Saturday, 28 October 2017

The Battle of Seleukeia

The Great King Bamdada of Pamphylia has amassed his army to launch a decisive strike on  Shabaan el-shabazz, Satrap of Seleukeia.

The forces of  Bambada (Matt)

The brave and loyal forces of Shabaan el-shabazz (that'll be me then). Rivers are passable to all except chariots. Luckily I have loads of chariots

My right flank

Facing Matt's left

My centre - lots of phalanx and archers. I have a lot of missile troops

Matt's right - lots of sweaty barbarian types and heavy cavalry

Matt launches a general advance

My cavalry charge as Matt's barbarians cross the river

I have lots of cavalry here

Chariots to the fore I charge into Matt's left

I have great dice all morning and matt has terrible dice. My missile troops are causing serious damage and I'm marking great nerve rolls

 
Matt is forcing a crossing but I'm ready and waiting. Time for lunch. Nice soup for which I forsake my dice rolling.

I'm still around but Matt is moving troops from the centre to support his flanks. This was my plan all along and nice to see it coming to fruition

Matt is across but not worried

Some battered infantry approach my heavy cavalry

I seize the initiative and cross the river in the centre

at this exact moment my dice rolls petered out

I'm across the river but my flank is threatened. A single shot from my stone thrower has destroyed a Numidian cavalry regiment

But my left is wrecked and i'm trapped

My right is a bloody mess of fractured bones and wet sand, both sides have fought to a standstill.

This was an utterly brilliant battle that ebbed and flowed dramatically, played using KoW. I need to split my forces better and I'm overly cautious with phalanx troops. The mix of my missile troops and Matt's shock troops gives a really interesting battle. We will play a follow up in December hopefully.
On the downside my exhaust broke and an emergency stop on the way home sent the army flying and I have a desk full of shields, spears and dismounted horses. Time to get the glue out

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