Zoom Version of Hydaspes 326 BC

Normally I associate wargaming with actively moving toy soldiers around a board, measuring up angles, rolling dice and then despairing looking at the CRT when the "plans of mice and men" go awry. In this new pandemic environment, by being made to do things at a distance, for example via Zoom, changes all that. More often than not, planning becomes the paramount and a major part of the enjoyment, as you become in many ways a spectator to the main event. Especially when trying to fit the game all into a neatly allotted precious time-slot which means keeping it simple for the umpire. Small boards but still great fun. 

The Alexandrian battle of Hydaspes against the Indian King Porus has been on my "to do" list for ages so I jumped at the chance when the Sheffield crew put is on. My job was as the Indian cavalry and chariot commander was to remove the Alexandrian cavalry from the equation, quite a tall order when you know they have Alexander! Note: Not being there, also limits artistic license in taking pretty photos so instead I tried to capture proceeding via "sketch maps" (see below photographs below): 

"Phase I" the opening moves of the battle, send forth the elephants of war! :- The Indian elephants charge forward intent on wrecking the Alexandrian Phalanxes and their neatly ordered and echelon battle line, Alexander however counters with his cavalry and light troops and the Indians counter his counter with their cavalry, getting confused? I was! (see below, the elephants are knowingly sent on a one-way mission) 

"Phase II" Elephants gone, send forth the arrow storm to darken the skies" :- Dead elephants litter the battlefield, causing mayhem even in their dying moments, with one one the Alexandrian Phalanxes a little bit bent after meeting one. Plan A thwarted, Plan B in Porus' mighty tactical encyclopedia was consulted, that being to let forth a volley of mass destruction upon the still menacingly approaching Phalanxes (see below, to the left and right flank the cavalry battles has descended into a swirling melee, which looked to be going the Indian way. I think Alexander was now hoping the Phalanxes would do the job in the center):  

Courtesy of the umpire an aerial view at the Hydaspes at the "in the balance" midway point (see below, there is at least some form of a rough correlation from sketch map to actual tabletop, albeit the distances distorted slightly - the elephants are long gone now!):

"Phase III" Cavalry kill cavalry and the Phalangites go in :- Sometimes the main bodies of infantry 'never go in' in wargames, things being settled by the action on the flanks. Respect must therefore be heaped upon Alexander's Phalanxes for 'going in' - despite the elephants best efforts and despite the arrow swarm (that kept falling from the skies until the very last moment). Depleted Phalanxes versus Indian sword wielding bowmen (see below, I think it was safe to say that the cavalry were very much 'keeping up appearances' on the flanks, waiting to see the result of the infantry battle): 

"Phase IV" Brutally contested close combat and the Phalanxes "break" :- The echelon of Phalanxes hit the massed Indian bowmen. After an initial success on the Indian left(Alexandrian right), the depleted phalangites of the middle and Indian right (Alexandrian left) give way. Elephants, arrows and now huge Indian broadswords - is all too much for the homesick Macedonians. Alexander cannot help, he is locked up in the cavalry battle still, the Companions are not having it all their own way at all today. Worse still for Alexander, Porus is at the right spot and at the right time to tip things subtly in the Indian way. The two center and Alexandrian left Phalanxes now break, all is lost, despair and fear grip the Alexandrian Army. The Indians are buoyed by their success. Alexander decides enough is enough and withdraws what he can, badly beaten but still alive. A long march 'home' to Babylon awaits him, history is rewritten, albeit the last chapter of his still successful career.

A great game and lovely painted soldiers, the Zoom pictures didn't do the 20mm HaT (Macedonians) miniatures justice (I think the Indians were 20mm metal [Newline?]) but here is a view of the Indian 'nicely painted' forces sent by Simon the umpire (see below, "blue" seems to be their "good luck" colour):  

The rules used were a variant of Neil Thomas' Ancients rules (Note: Not the One Hour Wargame ones). As for the 'battle sketches', an interesting way of depicting the battle without fiddling about for Zoom screenshots? Yes, but is it Art? More importantly is it not time for me to paint up my Xyston 15mm Alexandrian Army that is languishing around in a box in the attic and then get myself a 15mm Indian army? 

