DBA 24: Macedonia vs Persia

Bob & I played another DBA 24 game, this time with 15mm Essex miniatures and using an Alexandrian Macedonian army (II/12) vs a Later Achaemenid Persian army (II/7), a fictitious battle set around 334BC. The orders of battle are as follows:

Macedonia
Alexander (CinC) & Companions (3Kn) x 2
Light Horse (LH) x 2
Hypaspists (4Ax) x 2
Psiloi (Ps) x 2

Phalangites (4Pk) x 12

Peltasts (4Ax) x 2

Thessalians (3Cv) x 2

Persia

Darius (CinC) in LCh x 1

Persian Horse (3Cv) x 5

Persian Nobles (3Kn) x 2

Persian Light Horse (LH) x 4

Mercenary Hoplites (4Sp) x 8

Persian Archers & Slingers (Ps) x 2

Persian Levy (7Hd) x 2

Both Macedonia & Persia each had one sub-general per the DBA 24 guidelines for command purposes. 

The armies are deployed, Persians on the left, Macedonia on the right. The playing area is 4' x 2.'

The Persian right flank.

The Macedonian right flank.

The Macedonian right flank advances towards the Persians in echelon.

A view from the Macedonian left.

The Macedonian advance continues. The Persian levy moves up to the end of the front line.

Alexander & the Companions are within striking distance of the Persian left flank.

Darius and his Noble bodyguard in reserve.

Alexander breaks through the Persian line, destroying a cavalry unit. The Persians have an opportunity to counterattack, which never came due to lack of pips.

The Persian right flank advancing.

Persian light horse attacking Macedonian peltasts.

Unable to counter due to lack of command points, the Macedonians launch a full assault on the Persian left.

The Macedonian assault on the Persian left is repulsed!

Alexander counters and another Persian cavalry is destroyed.

Meanwhile, the Persians are attempting to envelope the Macedonian left, where Macedonian General Parmenio is with the Thessalian cavalry.

The Macedonian phalangites are advancing towards the center of the Persian Mercenary hoplites.

The situation on the Macedonian left becomes critical as the Persian Skythian cavalry positions itself to flank the Thessalians. A Macedonian light horse unit guarding the flank has been destroyed.

The Persian Greek Mercenary Hoplites don't wait for the Macedonian phalanx to close, and launch an assault of their own.

A lack of command pips and indecisive combat results are preventing Alexander and the Macedonian right from results.

Alexander wheels left away from the Persian levy horde towards the Greek Mercenaries. The phalanx battle is indecisive. Darius and his nobles in reserve are not contributing much to the battle at this point.

The Persian levy is contained (destroying them does not contribute towards the number of destroyed enemy elements needed to win).

A Thessalian cavalry element is destroyed by Persian cavalry and flanking Skythians. Parmenio's element is now alone to defend the left flank. Note: The Persian light horse in the photo are in 2 ranks, as light horse get a bonus of +1 for a supporting rear rank of light horse.

The phalangites are closing with the main line of hoplites. The Hypaspists have lost an element, but are supported by Alexander. Destroyed Persian elements are at the top of the photo.

Destroyed Macedonians.

Parmenio and the remaining Thessalians manage to destroy a Persian cavalry element. They are still in harms way.

Parmenio turns to face the Skythians.

The Persians set-up their attack.

The Hypaspists turning the hoplite flank.

The Greek Peltasts have chased off som of the Persian light horse (above). The Persians are still positioning against Parmenio.

The Phalanx now applying pressure to the Hoplites.

Parmenio finally dies gloriously in battle.

However, more Mercenary Hoplites meet their end. Persian losses have reached 8, ending the battle.

The Persian Horde is still fighting on. Flanking cavalry doesn't help kill horde other than give a -1, since horde do not recoil in normal combat. Final score: Macedonia 8, Persia 5.

 

Assessment:

A hard fought game to the end. Because we only used one pip die for each side, we were forced to often concentrate on one flank at a time due to the lack of pips. Individual elements become expensive to move, while moving in groups is more cost effective.