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Alexander's Battles, part 2: Issus, November, 333 BC

 
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John Murphy
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:30 pm    Post subject: Alexander's Battles, part 2: Issus, November, 333 BC

This is the second in my continuing series of articles-in-need-of-editing on the great battles of Alexander's conquest of Persia.

Alexander, after subduing the Persian satraps at the Granicus river, continues along the coast of Asia Minor including finally catching Memnon of Rhodes at Halicarnassus.
The Cilician Gates are passed by the Macedonians and they arrive in Syria.

Alexander receives replacements for his losses and a few reinforcements.

Socrates, commander of the Apollonian squadron of Companion cavalry which led the Macedonians across the Granicus, has been replaced by Glaucias. Amyntas, commander of Alexander's prodromoi brigade of scout lancers and attached units (usually Ariston's original Thracian cavalry squadron of Paionians plus one of the squadrons of Companions which is rotated daily on campaign), has been replaced by Protomachus. Taking advantage of the existing Persian satrapal bureaucracy to govern the areas being left in the rear, Calas, commander of the Thessalian cavalry brigade, has after Granicus been named satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia replacing the Persian Arsites (who you will recall had been the CinC at Granicus). Calas is replaced as commander of the Thessalian brigade by Philippos, formerly the commander of the brigade of Greek allied cavalry who has been replaced in that assignment by Erygius.

A second regiment of Agrianian javlinmen has been raised and added to the army as reinforcements.

However, many of the Greek and Thracian allied and mercenary infantry which had missed the battle of Granicus are left behind with Calas and as garrison troops (for instance 4,700 of them, around 12E Reg MI/LMI in the scale we are using, are left in Caria and Phrygia). But that still left a huge number of these with the army.

Upon the death of Memnon at Halicarnassus Darius has now decided upon a land campaign, gathered the remaining Greek mercenaries, and personally raised the Royal army (detailed below) and marched to meet Alexander. They move past one another, like so... Alexander splits his army in two with both parts moving South down the coast (himself commanding the flying column, Parmenion following behind and then moving past to secure the mountain passes) while Darius moves North inland behind the chain of hills being guarded by Parmenion's men. Being advised now by a Macedonian turncoat Amyntas, Darius wants Alexander to come inland to the open plains but Alexander is still making up time after being previously delayed by illness - if in fact he even wishes to turn inland at this point. So Darius turns for the coast instead and emerges through a pass in Alexander's rear that Alexander had not found and guarded, coming upon Alexander's field hospital and killing the Macedonian infirm. Both kings now realize that the Persians are inadvertently sitting astride the Macedonian line of communications, and in fact if Darius had arrived along the coastal route one day previously he would have placed himself between the two Macedonian forces. Knowing the current situation will force an engagement, Darius selects the mouth of the Pinarus river (around modern Alexandretta on the Turco-Syrian coast) as a defensive position in which to offer battle to Alexander. There will be no squabbling horde of satraps to face Alexander this time, but rather the core of the Persian Royal army led personally by the King of Kings.

The Pinarus is a swift running stream pouring down from the inland range of hills which had separated the two armies into the Gulf of Issus. The hills are steep and covered with brush, and the river has cut a rivine along its course making crossing on the inland portion of the stream difficult except for a couple areas where the terrain slopes down to landings on either side. As the stream nears the coast, however, it widens and slows and in the coastal plain it presents no obstacle to crossing whatsoever. Fordability essentially increases gradually, as the height of the banks decrease gradually, from the hills running down to the coast, except for the noted landings which permit crossing in the hilly areas.

The terrain South of the stream, though sloping gently down from the hills to the coastline, is relatively flat and open. The coastal plain narrows gradually toward the South where the Macedonians are deploying.

Darius has entrenched some of the the possible crossing areas in front of his infantry using abatis. But his right flank near the sea remains open for the Persian cavalry to attack across the stream.

There is much ink spilt regarding Darius selection of this position. Like the one at Granicus it appears at first to be a good one, but like the one at Granicus it may not be suitable considering the nature of the engaged armies. It is a fixed position in which the terrain allows little in the way of mobile defense and the front is narrow enough between the sea and the inland hills to prevent the Persians outflanking the Macedonians. The terrain near the sea is flat enough for Persian offensive action but it will fall on the front of the Macedonian line and will require the Macedonians to close first for any local Persian attack there to avoid becoming detached and unsupported from the main part of the Persian army. Essentially the position condemns the Persians to sit and await the Macedonian attack at a place of Alexander's choosing.

