "eyeball to eyeball" with their Theban adversaries, enticing them to "blink" and come off the hill. Indeed the Theban command was split on what to do next but the wishes of the C-in-C held sway and they waited not wanting to forgo the defensive advantages of their position (see below): 

Meanwhile the Theban Psilio set upon the Athenian camp but were rudely awakened from their thoughts of an easy victory by the Athenian "baggage handlers, camp followers and cooks" that vigorously defended their camp possessions (see below):

Note: This was rather unexpected from the DBA novices who had never seen a camp sacked (or attempted to) before.

To the accompaniment of a chorus of jeering Athenian laughter the Theban Psilio are successfully repulsed (this time), but as there is no immediate "rescue or relief operation" in place their ultimate fate may merely be a matter of time (see below):  

Next: There must be an Athenian "Plan B" but what is it?

Delium BC 424 : Part IV (The Mounting Crisis)

With the untimely death of their fellow Psilio, the remaining Athenian light infantry on the Athenian left sought the protection of the heavy Athenian hoplite infantry (see below):  

The situation was still fluid on the Athenian right wing. True, the outnumbered Athenian Psilio were now retiring, but the cavalry dance was still in play and the Athenian C-in-C was still looking for an opportunity to exploit the multi-move potential of his light horse (see below): 

The Theban general however cannily kept the Athenian light horse locked down with an enemy unit of cavalry within its "Zone of Control" ZOC (see below):

Precipitously the Athenian left wing commander (not the overall Athenian C-in-C) unilaterally thinks the time has come to try and force the outcome with hoplites in the middle of the battlefield as he has a small tactical 'evener' with the supporting Psilio now overlapping the Theban right on the hill. If he could turn the Theban flank then hill or no hill victory was still a possibility (see below):

The Athenian C-in-C is torn as there is still no clear winner on his right hand side flank. The Theban light infantry are advancing, hell bent of killing their Athenian counterparts but the Athenian cavalry could still "win the day" (see below)

He does not advance his hoplites, perhaps this "none move" could serve as an effective ruse to bring the Thebans off that "hill"?

Meanwhile the moment of truth has come for the Athenian cavalry (see below). In addition the Theban light Psilio seem much more interested in pillaging oot from the Athenian baggage train than assisting their static hoplites.

The Athenians gave a pause for some serious thought: 

• Athenian left wing: 2 Stands lost (with a third in deadly peril), 50% to demoralisation
• Athenian right wing: 1 Stand lost, 25% to the demoralisation total

Athenian army breakpoint is currently 25% (3 out of the 12 required) and against the above tally their have been no Theban casualties inflicted.

The Athenian right wing is in crisis. When outnumbered (as per the above cavalry) and with only one "recoil space" between you and your own baseline this is generally not a good position to be in. That stand can only be thought of as already lost, but "what" can you do in the time available before that happens?

Next: The Athenian response

Delium BC 424 : Part III (Fateful Combat)

The Thebans aggressively came forward on the Athenian left (see below):  

And the Athenian right (see below):

A series of shattering defeats shocked the Athenian C-in-C as first the Athenian Psilio on the right hand side died (see below): 

Followed by the Athenian left wing cavalry being mercilessly pushed back (see below):

And a stand of Athenian left wing Psillio also dying (see below):

Three combats, two defeats and a recoil. The only sensible move left for the Athenian is to "back off" on the Athenian left wing and 'fight to win' elsewhere (see below).

What is there an Athenian Plan B?

Delium BC 424 : Part I (Opening Moves as the Wings Jockey for Position)

The Generals sat comfortably (Thebans to the top, Athenians bottom, see below) with ale, coffee, water, biscuits, crisps and cakes to hand (who said wargamers aren't as dedicated as Olympic athletes? See below).

The historic scenario options (Theban 'deep phalanx' and 'Athenian characters' [aka Socrates and Alcibiades]) had not been chosen, so the Thebans were left sitting in a strong defensive position on a hill, lined toe-to-toe with the Athenians below them. Historically the Athenians initially "saw a chance" with the slight overlap in the main hoplite battle lines. In this replay however the Thebans had no reason (as yet) to leave their defensive position of strength, so the Athenians strategy revolved around getting the Thebans out of their comfort zone and off the hill. The Athenians boldly decided to take the initiative and "attack on the wings" hoping for 'good luck' with the dice along the way.  

