We Came, We Cheated, Did We Win??* (Parthian Civil War Part 5)

If at first you can’t win, then try different tactics, if that doesn’t work – CHEAT!!  After all, all’s fair in love# and war(games)’ – just don’t lose or get caught.

Not having a good record over this series of games, I definitely still needed an edge.  We had both spent time and effort in trying to find that small advantage that would break the KnX and LhF world that is Parthia, in my case without much success.  So it was time to bend the rules of engagement to breaking point (yes, it was probably cheating) and bring out the big guns.

There is nothing the KnX (and LhF) hate more than Elephants.  So I called on my distant cousins, the Suren from the eastern most provinces and bought an Indo-Parthian army, on the basis that  a) I was desperate  b) it’s in the same list and  c) it had elephants!!

Bob of course thought it was cheating**.  And it damn nearly backfired on me - literally!!  ***

The plan was going to be simple.  The CinC with attached elephants was going to be aimed at the opposing CinC and run him down along with his local KnX support.  We would take a smallish group of KnX along to sweep away enemy LhF and lock up in combat enemy KnX while the elephants did their work.  On the basis that the bulk of the enemy KnX would stay with their CinC to use his free PiP to help their manoeuvre issues, the terrain was to be set to give predictability the most likely place for the enemy CinC to deploy and thus for the elephant corps to target.  Additionally we would like the terrain to provide locations to launch ambushes from.  Such ambushes would supplement the remaining three commands tasks of just harassing, annoying and blocking the enemy while the heavies did their job. 

So the elephants were on a seek and destroy mission and the rest was to be just a side show.

As we all know plans never survive initial contact with the enemy.  The main thrust concept worked but the sideshow(s) turned far too serious for my liking.

However, at the risk of spoiling the story, you should know that Bobarsarces (the unspellable) did indeed spend the entire game running around in circles, hiding behind his troops and trying to look inconspicuous in the scrubby ground (mainly juniper bushes) while avoiding the elephant corps that was forever closing in on him.  Apart from one moment, where the elephants were in serious danger of trampling the wrong CinC (see below), this idea was a trumpeting success.

As to the rest of the battle, well that’s a story in itself.

Opening positions.  Bob on the left (figures on the table edge behind the scrub are baggage  not fighting troops) and  Wayne on the right.
Super sized command is top left.

A marsh was front and centre with a couple of PsO to protect it and some iPkF were on its left to anchor the bulk of our KnXs’ flank on the marsh as they lined up to the left towards the orchard on the left wing that ran up to the centre line.  In the orchard were eight HdO in ambush.  Well back on the left were the Saka all LhF ally command, positioned to cover the KnX, orchard and any flank march (and be activated by such in they proved unreliable).  The CinC was right of the marsh with the heavies deployed with a screen of a few LhF and the last command of Light Horse on the right to cover the heavies flank and screen any flank march attempted on that wing.

On the right touching the centre line was a long/lateral gentle hill.  The right command placed its LhO (plus a couple of LhF) forward in ambush behind this hill either to surprise any enemy LhF outflanking manoeuvre or as a reserve against a flank march but I left the visible numbers to look like our standard steppe LhF size command (General+10Lh+2Bg=16ME****) when in fact it was the full 24ME arrangement.

I was somewhat surprised to find I was facing only two commands.  On my left, as I viewed it, deployed on/in front of gentle hill was a command of mostly LhF plus a few KnX including the general in the 22-24ME range (I counted it quickly at 22ME but assumed they were a couple more elements lurking out of sight).  As it faced my massed KnX and supporting Allies I would have the upper hand in a straight up fight.  I was also deployed to account for a flank march on this wing and as Bob clearly had some devious plan in action and there wasn’t much for him to hide entire commands behind terrain wise it would appear that I was in good shape here.  So I was comfortable on that wing.

On the right (Bob’s left) was the huge 36ME CinC command (I counted it), Bobarsaces himself, with the mass of KnX and the rest in LhF.  Interesting I thought, against the usual trend with Parthians, he’s taken way more that the minimal KnX.  In the post action debrief Bob said he expected the sheer size of it to put me off advancing to engage it as it would be an almost impossible task to break it in a alike troop type engagement.  Unfortunately, I had a different take on things.  I had two commands facing it, with elephants aimed at the less manoeuvrable KnX, my KnX aimed at juicy LhF targets and a local superiority in LhF anyway.  Additionally I still had a potential incoming flank march to worry about on that wing and while the LhO ambush should blunt it if it arrived, I didn’t intend getting bogged down by having it on my flank.  So the orders were passed quickly – we are all going forward!!

The heavies (from l to r) Cataphracts, elephant, CinC Cataphract, elephant and the LhF screen.

Opening PiP dice were very good.  In fact, one interesting feature of this game was the good PiP dice on both sides which allowed plans and counter-plans to be quite freely available.  Except, of course, on the odd occasion where a sudden shortage of PiPs would cause the most heartache.  More of that later.

