Thinking of starting Successors

[has.been]

Therefore, this "campaign" aspect should be present in a wargame for the period if we want players to model similar decisions that the actual Successor's had to face.  In a single stand-alone battle players will gladly risk it all for a tactical victory.  However, when you layer in a campaign element to the game, players suddenly become much more conservative in their tactics.   

Yes, the old scenario, 'The game pack up time is soon. One last move, so I'll throw everything
in, including the kitchen sink. Why not, it might just work & if it doesn't I can try again next
time with all the same figures.
A bit difficult to include the "campaign" aspect without a lot of extra rules, or...a campaign.
AK47 does greatly reduce the 'It is the last move' effect by having a run down 'clock'. AFTER
each move has finished the defender throws a D6 & takes the score of the 'run down figure'
Let us say the score (at the start of THIS move) is at six. If AFTER the move the defender
throws a six, then this was the last move, BUT he could end up throwing all ones (I manage
that quite a lot!) in which case the game would end up lasting six more moves.
In various AK47 games I have launched 'last move' type attacks only for the dice to score
low & give my opponent plenty of time to punish me.

Another nice bit of 'Chrome' in AK47 is the post battle system. Some points scoring (enemy
units destroyed, objectives held etc.) coupled with some random dice, then you look on a
table of results. It is possible to 'lose' the game, but get something from the post battle.
NOT as good or satisfying as a full campaign, but with limited playing time it is better than
a completely stand alone/ one off game.

Sorry Ian for ranting on over your excellent & very impressive thread.

[Westbury]

Another set to, this time Antipatrid v Eumenid with two of us per side - which made for some interesting tactical decisions 

Both sides deployed with their left wings against the table edge and so had their right "in the air" which made the Eumenids in particular vulnerable to having their flank rolled up.

Antipater fielded, one wing of cavalry on the right comprising a single unit of Hetairoi, and two Thessalians; the line then extended across the plain comprising a single unit of veteran Pezhetairoi, two mercenary hoplite units covered by their own psiloi, four blocks of levied phalangites covered by Agrianians and Cretans, and then two units of mercenary Thracians on the left.

Eumenes had enough horse to deploy two wings of cavalry, the right featured a single unit of Xystophoroi and a single Cappadocian unit while the left had two Cappadocian units; like the Antipatrids, the line extended from the left comprising two units of Pisidians screened by an elephant, two mercenary hoplites covered by their own psiloi, two levied pantodapoi pike blocks , the Argyraspides and the Hypaspists screened by three elephants.

[Westbury]

Seeing that his way forward on the right was blocked Eumenes opted to lead his cavalry across the the front of the army to add weight to the attack on the left - serious mistake! They never got there and wound up trapped in the inevitable centre infantry clash and left the right flank completely vulnerable 

The first proper clash however was on the Antipatrid right where their cavalry closed with their Eumenid opposite numbers. In theory this clash should have favoured the Antipatrids, there was more of them and they had opted for attack mode whereas the Eumenids had opted to stand off and throw javelins. Unfortunately the disordering effect of the elephant (which is actually a squadron scale wise) and some nifty javelin volleys saw the remnants of the Thessalians head for the baggage and the Hetairoi got bogged down fighting the elephant. This action occupied most of the game but did mean that by game end the Eumenid cavalry were heading for the baggage.

[Westbury]

The infantry clash was delayed by the foolishness of Eumenes who managed to not only slow up and disrupt the advance of his infantry but also lose the Xystophoroi in a brave charge against one of the enemy pike who at least were distracted by the fun of killing nobles 

The elephants were the first in and two of them mixed it up with the Pezhetairoi and one of the hoplite units, ultimately dying but slowing the Antipatrid advance. The third panicked (we love it when they panic  ) and ran into the Argyraspides who then missed the battle while they tried to kill their own elephant 

[Westbury]

With the death of the elephants  the real fighting could get going and it was here that Antipater was let down by his subordinate and Eumenes had some luck.

The let down was not closing the infantry jaws around the Eumenid neck. By now the Eumenid hoplites and pantodapoi had advanced to engage their opponents but the Argyraspides were stuck fighting their elephant so a gap had appeared which the Hypaspists were desperately redeploying to protect. The Antipatrid commander however was too concerned with getting lined up just right and extracting his skirmishers ("too hell with the skirmishers, no one cares!") and the partly reorganised Hypaspists hurled themselves into the lead Thracian unit and just smashed it up, The ensuing rout bounced them into one of the levied pike who then received the pursuing Hypaspists in a disorganised state and their low morale meant they too headed for a better place along with the uncommitted Thracians who didn't like the idea of their mates running off.

The luck was that the Cappadocian cavalry unit stuck in the infantry mess had a brief moment when the plain was open in front of them and a disorganised hoplite unit that hadn't quite recovered from slaying elephants was just begging to be charged, so led by their commander they got stuck in and forced the Greeks to retreat leaving a hole in the Antipatrid line.

[Westbury]

It wasn't all wine and roses for the Eumenids as one of their Pantodapoi retreated in the face of the Pezhetairoi advance but the hoplites protecting the flank of that advance fell victim to its opponent so any further advance was unadvisable.

Pausing for a cup of tea we surveyed the field and called it. On the Antipatrid right there was a big open space that the Eumenid cavalry were galloping through in their haste to get to the baggage; the Hetairoi unit had finally seen off it's elephant opponent but really was in no position to do anything useful so the long ride home was probably the best cause.

In the centre it looked bad for Antipater; the Pezhetairoi were still healthy but the hoplites to either side were gone along with their supports so flanks were vulnerable. Over on the left the Thracians had headed for the hills and the four levied pike had failed morale checks, they weren't going to run but they weren't going to advance either, time to walk over to the other side.   

[Westbury]

All in all a good game. Two of the players were complete noobs but still managed to handle the rules ok so that was good and the newness probably contributed to the cautious play.

For me this is done now. I'll continue to post pics of games and any new stuff - scythed chariots under way  but continually messing with the rules is a road to nowhere and something I'm very guilty of so I've put the file into a print shop for a couple of bound copies and that's it.

Thanks to all those who've contributed ideas and play tested along the way and those who painted the wonderful looking figures.

[Easy E]

Excellent and proper big battle there!

Where are your scythed Chariots going to be from?  I would like to pick a few up myself.

[has.been]

Another mightily impressive wargame Ian. Well done.

[Westbury]

Easy E
The scythed chariots are from Newline Design who have a decent ancients range which doesn't get noticed much.

[AdamPHayes]

Panicky elephants are about the only thing that has the nerve to tackle the Argyraspids!

[Digits]

Ian this is spectacular, well done to both of you!

[Zingara]

Ian - a project essentially done - well done. Try to resist the temptation to continually add troops. You have put the rules to bed, don't do much more with figures - you can fill the table  . As has been said elsewhere a spectacular array - thanks for posting.

[Westbury]

Another foray played recently, later Ptolemaics and Seleucids, mainly to see how some additions worked out.
Alongside the usual Kleruchoi cavalry and pike battalions the Ptolemaics featured some Bedouin camelry, some Tarentines and a battalion of Thureophoroi.
The Seleucids had the bare minimum of 'standard' troops, leaning heavily into the more exotic types; Thracians, Galatians (foot & horse), Bedouin and scythed chariots.
I won't bore you with the AAR, suffice to say the rules coped well with the non standard types - phew 
 
 

[Pattus Magnus]

That’s quite the impressive spectacle!