Parthians versus Late Republican Romans - Age of Caesars Saga Game

 

Parthians deployed

Romans deployed

Forces advance

Roman cavalry shoot at the Parthian cataphracts

Last Friday afternoon Craig came over and we played an Age of Caesars Saga game out in the shed.  My Parthians fighting Craig's Late Republican Romans, six points with the usual Clash of Warlords scenario. I seem to average a Saga game about once every two years, usually when there is a new supplement out. The Romans were the attackers and the two forces advanced to within shooting range. The Roman cavalry shot at the Parthian cataphracts then withdrew repeating this again in a later turn. 

The Roman ballista shooting was effective while the Parthian horse archer shooting was not. A Cataphract charge against a unit of legionaries on the left flank forced them to retreat and on the right flank the Cataphracts managed to destroy the Roman cavalry. The Cataphracts, worn down by shooting and combat, were destroyed. The Romans easily won the game when a legionary unit launched a Pilum attack to destroy a unit of horse archers, who were unable to evade like they would have historically. 

The Age of Caesars is a really attractive supplement with great photos and illustrations. It includes faction rules and battle boards for Caesar's Legions, the Parthians, Imperial Romans, Spartacus Slave Revolt, Germans, Dacians, Sarmatians and Palmyrans. As well as additional rules for Gauls, Britons and mercenaries, so plenty of new and old factions for the Saga enthusiast to game with.

Cataphracts charge the legionaries

Roman cavalry shoot again

Cataphracts are worn down, Romans win easily

Parthian Horse Archers

 

Here are some Parthian horse archers I've just finished painting. These are all Victrix Miniatures from their plastic horse archer set. I have another lot to do as Scythian horse archers for my Scythian army.

Armenians versus Parthians ADLG Game

 

Armies deployed from the Armenian side

Parthian view of the table

 

Armenian left flank

Armenian cataphracts charge

Infantry in the centre

Left flank closes

On Wednesday afternoon Garry came over to my place and we played an Armenians versus Parthians ADLG game out in the shed. We diced for sides, Garry commanded the Parthians and I was Tigranes the Great, the Armenian king, a strategist no less! The armies were similar with cataphracts and horse archers on the flanks and infantry in the centre. The Armenians had better infantry with Seleucid pike and imitation legionaries while most of the Parthian infantry were mediocre Greek militia. In the end it proved to be a bloody and hard fought draw that could have gone either way. The Parthian infantry were mostly destroyed but both Armenian cavalry flanks looked decidedly vulnerable.

Parthian infantry charge in the centre

Parthian cataphracts charge the Armenian
cataphracts on the left

Armenian right flank is very vulnerable 

Parthian infantry destroyed in the centre

Armenian left flank in trouble 

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

More Parthians

 

Magister Militum, Essex, Victrix, Warlord,
A&A, Victrix and Old Glory horse archers

Victix horse archers with GB cataphracts in the centre

Here are a few comparison shots with the Victrix horse archers, various other metal Parthian horse archers, the Gripping Beast plastic Parthian cataphracts and various other metal Parthian cataphracts. I actually like a mix of ranges and size of figures in my armies, there's obviously much greater variation in human and horse sizes than the difference between 28mm and 25mm!

GB Cataphracts on the right, Magister Militum, Newline,
Old Glory and Essex cataphracts in the centre and on the left

GB Cataphracts on the right, Magister Militum, Newline, 
Old Glory and Essex cataphracts on the left

Magister Militum, A&A, Old Glory,
Warlord and Essex horse archers

Parthian Cataphracts

 

Above are some Parthian cataphracts that I've just finished painting. These are Gripping Beast plastics, the same set as their Late Roman cataphracts but with different heads.

Earlier in the week we did a short overnight walk in the Snowy Mountains National Park. Below are a few photos of our walk from Dead Horse Gap to Teddy's Hut and back. There was a bit of excitement when we had a close encounter with a red belly black snake near the aptly named Boggy Plain. The weather was nice but we did have rain and a thunderstorm rolled in on the afternoon and evening of the first day.

Near Thredbo River with the
Rams Heads in the background

The Chimneys

Brumbies

Mt Leo on the left

Yabbie claws in the bog

Bird's nest

Delicate flowers and moss

Teddy's Hut

Tent and hut in the morning

Interior of the hut

Campsite

A brumby

A brumby's skull

The Chimneys

More brumbies

Blowies in the snowies!