The end of an Indian Summer (DBMM Battle V)

Nothing can be said against the fighting spirit of the Indians, as again and again on the Roman left the Indian mounted forces came at the Legion. the Indian commander cursed the sheer amount of PiP points he needed to successfully control his irregular and impetuous troops. Again he cursed the Roman "scorpion" artillery for causing costly PiP point disarray to his battle lines. The result was a piecemeal combat as the Indian troops were fed in dribs-and-drabs rather than one robust wave of death delivering a mounted apocalypse (see "the last Indian huzzah" below):

The result was never really in doubt, the only surprise was how few Roman casualties there actually were (see below). The Roman Legion in the top half of the picture has just performed another "anti-cavalry" surge forward (see previous post for more details of this dubious tactical rules twist).

Back in the center only a few residual Indian troops remained. The central Indian (main) command had already taken two thirds of the casualties needed to break it (see below). True the Gaul's too were taking casualties, but as they were a 'minor command' the exchange rate was good for the Romans. The summer harvest of Indian wheat was soon to come to an end as the Indian reserve line of elephants wee being mustered just out of camera shot for a devastating counter attack.

Crunch, "Nelly" takes out the Gaul warband leader but it is already too late for the Indian cause (see below). The Indian mounted right wing shatters and a few points in the middle will seal it for the Romans. The hoards on the Indian left never got into the fight and the Roman Legions are all still pristine and intact. Pax Romana!  

The only melancholy moment for the Roman command is the near complete annihilation of the Gauls. Some say they were left to die as once 'victorious' Gauls become a liability and Romans don't have to pay dead allied mercenaries from their treasury. A Gaulish tribe denuded of its menfolk soon becomes fodder for the expanding Roman empire. As a rising star of Rome, the Console in command of the Roman forces congratulates himself on a brilliant victory, however nobody notices the silent shadow of the Gaul's Druid shaman leaving the Roman kitchen area. The Console had such a liking for fine Gaul wine it will soon be his own poisoned undoing. The shaman knows his fate will soon be entwined with a Roman sword, but at least his fallen brethren will have been avenged to some degree.  

The Roman Garden Strimmer of Death (DBMM Battle IV)

The clatter of broken wheels, chariot and horses ushered in the demise of a Heavy Indian War Chariot (see below):

It had to come:
Then the long awaited session of "bickering DBM style" (and unfortunately still part of the DBMM experience) of "yes you can, oh no you can't" movement and "Zone of Control" quibbling (yawn). The Roman procrastination (I can say that as I was a nominally Gaulish Roman commander) finally relinquished over the disputed "5mm" in question (see below), I kid you not! Anyway we eventually got on with it and rolled the dice. The result was that the Indian's formed a cohesive supporting line, but did no damage to the Roman line.

On the Indian left flank the "masses" of untrained hoard and inferior auxillia edged slowly forwards each other (see below):

Meanwhile another Heavy Indian War Chariot dies, along with a base or Cavalry (see below). It's not looking at all good here for the Indians! What about those Gauls in the center?

Answer: Hellishly brutal, more Indian Blade elements disappear (see below):

This danger to the Indian forces is followed up by a deadly flank turn by the already victorious warbands of the earlier rounds and the committal of the final three angry Gaul warbands to the fray (see below):

The Indian center looks like it is going to 'pop'.

Next: Snap, Crackle and Pop

The Gauls of Doom: The Warband Lawnmower is Released (DBMM Battle III)

The ineffectual Indian arrow storm from the massed bows had the rather predictable effect as they continued to rain down on the mass of Gaulish warbands (DBMM rules note: Again if the 'correct' modifiers [+1 combat effectiveness of bows not being fired at] had been applied then maybe/probably fatalities may/would have followed ... but instead) enraged warbands took 'outcome' moves shuffling forwards (see below):

Boy those Gauls do look angry and they seem to be "just within" a healthy charge distance of those annoying Indian bows (see below):

A long line of Gauls, including two 'particularly vicious' double warbands supported by light Psilio (soak-offs) manage to hit the Indian archers (see below). The Indian commander starts to look rather nervous and fingers his dice anxiously. 

