Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

[Mike Bard]

Historicon 2005 AAR Report
The Greek Point of View...

Through kidney stone, enforced hospital stay till Wednesday evening,
possible heat stroke, exhaustion, and Zeus knows what else, I was STILL able
to make it to Historicon. It was a (close to) hoplite theme and I WAS GOING
no matter what!

As per original plan, I only played in the theme tournament on Friday.
Sadly, I wasn't in the best condition, but other than during the second game
(for which I apologize), I wasn't too bad off.

I also managed to drag down two of the new players we've gotten hooked up
here in Toronto - one Noel White who brought his gorgeous Alexandrian
Macedonians to the theme, and Dean who brought his Patrician Romans to play
various open games.

Yes, Warrior is growing bigger and ever bigger up here in the Great White
North and soon, soon, it'll TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!! BRAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAA!

<cough><cough>

Anyway, with the boring pre-amble over, it's on to the combat reports!

General Note: I did take notes during each bound (except during the second
battle -- sorry Derek but I was only partially there) so these reports have
at least a modicum of accuracy. Any errors are mine, as are any mistakes.
And, contrary to what I may say, I won all three games -- or so it says at
the shrine of Delphi where I dedicated my spoils!

Take that history! :)

The forces of civilization (Hellenistic Greek) consisted of the following:

Spartan CinC plus Bodyguard - 2E Reg B HC L
Greek Cavalry - 2E Reg B HC L
Spartiates - 2E Reg B HI LTS Sh, 2E Reg B MI LTS Sh
Spartiates - 2E Reg B HI LTS Sh, 2E Reg B MI LTS Sh
Hoplites - 1E Reg C HI LTS Sh, 5E Reg D HI LTS Sh, 6E Reg D MI LTS Sh
Hoplites - 1E Reg C HI LTS Sh, 5E Reg D HI LTS Sh, 6E Reg D MI LTS Sh
Hoplites - 2E Reg C HI LTS Sh, 2E Reg D MI LTS Sh
Hoplites - 2E Reg C HI LTS Sh, 2E Reg D MI LTS Sh
Mercenary Thureophorai - 1E Reg C LHI LTS JLS Sh, 1E Reg C LMI LTS JLS Sh
Mercenary Thureophorai - 1E Reg C LHI LTS JLS Sh, 1E Reg C LMI LTS JLS Sh
Mercenary Thureophorai - 1E Reg C LHI LTS JLS Sh, 1E Reg C LMI LTS JLS Sh
Javelinmen - 6E Reg C LI JLS Sh
Javelinmen - 6E Reg C LI JLS Sh
Javelinmen - 4E Reg C LI JLS Sh
Slingers - 6E Reg C LI S Sh
Archers - 6E Reg C LI B
Artillery - 2E Reg C Art, 3 crew
Tarrantine LC - 2E Reg C LC JLS Sh (wedge)
Tarrantine LC - 2E Reg C LC JLS Sh (wedge)

The basic plan was to create a wall of hoplites with the Thureophorai and
cavalry as a reserve. The artillery would be on one flank to defend against
cavalry outflanking maneuvers. It didn't work quite as intended... And
yes, the single command was intentional. Being all foot I found that I
didn't need that many prompts, and with the hoplite rules I could generally
counter-charge anything that charged me.

Game 1: Versus Tim Grimmett playing Galatian

Terrain consisted of a wood on my far left against Tim's edge of the table
that played no role in the battle, and a gentle hill on my far right near
the centre of the table.

I actually outscouted Tim and watched him deploy his army before doing
anything. He had large blocks of JLS LMI barbarians, light chariots,
scythed chariots, one block of 18 MC, and a handful of LI. The LI was
deployed on my far right against the edge of the table, the barbarian LMI in
the middle, interspersed with chariots to cause unease, and the MC deployed
on my far left. Scythed Chariots were deployed at regular intervals in
front of his lines (he had 6 or so).

I deployed the line of hoplites opposite his line with the Thureophorai in
reserve, leaving 1 element gaps for the Tarrantines to move through. The LI
JLS were force marched in front of my lines, and the archers and slingers
were deployed in front of the hoplites. The HC were deployed in reserve
behind the foot lines. The artillery was deployed on my left to defend
against flanking maneuvers by his MC.

Tactical Plan: My basic idea was to refuse my left, advance aggressively on
my right and break through his army there. The light troops were shoved
forward to figure out where all the Irreg As were and activate them so that
they would NOT hit my line in a consolidated line.

Bound 1: The lines advanced. I moved my LI and LC aggressively to start the
scythed chariots a rolling ASAP to neutralize them.

Bound 2: The Scythed Chariots charge the LC and LI which evade. 1xLI JLS is
shaken. 1 of his LCh drives off a block of LI (they evade and pass their
waver test and are NOT shaken).

