This is the first time I'm trying out Optio's three-tier campaign system. The top tier is the campaign map shown above. It is the year 398BC. Carthage controls the west of Sicily, Syracuse the east. Both have allied towns and have engaged in the decisive struggle for control of the island. I played Syracuse, Peter took Carthage.
The Carthaginian army composed of
- 2 x Carthaginian Medium cavalry
- 2 x Numidian Light Horse
- 2 x Chariots
- 2 x elite Poeni foot
- 4 x average Poeni foot
- 6 x Allied Hoplites
- 6 x Mercenary Scutarii Auxilia
- 4 x Mercenary Balearic Slingers
- 2 x Numidian Skirmisher foot
- 2 x Allied Greek Psiloi
faces off against the Syracusan army, composed of
- 2 x Syracusan Medium Cavalry
- 2 x Greek Light Horse
- 2 x Syracusan elite Epilektoi Hoplites
- 6 x Syracusan Citizen Hoplites
- 6 x Allied Hoplites
- 4 x Allied Peltasts
- 2 x Mercenary Gallic Warband
- 4 x Allied Slingers
- 4 x Allied Psiloi
If you squint hard at the campaign map you can see which towns supplied what. Carthage controls the towns with the red counters, Syracuse those with the blue.
Syracuse makes the first move by heading south and laying siege to Gela. The Carthaginians hurry to the relief of the city and the battle takes place in the land south of Syracuse. If Syracuse wins Gela will be razed to the ground. It takes 4 turns for a siege to level a city (6 turns for Motya and Syracuse) and Gela had used up 2 by the time the relief army arrived.
The second tier is the operational map. Each sector on the campaign map with a red border has one. The two sectors in the middle of Sicily don't have operational maps as the terrain is too bad there for a battle, but armies can move through them.
Third tier: after some manoeuvring I got the battlefield I was hoping for, with hills in my favour and some useful bushland for my Peltasts that would give them an advantage against mounted units.
Peter's general was superior to mine by 2 points - his 5 to my 3, obliging me to deploy 2/3 of my army first. I wasn't too worried as it was fairly evident where I would deploy. I intended to used my elite Epilektoi Hoplites, supported by Warband and fronted by Slingers, to smash Peter's right, whilst my cavalry and Peltasts held back Peter's mounted units. The Hoplites on my own right were to hang back, hence their separation from the rest of the phalanx meaning they wouldn't have to keep pace with it.
I really wanted to use an inclined line attack but only drilled hoplites can execute that manoeuvre (for now).
Peter deployed in depth with two phalanx lines. Not very Greek but so what?
Since I deployed first I moved first. Centre moves at full speed, the out-of-command right flank at half speed and the mounted units hang back.
Peter advances his Slingers and Psiloi, evidently aiming to weaken my mounted units before finishing them off with his own.
I move up my center, inclining to the right so both Peltast units get the benefit of the bushland. My cavalry leave the left flank, not fancying their chances against Peter's missile troops and superior mounted units (those chariots are nasty). His push against my left now confronts fresh air. So far my devilishly cunning plan is working....
Peter changes plan and sends his missile troops to the centre double-time in column. They actually moved too fast, 6 squares instead of 4, but we'll put it down to promises of a double ration of wine if they got there in time. My own Slingers start shooting - my one-base units can shoot only during Peter's move; the two-base units during either player's move.
My centre continues to advance whilst my cavalry reposition themselves to intervene if Peter's mounted units try attacking the left flank of my hoplites. So far so good....
Peter doesn't move, contenting himself with a missile exchange.
I also call a halt (except for my left flank which continues to creep forward at half speed). My plan is to weaken Peter's skirmisher foot units with my own before resuming the advance. I'm especially concerned about my Warband which are unarmoured hence more vulnerable to missile fire.
Peter sits tight.
So do I, pretty much.
Riveting game, this.
🥱
Things start to happen. Peter moves up his cavalry and chariots.
