Alexandrian Macedonian versus Fatimid Egyptian

Last Monday Mark and I played another game of Field of Glory, 800 points.

Some nice agricultural terrain saw a fairly linear deployment, but I am learning and kept Alexander and the bulk of the cavalry in reserve.

On the Macedonian left were the Thracians, light cavalry and medium foot, with orders to head for the vineyards.

The Fatimids were destined to get there first, but the Macedonians did advance at the double.

The Fatimid main battle line, beautifully turned out with flags flying high.

The Thracian cavalry got stuck right in, supported by some Sogdian horse archers.  The enemy light cavalry were supported somewhat better by a unit of lance armed cavalry.

Alexander and the reserve cavalry move to the left where things have developed quickly.  The Thracian foot are now engaged, but having a hard time of it.

A view from the Fatimid side shows the Macedonian phalanx coming on while some supporting hoplites are about to get to blows.

Disaster!  The Macedonian general commanding the Thracian foot is killed and this part of the line collapses. I attribute the poor quality of the above picture to the stress caused to the photographer by this event. 

Only some light infantry archers remain as the broken Thracians flee.  However, note the Macedonian elite Agema cavalry are now fighting on the far left and that in the vineyard the Macedonian hypaspists are locked in combat.  The Thracian light cavalry have (surprisingly) defeated their opponents and can be seen in the extreme rear approaching the enemy camp.

In a further worrying development the hoplites break just before the phalanx gets up.  But the hypaspists have prevailed (note dust kicked up by the heels of their fleeing opponents - okay it is the lip of their movement tray, but a little imagination goes a long way).  The hypaspists are superior drilled troops and it is their turn to move ...

On the left Alexander now has all the cavalry engaged and wins an immediate victory against the Fatimid lancers when he hits them in the flank.

In a literal turn-about the Hypaspists destroy the Fatimid foot that had broken the hoplites.  At the same time the phalanx destroyed its opponents.

A unit of Fatimid lancers is hassled somewhat ineffectively by both mounted and foot archers.  The Agema have taken significant casualties, but the situation on the left has stabilized.

On the right the Macedonian light cavalry drew off the Fatimid cavalry while the second unit of hoplites went into action.  It was a brief fight and the Fatimid foot broke.  The other Fatimid foot is about to be hit in the flank, but by now it was all over.

The left finished up with the Fatimid lancers just short of the Macedonian camp, the Agema in a bit of a standoff, but the other Macedonian units in pursuit.  The Thracian light cavalry are about to return having looted the Fatimid camp.

An amazing battle with some very bloody combats and crucial morale failures by the Fatimids.  The Thracian light cavalry, Macedonian hypaspists and phalanx fought extremely well, winning the battle for Alexander.

Old Glory Napoleonic Prussian Artillery

This completes all the artillery I will ever need for my Napoleon's Battles 1813 - 1815 Prussians who now muster three corps.  After doing the limbers I wanted a brighter light blue for the guns, my previous guns are almost white in comparison.  The blue in these pictures looks similar to the uniform colour (VJ Prussian blue), but in reality the uniforms look much darker, odd.  

Pr12# battery (three figures per base for Napoleon's Battles heavy artillery).

Pr6# battery (two figures per base for horse artillery).  The cannon models are all the same unfortunately

Amer Com Sd.Kfz.250

Passing through a newsagency the other day I came across this magazine which included this great model of a classic WW2 German halftrack.  Even though I am trying to resist accumulating more 1/72 nd scale WW2 items (in favour of at least getting my 15mm Australians operational) I just couldn’t resist it for the price. 

I expected some trouble getting it off the base, but it was screwed on a simple job to unscrew it.  Now all I have to do is build the larger formation around it. 

The manufacturer is a Polish company and after a little searching I found their website:  http://amercom.com.pl/30-kolekcja-wozy-bojowe

Alexandrian Macedonian versus Parthian

This was something of an impromptu game of Field of Glory ancients last night with Richard.  He had some new pikemen to try out as allies and I am always happy to give my Tin Soldier Hellenistic figures a work out.  We ran 800 points a side.

