Reading List (Update)

Book I: The Spartan Army: 

Reading more about Sparta is simply fascinating. The more you read, slowly the more you realise how little we actually know and the bits we tend to focus on (or rather I should say "I focused on") namely the cultivated depiction of "The 300" and all events surrounding the Persian invasion, are the exception rather than the norm. Greek unity was the exception, out of context from the general flow of Greek history, as the Greeks were a quarrelsome lot who spent most of the time fighting each other. I found Lazenby's book (see below) a medium to hard read but was worth it for the post Peloponnesian War information, as in Sparta's fall from grace. "Hubris" always seems to be the bane of the Ancient Greek civilisations (see below):

Book II: The Soul of Battle (Thebes/Sherman/Patton)

Following on from Sparta's history was the ascent of Thebes by the hands a brilliant general called Epaminondas, who in Victor Hansons "The Soul of Battle", takes war to Sparta. I knew about the Boetian victory at Leuctra (371 BC) but I was unaware of the follow up campaign by Epaminondas to march throughout Sparta laying waste to its territory and creating the political security for the Helots to free themselves from Spartan rule, thus destroying in one swift blow the previously untouchable Spartan power base (Helots doing all the work for them and they can train for war) for all time. After Epaninondas, "The Soul of Battle" goes on to describe two other historical "marches" by democratic armies. I traveled with Sherman through Georgia (which stirred some ACW Wargaming interest) and I am presently starting Patton's journey (which begs for a 1/300 US Armoured Division to play with) through the Reich. Plenty of happy reading ahead (see below):

Next - Book III: Greek Lives: 

Now I have cleared up to the ascent of Thebes and before I attempt to start reading a pile of books marked Alexander (and behind them another pile of books marked Rome [2015?]) I intend to take a reflective look at the Greeks through Plutarch's "Greek Lives" (see below):  

Seeing as Alexander is the ninth Greek it seems to be a good transition book to link the two periods together.

A nice plan but let's see if I get distracted ;)

Post Peloponnesian War and Pre Alexander: Thebes and Xenophon

The Song of Wrath (documenting the first ten years of the of the Peloponnesian War proper) is now read. 

Not an easy read but well worth it, as "The Peloponnesian War" to me now displaces the Persian Wars as the defining period of Greek Hoplite warfare. 

Ancient Greek politics/life was certainly a dark, dangerous and sinister place to visit as your current 'best friends' were never your friends for very, very long.

So in the end (with Persian help) Sparta wins the Peloponnesian War, so then what? Along comes Thebes to challenge its hegemony but where to "read all about it"?

Reading Plan:

Lazenby will tell the history to 'the fall of Sparta at Leuctra' at the hands of their former Boeotian allies the sturdy agricultural Thebans. Victor Davies Hanson tells of the mercurial Epaminondas and his cunning plan in "Soul of Battle".

I am waiting for the latter to travel from America courtesy of an Amazon order. That gives me a chance to look at Xenophon and  where a lot of Greeks found gainful employment in Persia after The Peloponnesian Wars:

It does not look an easy read, so I might well bed myself in first via Manfredi's novel:

And Waterfield's :

Plenty of reading to be done, just as well as I am back on the caffeine ;)

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 II (Clash of Arms)

On the left cavalry wing the Athenian 'feels lucky' and 'wants to get on with it' (must be Alcibiades leading from the front) and charge to contact, all they need now is 'good dice' (see below): 

However all that happens is a stand off as the horses are "locked in melee" (see below):

In the subsequent round the Thebans score a telling blow on the Athenian Light Horse (alas for Alcibiades a promising career cut short, but perhaps in the long run it would have been all the better for Athens). First blood to Thebes (see below):

The light s are also now within 'insult throwing and rude gesticulations' range but not combat (see below):

Over on the Athenian right flank the lights close to combat as the cavalry "dance" (see below):

The lights on the left flank 'bounce' in and out of a bloodless first round of combat (see below):

The posturing has stopped, the Athenians have been unsuccessful in the initial cavalry skirmish but there are three other light/wing battles still to resolve.

What will the Athenians do next? Continue at the edges or try and force the issue in the middle?

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?