Bound 3: The Scythed Chariots continue trundling forward as my hoplites park
on top of the hill and watch them. LCh charges shake the rest of my LI JLS.

Bound 4: Scythed Chariots start reaching exhaustion (I wasted some shooting
at them) and die. One of his LCh attempt to evade one of my Tarrantine
units and fail -- they are contacted and routed. Two blocks of barbarian
infantry favour their waver check.

Sadly, my HC, which I've become very paranoid with due to always fighting
Scythians and Alexandrians who have total cavalry superiority, were behind
the right end of my line as a reserve. The non-general unit starts moving
over to exploit but arrives too late.

Bound 5: The Barbarian MC have been skirmishing with my Art and eating the
shots (I had no problem with that) and they finally charge, I roll down 1
doing only 30 instead of 36, and end up destroyed. Nobody is close enough
to care. One of my LI JLS units that has been stuck at the front of his
army is finally routed by a LCh charge and the scythed chariots continue
trundling forward.

The last of the Scythed Chariots impact disordered, tired, AND uphill into a
12 element block of hoplites and dies.

Bound 6: The main infantry lines continue to close. The two big blocks of
hoplites advance in the middle as my LI/LC have confirmed no Irreg As in his
main line. One unit of Spartiates and a Peltast unit, with the General on
the hill behind, advance on the far right behind another 4 element block of
hoplites. It turns out that the hoplites on my far right were a bit tight
which caused some problems and possibly cost me the game... Read on.

Bound 7: The barbarians on my far right charge the 4 element block of Reg
C/Reg D hoplites and rout them. THEY are the Irreg As. Fortunately the
Spartiates don't care and there is a one element corridor for the Hoplites
to run away through whilst the Spartiates look on with disdain and have time
to reform to hold the line. The main lines continue to close. On the far
left the 2 element block of Lance armed HC watch the barbarian MC. I keep
them out of javelin range but am ready to charge the tired MC if I have a
chance. The MC remain cautious. Reserve hoplite units on my far left (4
element groups) advance now that the far left is not threatened with a break
through.

Bound 8: Two barbarian units charge one of the 12 element hoplite blocks.
One unit is routed, the other recoils. The hoplites continue to advance.
Note that Tim hit the big block with 2 barbarian units, each of 24 figures
or so. Sadly, his dice weren't nice to him.

Bound 9: The cavalry on the far left continue to dance as the two big blocks
of hoplites in the middle advance. I line up the Spartiates against the
right edge of the table 2 deep, and have a 2 element block of Peltasts
beside them to form a 3 element line against the 3 element line of tired
Irreg As. The Irreg As on my far right charge the Spartiates and the
Peltasts. The Peltasts roll down, the Irreg A's roll up. The Spartiates
recoil disordered and the Peltasts rout.

The Spartiates pass their waver check (they are Spartiates after all!) but
the big block of hoplites advancing against routing warbands FAILS. One of
the warbands opposite it IS in rout, the other is disordered and recoiling
and WILL rout next bound... except the block sees the stupid Peltasts die
and shake.

Bound 10: A hoplite block on my far left charges the big block of MC which
is engaged with the small block of HC and wipe it out. The left 12 element
block of hoplites continues to advance victoriously. The right 12 element
block is charged by LI and LCh and routs (it WAS shaken). My general
performs a flank charge on the Irreg As and rout them except that they STILL
rout the Spartiates. . The LI Slingers and Archers fail their waver
checks and that breaks my army.

Concluding Thoughts: I should have been more aggressive with my cavalry as I
had superiority, but that's hindsight. Given the games I played, keeping
them as a reserve was the right thing to do, and it did save my right flank
from the Irreg As. Because they weren't in position I lost my best chance
to break him. The only other mistake was lining the peltasts up with the
spartiates to hold off the Irreg As. Given the die rolls it was stupid, but
tactically it wasn't. Maybe I should have held them back both as a second
wave punch into the barbarians, AND to make sure that if the Spartiates were
routed, if the Peltasts went the middle would be too far away to care. That
probably would have been wiser, but I thought it'd be better to have a wider
line, and the odds were against them routing. Oh well.

So, once again Delphi is sacked, though the records show that my army was
victorious and drove off the Galatians!

Good job Tim.

Game 2: Versus Derek Downs playing Seleucid

Terrain consisted of a hill on my left, and a woods on my far right in
Derek's deployment area.

I have to admit that this is the worse game I played the whole weekend. I
think I was just exhausted and hadn't gotten my "second wind", or I may just
be making excuses. Anyway Derek, I apologize as I wasn't the best person to
be around then and I hope you won't hold my actions in this game as typical.