Change of plan. My Slingers and Psiloi aren't wearing down Peter's fast enough and are themselves close to routing, so I advance my Hoplites and Warband obliging my skirmishers evade through them to the rear. I decide to push on the left with my mounted units, sending in my MC backstopped by my LC whilst the Peltasts move up in support. Let's get this show on the road.
Peter moves his own Hoplites up whilst his skirmishers retire to the rear.
Ἀλαλά! In go my Hoplites, Warband and Medium Cavalry. Time to smash Peter's right. My LH form line ready to jump in if necessary. The battle has become a really personal affair, with my general facing off against Peter's. He now pays the price for having chosen a superior command general at the beginning of the game: he had fewer command points left and had to make his general's combat ability lower than mine. So I win the MC vs MC charge combat.
Peter stays on position.
Melee and nobody dies.
A Hoplite unit charges Balearic Slingers who evade off the table. Greek LH form column and move up, ready to intervene anywhere necessary.
Peter holds position happy to fight it out.
Down go the Carthaginian MC. In the fighting
both generals are wounded!
The Carthaginian general flees to the Scutarii Auxilia whilst the Syracusan MC occupy the square vacated by the routed Carthaginian MC.
Heady with success, the Syracusan general charges the Scutarii, planning to finish off the Carthaginian general. The two generals meet, swords clash and - disaster - the Syracusan general is killed!
Meanwhile the right flank Hoplites move up whilst the Slingers fall back to the bushland for more protection.
The Syracusan MC break off after the charge. No sense in hanging around for a disadvantageous melee.
Carthage moves up its second phalanx of hoplites, the light infantry evading through the hoplites to make space for them. My LI evade back through my hoplites when charged by the Scutarii - a LI also evades from Carthaginian LI which is wrong since LI can't charge, but let it go.
I had badly miscalculated the melee outcome. My Gallic Warband are superior in the charge but inferior in melee and they go down. A hoplite unit also goes down since its opponent has a commander that gives it an advantage. I now have a hole in my centre with no reserves to plug it.
The victorious hoplites occupy the vacated squares.
I attack where I can and in particular try using my LH to offset the Carthaginian breakthrough in the centre. When in doubt, charge!
My MC break off after charge. Not staying for melee, thank you.
Peter's chariots and LI go for my Peltasts, who evade as fast as they can.
Melee, and I lose a Hoplite unit whilst Peter loses some Auxilia.
The victors advance.
My army is now three loss points from losing all my average units and the rest of the army with them. I move up to attack where I can.
Peter countercharges, obliging my MC to evade and catching my Peltasts with his chariots.
The Peltasts are destroyed (obviously). I am now one loss point from total collapse. 😟
For some reason I missed out on Turn 12 melee. Never mind, on to Turn 13. I move up where I can but I'm already writing my obituary.
Peter charges my LH in the flank, disordering them....
....and routing them in the melee. Those two extra loss points push my army over the brink. Game over!
Final score. An average victory for Carthage.
With his average victory Peter gains 3 kudos whilst I lose 3. This has been a stinging defeat for Syracuse. Kudos represent a side's prestige, or appearance of power. Loss of prestige results in allies abandoning their alliances and perhaps even joining the other side. In this case the siege of Gela is lifted and the nearby town of Kamarina passes to Carthaginian control. βάλλ’ εἰς κόρακας!
With the loss of Kamarina I lose one Hoplite stand and one Psiloi stand which Peter gain for his army. I'll have to fight him with a smaller army next time.
What did I do wrong? On reflection, two things:
1. I deployed the Gallic Warband in a crucial position in the line, overlooking the fact that they are outfought in melee, and
2. I deployed my phalanx in too long a line, leaving too many units out the fight. Next time I'll deploy the phalanx units in deep formation (4 stands per unit instead of 2) which will shorten my line but give my hoplite units more hitting power (high white combat bonus in melee).
Losing my general certainly didn't help but at least his memory will live in glory. Greek prestige will be restored, never fear.
PS: question for the historians: should any hoplite unit - drilled or unwieldy - be capable of an oblique line?