So we set off forward on the right wing as fast as we could.  (On the left, in line with the side show only plan and the potential flank march, we held our position).  The right hand command nearly gave away the ambushes position because in passing through them, I had to do some quick math and found that the last element wasn’t going to clear.  I though Bob might have guessed when a single element dropped off the column before going over the hill but apparently not.

We are coming to get you - and you've nowhere to hide.

In keeping with the great PiP supply in the game Bob’s opening PiPs revealed both a delayed Ally Command (the cataphract hunting, auto-piloted KnF Samaritans) who entered opposite my massed cataphracts and an impending flank march on my right, Bob’s left, where they’d enter behind my advancing elephant heavy brigade.  It confirmed my decision to charge ahead into Bobarsaces and his super-sized command, leaving some of the right hand command LhF, plus their ambush, to hold up the flank march.  At this point I could see three of the four commands and the quick and nasty math said the imminent flank marching force wasn’t going to be too big or difficult and given his overload on KnX already on the table it was probably going to be all LhF, perfect game for my LhO. 

So in addition to getting maximum distance with the Samaritans, using their ample PiPs, Bob also used the high numbers to manoeuvre his cataphracts out of the direct line of the rampaging elephants and had Bobarsaces himself scurry (that is the right word!!) around even further behind the cataphracts for additional protection.  Certainly not encouraging actions from the imitation King of Kings (especially when compared to the real King of Kings who was at that point in full flight*****, charging down upon his enemy while flanked by trumpeting elephants, his nobles and assorted horse archers) and not likely to encourage his troops to great achievements.

Plentiful PiPs saw our charge continue, and the other commands prepare to meet the enemy.  If we could smash the over-sized command, and both the matchups as well as numbers were in our favour, then the rest would be easy.  So what went wrong??

Well, the really large enemy command evaporated before our eyes – literally!!  I was suckered by a exaggerated command stratagem which besides being annoying and making the job at hand harder caused a sudden realisation that the flank marching command was going be of a serious size and composition after all.

Where have all the bad guys gone??

The battle now split up into three distinct fights, which were separated by enough distance to be basically mutually independent of each other and expected to be long enough before reaching an outcome to probably not then be able to interfere elsewhere.  This was no longer a main event with side-shows but three serious actions where the winner needed two out of three to come out on top.

Mid game - three distinct and separate engagements.
Top - Flank march trying to come along the hill.
Centre Left - Elephant corps chasing cataphracts
(CinC on CinC action)
Bottom - KnF on KnX seat-of-the pants drama.  

On the right wing the flank march came on with a group of KnX, including general, and groups of LhF on either side but they were surprised by the elements of light horse in the ambush that they sprung and their formation wasn’t ideal to meet it.  With a wider frontage, a large part of the command having already turned to face the flank, sufficient PiPs and being willing to sacrifice the odd light horse to hold up the KnX my command prevented the enemy command from advancing more than two moves onto the table.  By the games end we had broken, but the enemy was suitably damaged and had been kept out of reach of our troops rear so we had done the job required.

The Action starts on the right wing and the ambush behind the hill is sprung.

On the left wing, the Samaritans, never short of PiPs closed down on my cataphracts and while we had gotten organised on a wider frontage, we had to receive the charge and risk the ‘inferior’ effects of being cataphracts fighting other knights.  

Here they come, steady, ready .........

When we were hit we had overlaps on both ends of the line but only the general free to plug gaps.  The impact only punched one hole through our line and it was plugged.  Thereafter we used our supporting ally to protect our flank, made overlaps and played on their ‘fast’ effects in combat.

IMPACT!!

The fight goes on and .......

After a few bounds we routed the Samaritans.  

...... there they go again.  Samaritans have gone leaving the relieved cataphract line intact.

We had launched a few hordes out of the orchard to tie up the enemy’s Parthian command on that flank in support of our Saka Allies who were hard pressed by enemy cataphracts.  In protecting our cataphracts flank the Saka had been damaged and they broke when their general was run down by an enemy KnX behind our line.  Luckily the Saka are the smallest command, and even with two commands broken I was still in the game at this late stage.  Bob had the Samaritans shattered and a disheartened command at this point.

As you may have guessed it was the CinC on CinC commands action in the centre near Bob’s rear table edge that was to be the decider.

With his command having shrunk to a more manageable size, he split some LhF off to head to the table edge in support of the flank marched command.  While they mostly survived they never reached the edge nor provided any support having got into a cat and mouse game, in an area neither of us gave PiPs to, so stayed mostly stationary.

The ex-oversize command has been split and the elephant corp are trying to corner the enemy cataphracts against the scrub.  But danger is about to arrive from an unexpected quarter.

The rest of the LHF ran across the table behind their cataphracts.  Bobarsaces continued his scurrying and was now past and behind his own cataphracts and was by now trying to look like a juniper bush in the scrubby ground.  Bravery was not on his list of attributes!!

