Friday, May 26, 2023

Battle of Hormuz 226 AD - Command & Colors Medieval Game

 


Sassanids and Parthians deployed on the plain of
Hormuz between the Bebahan and Shuster Rivers



View from the Parthian side



Parthian left flank



Parthian centre



Parthian right flank



Sassanid left flank



Sassanid infantry and cataphracts in the centre



Sassanid left flank



Last Thursday afternoon Rick, Garry and Craig came over and we played a Command & Colors Medieval game (CCM) out in the shed. The scenario was the Battle of Hormuz 226 AD with the Sassanids under Ardashir I revolting against their Parthian overlords under Artabanus IV. We diced for sides, Craig and I were the Sassanids, Rick and Garry the Parthians. The Sassanids had six command cards, the Parthians only had five but moved first. Both sides started with three Inspired Action tokens. 

The Parthians played a Move Fire Move card, followed by Darken the Sky. The horse archers with their Parthian shot proved to be very effective. The Parthian forced some costly Sassanid retreats to have the lead early in the game. The Sassanids returned fire and managed to claw back the Parthian advantage making the game level pegging. They then launched a make or break Mounted Charge to try and finish the game but the Parthians prevailed 7-5, killing Ardashir I in the final turn.




Parthian horse archers 'Darken the Sky'



Horse archers with their Parthian shot were very effective



Artabanus IV with his cataphracts



Sassanids suffer some costly retreats



Sassanids return fire



Game is level pegging




Sassanids launch a Mounted Charge





Parthians prevail 7-5 victory banners


10 comments:

  1. This looks great, Mike! Is this a scenario from CCM?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jonathan, it is actually a CCA scenario but we used CCM as it is better with cavalry armies and Parthian shot.

      Delete
  2. Splendid looking battle!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love these posts the best! Some nice looking troops on the board, and sounds like everyone had fun. I can't remember, did you use movement trays in the past or are these just different then the trays you used before? Either way they look good.

    Cheers
    Kevin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Kevin, it was a fun, close game. Yes I usually movement trays and casualty markers, it speeds things up.

      Delete

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