An Epic Ancients Battle- Greek vs Persians

This is an After Action Report (AAR) of a game played on September 19th, 2015. The Armies were Greeks against Early Persians from around the period of 485BC. Rules were a modified version of Tactica. We had played these armies twice before with the Greeks winning easily. So Gary who owns the figures down graded the Greeks a bit by making two units Militia Grade and upping the mercenary Greeks fighting for the Persians to FV5-6. Also the Persian Immortal Units were both  at 48 figure strength. For this game we were trying out a new Mod called the "Fates". When units reach their Break Point (Usually 2/3rds casualties), they break and are removed from the table. Now they get to roll 2D6 and if total is eleven or twelve, they survive to fight on until they take more casualties and take another roll or reach 100% casualties. In this game, "the Fates" would actually decide the winner.
 
The armies were comprised as follows:

		Greeks
Troop Type	Unit Size	Weapons	FV	Sk-FV	Qual
HC1	16	Jav	4-6	na	MG
HC2	16	Jav	4-6	na	MG
LC	12	Jav	3-6	5-6	MG
Spartiates	48	Spears	5-6	na	EL
Lacedaimons	48	Spears	5-6	na	V
Messenians	48	Spears	5-6	na	V
Athenians	48	Spears	5-6	na	V
Sicyons	48	Spears	5-6	na	MG
Ionians	48	Spears	5-6	na	MG
LI1	24	Jav	3-6	5-6	V
LI2	24	Jav	3-6	5-6	V
SI1	12	Bow	na	4-6	V
SI2 Athenian	12	Jav	3-6	5-6	V
SI3	12	Bow	na	4-6	V
SI4 Cretan	12	Jav	3-6	5-6	V
Arny Break Point =190

		Persians
Troop Type	Unit Size	Weapons	FV	Sk-FV	Qual
Persian HC	18	Jav/Bow	4-6	na	V
Median HC	18	Jav	4-6	na	V
Sakae LC	16	Bow	3-6	4-6	V
Caspian LC	16	Jav	3-6	5-6	V
Bactrian LC	16	Jav	3-6	5-6	V
Paricanian LC	16	Jav	3-6	5-6	V
Immortals 1	48	Spear/Bow	4-6	na	EL
Immortals 2	48	Spear/Bow	4-6	na	EL
Medes 1	32	Spear/Bow	4-6	na	V
Medes 2	32	Spear/Bow	4-6	na	V
Lydians	48	Spear	5-6	na	V
Levy	48	Spear	4-6	na	MG
Bactrian LI	24	Jav	3-6	5-6	V
Chorasmian LI	24	Jav	3-6	5-6	V
SI-2 Ethiopian	12	Bow	na	4-6	V
SI-3	12	Jav	na	5-6	V
SI-4	16	Jav	na	5-6	V
Arny Break Point =202

Gary Williams and Tom Condon played the Persians while Kevin Walker and myself handled the Greeks. The Setup was as follows:

The Persians outnumber the Greeks in Cavalry five to three plus they had another Cavalry unit deployed as Skirmishers. The Greeks have better fighting value, (FV5-6) than the Persians who are almost all FV4-6. So Persians must use their cavalry to win the flanks and then attack the Greek HI with Flank Attacks. The Greeks must close with the Persians quickly and defeat their Foot Units before the Persian Cavalry can intervene.

The Greek Commander, Garionydus

The Persian Commander, Garaxerxes

The Greek Center & Left

Persian Right Wing

Persian Left Wing

Opening Moves. Greek Infantry advances while their Persian counterparts hold in position. Persian Cavalry advance on both flanks. A Greek LI unit tries to hold up the Persian LC on the right.

Persian LC and Greek LI collide on hill.

LC of both sides meet on Greek left flank.

Greek LI2 on the right bites the dust being no match for two Persian LC, but it manages to take out one Persian LC with it. All the LC are gone now except for the Persian Bactrian LC which begins a long process to get around the Greek flank. Losses so far are Greeks-36, Persians -32.

Persian LC victorious on Greek right.

View down the center of the field.

Heavy Cavalry  meet on the left. The Greeks have fewer numbers and lower quality there so it doesn't look good for them. Meanwhile in the center, most of the HI is engaged. The Persians pull back their two LI units hoping to delay their demise from the Greek Ionian Phalanx. They also send a hail of arrows into it getting seven hits out of sixteen shots.

Crunch in the center. HI collide.

All the Greek HI is engaged now, but the Persian HC have defeated their counterparts and are now advancing toward the rear of the Greek HI. Losses now are Greeks- 68, Persians 32.

Persian LI in trouble.

 Left a good roll by Greek Ionians when you are hitting with 3 thru 6's

Greek HI in center in trouble.

The Greek Spartiates are in trouble as the Persian Median HC is attacking their rear. The Greek Messenian HI are also in trouble as the Persian HC1 approach their flank. Garionydus maneuvers some javelin skirmishers to hopefully stop the Persian HC with missile fire. Persian Levy Spearmen were no match for the Greek Sicyons and are soon routed. The Sicyon HI now advance to hit the Immortals-2 with a Wing Attack. Losses now are Greeks- 68, Persians 80.

Rear attack on the Spartiates.

Hard fighting in the center.

 

Fortunately for the Greeks, the Persian HC-2 is broken before it can do any damage to the Messenian HI. The Spartiates are in bad shape because of the Rear Attack by the Persian HC-2. But the Persian Cavalry is hurting also because of accumulating casualties. Both units reach their Break Point and both roll their "Fates" dice. Amazing! Both survive to fight another round. Meanwhile the Medes1 break being outnumbered by the better fighting Lacedaimons. Losses now are Greeks- 68, Persians 130.

Situation on Greek Right.

Spartiates and Persian HC near Break Point

The Spartiates finally break, failing another "Fates" roll, but the Persian HC2 survives wheeling to hit the Sicyons Greeks in the flank but not in time to save the Immortals2 who break from casualties. Failure of the Spartiates demoralizes the Athenians who also break. Losses now are Greeks- 164, Persians 178.

Persian HC going in for one more attack

Persian HC hit Sicyons but both units break.

 

 Final round! The Persian Medes2 break being smaller in number and no match for the better fighting Messenians. Persian HC2 manages to break the Sicyons but taking casualties also and being over Break Point they must make another "Fates" roll. They fail this time. On the other side the Persian Bactrian LI reach Break Point and rout off the table. The Persian Immortals1 also goes over break point. They have only two figures left but make their "Fates" roll. We add u p the numbers. Greeks 212 figures dead or 112%. The Persians 252 dead which is 125%. But wait! Mitch who seems to suffering from early onset Alzhymers, has forgotten to keep track of casualties on the Ionians. A quick check finds they too are over Break Point. A "Fates" roll is required. They FAIL! Total Greek losses of 260 put them at 137% vs 125% Persians. In cases where boith armies go over Break Point, the side with the higher percentage losses is the looser. A hard fought Persian win!

Messenians and Lydians are all that remain on Greek left.

Last moments on the Greek right flank.

So when it was all over, this is how the battlefield looked. Only 5 Persian units left and 4 Greeks. It was a hard fought game. If the Persian Immortal1 hadn't made their "Fates" roll , it would have been a Greek Victory with Persian Losses at 148%.
 Due to the high casualties, it will take some time for Garaxerxes to organize and reform his forces for the advance into Greece. But he has acquired a new tactic for use in his next battle, Arrow Storm! We willsee how that works out in our next encounter of Greeks vs Persians. Thanks for looking. Comments are always welcome.