Pataliputra 319 BC - Command and Colors Ancients Game

 

Initial deployment from the Mauryan side

Initial deployment from the Nandan side

Mauryan elephants on the right flank

Nandan elephants attack Mauryan infantry

Last Sunday Rob, Gary, Rick and I met down at the Vikings Club in Lanyon for the Canberra Regional Wargames Group's monthly meeting. We played a Command and Colors Ancients game, the scenario was Pataliputra 319 BC, Mauryan Indians versus Nandan Indians. We diced for sides, Gary and Rick commanded the Nandan forces, Rob and I commanded the Mauryan forces. The scenario had auxilia bow for both sides and these fought in combat as auxilia but used the shooting rules for regular bow infantry. We also increased the block sizes for elephants and heavy chariots from two to three to make them more resilient and the same as all cavalry units.The two sides were fairly evenly matched. 

The Nandans had a slight advantage in infantry, elephants and cavalry, while the Mauryans had a slight advantage in heavy chariots. The Mauryan side moved first and got off to a good start with some effective shooting from the light infantry and auxilia. The Nandans counter attacked the Mauryan infantry with their elephants. It all unravelled fairly quickly for the Nandans. A Clash of Shields card saw further casualties inflicted and soon all the Nandan elephants had been destroyed. They didn't have much luck with cards and dice and never really got on a roll. In the end the Mauryans won very easily 6-1 victory banners with the entire Nandan centre of infantry unused in the game.

Action on the Mauryan left flank

Mauryan shooting proves effective

All the Nandan elephants are destroyed

Last ditch effort with the Nandan light cavalry

Mauryans win easily 6-1

Hellespont 321 BC - Command and Colors Ancients Game

 

Initial deployment view from
Eumenes' cavalry on the right flank 

Initial deployment view from 
Craterus' cavalry on the right flank 

Pharnabazus's Persian cavalry attack Craterus' cavalry

Side view

Pharnabazus' Persian cavalry lose two
units and are forced to retreat

On Sunday Rick, Gary, Rob and I met down at Vikings Club in Lanyon for the monthly meeting of the Canberra Regional Wargames Group. We played a Successors CCA game, the scenario was the battle of Hellespont in 321 BC, Eumenes versus Craterus. We diced for sides, Rob and I commanded Eumenes’ army and Rick and Gary commanded Craterus’ army. This was a quite an evenly matched scenario, Craterus had the advantage in pike, while Eumenes had the advantage in cavalry. Craterus moved first and had five command cards and Eumenes had six command cards. The only change I made, was the addition of an extra commander, so there was one in each of the three sections - left, centre and right for both sides.

Pharnabazus' Persian cavalry attacked Craterus' cavalry on Eumenes' left flank. This didn't go quite according to plan and two units were destroyed and the remaining unit forced to retreat. In the centre Craterus' light infantry charged Eumenes' auxilia and the pike on both sides moved closer. Pharnabazus' cavalry tried again and charged Craterus' cavalry, killing Craterus and destroying his cavalry. The game was level pegging but would be decided with the pike in the centre. In the end Craterus' pike won a tense and hard fought game with 6-5 victory points.

A Greek priest examines the auguries

Light infantry charge auxilia and the pike close

Pharnabazus' Persian cavalry try again,
Craterus is killed and his cavalry destroyed

Eumenes' cavalry advance

The game is decided with the pike in the centre

Craterus' pike come up trumps with a tense
and hard fought win 6-5 victory points 

Eannatum and Ush c.2450 BC - Command and Colors Ancients Game

 

Armies deployed - Umma on the left,
Lagash on the right

Opposite end

Umma infantry advance in the centre

Lagash infantry attack

Umma infantry forced to retreat
and units are destroyed

Last Sunday afternoon I played a solo Command and Colors Ancients game with my Sumerians out in the shed. I noticed recently on the Command and Colors Ancients website that there were some new Sumerian scenarios. I thought I'd try this battle, Eannatum of Lagash versus Ush of Umma c.2450 BC, which was a great victory for Eannatum and Lagash. The famous Stele of Vultures, now in the Louvre, actually commemorates this battle. Both sides had similar forces with a slight advantage in cards and numbers for Lagash. There was a reduction in shooting range for LI bow and some special rules for Sumerian Commander Chariots. I didn't worry about any terrain, it was most likely fought on a flat plain.

