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Battle Report: Heirs to Empire

 Post subject: Battle Report: Heirs to Empire
PostPosted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 7:59 pm 
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This is my latest game I have been working on. I have always enjoyed the Diadochi or Successor period after Alexander the Great's death. There are a number of interesting characters, political intrigue, and lots of battles between skilled commanders. What is not to like for a wargamer? This is an attempt to create an ancients wargame that is focused exclusively on this Diadochi period. It doesn’t even include the Epignoi so it is hyper-focused.

The bulk of the rules are a riff on my Men of Bronze rules for Greek Hoplite warfare. However, there are various tweaks to match the strategy and tactics of the time. For example, this is a game of battles and units. Things like in and out of Phalanx and battle formations are abstracted. It is assumed all unit commanders have put their troops in the right formations for the job.

Instead, this game focuses on unit vs unit in order to get the best unit combined arms formations to win. It is about charging, supporting, and flank attacks. In addition, there is an element of command and control by using the Commander’s Gaze dice to influence the flow of the battle at critical times and places on the field.

The units in the game tend to be abstracted. Most armies of this period had similar elements and components. The trick was when and how to use them. The abstraction of units allows for the players to focus on other aspects of the game play such as supporting and flanking. In addition, armies were organized into wings and the armies in these rules are intended to mirror this approach.

The game also take inspiration from Warmaster Ancients, Hail Ceasar, Lion Rampant, Sword and Spear, DBA, and various other ancients rulesets. This game is so new that it is not even in the Work-in-Progress section of the Blog for you to try yet. I am still working on the mechanics and deciding what I want it to do and how. Once they are fleshed out further, I will make a WIP available for you to try. In the meantime, I figured I would let you in on the play-testing.

Eumenes had once been the secretary of Alexander himself. He was not Macedonian, but his position provided him great privilege and respect amongst the troops. He was a well-known general in his own right.

After Ptolemy stole Alexander’s body and spirited to Egypt The Regent Perdiccas organized an expedition to punish the upstart Diadochi. He gathered an army and marched towards the Nile. Perdiccas charged Eumenes with protecting Asia Minor from the greedy Antipater and Craterus from attacking out of Macedon and Greece. To aid him, Perdiccas placed Neoptolemus the Satrap of Armenia under Eumenes’ command.

However, Neoptolemus had his own ideas. Instead, he had sided with Antipater and Craterus. Instead of joining Eumenes, he intended to attack him. Eumenes learned of the Satraps plan and marched his army out to punish the upstart. The battle for Alexander’s empire was about to begin.

Forces:

Eumenes of Cardia
Center:
Silver Shields- General
Bronze Shields
2 Thureophoroi

Left Wing:
Companion Cavalry- General: Eumenes

Right Wing:
Epilektoi Cavalry- General

54 Points

Neoptolemus, Satrap of Armenia
Center
1 Bronze Shield- General
2 White Shields

Left Wing:
1 Asphract (Javelins)
1 Epilektoi- General: Neoptolemus

Right Wing:
1 Asphract (Javelins)- General
1 Archer

54 Points

Mission:
This is a standard battle. The object is to break the enemy force by the end of turn 8.

Set-up:
Today we are using a 6x4 table. It is set-up as the steppe of Turkey. Historically, Neoptolemus was supposed to support Eumenes in the defense of Asia Minor from invaders from Macedon. Instead, he turned to Antipater and Craterus in Macedon. In response, Eumenes marched to face the Satrap. Today’s battle is to re-fight this battle, but few details survive other than the outcome.

The center is relatively flat and open, and good place for Phalanx combat. The North has a series of rocky outcroppings to block LOS and make movement more difficult. The South flank has an oasis and the ruins of an old town. This will also serve to block hinder or block movement.

At this point, it is more likely that the Silver Shields would have been deployed with Perdiccas in Egypt. However, to avoid confusion I am placing them with Eumenes, the commander they followed after Perdiccas’ death. I addition, Thureophoroi were probably not developed until a later date, but they serve essentially the same role as Hypaspists in Alexander’s army with slightly different gear. Therefore I am using them here to represent the Hypaspists likely found in Eumenes army instead. Beyond these details little is known about the actual composition of either army in the historical battle.

