Clash of the Despots

This post is a trip down memory lane, providing an account of a battle fought some years ago using most of my Achaemenid Persian figures.  These are a mix of Newline 20mm lead with HäT and Zvezda plastics.  It was the first battle fought with the aid of the app discussed in my last post but used a precursor to the ARES rules I am now developing - several of the shortcomings in the old rule set became apparent during the game, leading to the rethink behind ARES.  The 5' by 8' playing table was created by laying boards across the dining table and covering with two fleece mats.

The setting for the game was loosely based on the rebellion of Cyrus the Younger and his defeat and death at Cunaxa (not Canada as auto-correct would have it!) but I pushed the battle to a somewhat later date around 360 BC when the elderly Artaxerxes II faced a number of revolts. I gave the rebellious satrap, Spitamenes, only a small contingent of Greek mercenaries, compensating for this with much more cavalry and some contingents of Kappadokians, Lykians and Arameans to offset the loyal Achaemenid forces that were very strong in infantry but somewhat weaker in cavalry.  Both sides had detachments of Scythed Chariots to add edge to the proceedings.

The field of battle was deemed to be constrained along the short edges by drainage canals, fringed by date palms, so no opportunity for outflanking was available.  A few low ridges and mounds were the only other features.  The highest was a hillock on the right-centre of the rebel position, which was occupied by the Kappadokian commander with his heavy infantry and archers.  The main body of loyal infantry with scythed chariots in front were lined up along the crest of a very low ridge in the centre of their position while the main body of rebel infantry were similarly positioned along a shorter ridge towards the left of their position.   The map below gives an overview of the starting positions and intentions of the two commanders.  Lighter colour blocks indicate light troops, darker are heavier.  Commander positions are marked by stars, sub-commanders by truncated stars and scythed chariot units by a 'C' or reversed 'C'.

In the approach to battle, the loyal Achaemenid forces had stolen a march and got into position before the rebels were ready.  They had expected to find the rebels deployed in a conventional array of close order infantry in the centre with wings of cavalry and light troops on either side.  They planned to hold on their left and centre while the mass of Persian noble cavalry on the right crushed the left wing of the enemy and rolled up the centre.

As the rebel forces began to appear from the clouds of dust raised by their hurried advance, the Achaemenid General found that there were no cavalry facing his right wing at all.  Instead, all of the rebel cavalry appeared to be towards the left of his line interspersed with several infantry units, while facing his strike force of heavy cavalry were a grim looking line of Aramean spearmen and the rebel Spitamenes' own bodyguard spearmen, amply supported by javelin men and a rather nasty looking detachment of scythed chariots.  Level with the end of his own infantry line was a deep block of Greek mercenaries, with Spitamenes' rebel infantry in deep formation next to the Greeks - perhaps Spitamenes had a Theban on his staff?

Spitamenes was gambling on his spearmen being able to stand off the Persian right wing horsemen for long enough for his Greek mercenaries to make mincemeat of the Persian Kardakes opposite them and his mass of horsemen to roll up the enemy left and close in on the Persian centre from flank and rear.  He was not too sure about the enthusiasm of his own Kardakes and expected them to do little more than hold their ground while the Greeks and the Cavalry wing did their stuff.

Both sides had their magi make their appeals to Ahura Mazda (while the Greeks slaughtered a goat) and rolled to get their men moving.  On the far left, the East Iranian archers decided that this was not their fight and sloped off the field without firing an arrow.  Much mocking would be heaped on their heads when the day was done.  Except for the Arameans and Spitamenes' bodyguard for the rebels and the East Iranian spearmen for the loyalists, the heavy infantry on both sides were found to be very reluctant to engage.  The cavalry and light troops on the other hand were not averse to getting stuck in, and with this play began.

Looking across to the Achaemenid centre from behind the rebel lines before the start of action.

The opening moves saw advances by both wings of the rebel force, answered by a more limited advance of the Achaemenid right - and on this side of the field the advances encouraged both the right end of the Achaemenid main infantry line and the Greek mercenaries on the rebel left centre to edge forwards.  The advance of the enemy light infantry in front of his left wing forced Spitamenes to throw in his scythed chariots.  He did not want to risk them being caught on the hop and having them fall back into his own line.  The chariots raced forward into a hail of arrows and javelins - and were completely unscathed!  The enemy javelin men failed to evade and were destroyed.  The rules were unambiguous that after a successful charge scythed chariots were spent, so instead of careening on into the cavalry behind, they were removed from the table, giving the cavalry a clear run at the rebel infantry behind.  This benefit was multiplied by the other Achaemenid light unit on the right being discomfited by their opposite numbers and falling back in disorder through the cavalry lines (allowed by the rules) without disrupting the cavalry.  The picture below shows the position as viewed from behind the Achaemid right as the scythed chariots went in but before units were removed or forced back in disorder.

The desertion of his front line archers on the left gave the Achaemenid general little hope for his position there, but he had underestimated both the resolve and the effectiveness of the men who remained and the traffic management problems the rebels faced trying to bring forward their cavalry when the route was restricted by a block of Lykian spearmen who would neither advance nor run away.  The leading rebel cavalry were thrown back in disorder by accurate fire from the East Iranian horse archers and mounted javelin men while the Kappadokian javelin men could make no headway against the Saka and simply added to the blockage as the rules were very clear that while disordered troops could move back through a light infantry line, ordered troops couldn't advance through it from the rear, leaving the mass of cavalry coming up from the rear with very little room to try to deploy in.

