Hittites versus Gasgans Chariots Rampant Game

 

Gasgan attackers deployed on the left,
Hittite defenders on the right

Gasgan force

Hittite force

The two sides mostly advance

Gasgan guardsmen, light infantry and slingers

Gasgan light infantry and archers

Gasgan chariots, light infantry and slingers

Last Tuesday afternoon I played a solo Chariots Rampant game with my 15mm Hittites taking on my recently painted Gasgans/Kaskans. The Gasgans were the attackers and had a slight points advantage but the Hittites had more chariots. The two sides advanced and after a couple of turns, were in shooting range. The Hittite chariots charged the Gasgan guardsmen who were warrior infantry, armed with bow and two handed axes.

The guardsmen retreated but then charged the Hittite chariots in their turn. The guardsmen failed a courage test and routed. The Gasgan light infantry then charged the half strength chariots and wiped them out. It was getting pretty messy in the game, the shooting activations were definitely less risky than combat. When the last Gasgan light infantry unit failed its courage test and routed, it was victory for the Hittites.

Shooting commences

Hittite chariots charge the Gasgan guardsmen

Gasgan guardsmen charge the chariots in their turn

Gasgan light infantry destroy
half strength Hittite chariots

Shooting is less risky than combat!

Gasgan light infantry charge Hittite spearmen

Hittites are victorious

Hatti versus Hanigalbat Chariots Rampant Game

 

Side view of the table

Hittite force deployed

Mitanni force deployed

Hittite attackers advance

Mitanni chariots suffer casualties from shooting

Hittite chariots on the left flank
are destroyed by shooting

Hittite chariots

Hittite spearmen and guardsmen

Hittite spearmen and skirmishers

Last Saturday afternoon I played a solo Chariots Rampant game out in the shed with my 15mm Hittites and Mitanni. I've just been reading Trevor Bryce's latest book Hattusili, the Hittite Prince Who Stole an Empire, it's a fascinating read, highly recommended, quite a bit of it is speculative but very interesting none the less. Writing about Suppiluliuma I (1350-1322 BC) he says:

he undertook the biggest challenge of his reign - the annihilation of Hatti's arch enemy, the kingdom of Mittani. After a long, hard-fought war lasting almost two decades, Suppiluliuma succeeded in demolishing the kingdom, rounding off his conquests by capturing the last Mittanian stronghold, the city of Carchemish on the Euphrates. We are now in the year 1326 or thereabouts. A rump kingdom called Hanigalbat was all that remained of Mittani, and Suppiluliuma promptly converted it into a Hittite puppet state.

Trevor Bryce, Hattusili, the Hittite Prince Who Stole an Empire, Bloomsbury Publishing, London, 2025, p.17.

In my game the Mitanni chariots suffered early casualties from shooting but on the other flank the entire Hittite chariot unit was destroyed by shooting. The Hittite guardsmen charged the Mittani spearmen but retreated battered and at nearly half strength. On the Mitanni left flank the Hittite chariots charged and destroyed some skirmishers forcing the Mitanni spearmen to retreat and protect their flank. The Hittite chariots charged the spearmen but were forced to retreat, at this stage the game was evenly poised. The Hittite guardsmen and spearmen then both routed after failing courage tests. The Mitanni had repelled this Hittite attack.

Mitanni spearmen and skirmishers

Mitanni chariots and skirmishers

Mitanni spearmen and archers

Hittite guarsdmen charge Mitanni spearmen

Hittite guardsmen retreat battered
and nearly at half strength

Mitanni spearmen on the left
retreat to protect their flank

Hittite chariots charge the Mitanni spearmen
but are forced to retreat

The battle is evenly poised

Hittite spearmen and guardsmen rout,
the Mitanni have repelled the Hittite attack

Nubians and Ambush in Kush Chariots Rampant Game

 

Nubian warriors with Chieftain - Warrior infantry

Nubian warriors - Light infantry with javelins

Nubian warriors - Light infantry with javelins

Nubian archers

Nubian archers

Nubian archers

Above are some photos of some Nubians I've finished painting, except for most of the archers and the Nubian chieftain which I painted a while ago. They're a real mix of ranges from Wargames Foundry (the best), Casting Room Miniatures, Warlord Nubians and Kushites, Vendel Kushites, Essex Miniatures and Black Tree Designs (the worst). I used these figures today for a 24 point Nubian Chariots Rampant force against New Kingdom Egyptians, commanded by Craig. The scenario was a Nubian ambush of the Egyptians, and proved to be a lot of fun. See photos below. The Egyptians just managed to fight off the Nubian attack but it was very close.

Egyptians deployed

The Nubian ambush is launched

Archers find their range

Nubian chieftain & warrior infantry retreat battered

Casualties mount on both sides

Nubian archers on the right retreat battered

Egyptians fight off the Nubian ambush

A single Nubian archer unit remains

Hebrews versus Philistines Chariots Rampant Game

 

Philistines with Midianite Allies

Philistine and Hebrew forces deployed

Hebrew Gibborim with the Ark
of the Covenant on the left

Midianites advance, Philistines fail activation

Hebrews all advance

Last Friday morning I played a solo Chariots Rampant game, out in the shed, with the Hebrews taking on the Philistines and their Midianite allies. The game was the usual Bloodbath scenario with the additional aim, for the Philistines, of capturing the Ark of the Covenant ( a sacred relic +1 to all Hebrew units within 12" with their courage tests). The Philistines were the attackers but fail to activate in their first couple of turns. Only the Midianites actually advanced and found their range against the Hebrew chariots. The Hebrews advanced and were soon shooting with their chariots and light infantry.


The Hebrew light infantry on the far right failed a courage test from shooting casualties and routed. The Hebrew leader attempted to bolster the right flank but the Philistine chariots charged the remaining light infantry. These retreated battered but the Philistine leader was killed by lucky blows. Unconcerned the Philistines and Midianites carried on. In the centre the Hebrew Gibborim with the Ark of the Covenant fought valiantly but suffered shooting casualties and eventually routed. The Ark of the Covenant was captured with an easy victory for the Philistines and Midianites.

Whenever Israel sowed seed the Midianites would march up with Amalek and the sons of the east. They would march on Israel. They would pitch camp on their territory and destroy the produce of the country as far as Gaza. They left Israel nothing to live on, not a sheep or an ox or a donkey, for they came up as thick as locusts with their camels and their tents; they and their camels were innumerable, they invaded the country to pillage it.

(Judges 6:34-35)

So the Philistines gave battle and Israel was defeated, each man fleeing to his tent. The slaughter was very great; on the Israelite side thirty thousand foot soldiers fell. The ark of God was captured too, and Hophni and Phineas the two sons of Eli died.

(1 Samuel 4:10-11) 

Quoted in Warriors of the Old Testament by Mark Healy, p.39 and 58. Brockhamton Press, London, 1998.

Midianites find bow range against the Hebrew chariots

Hebrew chariots and light infantry shoot 

Hebrew light infantry rout

Hebrew leader attempts to bolster right flank

Hebrew light infantry retreat battered

Hebrew Gibborim rout, the
Ark of the Covenant is captured!