Darius leaves a small body of troops in ambush in the hills on the South (Macedonian) side of the stream but these are spotted as Alexander is ordering his deployment.

The length of this stretch of the Pinarus from the mountains to the sea, from Callisthenes, is about 14 stades (Fuller equates this to one and a half miles while Phil Barker says 3700 paces). A stade is given by Herodotus as 600 'feet', the exact nature of which is what is problematic. But we can take modern Imperial feet as 'close enough' and call this 8400 feet or 1 mile and 3120 feet or, more significantly, 3360 paces. That is about 7 feet at 15mm table scale. So we are on about the right track.

ALEXANDER'S ARMY AT ISSUS:

This is essentially the same army as in the first article on Granicus, with the names of some unit commanders changed, the addition of another unit of Agrianians, and the presence on the field of the various allied and mercenary infantry which had missed the action at the Granicus.

2130 pts, 50 scounting pts
total of 58 cavalry figures
total of 284 infantry figures

as a refused right flank guard facing the Persian ambush in the hills on the Macedonian right flank...

Thracian Cavalry 2E Irr C LC JLS @ 41 pts (on the far South flank facing into the hills)
new Agrianian Javelinmen 6E Irr C LI JLS, Sh @ 61 pts (to the left of the Thracian cavalry, towards the corner in the Macedonian line)

deployed in the main line from the Macedonian right (East, toward the hills) to left (West, toward the sea):

original Veteran Agrianian Javelinmen 6E Reg C LI JLS, Sh @ 58 pts
Macedonian Archers 6E Reg C LI B @ 46 pts
Companions 2E Reg A HC L @ 70 pts
Alexander CinC/Companions 2E Reg A HC L @ 150 pts
Companions 2E Reg A HC L @ 70 pts
(the following three units behind the companions...)
Paionian Cavalry 2E Irr B LC JLS @ 45 pts
Prodromoi 2E Reg B LC L @ 38 pts
Prodromoi 2E Reg B LC L @ 38 pts
(continuing...)
Hypaspists 4E Reg ¼A/¾B ¼LHI/¾LMI LTS,Sh @ 102 pts
Hypaspists 4E Reg ¼A/¾B ¼LHI/¾LMI LTS,Sh @ 102 pts
Phalangites 4E Reg C ¼HI/¾MI P,Sh @ 82 pts
Phalangites 4E Reg C ¼HI/¾MI P,Sh @ 82 pts
Phalangites 4E Reg C ¼HI/¾MI P,Sh @ 82 pts
Phalangites 4E Reg C ¼HI/¾MI P,Sh @ 82 pts
Phalangites 4E Reg C ¼HI/¾MI P,Sh @ 82 pts
Sub-general/Phalangites 4E Reg ¼A/¾C ¼HI/¾MI P,Sh @ 122 pts
Cretan Archers 6E Reg C LI B, Sh @ 58 pts
Thracian Peltasts 4E Irr B LMI LTS,JLS,Sh @ 85 pts
Thessalian Cavalry 2E Reg B HC JLS @ 64 pts
Thessalian Cavalry 2E Reg B HC JLS @ 64 pts
Thessalian Cavalry 2E Reg B HC JLS @ 64 pts
Greek Cavalry 2E Reg C HC JLS @ 58 pts

well in the rear were the various Greek mercenary and allied infantry still left with Alexander's army, again many of these were little more than hostages for the good behavior of their home cities
again, right-to-left...
Mercenary Greek Peltasts 2E Reg C LMI LTS,JLS,Sh @ 50 pts
Mercenary Greek Hoplites 10E Reg C MI LTS,Sh @ 170 pts
Subject Greek Hoplites 6E Reg D MI LTS,Sh @ 82 pts
Subject Greek Hoplites 6E Reg D MI LTS,Sh @ 82 pts

Craterus was given command of the leftmost four phalangite units under Parmenion. Parmenion commanded these and everything left of that point (Alexander in command of the Greeks in reserve)
that gives Parmenion 10 units and Alexander 18 units

Originally the Thessalians were to be posted on the right with the companion cavalry. But as Alexander advanced across the plain he could see the Persian cavalry weighted heavily on his left so he ordered the Thessalians to march behind the phalanx across the field right to left and take up the position noted above.

Now, once again back to the difficult part...