East Iranian archers legging it off the field on the right while their comrades give the rebels a shock.

Amazed by the exploits of his left wing, the Achaemenid commander unleashed the first wave of his cavalry on the right and threw in his own scythed chariots against the rebel Kardakes in the centre.  

On the right, the cavalry hit a wall.  The Aramean spearmen and Spitamenes' bodyguard stopped them dead, but only as far as momentum was concerned.  They failed to kill many of them and the melée was drawn.  Thinking it dishonourable to fall back to regroup, the Persian nobles milled around chucking javelins at the wall of spearmen who, happy to be alive, dug in their heels, gripped their spears and waited to see what would happen elsewhere.  The Greek mercenaries decided to halt alongside them, meaning that not very much else was going to happen on that part of the field for a while.

Persian noble cavalry fail to deliver a hammer blow to the rebel left. 

In the centre, it was another story.  The scythed chariots had timed their attack to perfection.  The rebel Kardakes were moving (just, but enough to reduce their defensive bow fire).  The light infantry that had been intended to give them some cover had advanced over enthusiastically and engaged the main Achaemenid line.  Only the Kappadokian bowmen could get in some aimed shots at the chariots as they swept forward, but they missed completely, giving the chariots a clean run into the rebel infantry from front and flank.   The end of the rebel line that had only just managed to shake itself out became as dust beneath the chariot wheels of their enemies.

A well timed charge 

There followed several turns of slow grinding.  The rebel light infantry skirmished with the Achaemenid Kardakes for a while, to little effect, falling back as their own casualties started to mount from answering bow fire.  The Persian noble cavalry renewed their attacks on the Rebel left.  These exchanges were slightly in favour of the rebel infantry, but not enough to drive off the cavalry.  The Greek mercenaries and rebel Kardakes stared across at their opponents who  shuffled forwards but would not commit themselves.  On the Achaemenid left, the East Iranian troops continued to perform prodigiously, disrupting each attack made on them by the swarms of cavalry they faced.  However, they didn't have the hitting power to break any of the attackers while each exchange of missile fire was wearing down the gallant band.  Knowing that their determination and good dice rolls could not last forever, the Achaemenid general ordered the left half of his main infantry line to wheel back to present a solid face against the rebel breakthrough when it came.  Although unwilling to advance, his men were happy to fall back and did so in good order.  Success on this flank now might not get the rebels very far while the loyal army still had a second - and more numerous - line of noble cavalry to push forward on the other flank if opportunity arose.

East Iranians and Saka standing like a mud brick wall against the rebel right wing

The rebel commander's bodyguard and Aramean allies stand firm against the Persian cavalry

Achaemenid infantry advance to engage on their right while wheeling the left end of the line back to guard against the inevitable collapse of the East Iranian flank guard.

Matters then began to shift quite quickly.  The Achaemenid General managed to get his best infantry - those facing the Greeks and supporting Kardakes - to advance.  At the same moment, the cavalry unit fighting against the Aramean spearmen suddenly broke and ran off.  The Arameans were not able to take advantage of this because during the long melée the surviving Achaemenid light troops had recovered from the shock of the attack by the rebel scythed chariots and were able to pour a hail of arrows into the Aramean line.  These decided they had done enough and fell back, leaving Spitamenes and his bodyguard holding the remainder of the Persian first line cavalry and with no means to block the gap through which the Persian second line of cavalry could now pour.

The Greek mercenaries lurched forward to hit the Persian Kardakes, but their own Kardakes did not advance with them, allowing the loyal troops to get onto the Greek flank and push forward to prevent the rebel main body advancing to reform a solid line.

Things going pear shaped for the rebel left.  Greek mercenaries hit in front and flank in the middle of the picture, Arameans notably absent at the bottom.

Even as all this was going on, at the other end of the field the stubborn resistance of the East Iranians collapsed dramatically.  Only the horse archers remained intact, offering some covering fire as the Saka, spearmen and mounted javelin men raced for the exit.

The valiant defence by the East Iranians is finally breached

The generals leaned forwards eagerly.  Now was the moment that a fearsome right hook with their cavalry might decide the day.  My wife also leaned forward and announced that she needed the dining table back for supper, leaving the generals deflated if not utterly defeated.

I took three lessons away from this engagement.  

First, the iPad app that supported play, keeping track of the status of each unit and guiding players through firing, melée and morale tests, worked well.  The slow progress of the game was due to the rules themselves, which led to the second lesson, that these needed a complete rethink.  

The main failings that had become apparent through the game were;  that too much attention had been given to differences in weapons and armour, too little to morale; missile fire worked quite well but the absence of any limits on missile supply meant that skirmish units remained effective far longer than would have been possible in reality without very well organised resupply arrangements; the melée system far too often ended in draws and when it didn't it usually led to complete breakdown of one side or the other; and, although not that apparent due to the large number of troops in the centre who remained hesitant for most of the game, when a general had willing troops it was too easy for him to do what he wanted with them.  The almost Prussian like precision with which the Achaemenids were able to wheel back the left of their main infantry line does not have a precedent from any ancient battle I know of.

The third and most important lesson was that I needed a wargame table that did not have to serve other functions!