Derek's army was, to me anyway who used to play Seleucid decades ago, really
weird. There were 3-4 blocks of 4-8 phalangites, three 2 element blocks of
lancers, 2 huge 12 element blocks of MI B, a bit of LI, a bit of LC, and 4
elephants. He also had a couple of Thureophorai and one unit of Thracians.
I BELIEVE I outscouted Derek, but I could be wrong. If so I apologize.

I deployed the big blocks of hoplites on my far left and the smaller units
in an arc on my right. One LI JLS was placed opposite one elephant group
along with the archers, and all of the peltasts were placed opposite the
other along with the artillery.

Tactical Plan: I was going to advance aggressively on my far left, kill his
big archer block, and then exploit with hoplites. My right was designed to
fall back and delay. On my left the archers were my primary anti-elephant
weapon, and the peltasts were designated against the elephants on my right.

Note: As mentioned, this game is NOT as well documented as the others and I
apologize.

Bound 1: Both lines approach.

Bound 2: Hoplites advance on the left. I watch as all his cavalry and loose
troops, advance on my left aggressively and realize that I left far too few
troops to hold them off along with his archers. Yes, let's put the SMALL
hoplite blocks to hold off a 12 element block of archers... that's the
ticket!

At this point I can see that I'm screwed as I KNOW I can't hold my right for
very long, and have to cross the entire table width on my left to get at
something I can hurt. Plus, I have no idea what the archers are going to do
to the 12 element block of hoplites. Dutifully I continue to advance,
stupidly advancing to quickly on my left and developing a gap in my line
that will later kill me...

Bound 3: Light skirmish, not much happens. Troops advance on my left, right
holds.

The rest is generally sequential, but not organized by bound...

- Derek advances on my right, delays on my left. The archers on my right
start shooting and do damage but nothing significant. Cavalry circles
waiting for a gap.
- One unit of Tarrantines sees a cheesy flank charge on the archers flank
and I figure I might as well try as they are shieldless and if I CAN break
them I can solve my concerns on my right. Of course, if I'd checked the
numbers I'd have confirmed that it was impossible for a 2 element unit of
JLS LC (3 figures fighting) to do 48 casualties and 1 CPF, let alone
anything useful. So I charge, get stuck against him, and can't break off
since he didn't do any damage to me. He charges the LC gift with a lancer
block, routs them through my army, shakes a couple of units as they run down
past everything, but it's not a TOTAL disaster (barely - only had 3 bodies
shaken, most LI). Meanwhile my lights are driven off/routed everywhere, and
my hoplites on my right dig in for their last stand. Derek's phalangites
advance in the middle with the elephants behind them as my hoplite wall goes
after the archers to see what happens. In a friendly game I'd resign at
this point as I can see the writing on the wall, but I want to get as many
points as I can for the tournament...
- The far left block of hoplites finally hits the archers having taken no
casualties and charge them, causing 360 (yes 360) casualties to the 12
element archer unit with promptly vapourizes. Only a small block of LI care
and shake. Meanwhile, a phalangite block with elephant support wipes out
the Spartiate unit that was protecting the flank of the big hoplite block on
my far left.
- More Seleucid advances occur. More units are charged by pike/elephant
combos, and eventually my army breaks.

At least I did get 240 pts or so. :)

Concluding Thoughts: Essentially I ignored the forest for the elephants. In
other words, by concentrating so much on the elephants I killed myself. My
basic plan to have a wall of hoplites advance would have worked FAR better
and I possibly could have won as I doubt the elephants could do enough to
break the big 12 element units. Sigh...

Sorry Derek. I really wish I'd given you a more interesting game which I AM
capable of.

Game 3: Versus James Bridiginani playing Alexandrian Imperial

Terrain consisted of a hill on my right in my forward zone and nothing else.

James army was a fairly typical Alexandrian force with 3-4 blocks of 8
element phalangites, a few LI JLS, one block of 2 elephants, some Scythian
LC, some Tarrantine LC, and a bunch of Companions, and 2 units of HI
Hypaspists.

He outscouted me and I dutifully set up my entire army first.

Tactical Plan: I decided to not concentrate on the elephants but to keep the
peltasts in reserve just in case. I lined up the hoplites from the far left
over, keeping three small blocks at my right rear as a reserve. The cavalry
deployed behind and the LI deployed aggressively forward. I was going to
refuse my left and advance with my hoplites on my right.

Bound 1: Both armies advanced. Two of my LI JLS units charged two of his LI
JLS units (who also charged). One rolled down, the other rolled even to his
roll up. Both evaded, both were caught, and both were routed. Good start
here...

Bound 2: Right advances, left refuses. One of his LC units chase after my
last LI JLS on my far right. I fail the waver, he rolls up and they rout
too... So much for my advance on my right with hoplites...

Bound 3: The lines move together.

