ADLG - Game Report 198

Seleucid (42) vs Sahelian Empire (209)

I hoped for better things against Mark’s Sahelian Empire and its hosts of camels. Once again I was attacking in the Plain. My deployment was similar to the previous game but with the Cavalry command on the left, with the two commands to the right. However, I decided to refuse the right, at least initially.

We advanced bravely to attack the enemy, I clearly wanted to try and have my horses avoid the camels to avoid then being panicked by these strange beasts. And once again my scythed chariots couldn’t avoid hitting the enemy light infantry.

And of course the scythed chariot died on contact against the lights. On my right the enemy camels brushed aside the Thureophoroi with contemptuous ease, leaving the elephant very exposed. I am trying hard to entice anyone to fall on my pikes, but the Sahelian’s are wise to my intentions and keep holding back to draw me out.

I don’t think one heavy impact cavalry unit against 3 camels on the right is fair odds, do you? But if it buys some time it may be sufficient. In the centre the Pikes continue to search for enemy to fight and on the left have succeeded in pinning some camels.

We have had a modicum success in the centre by destroying a bow unit, but that is about as good as it gets. On the right the elephant has been destroyed along with both of its escorts. While on the left the elephant there has succumbed to the attentions of some light infantry.

Outcome

A Sahelian Empire victory by 7 to 21.

Lessons Learnt

A good opponent knows how to avoid the perils of attacking pikes and thus avoids contact.

The weakness of numbers is starting to tell.

ADLG - Game Report 197

Seleucid (42) vs Seleucid (42)

So here we were back to Beachhead 2025 for 25mm ADLG competition “March of the Funnies”. The Army had to have 2 elephants, 2 camels or 2 war wagons. Hence the design of my Seleucids with the two elephants, all 3D printed and described here in more detail. The trials of the army design in 15mm and 28mm had gone reasonably well, and therefore I was confident that I would be okay in the competition, but perhaps in hindsight that was a little too optimistic.

The army was composed of two approximately equal commands commanded by brilliant generals, with a heavy impact cavalry unit, Pikes, elephants, Thracians and Thureophoroi, with one having a scythed chariot. The final command was a small cavalry command with more heavy impact cavalry and light cavalry.

The first battle was against Charles’s Seleucid, for what would be a Successor civil war. I went for a classic line of pikes with the two brilliant commanders and out on the right the cavalry. I was rewarded with the option of attacking, which I accepted and with an attack in the plains.

On my left I was now faced with two elephants to my one. For his part Charles decided to refuse the centre, and at the same time moved his left command more to the left.

The advantage of refusing he centre becomes apparent as my flanks start to become exposed. Not least because my Cavalry command has been bested by the enemies cavalry. On the left the sole elephant there has been severely damaged.

My left elephant has been destroyed and the enemy are about to seize the advantage by attacking my left wing. On the right the enemy pikes are not giving ground to my elephant which means that the flank of the elephant is now exposed.

The left flank continues to hold its own, but the enemy centre has now engaged us successfully in the centre. The final elephant has been wounded by the enemy pikes. That is in spite of the Thracians on the flanks of the enemy pikes. Also the Thureophoroi have out performed themselves by inflicting damage on the pikes, but the looming threat of the enemy cavalry to their right flank is of concern. My remaining cavalry is seeing some solace by trying to overrun a bow unit.

Outcome

We timed out the game and I eagerly accepted the result of a losing draw by inflicting 9 losses to receiving 19 in return (2 hits away from breaking!)

Lessons Learnt

It looks like the army is a little light on numbers.

I lacked concentration of effort, I should have moved right and attacked the enemy left more aggressively.

The single scythed chariot did not achieve a lot, but it did look pretty!

ADLG - Game Report 196

Seleucid (42) vs Classical Indians (79)

For the final pre-Beachhead warm-up and test game I fought Kevin’s Indians. An old foe that we were familiar with and had bested at least once before. For this match-up I brought out the 28mm Army in all its splendour, but would it perform as good as it looks.

Both of our armies were 3D printed and we had been sharing experiences of our learning experiences of 3D printing as we assembled our armies. If our elephants look the same, this is because they are. However, for mine I grafted onto the model some Greeks to replace the Indians!

The Scythed Chariot finally makes contact, but against the elephant, which did not go well for the Chariot.

However, the pikes and their supports were doing much better, and the odds were in their favour on that flank. Whereas the odds on the Greek right were less encouraging. Would the holding command be able to hold?

The Thureophoroi on the right flank of the pikes has done exceedingly well in severely damaging the Indian 2 handed cutters! While the pikes for their part continue to close in for the kill. On the Grek right the holding action is delaying the Indians.

The Greek right has done its job in buying time for the pikes to come into contact. Especially the Thureophoroi who gave their all once the Indian Elephant conformed to them! However, with the pikes turning the Indian’s right and preparing to move down the line the battle swings in favour of the Greeks.

Outcome

A win for the Greek’s by 25 to 21 with the Greek’s one hit from breaking themselves.

Lessons Learnt

The question of whether the Army was going to be large enough to sustain losses and win would come back to haunt me at Beachhead.

Despite the figures being 3D printed with relatively brittle resin, we only had very minor breakage of our figures during and after the game; they are robust enough for battle even with dice flying across the board.

ADLG - Game Report 195

Seleucid (42) vs Seleucid (42)

After a bit of discussion with Kevin and a review of other Seleucid orbats from the hive mind provided by the ADLG Wiki of the Madaxeman, I put together a revised orbat for the Seleucid army. This one was based on two approximately equal commands of pikes, elephants and peltasts, and a smaller cavalry command. First offer of battle for this revised orbat came from Robin who put out a Seleucid enemy for me to face – a prophetic choice as the competition at Beachhead would be replete with Greek pike armies!

I was attacking in the plain. I deployed the weak cavalry command on the right with its two Heavy Cavalry, a Light Cavalry and two light infantry. In the centre was the CinC with his three pikes, elephants and two peltasts, and a brace of Heavy and Light Cavalry, along with a Scythed Chariot for its shock value. On the left the composition was similar to the centre but lacked the Light Cavalry and the Scythed Chariot.

The line advanced as best as it could. In the centre the Light Cavalry are trying to protect the chariot from missile fire. However, despite the CinC’s brilliance in the centre he lacked the command points to adequately manoeuvre his command the way his deployment demanded.

The impetuosity of the Scythed Chariot demanded that it charge the enemy light troops which of course won the combat! As the lines contact each other the CinC’s pikes have come off a decidedly second best! However, on the right the Thracians have destroyed their opponent and are now in a position to support the cavalry, if required, to support the cavalry which have flanked the enemy elephant.

The enemy elephant avoids disaster against my Cavalry and sound beats them, even with my Thracians to their rear. At the same time the other enemy elephant has destroyed my Elephant and which is now capable of manoeuvring against the Thracians rear. In the centre one of the CinC’s pikes has been destroyed but the Argyraspids have destroyed their opponent and have now wheeled on to the flank of another pike unit.

Outcome

A win for Robin’s Seleucids by 22 to 17. On reflection this could have gone either way.

Lessons Learnt

The CinC needs to get lucky on his die rolls to be able to command all of these units in the first round.