The Fight for Persia - Rules of Engagement

A series of games loosely connected by a narrative and predetermined list of players and armies. 

On occasions the players in our small group of DBMMers in Bangkok like to change our (almost) weekly games arranged by whatever people feel like playing to something more structured.  This also gives the options to get (near) historical match-ups which are sometimes preferred by some of us.

In the past, with just two participants, we have played and narrated both a Kushan civil war and a Parthian civil war.

The rules were very loose and the aim to have interesting games quickly became a breeding ground for unusual and dodgy cunning plans often stretching some of the parameters to there limits.  I enjoyed the numerous surprises that were generated and the inventive narrative that became attached at times.

There also developed via emails a run-up to most games full of 'trash talk', threats, promises and general intimidation along with rule queries, often as 'red herrings'.  Much like pre-battle preparations really.

With a third player now a regular member of the game nights we decided to play a game series again.  With the completion of a Sassanid army all of us had at least one army for 3rd century Persia/Iran that we could play with.  The Sassanids first outing was the first game in the challenge.

We actually played the first three games before we determined to actual Rules of Engagement. Anyway here they are, in case anyone else wants to use them.

But first - Meet the Team

Aren't we a handsome suave bunch ??

Rules of Engagement

• King of Kings starts as holding the table.  The potential rebels determine who will play first any way they agree.

• After a game, which must have a result, the winner stays holding the table.  The loser goes to the end of the rebel/challenger queue.

• The first player on the rebel/challenger list plays the table holder.

• Repeat with the first(only) player(s) on the rebel/challenger list until there are no ‘live’ challengers left.

 *** The table holder who has no challengers is the King of Kings and overall victor.

• The Army Lists must be extant at a set year (our year is AD225) and location (ours is generally Persian [modern Iran]).
• However the Order of battle (OoB) may be picked from the Army List as at any chosen year from its entire time span.  The list restrictions pertaining to the chosen year must be followed as normal. Locales specifically outside the area AND also not in the lists home area aren't permitted.

Wayne is Parthia and the reigning King of Kings (owner of great wealth, power, dashing good looks and harems).  Bob is the Kushan Empire (owner of exquisite sofa coverings and soft furnishings and ample attendants to plump them) and Nash is Sassanid Persia (owner of an uncountable number of fluffy cats, enough floor rugs for them to squat on and slaves to groom them).

• In this story telling series of connected games the players must retain the same army list although the OoB may change between games.

• In the first game The King of Kings (real or temporary) defends.

• Thereafter the King of Kings may choose to be the defender.  
• If he doesn’t choose to do so then the next Rebel/Challenger may choose to invade OR to dice as per the rules.  
• If a dice roll is to take place all army lists are deemed to have the same aggression (nominally 1).

• The determination of invader and defender is made as soon after each game as is practical.  It must be several days before the next game to allow development of cunning plans, threats of horrendous outcomes, name calling, laying of red herrings, deceptions and second guessings.

          Ideally it will occur at the end of the current game night.

• Each player starts with five ‘lives’.

• Each player loses one(1) live if their CinC element is destroyed and they lose the battle.
• Each player loses one(1) live if defeated and they were invading  
• Each player loses two(2) lives if defeated and they were defending.
• A maximum of two(2) lives can be lost per player per game.

• A player that is defeated in any game using an Ally command loses the use of that Ally for the duration of the game series.  If the Ally is shattered yet the game won then it also becomes a lost Ally.

• The King of Kings always plays alone.  The rebel challenger may take as many players as they have commands.  

By the time we got the final Terms of Engagement organised we had all  fallen to three(3) lives in the first three games because the Partian King of Kings was defeated while defending (-2 at maximum so no cost for the destroyed stand-in CinC), Bob lost while invading (-1) and fell off his elephant (-1) and the false King of Kings Nashur III's grandfather lost while invading (-1) and was personally slain by the genuine King of Kings (-1).  No cost for losing Nashur II trampled to death at a canter during a game that ended in victory.

The Parthian Empire

PARTHIA
Generals to the right in front of baggage.  Hatrene ally front left.  Cataphracts and fast light horse make up the rest.

For some details we have the four generals, all cataphract iKnX plus a mass of other cataphacts all irregular. In fact this is a totally irregular army.

Next we have the iLhF with the pointy coloured hats that changed their battlefield performance back in 2012.




Then there are some more iLhF this time without hats but with Parhtian style headbands.  There are four different colours of headband with all four men

on each base having the same colour. This allows commands to be distinguished once they inevitably get mixed together during combat.

The blue and green are too close and are inseparable to my naked eye so I tend to use just three colour groups.

The generally used allies from Hatra. Massed iBwO, a couple of iPsS and iLhF with a cataphract general and his companion element.

These generally hold up a section of table and scare away most fast moving horsemen (although of late they have suffered when charges by rCvS).

Lastly the baggage by itself.  Simple and effective camel trains.

The rear is a mule train only to distinguish the ally's baggage.

This army is actually morphed out of my Kushan army which I generally prefer to the Parthians.  My Arabo-Aramenians supply the Hatrene ally.

On the left is the bulk of the Kushans not required including the elephant corp with the optional elphant mounted general.

And a couple of  Hatrene cataphract camel elements.  These are available to the ally but to date haven't been included in an OoB as yet.

I have modeled the full complement for the Hatrene version of the Arabo-Aramenians but quite frankly their behaviour scares me more than any opponent.


So that's my set of figures.  After the average look of the first 6mm army I did (Khmer with assorted morphs) I am very pleased with the appearance I achieved here, plenty of colour and variety.  On table performance though has been highly variable although always enjoyable.

The Kushan Empire

A selection of Kushan troops

The Kushan Truely Accurate Publicity Department supplied the above photo stock shots.  In the interest of surprise and uncertainty the Kushan Emperor is keeping his troop options very much to himself, especially as he has just acquired the throne of the King of Kings.  

Bob's optional Kushan troops are very different to mine in that he prefers a much heavier foot presence and as such has many of the Indian troops available.  He also usually changes his OoB almost on a game by game basis so you never know what you will face beyond the core compulsory troops.   No doubt, just to make a liar of me, the next battle will see an all mounted Kushan army appear!!

The Sassanid Persians

The Sassanids come in their all regular command form and as such have a very high proportion of compulsory troops.  Add the elephants and the OoB is almost written for you.  Of late, elephants have been scarce and their place taken by more numerous foot and light horse options.

SASSANID PERSIA
An outstanding spread of superior cavalry, elephants, conscript levies, some light horse and a Hun ally.

Asavaran lurking behind the Dailami auxillia.

The elephant corps sheltered by the hordes of conscripted levies

And lastly, some light horse, including a Hun ally for use on the days that the elephants over sleep.

While an army of many parts the high compulsory costs tend to very much restrict a mix and match approach to the OoB, more a this or that option choice.

It'll be a special day to see all the Sassanids on the table at the some time.