Eumenes deployed with his Thureophoi positioned on the outside of the center just ahead of his Phalanxes. His wings were deployed close to his center to support.

Image

Neoptolemus had his phalanxes in a line with the Bronze Shields in the center. His right wing was in echelon and ready to support he center, while the left was deployed outwards for a flanking attack.

Image

Shall we begin?

http://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2017/06/heirs-to-empire-battle-report-eumenes.html

or

http://bloodandspectacles.proboards.com/post/12/thread

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 Post subject: Re: Battle Report: Heirs to Empire
PostPosted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 7:10 pm 
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Heirs to Empire is a game set in the era of the Diadochi. This is the time when Alexander’s generals squabbled over the remains of the Empire after Alexander’s death. This rule set tries to capture the feel of commanding armies in this time period so the scale is an army/battle scale game. That said it is miniature agnostic and units are abstracted in the gameplay. Instead, it focuses on the interactions of troops types working together and using the Commander’s Gaze to influence the flow of the battle.

Image

Eumenes had once been the secretary of Alexander himself. He was not Macedonian, but his position provided him great privilege and respect amongst the troops. He was a well-known general in his own right.

After Ptolemy stole Alexander’s body and spirited it to Egypt; The Regent Perdiccas organized an expedition to punish the upstart Diadochi. He gathered an army and marched towards the Nile. Perdiccas charged Eumenes with protecting Asia Minor from the greedy Antipater and Craterus from attacking out of Macedon and Greece. To aid him, Perdiccas placed Neoptolemus the Satrap of Armenia under Eumenes’ command.

However, Neoptolemus had his own ideas. Instead, he had sided with Antipater and Craterus. Instead of joining Eumenes, he intended to attack him. Eumenes learned of the Satraps plan and marched his army out to punish the upstart. The battle for Alexander’s empire was about to begin.


This is a re-fight of a previous battle while I was playtesting the rules. However, the last time I played I had no scenarios and it was simply a set-piece battle. Since then, I have built a new set of scenarios and a campaign system for the game.

Forces:


Eumenes of Cardia
Center:
Silver Shields- General
Bronze Shields
2 Thureophoroi

Left Wing:
Companion Cavalry- General: Eumenes

Right Wing:
Epilektoi Cavalry- General

Neoptolemus, Satrap of Armenia
Center
1 Bronze Shield- General
2 White Shields

Left Wing:
1 Asphract (Javelins)
1 Epilektoi- General: Neoptolemus

Right Wing:
1 Asphract (Javelins)- General
1 Archer


Mission:
Today’s battle will be a Forced Crossing where Eumenes is the attacker. He is attempting to get up to 10+ points of his army off the opposite board edge past Neoptolemus’ troops. If he does so in 8 turns then Eumenes wins.

Set-up:
Today we are using a 6x4 table. It is set-up as the steppe of Turkey. Historically, Neoptolemus was supposed to support Eumenes in the defense of Asia Minor from invaders from Macedon. Instead, he turned to Antipater and Craterus in Macedon. In response, Eumenes marched to face the Satrap. Today’s battle is to represent Eumenes trying to move to his stronghold in Asia Minor, not 100% aware that Neoptolemus is no longer on his side.

The center is relatively flat and open, and good place for Phalanx combat. The North has a series of rocky hills to block LOS and make movement more difficult. The South flank has an oasis. This will also serve to hinder or block movement.