THE PERSIAN ARMY AT ISSUS:

in general broad strokes, because if nothing else the Persian tactical units tended to mix arms in the Royal army just as they did in the Satrapal forces...
Darius commands the Persian infantry defending the Pinarus
he appoints his only sub-general, Nabarzanes, to command the Persian cavalry attack across the Pinarus along the coast

I have to open this by admitting I can't abide by counting the Cardaces as close order LTS troops. Arrian who I normally favor does consider them hoplite-like, but Strabo and Callisthenes (a witness at this particular battle, quoted by Polybius) do not. I tend to agree more with Strabo's view that these were trained to use bows and javelins. Certainly closer to peltasts as described by Callisthenes, and poor ones at that (no LTS and poor morale), than Arrian's hoplites as they would seem to approach in the Warrior army list by being close-order troops with LTS. Not only that, in this particular battle it seems unlikely the historical performance of the Cardaces in defending against a frontal attack by Alexander's Companions across a ford possibly over abatis and up a hill through a screen of light archers will be able to be duplicated. But, I promised to stay within the paramters of the Warrior army lists, so I will. Just be forwarned if things do not work out historically that may be one reason why. And I admit if one makes them poor Reg LMI JLS,Sh just how much of a leap of faith is required for Darius to use them to cover the flanks of his Greek hoplites? Perhaps given the light archer screens, abatis and terrain it might make sense though. I think to try to wiggle this around to what I am looking for I will use a mixture of Cardaces and Takabara for the "Cardaces". Well, whatever, that is what we will go with.

Arrian gives 600,000 Persians including 30,000 Greek mercenaries and 60,000 Cardaces (which he does class as hoplites).
Diodorus and Justin give 400,000 foot and 100,000 horse.
Callisthenes, through Polybius, gives 30,000 horse and 30,000 Greek mercenaries.
Curtius gives 30,000 Greek mercenaries and states that much of the Persian cavalry are what we would class as EHC.

To recap, the Persian cavalry is massed on their right (along the coast) under the command of Nabarzanes.
The Persian infantry is in two lines behind the Pinarus extending from the flank of the cavalry to the mountains.
The first line of infantry has Darius and the Bodyguard cavalry in the center, flanked (or fronted depending who you prefer to read) by the Greek mercenaries which are in turn flanked by the Cardaces. Archers are set up as skirmishers screening the front of the Cardaces. This first line also built some hasty abatis in areas of the Pinarus which appeared easiest to cross.
The second line of infantry consists of various Asiatic levies.
A detachment of light troops is thrown out across the Pinarus in the foothills facing toward the coast to outflank the Macedonian right as it approaches the river. This may have been a planned ambush but in any case it was spotted.
Depeding who you read, there may or may not have been a very small amount of light cavalry deployed on the Persian left, either on the flank of the Cardaces or with the light troops in the foothills.

We will use the figures of 30,000 cavalry on the right wing with 30,000 Greek mercenaries and 60,000 Cardaces in the first line of infantry. We'll put the size of the detachment in the foothills at 20,000 light infantry. And we will give the Persians something like 160,000 levy foot in the second line of infantry. That puts the total of the Persian army at the battle at 300,000 men and we can presume the remainder were various camp servants and hangers-on of even less use in battle than the levy troops.

Now, we have a problem because of the upper element limits in the army list. At our scale for these articles (which is about 1:100) the 30,000 cavalry is going to be around 100 elements, and the 60,000 Cardaces is going to be about 150 elements. What to do? Well, I figure the limits in the army lists are there for the purpose of creating armies with a certain number of figures or points which retain a proper historical balance of troop types. We are clearly talking about a rather large battle here. In any case, here is what I am going to do. I am going to decrease the size of the entire Persian host by one half in proportion to fit within the army list limits, and I am not going to decrease the Macedonian forces at the same time! If this bothers you then the thing to do is to simply double the size and/or number of Persian units to match the larger number of elements mentioned above, and spend a lot of time painting Persians. To make matters worse the Greeks still go over the limit so I have cut them in a third instead of a half. And there are no abatis available.

It is also important to remember that like the Satrapal forces at the Granicus the Persian royal army tended to use mixed commands of foot and horse which will skew things a little bit but let's just try it on for size this way instead and see how it comes out.

NABARZANES' CAVALRY WING
Three brigades, deployed two in front and one behind...