The Athenian light Psilio on the left flank quickly crowded into the defensively good (at least for their troop type) 'rough' terrain, far away from the sound of advancing horses hooves (see below):

The Athenian right flank assumes a symmetric strategy as the Athenian cavalry keep pace with their light infantry (see below):  

The Thebans are keen to enter the game, as they perceive they have a slight tactical advantage in the fact they have two cavalry stands to their opponents one cavalry and one light horse stand. The Theban light troops are primarily interested in defending the ends of their hoplite battle line (see below):

The symmetry is again very noticeable (see below):

Although in a surprise move the Athenians on the right flank pull back, or are they seeking to exploit teh faster speed of the Athenian "light horse". With a good dose of pips it could in theory race past the slower Theban cavalry (see below):

The opening moves end with a tense sense of of expectation.

Next: First Clash of Arms

Return to Delium 424 BC : New Terrain

As a bit of a break from the WWII 'battalion attack' project I decided to take a fresh view of my recent BBDBA battle of Delium 424 BC in the Peloponnesian War. My last attempt was fun but suffered from a 'magnetic draw to the middle', as opposed to three separate [wing:middle:wing] engagements. I decided it would be fun making a bit of 'bespoke terrain' from the scraps and bits and bits and pieces lying around after the 'battalion attack' board making frenzy.

See below for the "Hill of Delium" and the flanking areas of 'rough' (I chose not to try and include the rivers diorama style as I wanted to keep the terrain simple for the novice players I intended to play it with) that separated the flanks from the hill:  

I mocked up what the overall battlefields should look like (see below):

As a start-up condition (non-standard BBDBA) deployment I was thinking of forcing the lights and cavalry of either side to deploy as a contiguous group to the left and right of the areas of rough group (see the next two photographs below):  

Note: The green cloth was just a "handy" mock-up prop that was not quite big enough but sufficed. 

If the historical Theban Phalanx option was chosen then the Athenians would have a gap to exploit on their right flank.

I was quite pleased with the 'look' of the terrain and the approximation to the challenges of Delium, but what would the players make of it?

BBDBA Delium 424 BC (Peloponnesian War) Part 4

Demoralisation and defeat of the Athenian Army in glorious "blow-by-blow technocolour"

The (now demoralised) left wing Athenian hoplite phalanx suffers the ignominious fate of being flanked and then completely routed (see pictures below, the outflanking through to the "coup de grace"):

Even the cavalry contest on the left goes badly (so to be expected as the right wing of the army is now demoralised), with the Athenian cavalry stand being killed, note how Alcibiadies' "light horse" standing forlornly alone in the Athenian backfield (see below):

Athenian Right Wing Losses: 0
Athenian Left Wing Losses: 5 (Demoralised)
Athenian Total Army Losses: 5 (Note: Only 12 needed to break whole army, almost half way)

Two Athenian hoplite stands fall (see below):

Athenian Right Wing Losses: 0
Athenian Left Wing Losses: 7 (Demoralised)
Athenian Total Army Losses: 7 (Note: Only 12 needed to break whole army, therefore over half way now)

The jaws close on the last left wing Athenian hoplite stands. Of the original DBA Army force only the "Light Horse" of Alcibiadides remains (his once in a game 'potent' +1 attack option rule having been long forgotten about by the Athenian player). The Theban "deep phalanx" doubling its opponents, as does a traditional group of Theban hoplites. The Athenian hoplites fall like leaves from the trees in autumn (see below): 

Athenian Left Wing Losses: 0
Athenian Left Wing Losses: 11 (Demoralised)
Athenian Total Army Losses: 11 (Only one more point required to reach the army breakpoint)

The Athenians push hard at the Thebans extreme left flank, the very flank the Athenian general Aristogoras dreamed of "turning quickly" earlier in the battle. Here is an unusual DBA contest of Cavalry (in bad going) defending against advancing hoplites (Spear) trying to slow down the hoplite advance and buy time (see below):  

It goes well for the Athenians killing one Cavalry (its retreated impossible in the bad going, blame the dice I say) and making a perilous situation for the other (see below):

Theban Right Wing Casualties: 1 (25% to breaking point)
Theban Left Wing Casualties: 2 (50% to breaking point)
Theban Total Army Casualties: 3 (25% of breaking point)

Again the Theban left wing suffers, but this time the Cavalry lives to "flee" to fight another day. The Theban left wing is battered but not broken (see below):

The Theban come back fresh, straight at the outflanked Athenian hoplites, rolling them up from the side. These are the final Athenian casualties being the 'straw that finally broke the camels' back. Two right wing hoplite stands so flanked die in close combat (see below, there is a big hole in the middle of the photograph "where" they used to be):

Athenian Right Wing Losses: 2 (50% to breaking point)
Athenian Left Wing Losses: 11 (Demoralised)Athenian Total Army Losses: 13 (army broken)

Victory, and a hard fought one at that, to the Thebans. They chant their Boetian paean (victory song), which roughly translates to "Athenians go Home!"

