An ancient encounter : Kings of War

Paul had just returned from a sunny holiday in Greece and suggested I set up a suitable Peloponnesian battle which would also give me the chance to run him through the slightly adapted Kings of War rules I have been using and developing. So I set up a fairly small encounter between Sparta and Athens. They were pretty balanced forces but with some deliberate differences to are things interesting.

I didn't take many photos as we were busy playing and running through the rules as we went.

Battle lines drawn up, Athenians advance in formation whilst the Spartans throw forward their light troops, skirmishers and Peltasts (we may have over skilled these peltasts which is a lesson for next time).

View from behind the Athenian lines, Calvary mainly on the left flank, Phalanx shoulder to shoulder. This shot shows an important element of gaming in the ancient world beer for the generals !

Armies have now clashed and are locked in combat, light troops have mainly run, fled or withdrawn.

Initially the Athenians get the better of the combats and things are looking up, but the superior Spartan infantry gradually gets the better of it. The Athenian left flank crumbles and they are in danger of being outflanked, as they re-organise to defend the flank the Spartan light cavalry charges. In the end (a couple of turns after this last shot was taken) it was a clear the Spartans had the better of it and the small number of remaining Athenian troops pulled back.

Really nice to get the ancients on the table again but it has made me realise that I need a longer term campaign strategy which I can build individual battles and scenarios into. More of this in the future but I have a mind to start a circa 300 BC epic campaign. In order to facilitate this I have ordered a Ancient Greece map......so more to follow.