Petra Mountain Passes - Lazic War 548 AD - Command and Colors Medieval Game

 

Forces deployed from the Byzantine side

From the Sassanid side

Sassanids move first, cavalry advances

Byzantine archers are exposed

Sassanid cavalry look to force the mountain passes

Byzantines play a Scout card

Byzantines evade and retreat on the left flank

Byzantines retreat on the right flank

Last Tuesday morning I played a solo Command and Colors Medieval game out in the shed. The scenario was from the Lazic War in 548 AD with a Sassanid relief force commanded by Mir-Mihroe, heading for the besieged city of Petra, while a small Byzantine force tried to defend the mountain passes. The Sassanids outnumbered the Byzantines two to one, moved first and had an extra Inspired Action token, and both sides had five command cards. This turned out to be an interesting game where the Sassanid attempt to force the passes actually back fired on them.The Byzantines took a cautious approach evading, retreating and relying on shooting and defending in difficult terrain to counter the Sassanid numbers. The Byzantines actually managed to hold the mountain passes with a hard fought 5-3 victory.

Byzantine horse archers attack

The game is level pegging

Sassanids attack in the centre

Byzantine infantry fight off a cavalry charge

Sassanid infantry are vulnerable

Sassanids try again to break through

Byzantines hold the mountain passes
with a hard fought 5-3 victory

Early New Kingdom Egyptian Infantry

 

Here are some early 18th Dynasty New Kingdom Egyptian infantry from the reign of  Thutmose III or Thutmes III. These 15mm two handed axemen and archers are by Khurasan Miniatures, eventually I hope to refight the Battle of Megiddo (1457 BC Middle Chronology) with these figures for the Egyptian side. The middle lot of archers have a leather net kilt. Angus McBride's illustrations of Egyptian infantry with these can be seen in plates A and D of Mark Healy's Osprey book New Kingdom Egypt.

Below are photos of painted reliefs of the infantry from Dahr Al-Bahari, the Temple of Queen Hatshesput from around the same time. Hatshepsut was regent for Thutmose III before he came of age and was made Pharaoh. I took these photos on our trip to Egypt in 2009.

Dahr Al-Bahari - Temple of Queen Hatshesput

Lion Rampant Crusader States Game - Raiding the Neighbours

 

Usama's cavalry advance on to the table

Hama's infantry sit tight on the island with the cattle

Lion Rampant unit cards

Hama's cavalry reinforcements arrive on the table

Usama's infantry arrive on the table

Hama's archers find their mark

On Wednesday afternoon Craig came over and we played a Lion Rampant Crusader States game out in the shed. The scenario was Raiding the Neighbours from the Lion Rampant Crusader States supplement (pp.101-106) with two warbands from the Syrian Principalities list. Usama's warband was attempting to retrieve stolen cattle on an island on the Orontes River, while Hama's warband tried to prevent this. The scenario is based on actual events in the memoirs of Usama Ibn-Munquidh (1095-1188).

It was a fun scenario but we got Hama's cavalry reinforcements wrong they all came on in turn two whereas they should have come on in dribs and drabs over several turns. In the end it probably didn't effect the result of the game that much because Usama's warband had terrible luck with their dice throughout the game and never really got going. Usama's cavalry were almost wiped out to a man by shooting but the infantry managed to launch a late counterattack but Hama's warband was able to hold on to the cattle.

Usama's warband has no luck with their dice

Units on both sides are whittled down by shooting

Shooting continues

Usama's cavalry are almost wiped out

Usama's infantry counterattack

Hama's warband holds on to the cattle

Blemmye Cavalry and More Infantry

 

Here are some Blemmye cavalry and more archers and javelin men for my 15mm Blemmye and Nobotae army. Figures are by Forged in Battle and Donnington Miniatures. The Nobotae king with the crown next to the standard and the cavalry figures on the left are Donnington, the rest are Forged in Battle. It's been pretty quiet on the gaming and painting front lately, I had a stack on my mtb and hurt my ribs so haven't been up to much for a while. I now have enough painted Blemmye for a Lion Rampant game and have some Forged in Battle Middle Imperial Romans as well as Legio Heroica Late Romans to paint and use as opponents.

Blemmye so far - elephants, cavalry,
archers and javelin men

Early Carthaginians versus Pyrrhus in Sicily

 

Armies deployed from the Epirot side

From the Carthaginian side

Epirot right flank

Epirot centre all pike

Epirot left flank

Carthaginian right flank

Carthaginian centre

Carthaginian left flank

Epirot attackers advance

Last Sunday afternoon I played a solo early Carthaginians versus Pyrrhus of Epirus, in Sicily 277-275 BC, ADLG game out in the shed. I knew this would be a very one sided game so included some of the best early Carthaginian troops like the four horse heavy chariots and Sacred Band even though they were most unlikely to have been in use in this late period in Sicily. The chariots performed quite well but otherwise the Carthaginians proved to be no match for Pyrrhus' Epirot army and were slaughtered very easily indeed.

Carthaginians attempt to plug the gaps in their line

Carthaginian left flank

Carthaginian right flank

Carthaginian centre is a mess

Combat on the left flank

Combat on the right flank

Pike charge in the centre

Carthaginians are slaughtered