The Ballad of Bradicles

I still had 12 Hypaspists left from the Victrix set so I built them up but with different helmets.

Pyrrhus model by Relic Miniatures.

Ouch!

The game was pretty much decided by turn 2 or 3. Alvaro and I lost a lot of break points in pretty rapid order. I was down to my two commanders and a unit of slingers. Alvaro was in better shape but not much.

Here’s the deal. The pikemen,  the armored javelin men and the cavalry all only have 5+ saves. The pikes and cavalry can form close order but do not get shield overlap meaning that the Greeks hoplites I faced are a tougher but to crack with their 4+ saves and – 1 to hit while in close order. And my guys are more expensive because of those pikes.

The pikes get to hit first in both attacks and counterattacks but your counterattacks are limited to half of the attacking unit’s models, so you’re better off in the attack.

The Xyston armed cavalry is great because your target gets a -1 armor save. But it’s  only an initiative 3 weapon. And the Hoplites also have initiative 3 weapons so now it’s a simultaneous strike if he’s in close order AND, if he is, the Xyston armed cavalry also suffer a -1 armor save because you’re literally impaling yourself on the enemy spears. So that 5+ becomes a 6+.

Marcos had a lot of shooting and he was going to shoot me off the board because I have no defense against his shooting because I either don’t have shields (the cavalry) or don’t have Shield Overlap, (the Pezhetairoi javelin and pike men). So my only hope was to engage in melee and take advantage of his troops poor melee and lack of armor.

I knew I’d lose those javelin Pezhetairoi, I do every game, but man, did I have terrible attack rolls and Marcos had amazing saves and grit rolls. My Hetairoi should’ve annihilated that unit of Hoplites but then my attacks just bounced off their shields like rubber balls. My luck tends to run either hot or cold and having no re-rolls when I normally had two was really hurting.  But all of this is luck.  What about strategy?

My left flank should probably have been just the slingers in the woods.  With the trees for cover and their skirmish specialist rule they could’ve been a tough nut for Marcos and his missile troops to dislodge.  Instead I should’ve gone in for wave attacks. Pezhetairoi with javelins in front followed by both pike units with the cavalry as the third wave.  I could have just ground him down the hard way as his units were smaller and I would have had four infantry units and one cavalry unit to take on his three infantry units.

Might’ve worked.

Or not.

For what it’s worth, I’m currently building 12 more Macedonian Hypaspists.  And an elephant.

So, elephants are interesting.  You always have to do a grit test to see if they activate, even with no fatigue.  And they don’t accumulate fatigue.  They only attack by rampaging and that’s a straight forward attack.  And the unit attacked gets a chance to move out of the way but the heavier their armor, the less likely they’ll succeed.  There’s a bunch of other rules but they are a really fun addition to an army.  Probably not worth the points but it’s an elephant!

And elephants are cool.  ?

Forward came the Hoplites. Slowly but surely creeping forward. “Now!” yelled Bradicles to the trumpeter. With that, the trumpeter blasted out some notes and slingers came forward, out of the woods and unto the plains, timing themselves perfectly to align on the exposed flanks of the Hoplites. They threw their stones and opened up the enemy formation.

“ Forward the pike!” and again, the trumpeter blew. The pikemen, a look of grim determination moved forward and then as one leveled their pikes. Forward they thrust but only to be thrust back themselves in disorder.

Charge! blew the trumpet and the cavalry moved forward, a slow walk at first. Then a trot, finally a cantor, each riders knee brushing against his companions knee in magnificent close order. Finally with the exacting precision down came the Xystons!

But no! Up came the spears of the Hoplites as the enemy braced for impact. A few Hoplites went down, their formation disordered but the cavalry, oh the cavalry! Down went horse and rider until only two stood.

Eeyoricles was stunned to be alive. He took off his helmet and looked across the battlefield strewn with the dead of his own men. Only the slingers still lived. He saw his brother sit down on a blasted tree stump and take his own helmet off, then shrug off his cuirass. He then stretched out his perfectly formed legs and crossed them, then crossed his arms as well and bowed his head, as if in deep thought. After awhile he looked up and spoke.

“I think brother that we should re-consider the composition of this army.”  He looked at the enemy Hoplites still occupying the battlefield and then at the elephant that had long since departed. “Yes, I think some changes are in order.”  He paused, “ For truly, we have suffered the wrath of the gods this day.”

“

Bradicles was frustrated. His slingers were dutifully launching their projectiles at the enemy Hoplites, and scoring hits too, but to little affect. They just reformed and moved forward. But they were moving forward. Perhaps an opportunity?

“Have your slingers advance once the enemy reaches the line between that bush and that rock formation. Keep to their left flank and once they pass, unleash with your slings.”  He turned to the cavalry leader, “You, stand by and charge on my command.”  The cavalry man looked at him warily but gave a curt nod.

Those woods are key thought Eeyoricles. Those missile troops will have cover and will embed themselves in their like ticks.

“ Forward the Pezhetairoi!,” he bellowed. “Take those woods from those goat lovers!” He watched as the men trotted forward confidently then loosed their javelins followed up by the unsheathing of swords and a charge into the enemy ranks. Slings, arrows and javelins poured out of the woods striking down some but on they rolled, charging into the enemy ranks, but to no avail. There were too many!

Eeyoricles ordered more men forward. Again the Pezhetairoi advance, again they loose their javelins, again they charge, only to be drowned in a sea of enemy bodies and their own blood.

“Forward the pikes!”

Eeyoricles watched as the orderly ranks of pikemen advanced, shields held up against the javelins headed their way. Then watched as one, they dropped their pikes, unsheathed their swords and charged these peasants in the woods. Surely they wouldn’t be able to stand up to such experienced warriors?

Having a priest in your list gives you a better chance of gaining a fate point and allows you to re-roll the die if things go sideways. In every game prior to this, TimToo pulled through and got me that extra fate point. This time I lost my one and ONLY fate point, even with the re-roll.

This does not bode well.