Battle of Stratos - last battle of the Optio campaign

After the previous battle the two embattled Greek city states swore eternal friendship and everlasting peace, though promising to be best friends didn't prevent Doris from losing Potidiana and Cynus to Malis. Peter then double-taxed his three remaining towns (players can't double-tax their capital) and succeeded in raising an army that matched that of Malis.

 

With Ophonahos gloriously dead on the field of battle, his son Mykingdomphoranos took command of the army (his name hinting at his family's origin from the island of Mykonos). Time to lead the host of Doris to glorious victory and wipe out the shame of his father's defeats.

 

The two armies met at the Dorian town of Stratos, not far from the Dorian capital Amphissa. Towns are probably too close together on the campaign map. I'll have to amend that.

 

This would prove the most desperate battle of the campaign with the outcome in doubt until the very last moment.

Since Peter's army had come into the campaign square already occupied by my army, I got to use the battlefield template to slightly adjust the battlefield.

 

And then we set it up.

Then time to deploy the armies. Mykingdomphoranos (Peter) on the left, Attalos (Yours Truly) on the right. Mykingdomphoranos had a better command rating than Attalos, so I started deployment and moved first.

Turn 1. Malis.

I decided on the provisional plan of moving my psiloi up, ultimately to engage and soften Peter's hoplites before my own hoplites engaged, whilst my cavalry moved up on the right to secure that flank.

Turn 1. Doris.

Peter secured control of the woods on his right flank with his peltasts and then began a bold outflanking manoeuvre with his cavalry on his left. This posed a problem for me: if I formed column with my own cavalry to go and meet his horsemen, the latter could form line and ZOC my column, which would then be in the unenviable position of having to form column whilst in ZOC which inflicts disorder on the unit. I would need to think about this.

Turn 2. Malis.

My decision was to leave my right flank hanging and send in the cavalry to assault Peter's left flank, whilst the psiloi moved up at top speed to engage the Dorian hoplites. When in doubt, attack!

Turn 2. Doris.

Peter thought about it for a while, and then decided to pursue his plan of outflanking my infantry with his cavalry. It was now a race.

Turn 3. Malis.

I needed to get my hoplites as far away from Peter's cavalry as possible until my own cavalry could intervene to protect them, so sent them forwards and diagonally. My psiloi moved up and began the softening up process on Peter's hoplites whilst a cavalry unit moved to their rear to help with the process. Meanwhile another cavalry unit moved back towards Peter's horse. I needed to distract them.

Turn 3. Doris.

Peter's cavalry reached the rear of my infantry, formed line, and began to pelt them with javelins. His one psiloi unit moved up to engage my cavalry but could not shoot it this turn since turning 90 degrees disordered it, inflicting a -2 negative modifier that left him scoring a ½ shooting hit - which means it can score one shooting hit only when it is the other player's turn to move (normally shooters shoot twice a turn, during each player's move). So nothing happens for now. My own psiloi however score one shooting hit on the Dorian hoplites.

Turn 4. Malis.

The Malian hoplites move forward whilst the cavalry march double-time to deal with the Dorian cavalry. My plan is to have the cavalry ready to hit Peter's cavalry in the front and flank if they advance to engage my hoplites.

Turn 4. Doris.

Peter's peltasts charge mine, routing them, whilst his psiloi move up to take on my cavalry.

Peter's peltasts occupy the square vacated by my routed troops.

Turn 5. Malis.

The Malian psiloi donate more javelins to the Dorian hoplites, finally dropping their morale by an interval....

.... and then evade through their own hoplites who move up into their squares. Meanwhile, my cavalry finally get to the rear of Peter's cavalry and form line, sending them a generous supply of javelins.

Turn 5. Doris.

The Dorian cavalry move up and start trading javelins with my psiloi, whilst his peltasts move up to supply them with a flank guard. His psiloi unit moves to the flank of my hoplites, but they can't shoot during Peter's move as they are still disordered.

Turn 6. Malis.

My cavalry charge Peter's cavalry in the rear. I expected this to be a slam dunk, but I had miscalculated. First, Peter's cavalry can't evade. My own psiloi can't get out of the way of Peter's horse since they would have to move through their hoplites - straight into Peter's hoplites. But Peter's cavalry can't charge the psiloi as evading units cannot charge. 

So they got rear ended and become disordered. They they turned to face my cavalry - and then I realised I had blundered. My cavalry were shaken, hence a -1 modifier; Peter's cavalry were disordered hence a -2 modifier. But the modifiers left both units inflicting the same combat hit, so a draw. Peter's general Mykingdomphorahos however has a better combat rating than my cavalry commander. He breaks the tie, inflicts a combat hit on my cavalry, who rout. Damn!

But it gets worse. I had now lost 2 peltast bases plus 2 cavalry bases plus the cavalry commander worth 2 points. So 6 points in total. I was one point from reaching my breakpoint of 7 points and losing the entire battle!

