1/32 Alexander vs Darius (Part 1/2)
Date: November 23, 2010.
Hi,
In annexe pics of a 1/72 battle we played with a lot of Hät with the figures used.
We played an Alexander vs the Darius battle. Geert, Mark, Bart and Piet on the Greek side, Alex Ronny and me as Persians.
The Persians had a numeric superiority, but all the Greek had a veteran status, with the companions and one phalanx formation as elite. On the Persian side , the Greek mercenaries were veterans and two units of immortals were elite. The Greek right wing contained the allied Greeks, a few light infantry units and the cavalry with Alexander and his companions. The center with Mark and Bart were 8 phalanx units, Piet on the left had one Greek allied unit, many peltast light infantry units and two light cavalry.
Opposing Piet was Ronny, with a large number of light infantry, 2 units of heavy cavalry, one light, and two elephant units. I had the center with Darius and a large number of medium infantry, including the immortals and some light infantry. On the left was Alex (with such a name, one should play Alexander) with light cavalry , light infantry, but also the Greek mercenaries.
The opening move on both right wings was the heavy cavalry charging in. Geert didn't attach Alexander, as he feared losing him. By doing this the companions had a mush reduced impact power, but still were went deep into the enemy lines, destroying a light cavalry unit , but stopped with the second melee. In Alex' turn, light infantry joined the melee, paid a heavy price, but in return the companion unit was halved.
On the other side, the heavy Persian cavalry was stopped by the light Greek cavalry and continued the rest of the game struggling and feeding in the other cavalry units of both sides. The elephants , notwithstanding their enormous impact power weren't able to break enemy units, one being chased of the field. The right wing Persian infantry staled into a ranged fight with their Greek counterparts. Geert on the Greek right wing , closed in with his Greek allied hoplites against the Greek mercenary hoplites, and after a few rounds taking the upper hand, I had to feed in some of my medium infantry units. Alexander now with his companions charged in again but didn't manage to force anything.
In the center, the phalanxes slowly advanced, I did slow them down with my light infantry, hoping for one of the wings to turn into our advantage, before being forced to battle the pikes with my medium infantry. Ronny did manage to divert one of the phalanxes, but his forces started to melt away, slowly facing defeat. Alex and Geert kept each other in balance by now, meaning there was no hoping for a Perisan victory on the flanks, and facing the full weight of the pikes with no possibility to turn these units flanks, defeat was inevitable. Darius did run.
The rule testing went very well, with some adjustments to make. Also the impact of the personalities of the kings (and their possible dead, their behavior in certain situations) is something we should take into the rule.
Cheers
Dirk Donvil
Belgium
Many thanks to Mr. Donvil.