Obviously I was heavily outnumbered in cavalry and the luck of the terrain placement saw two fields go down, covering my flanks.  Maybe a defensive posture would pay off?  I checked the rules and found the fields provided virtually no protection, so, aggression would be called for.

 

On Alexander’s right the Parthian horse archers started things moving by charging the Rhodian slingers who of course evaded safely through the Hypaspists who were guarding this flank.

 

After a little manoeuvring Alexander was very happy to bring his pikes into action against the enemy pikemen.  It was a seesaw fight with the Macedonian’s initial success proving very difficult to capitalise on while the Parthian cataphracts made repeated charges on the right. The camel mounted troops were just doubling up for a misplaced unit of cataphracts.
 

On the left the Thracian light cavalry got stuck into the Parthian horse archers with initial success, buying time for their compatriots to move up on the enemy archers located in the enclosed field.
 

Oh dear.  The Thracian foot got stuck in to things, but the light horse was wiped out (auto broke after a series of casualties).  Those Thessalian heavy cavalry are just redeploying after having found themselves in the way of the foot.  Meanwhile the elite Agema have joined battle with those cataphracts that look like camels.
 

Back on the right Alexander had lost one of his pike blocks, again worn down by casualties.  Not shown, as it too was wiped out, are the Greek mercenary hoplites that had been on the left of the Macedonian pikemen.  They had charged those cataphracts that look like camels which turned out to be a stupid thing to do.  Alexander is feeling a bit isolated and still those enemy pikemen fight on!  Good work by the new troops.
 

A major cavalry battle is underway on the left, but things are not going well for the Macedonian horse.  However, in the background the Thracians have swept all before them.  Where are they heading to now?
 

This was the penultimate blow to the Parthians.  Alexander’s pike were successful and, while unable to save his cavalry, turned to face the enemy cataphracts who were taken in the flank by the remaining unit of mercenary hoplites.

 

Shielded by the Thracians, Illyrian javelin men captured the Parthian camp, giving victory to Alexander.

 

It was a close run battle with lots of ebb and flow and every unit being engaged across the breadth of the field.

Napoleon’s Battles – introductory scenario

Today I with Mark I ran through a slightly modified scenario from the original Green Scenario Book – rather than set in the revolutionary wars, moved it to 1813 French versus Prussians.  The revised OOB and labels can be found here: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3O3fJlp-yozclFpd1htSk82Y0U/edit?usp=sharing

Forgot to take photos of what was a fun game (took four hours, with the Prussians decisively crushing the French centre, but with the French left wing attack successful in driving the Prussians from one of their towns).  The photo is the table and troops ready to be returned to storage after the game.  The army points were 242.

 

It was the first wargame I have fought in my home since moving here (which was also when I started this blog).

Old Glory Napoleonic Prussian Limbers

The red piping makes painting Prussian artillery a challenge, but these are finished now.  I originally painted the harness black, but decided buff gave a better result - my check of references was inconclusive.

 

The gunners and cannon are up next.

Peter Laing – Athenian Hoplites and archers

These Peter Laing hoplites and archers were purchased around the second half of the 1970s and probably painted in the late 1980s.  I don’t recall ever using them in anger – there is not enough anyway, but adding in a few early Minifigs and I can just about do an army for DBA.  I am pretty sure these figures were catalogued as Athenian (the other Hoplites being Spartan).  Having now checked against the catalogue put up at the Wargaming Miscellany blog these figures are F401 and F405. See: http://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/in-praise-of-peter-laing-miniatures.html

Anyway, just an excuse to add a bit of nostalgia given I had seen some other posts on Peter Laing figures.

 

I had being toying with ancients using the Airfix sets and conversions.  These Peter Laing figures were the first 15mms I ever bought, but I didn’t proceed to build an army from them (still a poor student).  By the time I could afford an army the Tin Soldier figures had arrived and once I started with them, their style had me locked in.  I remember painting these as a novelty and also to just get them off the lead mountain (which in those days was just a slight raise compared to now-a-days’ lofty peak).