ADLG - Game Report 276

Seleucid (42) vs Commagene (104)

For the final game I was facing Alex's Army of Commagene. This time I won the initiative and decided to defend in the plains. I chose the coastline to narrow the battlefield as I was concerned about the potential threat from Commagene light and medium cavalry. We deployed with the Cavalry Command in the centre ready to move in any direction that would seem to need it!

The enemy threatened both wings. On the Seleucid left the light cavalry and enemy cataphracts advanced to engage. While on our right the enemy elephant and sundry others were attempting to make an end-run through the plantation to my camp!

The Seleucid light cavalry was destroyed in the centre by the enemy, but they did buy time to allow the Argyraspide General to bring forward his pike unit and another to start driving forward to push back the enemy in the centre. On the right the elephant has been held by the Thorakiti. While on the left the infantry and cataphracts face off against the enemy cataphracts.

On the left I was surprised to see the Cataphracts withdraw, but at the same time the enemy reserves of bowmen and medium spearmen started to move forward to support them. On the right the remaining Pike phalanx and Thorakiti have managed to stabilise the situation.

In the centre the Argyraspide General has continued his pursuit of the enemy cavalry but they persistently refuse to vacate the field! On the right although the situation has stabilised the fight has not yet been won. Despite being assailed in the front and flank a unit of bowmen proves to be unreasonably resilient, and lucky at dice. On the left the Pikes are continuing to pursue the Cataphracts. While our own have moved forward with the aim of inflicting damage to the enemy reserves. The Galatians have pursued into the depth of the enemy position chasing a light cavalry unit that they caught in the rear as it was evading only for that unit to win to combat!

The Galatians were eventually destroyed when they should have been the ones doing the destroying! The enemy cataphracts have turned to fight, and now it is likely to be who comes out on top in the combats. The enemy have been defeated on the right, while the enemy light cavalry in the left rear of the battlefield is fighting of the attentions of legionaries and Thracians. In the centre the Militia and the Thracians are providing target practice for the Commagene bowmen.

The Commagene cataphracts are clearly well rested from their withdrawing and are now able to spring to life and engage and win. While the bowmen in the centre have run out of Seleucid targets to practice on.

Outcome

A hard fought game, where I lost several units due to carelessness, excellent shooting and over extending my lines. A win for Commagene on losing 16 of their 25.

The final result, and a lower finish in the final results table than I would have liked, was one win, one mutual and four losses. Overall, this was a very rewarding and enjoyable competition against some very pleasant and convivial opponents – thank you all. A competition which I would like to repeat next year.

Lessons Learnt

Another, perhaps, overly aggressive battle conducted by the Seleucids.

Lessons Learnt from the competition

If anyone who is considering participating in an ADLG event overseas is concerned that there may be language barriers, fear naught. In my experience the ADLG rules provide an excellent common language which is well understood by all players.

Playing in UK there seems to be a trend to equip one's army with the units that are most capable of surviving and defeating one's opponent. From my limited experience it seems that our continental colleagues often take a more imaginative approach to army design, where light troops have a clearly defined role for them.

They certainly use a lot of light troops to either move around their opponents flank and to extend the width one must defend. Alternatively, where they have more than the opponent they will use them aggressively to try and win the covering force battle by destroying ones own light troops. This of course gives them much more freedom and room for their own manoeuvring.

Based on this experience there is much more willingness to, if necessary, redeploy their army before making contact. Of course, when all you have are slow moving cataphracts and pikes there isn’t much you can do to stop them doing so.

Final lesson was stop trying to use magnetic bases on lead figures when travelling!