A nice battle and well played to all, the Theban C-in-C commander gets MVP as he persisted in a brave cavalry attack on the ford which ultimately helped turn the game. Rolling good dice in the Theban attack on the Athenian hoplite center also helped for sure. 

BBDBA Delium 424 BC (Peloponnesian War) Part 3

Push and Counter Push

The Athenian right wing pushed hard at the extreme Theban left. An isolated Theban psilio has been identified as a "vulnerable juicy target" and is double overlapped (gulp). As the Theban left wing commander I have to take full responsibility here. I was left with insufficient PiPs for what I needed to do. I could not pull back both of my psilio units on the left and ran the risk of losing more by reinforcing failure (see below).  

The inevitable happened as the Theban psilio descended to Hades (see below). The rest of the Theban left wing gives as good as it gets.

Theban Right Wing Losses:1 (25% to Demoralisation)
Theban Left Wing Losses: 1 (25% to Demoralisation)
Theban Total Army Losses: 2 (Still 10 to play with but every penny starts to count at this stage)

The Thebans go in hard on their right (see below, top) but tactically refuse on their left (see below, bottom). To their advantage the Thebans find that they can disengage their two 3Cv units from the Athenian 4Sp (a case of four legs better than two legs in getting out of trouble). The down side being that the 3Cv enter a region of "bad going", something they don't want to linger about in. The remaining Theban left wing psilio discreetly pulls back deeper into "bad going", but in its case feels much safer. 

The "crux of the game" occurs in the next few combat rolls in the "hoplite phalanx on phalanx" action. Firsly the Athenians survive a "6 to 1" roll against them and therefore recoil.

(Note: DBA/BBDBA Quantum physics calculations are, the Athenian Spears +4, supported by back rank of Spears when fighting Spears +1, with +1 rolled on the dice equals 6, versus Theban Spears +4, supported by back rank of Spears when fighting Spears +1, with +6 rolled on the dice equals 11)

The Athenians make it interesting by rolling another "1" and the Thebans roll a "5" but as they are now overlapped are doubled and destroyed.

(Note: DBA/BBDBA Quantum physics calculations are, the Athenian Spears +4, supported by back rank of Spears when fighting Spears +1, overlapped -1, with +1 rolled on the dice equals 5, versus Theban Spears +4, supported by back rank of Spears when fighting Spears +1, with +5 rolled on the dice equals 10)

Suddenly the Athenian left is on the brink of demoralisation with the Theban "deep phalanx" still to be brought into the attack. But alas for the Thebans the last two remaining combats result in "stands" (see below).

Athenian Right Wing Losses:3 (75% to Demoralisation)
Athenian Left Wing Losses: 0 (Untouched)
Athenian Total Army Losses: 3 (Still "9" to play with but the Athenian right is in a 'critical state')

Note: The northern cavalry battle has been pushed past the river line to the flank and rear of the Athenian left. Another "worry" for the Athenian Strategos to consider. 

The Athenians follow up on their right wing as best they can but only manage to shuffle back some hoplites and get within striking range of the vulnerable lights and horses for the "next go" (see below): 

Fearing inaction being the worse of strategies the Athenian sends his auxilla in to battle the Theban lights on his extreme left in the "bad going" (see below). His reasoning is sound as the two units of Theban hoplites are potentially vulnerable. The die roll is a straight "2 to 2" as the auxillia suffers from an overlap, but if luck stands with Athens these low combat rolls can be deadly, but to whom?
  

The crack of doom, the Athenian auxillia falls bravely in battle (see below):

Athenian Right Wing Losses:4 (Demoralised)
Athenian Left Wing Losses: 0 (Untouched)
Athenian Total Army Losses: 4 (Still "8" to play with but the all Athenian right is 'demoralised' and at the start of the next turn will suffer -2 to their combat factors)

Can the Athenian right perform a similar feat of destruction on the Theban left before there is a "bonfire of hoplites" on the Athenian left? The Thebans are next up!