At this point, it is more likely that the Silver Shields would have been deployed with Perdiccas in Egypt. However, to avoid confusion I am placing them with Eumenes, the commander they followed after Perdiccas’ death. In addition, Thureophoroi were probably not developed until a later date, but they serve essentially the same role as Hypaspists in Alexander’s army with slightly different gear. Therefore I am using them here to represent the Hypaspists likely found in Eumenes army instead. Beyond these details little is known about the actual composition of either army historically.

https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com ... orced.html

If you are interested int eh first take of this match-up, you can find it here:
https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com ... menes.html

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 Post subject: Re: Battle Report: Heirs to Empire
PostPosted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 12:38 am 
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Craterus vs. Eumenes of Cardia
Here is another Heirs to Empire battle report featuring the armies of Eumenes of Cardia vs. his rival Successor’s in Anatolia. These battles took place early in the Diadochi wars between Alexander’s successors, and helped shape the political map of the wars to come. As such, the armies were probably similar to those that Alexander himself used in his great campaigns.

After Neoptolemus’ defeat by Eumenes, he fled and joined up with Craterus. Craterus was crossing the Dardennelles from Greece to pressure Eumenes and force the Pro-Perdiccan loyalists out of Turkey. Meanwhile, Perdiccas himself was assembling and leading an army to face off against Ptolemy in Egypt after Ptolemy stole the body of Alexander.

Most of what remained of Neoptolemus’army from his Satrapy in Armenia was easily absorbed into Eumenes’ army to absorb losses. However, Craterus’ force had much greater numbers than Eumenes could muster. In addition, the core Phalanx was made up of reliable Macedonians from Europe.

The two forces faced off. The details of the battle have been lost to ages. We only know the outcome. In a daring attack, the outnumbered Eumenes managed to smash the larger army of Craterus. Craterus himself was killed in the battle. Neoptolemus was also killed in a duel between himself and Eumenes. It is said that Eumenes and his cavalry unit squared off against Neoptolemus’ cavalry on purpose to face the treacherous enemy general personally.

The Forces:
The forces are pulled from the sample armies in the rules. They are both 54 points.

Craterus’ Army
Center
2 Bronze Shields- 1 Led by Craterus
2 Irregular Peltasts
1 Thureophoroi

Right Wing
Asphract Cavalry- Neoptolemus
Asphract Cavalry (Javelin)

Left Wing
Archers- General
Skirmishers
Skirmishers

Eumenes of Cardia
Center
Silver Shields- General
Bronze Shields
2 Thureophoroi

Right Wing
Epilektoi Cavalry

Left Wing
Companion Cavalry- Eumenes

During this battle, it is probable that the Silver Shields were probably deployed with Perdiccas for the Egyptian campaign, and not with Eumenes of Cardia. However, for simplicity and uniformity of the campaign I am going to keep them with Eumenes.

In addition, it is likely that Thureophoroi were not a distinct and established part of the army. Such troops played a role of that of the Hypaspists in Alexander’s army. Since the main difference between these troop types is the Hoplon versus an oval shield they are interchangeable this early in the Diadochi period.

Mission:
It is unclear how this battle actually took place. Some scholars believe it must have occurred during a river crossing or similar situation for the victory to have occurred as described in the sources. It is unclear as the sources that remain spend little time on the actual battle, only the aftermath. To that end, we rolled a random scenario and came up with Raze and Loot.

In this scenario there are 5 markers placed on the board to represent valuable items such as wells, supplies, sacred sites, etc. The Defender tries to protect them while the attacker tries to destroy them by attacking them in melee. Craterus was determined to be the defender.

Set-up:
To match the situation, we changed he deployment a bit. We made sure that Craterus and his army was by the river, to help match the potential historical match-up. Also, this scenario allows Craterus to deploy a bit seperated based on the location of the objective counters. This also probably helps match the situation Eumenes and Craterus faced.

The objectives were watering holes spread across the desert, and the river crossing Craterus and his army used. Eumenes’s deployment was pretty standard. He was on the right flank with his Companions. The center was his phalanx flanked by Thureophoroi on each side. The Epilektoi were on the left. Nothing fancy and fairly compact and in a straight line.
Image

The Left wing (of Archers and Skirmishers) deployed forward to protect the watering hole, but also potentially harass the main advance of Eumenes army. The Center was deployed just past the river ford in an arrowhead formation. The right flank was the Asphract cavalry units and they deployed out near another watering hole.

Image

You can see the results of this historical match-up at my blog if you are so inclined.....https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com ... adoch.html

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