Macedonian and Successor Elephants

 

Here are four 15mm Macedonian and Successor Elephants that I've just finished painting. In the photos above of early ellies with pikemen astride, the middle one is Xyston which I just painted, while the other two, by Gladiator Miniatures and Essex Miniatures, were done some time ago. In the photos below the later armoured Seleucid elephant in the middle is by Xyston while the other two are Forged in Battle. To finish there's a shot of my Seleucid Successor infantry and cavalry.

Macedonian Hypaspists

 

Here's a guest post by Garry with some Macedonian Hypaspists he's just painted. Figures are a mix of Essex Miniatures and A&A Miniatures with LBM shield transfers and banner.

Epic Command & Colors Ancients - Battle of Granicus 334 BC

 

Macedonians on the left, Persians on the right

Opposite end

Alexander and Companions, Macedonian right flank

Arsites commander on the Persian left flank

Nicanor with Hypaspists, Macedonian centre

Parmenion & Thessalian cavalry, Macedonian right flank

Rheomithres commander Persian right flank

Mithridates commander Persian centre

On Wednesday afternoon Garry came over to my place and we played an Epic Command and Colors Ancients game out in the shed. The scenario was the Battle of Granicus. Garry commanded the Macedonians, who had an eight card hand and moved first. I commanded the Persians, who had a six card hand and moved second. The Macedonians got off to a flying start, attacking on their left flank and on the right with the Prodromoi, Paeonians and Agrianians. 

Casualties quickly mounted for the Persian cavalry and they played a double time card to get the Greek mercenary hoplites up to contest the river crossing. The Macedonians responded with a line command card to bring the pike into action. The Greek mercenaries fought back but it was too little, too late and the Macedonians won easily 8-3 victory points.

Macedonians attack on their left flank

Prodromoi, Paeonians & Agrianians attack on the right

Persians counterattack

Alexander & Companions force their way across the river

Side view of the action

Persians play a double time card with
Greek mercenaries in the centre

Macedonians play a line command card and
the pike advance into action

Greek mercenaries contest the river crossing
but it is too little, too late!

Macedonians win easily 8-3 victory points

Alexander the Great and Macedonian Commanders

 

Here's Alexander the Great with some Macedonian commanders. The Alexander figure is by Caballero Miniatures and the commanders are all by Wargames Foundry.

 

Greek Light Cavalry

Here are a few photos of some Greek light cavalry that I've just finished painting. These are from the Victrix plastic set Greek Light Cavalry. 

Yesterday we went on a walk from Casuarina Sands to Kambah Pool. National Parks and Reserves in the ACT have just been opened up with the easing of lockdown restrictions, so it was good to go for a walk and stretch the legs. It's been a very wet spring here and the Murumbidgee River was in full flood.

Cotter bridge with the river in flood

Flood debris piled high

Jaxartes River 329 BC - Command and Colors Ancients

Saka deployed on the left, Macedonians on the right

Opposite end

Macedonian right flank with Companions led by Alexander

Macedonian centre

Macedonian left flank

Saka left flank

Saka centre

Saka right flank

View of the table from the Macedonian left flank

View of the table from the Saka left flank

Last Wednesday afternoon I played another solo Command and Colors Ancients (CCA) game out in the shed. The scenario was Jaxartes River with the Macedonians under Alexander taking on the Saka under Satraces. I made a few changes to the scenario making the Saka all light bow cavalry, except for one medium cavalry unit, Satraces' nobles, who were also bow armed. I also used the Parthian shot special rule introduced in Command and Colors Medieval (CCM) for light bow cavalry and the Saka medium cavalry were also able to use this when evading. 

This rule allows a unit to evade two hexes while firing with two dice and it can only be hit with the appropriate coloured dice ignoring all other results. The only change to the Macedonians was to allow the light cavalry Prodromoi to hit on swords as well, reflecting their use of the sarissa. Missile fire across the river was possible only for Alexander's catapults but troops crossing the river could fire and were targets themselves. 

In retrospect the Parthian shot rule was overly effective as the the Macedonians never managed to make any headway and a double flag dice result on the Prodromoi, a retreat of eight hexes and a casualty for every hex beyond the base line they were unable to retreat, seemed to typify their luck in the game. In the end the Saka slaughtered the Macedonians 7-2 victory points. This was a totally unexpected and rather unsatisfying game, given the complete reversal of the actual historical result. While the Parthian shot rule reflects the tactics of steppe nomad armies it may be better reduced to a single dice for CCA scenarios, as moving light bow cavalry normally shoot with only one dice anyway.

Macedonians attempt to cross the river in the centre

Macedonian javelinmen are forced to retreat

Macedonian pike cross in the centre with a double time card

Alexander launches an attack on the Macedonian right flank

Companions advance, Saka evade and cause heavy losses

Companions suffer under heavy bow fire

Casualties mount on the pike in the centre

Macedonian left flank launches an attack

Side view

Macedonians are destroyed or forced to retreat