Meanwhile my hoplites charge Peter's hoplites. They have the edge now that Peter's heavy foot have lost a morale interval from my psiloi, but they better hurry - things are not going well behind them.

The Dorian cavalry occupy the square vacated by my routed horse whilst my surviving cavalry decides to get the hell out of there.

Turn 6. Doris.

Peter sends one cavalry unit in pursuit of mine whilst his other moves up to engage my psiloi.

Turn 6. Melee

The hoplites grind each other down.

Turn 7. Malis.

My cavalry deploy into line and move up to send a few javelins towards the Dorian cavalry. I need to keep Peter's cavalry busy whilst my hoplites win the battle. With my psiloi also shooting them the cavalry unit shouldn't last too long.

Turn 7. Doris.

Peter's cavalry moves up and forms line, sending long pointy sticks into the rear end of my horse. Peter clearly intends to charge next turn. I need to come up with something, fast.

Turn 7. Melee.

One of the Dorian hoplite units routs!

My victorious hoplite unit moves up to occupy the vacated square.

Turn 8. Malis.

My cavalry turn to face the Dorian cavalry. Otherwise everyone stays where they are.

Turn 8. Doris.

The Dorian cavalry is finally shot to rout. Score is now 6:4.

General Mykingdomphoranos now leads a glorious cavalry charge, scattering my psiloi and slamming into the rear of my hoplites. But at the moment of his triumph a stray javelin finds him and his is killed! Disaster! His loss is worth 4 points, so with the 4 points already lost Peter is at 8 points and the Dorian army routs. Game over!

What might have been....

The final score. This was a narrow victory for me (barely squeaked through to be honest) so I gain only one kudo whilst Peter loses one. But that one kudo lost drops him to -1 and Doris collapses, to be absorbed into Malis as its first step to creating a world empire.

 

Edit: just realised something. When Mykingdomforanos's cavalry slammed into the rear of my hoplites during his last glorious charge, the charge combat was a draw. Light horse (the Greek cav are LH) inflict only an "all grey" modifier when they rear-end an enemy unit, which means all grey (firm) morale intervals become white (shaken). Since the hoplites were already shaken the modifier didn't affect them. 

Basic combat factors are 3 by the hoplites becomes a 2 with the minus modifier, and 2 by the cavalry. Mykingdomphoranos however breaks the draw and scores one morale hit on the hoplites, routing them. That tips my entire army over the edge.

Mykingdomphoranos then dies in his moment of victory and that tips his army over the edge. Result: a draw (rare but not unheard of in Optio). So nobody gains or loses kudos, but since Peter had spent every kudo he had raising his army he has nothing left to rule anything except Amphissa and so the campaign is over anyway. But the bards will immortalise Mykingdomphoranos....

Battle of Amphissa, Part 2 - Aaaargh!

The time has come. After a long siege the Dorian capital Amphissa is on the verge of surrender, its citizens half-starved and desperate. But hope is rekindled: the illustrious general Ophonahos finally arrives with his relief army and deploys for battle, ready to crush that impudent upstart Attalos once and for all....

The two armies ready for battle, Ophonahos (Peter) on the right and Attalos (Yours Truly) on the left.

Turn 1. Malis. Turn 1. Doris

Attalos' command rating was inferior to Ophonahos' which means I started deployment and hence should start moving, but I decide to forego my move and see what Peter is up to. Peter decides to advance his hoplites and peltasts, holding the rest of his army back - possibly to see what I was up to (we really don't trust each other 😟).

Turn 2. Malis

I start executing my plan conceived during deployment: move my psiloi up in front of my hoplites from where they can shoot and weaken Peter's hoplites, whilst my cavalry moved up on my right to engage Peter's psiloi and hopefully distract his cavalry.

Turn 2. Doris

Peter now makes his big move, essentially moving everything towards my infantry on the left. His psiloi form column and double-march into the protection of the forest, whilst his cavalry move up to support his hoplites poised to attack my infantry line. His peltasts move onto the ploughed field and trade javelins with my psiloi. I have to admit this move gave me serious pause for thought.

Turn 3. Malis

Only one thing to do: carry on with the original plan. I needed to close the gap between my hoplites and the city walls so moved the entire infantry battleline to the right, which not only stopped any attempt by Peter's peltasts to infiltrate into my rear, but also stopped his cavalry from sneaking around me - a solid wall of ZOCs now blocking them. They would have to go the long way round his hoplites, and with my cavalry moving up towards his left I doubted he would have time for that.

Notice my psiloi getting out the way as the hoplites occupy their square. Psiloi must evade friendly as well as enemy non-lights. The psiloi did manage to shoot the peltasts before they moved (who naturally shot back at them).

Turn 3. Doris

Peter decided a frontal assault was the way to go, moving his hoplites diagonally left to support his peltasts. His cavalry formed line to face the threat of my cavalry on the far side of the town, and his psiloi formed line to add to the welcoming committee.