Bound 4: A Thureophorai charge routs his LI archers and do a revealed charge
into one of his two units of Hypaspists. Not my choice of targets, but I
can live with it... LI Slingers on my right try and shoot up his LC which
then routs them. At least his LC is tired... He's kept his elephants in
the rear and I need to get rid of the archers to open up the centre for the
hoplite advance.

Bound 5: My archers in the middle between the lines shoot one of his
phalangite units causing 1 CPF. I march my LC off to my right flank to deal
with his LC. I held off a bit as he had two 4 element units and I had two 2
element units... but I need to do SOMETHING to continue the advance... The
Thureophorai recoil his Hypaspists disordered and pursue.

Bound 6: My other two units of Thureophorai charge into his other Hypaspists
and roll horribly and both recoil. My formerly victorious Thureophorai roll
crap too and the disordered Hypaspists are locked. The hoplite block on the
left charges a LC unit to drive it off and give some room for my LC.
They've condensed frontage to give my LC room to advance against his LC (now
4 elements vs 4 elements).

Bound 7. One big block of hoplites is in position to charge an isolated
block of phalangites. My left is still secure as he's approaching
cautiously and the artillery is there looking for juicy cavalry targets.
I'm preparing to advance again on the left and the centre is set up nicely,
except for the Thureophorai and Hypaspist conflicts. I have a choice -- I
can charge the big block of hoplites at his Phalangites who have no support
and aren't going to get any. However, this will give the lone Thureophorai
fighting his disordered Hypaspists no place to recoil. Meanwhile, my
general is in position to perform an impetuous charge on the flank of the
other Hypaspist unit. I decide NOT to charge with the hoplites but to
charge with the general (who will be behind the likely to recoil
Thuroephorai).

Then I roll dice...

The flank charge on his Hypaspists is successful (rolls even and the
Thureophorai roll down) and the Hypaspists are recoiled disordered but NOT
routed. The two Thureophorai units recoil NOT disordered and the general
pursues. Good enough I think. Next bound the two Thureophorai rally and
can charge in, the Hypaspists rout, and his army starts falling apart.

NOTE: Remember that the Hypaspists were recoiled by the FLANK charge and
recoil sideways...

Then we roll for the locked disordered Hypaspists and the lone Thureophrai.
He rolls up big AGAIN, I roll DOWN big and ROUT. The big block of hoplites
pass their waver check but are disordered when the routing Thureophorai
burst through them. Suddenly his phalangites look a LOT happier.

My general fails his waver check and shakes.

And then I realize that their pursuit of the Hypaspists has opened a perfect
corridor for an impetuous charge into my general's flank by Alexander...

Suddenly the entire centre of my army is dead...

Bound 8: His phalangites charge my disordered hoplites and rout them.
Alexander charges my general and routs him. The two non-routing
Thureophorai charge the disordered Hypaspists and rout them but nothing
important on his side cares. Alexander moves off against the LI archers
behind my hoplites which shoot him, he charges them, they fail their waver
check and rout. Meanwhile, I move one of the Spartiates in reserve towards
my general hoping I can sneak my general into a rally by having him within
80 paces of friendly close order and 240 paces or more away from enemy.

Of course the Spartiates roll a 1 and shake.

Well, there's still a 4 element block of C/Ds... who roll a 1 and shake.

And my army breaks...

Concluding Thoughts: I don't know. One of my LI should have either locked
or won, and that would have held up his advance which was their objective.
That BOTH failed kind of screwed me. I should have moved my LC up to
support my right flank faster -- but I could only have done it by one bound,
not enough to make a difference. Yes, the single Thureophorai unit
shouldn't have gone against the Hypaspist unit -- but it wasn't a decision
made directly. I had to get rid of his archers, they were the one that
could do it, and his Hypaspists happened to be 119 paces away... I needed
to charge my general in, otherwise both Thureophorai units would have died.
I could have charged the big hoplite block in against his phalangites
sooner, but because of combat direction they would have fought last, and
STILL been disordered and would have just died faster.

Four days later and I still can't see doing much different. I think in this
case that dice just hated me...

But then, as the history is written, we never fought or revolted against
Alexander, but instead joined him without combat. This battle never
occurred -- it's an ugly rumour. Really... :)

The rest of the Con:

For various reasons we had to drive down all day Thursday (it's a good 12
hour drive) and back first thing Sunday. That meant that I was only present
for the Friday and the Saturday. All day Friday was the tournament,
Saturday I was in the flea market for most of the day paying for the trip.
I did stay for the awards and, having made a decision last year to NOT
be in the open on Saturday but instead enter the NASAMW painting contest I
won every category I entered. Can't argue with that! I did visit the
flea market quickly and pick up a few necessities, but nothing major. And
that's about it.

I did enjoy my time, glad I could go and say hello to everybody, and wish I
hadn't been quite so out of it (though I was pretty well back to normal by
Saturday).

Thanks all for a great time.
Michael Bard
That Greek Hoplite Guy