Parthians Visit Nabateans: Syrian Campaign Round 2 Side Table

While the main game was going on (see previous post), Anthony (Parthians) and Wayne (Nabateans) had a secondary skirmish on another table.  These second table games ensure that all protagonists can have a game each week and can perhaps strengthen their armies for future encounters by gaining victory points that can be converted into army points.

The Parthians arrived in summer when the days are long and the nights are short, meaning flank marches are more likely to arrive on time. Initially. it looked like battle would commence about an hour before noon, but Veletri the Valiant delayed by about three hours to give his flank marches even more time to get behind the enemy.

For his part, Waynazab deployed most of his bowmen in a long line behind a wall outside a small fortified town in an attempt to draw the Parthians forward before unleashing his fast light horse in an ambush from the town into the Parthians rear. The Nabateans also had more ambushers in the dunes on their left, and a command of light horse behind those dunes that would sweep round to focus the Parthian attention (and further expose their rears to the town).

The Parthians had brought a Galatian ally of mostly warband, but with some cavalry.  The warband deployed away from the town opposite those bowmen unprotected by the wall. Their mission was to blow away those bow and then roll up the enemy behind the wall.  Unfortunately, some had to start in the dunes near the centre of the table, which would have a series of repercussions.

Meanwhile, a mass of Parthian light horse would protect the warbands' flank and discourage the Nabateans behind the wall from jumping over it.  Then further back, the massed ranks of cataphracts would come slowly forwards until the flank marches arrived and be the anvil against which the Nabateans would be smote.

The Galatians had a bit of trouble getting out of the dunes - just enough to use all their PIPs and prevent their cavalry from advancing for a couple of bounds, which also gave the bow to their front time to move out of their way and the reserve Nabatean knights to fill the gap. However, the Parthian left flank command threw a five on the first turn, so although they were still some way from supporting the Galatians, they were able to quickly come on to the Nabateans rear in the second bound.

In the centre, some Nabatean camels jumped into the dunes, which tied up some Parthian light horse that policed the perimeter, ready to jump on them if they came out.  On the other flank, the Nabatean light horse swept round and some Parthian light horse moved to intercept.

At this point, Waynazab played his trump card and his fast light horse came pouring out of the town gates. Emboldened with six PIPs, they swept round the rear of the Galatian cavalry, but it was arguably a mite too soon for that cavalry was able to turn and first pin, then engage and finally destroy the ambushers.  Had the warbands not chewed up all the Galatian PIPs in the early bounds, obliging the cavalry to stay put, that cavalry would certainly have moved off, leaving the Nabatean light horse with a free run at the Parthian's baggage and cataphracts' rear.

The warbands themselves had more than a little trouble with the knights opposing them at first with at least five elements going down without reply. But with the line now uneven, one knight pushed too far forward and was killed, creating that all-important gap in the Nabatean line allowing for at least one flank attack on the next knight. Also, the timely arrival of the Parthian light horse into the rear of other knights meant they soon crumbled.

On the other flank, the Nabatean advance showed up the Parthian cataphract line to be one deep, their stratagem of stirring up dust to make it look like there were more being uncovered. With the weight of numbers now in the Nabatean favour, things looked dicey for the Parthians. Undeterred, Veletri diverted increasing numbers of cataphracts to the fight on the hill, wondering all the time when his troops marching around on that flank would arrive. He even became involved himself at the far end as both sides tried to outflank each other. This in turn encouraged some Nabatean bowmen to leave their defences and advance on the hill in Veletri's rear. It was a do-or-die move - either kill Veletri and take the field, or die trying.

Indeed, at this point, the main Parthian command was in danger of going under as the F factor had caused more than one light horse element to be destroyed bringing them and the cataphracts perilously close to being disheartened and would have gone straight to being broken with Veletri's death. Fortunately, the well-overdue flank command arrived and close enough to move onto the hill from the opposite side and up behind the light horse facing Veletri. Although some were ambushed by the Nabatean psiloi waiting in the dunes and a series of poor die rolls by both sides resulted in no significant deaths, the complexion of the fight on that side

had irrevocably changed in favour of the Parthians. Shortly after, the do-or-die bow died at the hands of Veletri and another cataphract, effectively ending the battle.

The main Nabatean command had already suffered heavily against the Galatians warbands and further against the Galatian cavalry; thus, the loss of four bow elements was enough to dishearten it. The knock-on disheartened their light horse on the hill, so with only one fully functioning command, Wayne was ready to concede. His PIP dice were like-minded and came up with 2, 1 and 1. With his third general in combat, that effectively meant he could not move and the battle was over.

This win was undoubtedly down to the Galatian ally. Their ability to take casualties yet remain effective was the key in their fight against the Nabatean knights, and it was they who did most damage against the huge Nabatean main command. The Parthain main command was constantly under pressure as it had to send light horse to protect the warbands' flank, keep the camels in the dunes and engage the enemy light horse on the hill. It was also very fortunate to have the Galatain cavalry around to deal with the ambush from the fortified town. Ultimately though, the deployment of two flank marches proved successful with one getting into the rear of the Nabatean line and their baggage.

Final result: Parthians 23, Nabateans 2.