Skirmish Hoplite Warfare?

[bulldogger2000]

As a painter I have always wanted to paint up Hoplites.  I am reluctant to go "whole hog" and do large battles as it seems that nothing could be more boring than two Hoplite armies moving straight ahead and butting heads, until one gives way out of sheer exhaustion. 

Are there any possibilities for Greek Hoplites engaging in raids or skirmish actions? Or would they have left that type of action to light troops?  Or dump their full panoply to be more maneuverable?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. 

[Harry Faversham]

'Song of Blades and Heroes' type game with a band of mercenary Hoplites taking on all comers perhaps?

[Mason]

A Greek force for Of Gods and Mortals....I think it is a good bet that would find someone who fancies doing a small force of Norse, Celts or Egyptians and their mythological allies.
 

[bulldogger2000]

Thanks for the initial responses. 

I was thinking more along the lines of historical scenarios/events.

[NickNascati]

There is certainly scope for small actions on the frontier with Thrace.  I second using Song of Blades and Heroes.  I've played "skirmish" games with a couple dozen Hoplites and Psiloi on each side.   Also, I did quite a lot of Hoplite warfare with DBA years ago. There are subtle differences in the compostion of the different City State armies, so the end result really is a bit more interesting than two armies butting heads.

[mr ed]

Assuming you want classic hoplites you could look at some of these:

a defeat of hoplites by light troops

The battle of Sphacteria

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sphacteria


An escalating duel

The Battle of the 300 champions

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_300_Champions

An ambush

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Phyle

Any numbers of Spartan raids into Athenian territory during the Peloponnesian war to burn farms etc

A running battle in the olympic stadium, with spectators

http://georgy-konstantinovich-zhukov.tumblr.com/post/44712855773/an-eleian-and-an-arcadian-hoplite-do-battle-at-the


I wouldn't go as far as saying the hoplite phalanx shoving match was actually unusual, but Greek on Greek warfare was pretty varied in reality. As mentioned above the ratios of cavalry/hoplites/skirmishers varied quite a lot. And that's before you throw in the Thracians, illyrians and Persians.

[mr ed]

Also, look into the ekdromoi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ekdromoi

[Melnibonean]

You might be better off looking a bit earlier at the Bronze Age / Trojan Wars etc. Individual heroic combat was far more prevalent and you can also include chariots, sea raids, etc...

Eureka have recently put out a range of Mycenaeans and Trojans and I believe that the new version of SAGA will include Bronze Age factions.

[DintheDin]

Thanks for the initial responses. 

I was thinking more along the lines of historical scenarios/events.

I would like to praise the contributions of NickNascati if you are interested in DBA-like games, especially of mr ed who made an extensive research on the topic - the links he provided are excellent! As well of Melnibonean if you really want to look for earlier Bronze Age and Trojian War conflicts.

I would like to add the successful tactics of the Athenian general Iphicrates at the battle of Lechaeum, 329 BC

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lechaeum

who was training his hoplites as peltasts - see also Iphicratean reforms
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iphicrates

Last but not least, I would like to mention the perennial feud between the rival cities of Chalkis and Eretria in Euboea

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lelantine_War

contesting the fertile Lelantium plain, leading to the Lelantian war or wars.

It is very interesting, that they even reached to a common oath:

...A similar agreement is indirectly referred to by Archilochos (7th century BC), the second contemporary author to refer to the Lelantine War. He tells how the "warlike lords of Euboea" will not use bow or sling, but only swords, in a coming battle...

"Not many bows will be drawn,
nor will slings be common,
whenever battle will be joined in the plain;
instead the much-sighing work will belong to the swords,
for the warlike lords of Euboea are experienced in that manner of war."

 "Will belong to the swords" is, according to my opinion a clear indication that the battle would be solved by individual combats without the use of hoplite phalanxes.

Such untold stories may be numerous about small altercations between Ancient Greek City States, usually quarrelling about a neighboring fertile piece of land...
Megara vs Athens or Athens vs Thebae or other Boeotian cities being good examples.
So, I deem you have plenty of food to devise your own scenarios - good luck!   

[has.been]

If you don't mind bending a little on the 'historical' front
then may I suggest Jason & the Argonauts, especially the fight with the children
of the Hydra's teeth (Skellies)

For historical boat to boat. If you don't fancy making complete boats, a couple of card outlines will do.
Each ship could have a few hoplites, archers, slingers, javlinmen etc. Ram, board & fight.

[fantail]

Mr ed and Dinthedin have got the right idea IMHO, you could always look outside greece and game Roman hoplites...Horatio Cocles(of the bridge fame) and the brothers Horatii might give you some skirmish gaming ideas.

[Diablo Jon]

maybe go with the Archaic Greek period (taken from wiki)

In the Archaic period, the most significant military development was the adoption of hoplite warfare by the Greek states. This occurred in the early part of the seventh century BC.[114] The panoply, or hoplite's armour, began to appear in the eighth century,[115] and the earliest known example comes from Argos in the late eighth century.[116]
While the pieces which made up the panoply were all in use in Greece by the end of the eighth century, our first evidence for it being worn as a complete set of armour does not come until around 675 BC, where it is depicted on a Corinthian vase painting.[117] The adoption of the phalanx tactics which would be used by hoplites in the Classical period does not appear to have taken place until the mid-seventh century;[117] before this point, the older style of combat in which spears were thrown at the enemy before closing quarters was still used.[118]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaic_Greece

Seems to me you could have early hoplite equipment but combat that is far more Homeric in nature with Javelins rather than spears.

[arget8]

Too Fat Lardies put out a Special with rules to convert Dux Brittaniarum to the Trojan War.

[bulldogger2000]

All excellent ideas!  Once I finish up a couple of projects I am working on, I will be heading to the sunny skies of Greece. 

Thank you all for your great ideas and a very Merry Christmas to you all.

(I'll be sure to post the painted Hoplites when they are completed).

[FierceKitty]

Throw hoplites against Persians. That's always a tough fight for both sides.