The command was split so that it was no longer directly in front of my elephants and cataphracts and I’d have to have even more than the ample PiPs so far to realign myself.  We had realigned the elephants and my CinC onto the right heading but one elephant was no longer directly aimed at anything.  Without fail, this was the point where the PiPs went bad – I had just one (plus the CinC’s free).  The elephant’s right flank was open and I measured the LhF cover for it (illegally the first time as Bob pointed out, I’d used a 2PiP move) but then having got the spot marked, I changed my mind!!  I did something else to force a combat.  The reasoning was that even with a hard overlap from the only enemy in range (LhF) the danger was low and the next bound we see me demolish anything in the area with elephants and cataphracts, so I reasoned Bob wouldn’t risk it. 

BIG mistake!!  What I hadn’t realised was that with a few mm to spare the enemy LhF could get the front edge combat on my flank edge, plus an overlap on each side thus turning the elephant to face putting its rear onto my CinC’s flank so another disadvantage for no recoil.  I have an adage for the effect of knock on element destruction****** but basically the enemy LhF have a quick-kill on the elephant and it’s death would automatically kill my CinC as well – and the combat factors were +2 vs +2!!. 

We didn't see that coming!!

So here we are, mid battle and I have a 50/50 chance of being trampled to death by my own secret weapon.

You need to see the pictures to get the outcome – but I’m still here to tell the story.  

Adjusted factors on white dice - Instant death of two elements  including CinC averted with these combat rolls.

Next bound and two of the annoying enemy light horse get cataphracts up the rear and danger passed.  But we were now broken up and heading in the wrong direction and would need to regroup.  Regroup we did eventually and we then had to catch the enemy before we took enough overall damage to break our army. 

About this time Bobarsaces, in a moment of brave madness, remembered he was a KnX general that fights as superior against mounted, rushed forward and attacked a very vicious LhF.  It must have been very vicious because it sent him scurrying back (there’s that word again) to hide behind his juniper bush again.  (oh, okay he was fighting while overlapped from within the scrub against an enemy who was outside but really!?!)  He never ventured out again.

The pressure was maintained on the two original on-table commands and it finally told, the CinC’s command broke first and with the accumulated casualties took Bob’s army past the 50% mark.  Marginally to soon really, we had Bobarsaces in our elephant’s sights, almost surrounded and with only scrubby ground in which to run from our troops, some of which are faster than him anyway.  Another couple of bounds and he was doomed. 

To answer the title question – Yes, having arrived, and cheated, we did indeed win. 

So with the game over poor Bodasarace was still hugging the junipers, with his command in tatters and a supported elephant between him and the immediately available table edge. 

Did  ....  he  ....  survive??

The final position, his direct exit to table edge blocked by his own baggage, Bobarseces needs to run across in front of the elephant to escape capture.

NOTES
1)  Counting points has never been my thing, I trust my opponents can do the basic maths.  Nor will I hold up a game while I count MEs but may roughly do it in a quiet moment so that I have an idea what the task at hand is.  I don't ask for enemy command (or army) ME totals and avoid giving them by a "what you see is what you get approach".  I play to the visual effect but will ask an opponent to check break points if I think they may have missed the threshold being reached.  I regularly check and re-check my own commands so that I declare the changes at the appropriate time.

In this game the sheer size of the CinC's command was so unusual that I did openly count it and  commented on it.  Bob politely gave nothing away, and the stratagem worked. 

2)  This was my first attempt at drawing lines on photos and adding texts.  I clearly need to learn the application much better and practice more.  

# = Don't tell the wife this.  Especially the Wf(F) although the Wf(X)s and Wf(I)s may already know.******* 
* = To paraphrase one of those obscure western guys (a poet??).

** = We had done the Kushan civil war series which is just Parthians with elephants (and a few foot) so it was intended that we try a purer test of our tactical skills.  Having failed the tactical skills section I went strategic instead. 

*** = The “buttocks of death” from DBM days returned albeit in a different form.  Having elephant backsides reversing into your face is an event that it is highly recommended you strenuously avoid.

**** = Used a lot by us as more than 10Lh gets unwieldy to manoeuvre and especially keep out of trouble against strong mounted.  At 16ME it maximises the dishearten point for the minimum APs and with Lh commands being disheartened makes breaking almost automatic as it hard not to die on a +2 -1 =1 very regularly.  We find 11 elements (10 Lh + general) at 16ME just as effective as 13 elements (or more) for 18ME but 8AP cheaper and less likely to be caught in too many groups to escape when the PiPs are low.  Better survivability and less cost for equal hitting power.

***** = Well, as fast as fully equipped cataphracts can go.

****** = “Don’t stand in front of the guns or behind the elephants”.  Part one is obvious, part two is toilet humour but it means anything that is destroyed in combat while forward of the artillery takes the artillery with them while the elephants take everything behind them when destroyed.
****** = See the tail end of  "Things get Worse & Worse" (24 July 2012) for a explanation of the 'wife' troop typing.