FIRST BRIGADE (front line along seashore)
Bactrian Cavalry 4E Irr B EHC JLS,B @ 145 pts
Bactrian Cavalry 4E Irr B EHC JLS,B @ 145 pts
Sub-general / Satrapal Guards 4E Reg A/B EHC JLS @ 176 pts
Persian/Median Cavalry 4E Reg B HC JLS @ 118 pts

SECOND BRIGADE (front line to the left of the first brigade)
Saka Nobles 4E Irr B EHC JLS,B @ 145 pts
Saka Nobles 4E Irr B EHC JLS,B @ 145 pts
Saka Skirmishers 6E Irr C JLS,B @ 85 pts
Saka Skirmishers 6E Irr C JLS,B @ 85 pts

THIRD BRIGADE (second line centered behind first two brigades)
Persian/Median Cavalry 4E Irr B HC JLS @ 109 pts
Persian/Median Cavalry 4E Irr B HC JLS @ 109 pts
Satrapal Cavalry 4E Irr C HC JLS @ 97 pts
Satrapal Cavalry 4E Irr C HC JLS @ 97 pts

DARIUS' MAIN INFANTRY FORCE

GREEK MERCENARY BRIGADE (front and center)
Mercenary Greek Hoplites 6E Reg B MI LTS,Sh @ 130 pts
Mercenary Greek Hoplites 6E Reg B MI LTS,Sh @ 130 pts
Mercenary Greek Hoplites 6E Reg B MI LTS,Sh @ 130 pts
Mercenary Greek Hoplites 6E Reg B MI LTS,Sh @ 130 pts

DARIUS' BODYGUARDS (in, or behind, center of Greek mercs)
CinC 1E 4-horse LCh unarmed driver and 1 JLS,B (w/ PA std) @ 130 pts
Royal Guards and Kinsmen 2E Reg A HC JLS @ 70 pts
Royal Guard Infantry 2E Reg A HI LTS,Sh @ 74 pts
Royal Guard Infantry 2E Reg A HI LTS,Sh @ 74 pts

LEFT CARDACES BRIGADE (left of Greek mercs)
Kardaka 6E Reg D MI LTS,Sh @ 82 pts
Kardaka 6E Reg D MI LTS,Sh @ 82 pts
Kardaka 6E Reg D MI LTS,Sh @ 82 pts
Takabara 6E Reg D LMI JLS,Sh @ 82 pts
with det Satrapal Archers 6E Reg D LI B @ 29 pts (deployed in front screening the troops of the entire brigade)
Takabara 6E Reg D LMI JLS,Sh @ 82 pts
with det Satrapal Archers 6E Reg D LI B @ 29 pts (deployed in front screening the troops of the entire brigade)
Levies 9E Irr E LMI IPW @ 38.5 pts (in a second line far to the rear of this brigade and the Greek mercs)
Levies 9E Irr E LMI IPW @ 38.5 pts (in a second line far to the rear of this brigade and the Greek mercs)

RIGHT CARDACES BRIGADE (right of Greek mercs)
Kardaka 6E Reg D MI LTS,Sh @ 82 pts
Kardaka 6E Reg D MI LTS,Sh @ 82 pts
Kardaka 6E Reg D MI LTS,Sh @ 82 pts
Takabara 6E Reg D LMI JLS,Sh @ 82 pts
with det Satrapal Archers 6E Reg D LI B @ 29 pts (deployed in front screening the troops of the entire brigade)
Takabara 6E Reg D LMI JLS,Sh @ 82 pts
with det Satrapal Archers 6E Reg D LI B @ 29 pts (deployed in front screening the troops of the entire brigade)
Levies 9E Irr E LMI IPW @ 38.5 pts (in a second line far to the rear of this brigade and the Greek mercs)
Levies 9E Irr E LMI IPW @ 38.5 pts (in a second line far to the rear of this brigade and the Greek mercs)

RESERVE (left of rest of army behind river, but to the rear)
Satrapal Line Infantry 6E Irr D MI JLS @ 49 pts
Satrapal Line Infantry 6E Irr D MI JLS @ 49 pts
Satrapal Line Infantry 6E Irr D MI JLS @ 49 pts
Satrapal Line Infantry 6E Irr D MI JLS @ 49 pts
Satrapal Cavalry 6E Irr C LC JLS @ 73 pts (optional)

DETACHMENT (in foothills on South side of Pinarus)
Hillmen 6E Irr D LMI JLS,Sh @ 61 pts
Hillmen 6E Irr D LMI JLS,Sh @ 61 pts
Hillmen 6E Irr D LMI JLS,Sh @ 61 pts
Hillmen 6E Irr D LI JLS,Sh @ 49 pts
Hillmen 6E Irr D LI JLS,Sh @ 49 pts
Hillmen 6E Irr D LI JLS,Sh @ 49 pts
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