The infantry of Umma advanced confidently in the centre, two double time cards in their hand, no doubt bolstering their belief in the favour of the gods! The infantry of Umma were forced to retreat and after several turns had two units destroyed. The Lagash infantry pressed the attack in the centre, while Ush of Umma responded by ordering the advance of his infantry on the right flank. Shooting, casualties and retreats followed but Umma finally had some success clawing back a couple of victory points. It was too little, too late, however and Eannatum of Lagash won easily 6-2 victory points.

Lagash attack again

Umma advances on the right flank

Shooting, casualties and retreats
on the Lagash left flank

Umma finally has some success

Umma claws back a couple of victory points

Lagash win 6-2 victory points

Lake Trasimene 217 BC - Command and Colors Ancients Game

 

Initial deployment from the
Roman side along the Lake

From the Carthaginian side

Numidian cavalry skirmish on
the Carthaginian right flank

Last Tuesday afternoon I played another solo Command and Colors Ancients game out in the shed. The scenario was Lake Trasimene 217 BC, Hannibal's famous ambush of the consul Flaminius and his Roman army. The Carthaginians had six command cards, while the Romans start with two but this is increased to three, then four in their second and third turns. The Carthaginians had a good hand of cards, including two Double Time cards, but this did not play out as expected! They played the first Double Time card on the right flank and the Gallic warriors charged in to combat. The Romans fought back well and at the end of their turn had destroyed two Gallic warrior units.

The Carthaginians played the second Double Time card on their left flank attacking with their heavy and medium infantry, led by Hannibal himself. This time they managed to destroy two Roman units and with momentum advance, managed to position themselves to continue the combat. The Romans countered with their cavalry and Triarii,  destroying both Carthaginian heavy infantry units and killing Hannibal with a leader casualty check roll. The game was tied at 5-5 victory points but the Carthaginians played it safe and attacked a wounded Roman infantry unit with their Gallic cavalry on their right flank to secure victory. It was a Pyrrhic victory really for the Carthaginians with Hannibal dead.

Carthaginians play a Double Time
card - Gallic warriors charge

They play another Double Time
card on their left flank

Carthaginians win 6-5 victory points
but Hannibal is killed in combat!

Trebbia 218 BC - Command and Colors Ancients Game

 

Initial deployment from the Roman side

Carthaginians with Mago's ambush 
visible in the top left, off the table

First blood to the Romans!

Mago's ambush attacks the Roman rear

Romans Darken the Sky
destroying two units of slingers

Cavalry join the ambush

Roman right flank collapses

Last Tuesday afternoon I played a solo Command and Colors Ancients game out in the shed. The scenario was Trebbia 218 BC with Hannibal's Carthaginians fighting a Roman army, under the consul Sempronius Longus. Both sides had the same number of command cards but Mago's ambush really made it a tough scenario for the Romans. The special rules for the ambush meant any leadership card played after the Carthaginian player's first turn could be used for this. In my game an I Am Spartacus card was played, five dice rolled, two leader symbol results meant any two units of choice could be used. 

Two warrior units attacked the rear of the Roman infantry. Polybius says (III.74) the troops used in Mago's ambush were Numidian infantry and cavalry but I only read this after the game and had used Gallic infantry and cavalry for the ambush. The Romans played a Darken the Sky card and destroyed two units of slingers. Mago's ambush once launched was devastating with the Roman right flank collapsing. Despite this the Romans fought back well and it was only once a combined attack in the centre of Gallic and Spanish cavalry and infantry that the Roman centre collapsed as well. In the end the Carthaginians won a hard fought game 7-5 victory banners.

Side view

Roman centre is under pressure too

Gallic and Spanish cavalry attack

Spanish infantry join the attack in the centre

Roman centre collapses

Carthaginians win a hard fought
game 7-5 victory banners