Turn 4. Malis

Time to drive on Peter's army from the front and flank. Here I inadvertently broke a rule - my hoplites charged the enemy before them, but since my peltasts were part of the same battleline they should have charged as well, which they didn't do. This would have made a big difference as peltasts are easily outfought by hoplites and the loss of that unit would have exposed my hoplites to outflanking. There ya go Peter, you should really have won this battle.

Peter showed extraordinary bad luck in his dice throwing: a first six for his hoplite commander was followed by a second, killing the commander. This isn't the first time it would happen in this game....

Peter's peltasts evade the charge which is exactly what I was hoping for. They are now in the path of my advancing cavalry.

Turn 4. Melee

Here I got turn order mixed up. I move first, followed by Peter, so melee should have come after Peter's move. Oh well. The hoplites wear each other down but nobody routs just yet.

Turn 5. Doris

Peter charges my peltasts who evade, and reforms his own evaded peltasts. But nothing else for this turn. Mistake.

Turn 5. Malis

Chaaarge! In go my light horse who catch Peter's peltasts on the flank. With their own LH in the way they can't evade and have to take it on the chin. Peter elects to let his other LH accept the charge and not evade. My general's combat factor however is better than his, so I win the first round of charge combat (mounted vs mounted combat is resolved twice with generals/commanders affecting one round of combat). Peter's LH drops a morale interval.

Turn 5. Melee

In the subsequent melee combat Peter's LH drops an additional two morale intervals and routs. I realise I forgot to resolve the melee combat between my LH and Peter's peltasts. Damn.

My LH occupy the square vacated by Peter's routed LH.

Turn 6. Doris. Turn 6. Malis.

Peter didn't move this turn. I turn my hoplites - possible since they have enemy on their flank - to face Peter's hoplites and prepare for a flank charge next turn. Meanwhile my psiloi form column and march up as far as possible.

Turn 6. Melee

Peter's peltasts finally turn to face my LH and, having been disordered by the flank charge, do badly in the melee but aren't routed just yet. Both our commanders however are wounded.

Ouch!

Turn 7. Doris

Peter pulls a fast one, slipping his LH between my LH and his peltasts to the rear of my other LH unit engaging them. I sure didn't see that coming. His psiloi advance from the woods to get back into the battle. Meanwhile his hoplites charge my peltasts driving them back and - hopefully - eventually off the battlefield.

Turn 7. Malis

My psiloi battle column forms line, then one of the units advances up to shoot at Peter's hoplites (the other can't move so stays where it is). My hoplites charge Peter's hoplites in the flank, disordering them. Meanwhile my general's LH moves at top speed to engage Peter's LH, about to make a burger patty of my engaged LH.

Turn 7. Melee

Peter's hoplites finally break and run whilst his disordered peltasts are ground down but not yet routed.

Turn 8. Doris

Peter's psiloi enter the fray again, shooting up my hoplites. More importantly, his LH charge my LH in the rear, disordering them and inflicting ruinous morale loss in the charge combat, though not quite enough to rout them. Meanwhile my peltasts and psiloi throw everything they have at Peter's hoplites....

.... who charge the peltasts. But this time they stand their ground. The hoplites are shaken, so the charge combat is a draw and nothing happens.

Turn 8. Malis

One of my hoplite units charge Peter's psiloi, who evade. The other turns to face the other psiloi unit who continues to give a generous donation of javelins. But my hoplites are armoured so it's not too bad. My LH gets to the rear of Peter's engaged LH and prepares to repeat the hamburger patty trick next turn.

Turn 8. Melee

Sandwiched between peltasts and LH, my engaged LH unit dies, fast. Oh well, the bards will compose a stirring ode in their memory.

Turn 9. Doris

Peter rotates his LH 180 degrees to face mine and moves up his peltasts to give support. His psiloi continue to shoot up my hoplites, slowly denting their morale. Slowly.

Turn 9. Malis

Chaaaarge! My hoplites obliged Peter's psiloi to evade and then my LH charge Peter's LH and....

O tempora, O mores! General Ophonahos is killed in hand to hand combat with Attalos! Two consecutive sixes do him in, on the spot. His loss is worth 4 victory points and that is enough to tip Peter's army over the edge in a general rout. Game over!

But hang on, the game was decided by a throw of the die. That isn't how Optio is supposed to work....

The womenfolk wail from the city walls. Our hero, our saviour, is dead! Eheu!

This was an average victory for Malis since I had lost more than a third but less than two-thirds of the stands necessary to rout my own army. Peter hence lost three kudos and I gained three. In consequence he lost control of two towns: Cynus and Potidiana. Things now look truly desperate for Doris but it isn't over yet. By taxing his three non-capital towns (a player cannot tax his capital) Peter was just able to raise an army that matched mine. Time for one last throw of the die (!). Stay tuned.