Meanwhile the "hoards" and "riff-raff" on the Inadian left and Roman right practice marching and turning to face the enemy in parade ground fashion (see below):

On the Roman left and Indian right the Roman "Legion" reveals its "cunning plan", a planned surge at the Indian Chariots (DBMM rules note: On the Legion's turn attacking the chariots seems to make sense by lessening the deadliness of the Indian Chariot's combat factors and the Legion counting attacking overlaps in its favour despite fighting mounted - there was some earnest discussion as to the correct combat modifier interpretation of the latter point). Please also note the flanking move to 'close the gate' on that rightmost Indian Chariot, ow! Good dice will be needed in its combat now (see below):

Meanwhile in the middle of the battlefield the Gaulish warbands attacks are resolved. Stunned silence from the Indian commander as the Gaulish 'lawnmower of death' simply  "removed from play with no thought to the notion of dignity" the double ranks of Indian bows, leaving only outflanked isolated pockets of Indian bowmen to continue a token of resistance (see below):  

The Indian cannot be looking forward to the next round as there are three other equally dangerous warbands just wanting to get stuck in to the attack too. Perhaps the Indian will receive  better news from the chariot versus legion battle?

Rules Note:
Apart from the earnest "chariot v legion" rule discussion(s) DBMM seems to be playing quite well and sensible. Things seem to be fighting in 'formational blocks' which makes historical sense of sorts.

Next: The Carnage and Confusion Mount ...

Gaul's Do It Best When They Are Drunk (DBMM Battle Part II)

The Gauls surge forward, a tight bound mass of heaving sweating warbands fronted by a line of light Psiloi, taking full advantage of the rough ground as a hiding place from the Indian mounted (see below): 

A downside to this cunning plan is the double ranked bank of Indian bows about to "darken the skies" with a thunderstorm of arrows (see below):

The result was predictable, with most but not all of the line of "lights" running to the back of the warband for shelter. Presumably the warband are too drunk to notice (see below). No fatalities which was a huge bonus. (Footnote: After battle analysis revealed a missing DBMM modifier that was not applied. When 'bow' fires but is not fired back at, there should be a +1 modifier in their favour. Which means by laws of statistics one or more of those Psiloi would have been as dead as a Monty Python parrot. Also so much for the players who had read the rules from cover to cover, this was only the third time the Indians had fielded a mass or archers, methinks even the Roman could have pointed this out!).

On the Indian right their mounted surge forward. As part of a cunning anti-mounted tactic the "Legion" have spent their PiPs deploying a curious tactical group into another rough area. A 'flawed' secure flank or a 'sally point', only time will tell (see below):    

Subtle modifications, the "Legion" moves up just out of camera shot to the right and the Auxillia of the "Legion" lining the rough form the flank of an 'L' (see below): 

Meanwhile over on the Roman right, the "other Legion" hugs the hill like their mothers beast to protect them against vicious looking Indian War Chariots, while a 'mish-mash' of other troop types are pushed (probably against their will) around the Indian left flank (see below):  

I have to confess, certainly up to this point the DBMM rules seem to be playing very well, with a pleasing looking historical troop blocks and no bickering quibbles.



Next: More Arrows and the Warband's Charge of Death or Gory Glory

When India fought Rome (DBMM Battle Part I)

Joining in as a tactical General to the local Redcar war gamers on going (hypothetical) ancients campaign I was given a command in a Roman Army being attacked by Alexandrian Indians. I was in charge (if such a thing is possible) of an allied contingent of Warband Gauls (see below far left, with the Legion on the right): 

The impressive Indian Army faced us off (see below). Standing on a hill and looking down on the stoic Roman forces there seemed to be an awful lot of them and rather worryingly a lot of mounted, hence the Roman General's choice of as much rough terrain as possible please.

Two "Legions" seemed to be involved on the Roman side. The main battle-line plus a diversionary one placed off to the left (see below). His General was told to amuse and distract the Indian left by taking hold of and then sitting on a large hill. 

Meanwhile a host of Indian Hoards would most likely assail it (see below). The sighting of multiple mounts of Elephants caused some concern in the Roman/Gaul camp. The Roman C-in-C's plan seemed rather simple "Get the Gaul's drunk and let them do all the fighting" and then see what happens.

This would also be an interesting run out for the DBMM rules now that some of the players professed to have actually read them cover to cover (hold the front page). Would this help considering the absence of an impartial umpire? Time would tell!

Next: Clash of Cultures