DBMM: Tinkering with the rules.

DBMM is without doubt the best set of ancients rules ever written, but it's now thirteen years since version two was published, and seven since the minor update that was version 2.1. With the experience of hundreds of games under our belts we can see ways that the game can be further improved. Since it's extremely unlikely that the author will make any further revisions, then it's up to the community to push forward with new ideas, or watch the game wither and die. Hence this post to start putting some ideas out there. 

I started thinking about what changes I'd like to see in a putative version 3 a few years ago, and even tried a few test games. Coming back to it recently, I started thinking about changes again, revisited my earlier notes, made some simplifications, added some new ideas, and got Rolus Asixus Prope Fraxinum to spend Boxing Day afternoon playing a couple of test games with me. 

Any new version of the rules should be easier to understand; reduce the learning curve for new players; speed up play; fix oddities in the rules; and of course improve it as a simulation. There are dozens of worthy potential changes in the last two categories, but initially I wanted to concentrate on speeding play and making things easier for new players. So most of the changes we tried were based around outflanking, since my observation has been that new players don't understand how to protect their flanks, and that experienced players spend a lot game time worrying about it. You can look at the full text of the changes  here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ADO8hvhp9lWToO4reD5vw649ZX4MTEwe/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100864018080607658427&rtpof=true&sd=true, but the summary is. 

1.  Elements must start at least partly behind the front edge of enemy they wish to contact on the flank. This is more in line with other rule sets, makes it easier to approach enemy without having to throw out flank protection, and means that you can contact a longer line without immediately being outflanked. 
2. An element supporting another via corner to corner overlap must recoil if the supported element recoils or is destroyed. This rule works in conjunction with the above to allow troops who must follow up to charge a slighting longer line without being hard flanked immediately. 
3. If an element contacts the flank of two or more enemies while the front one is in combat, it slides down to contact the one behind instead. This allows a deeper formation to have some flank protection without the need to throw out flank protection elements. 
4. Psiloi generally only count as overlap against light troops, and only cause light troops to be destroyed if in contact with their flank when they recoil. Various ifs and buts around this in the full document, but I find that psiloi can have an outsized effect on the clash between heavy troops for such a cheap troop type.
5.  It's allowable to conform with the flank edge of a contacted enemy while in a TZ unless the element exerting the TZ will be partially behind the flank of the conforming element. Being able to protect a flank from the opposite side of an element just seems daft.
6.  When an irregular general or ally rolls a one for pips, the C in C receives a "command focus" token. In a subsequent bound he may exchange the token and the use of his usual free pip, for the chance or re-rolling the pip dice of a nominated command. The choice has to made before the pip dice are rolled. This provides a way to mitigate the chance of irregular commands being sidelined by a string of poor pip rolls, and gives the player a little something to ease the frustration of a poor roll.
7.  Light horse ordinary are regraded as as LHX and LHF are regraded as LHO. The combat and support rules that previously applied to LHF now apply to LHO and those that applied to LHO apply to LHX. This change makes non superior horse archers a bit more durable in combat, and particularly against shooting, while removing the anomaly that LHF move faster than identically equipped LHS. This idea I stole from a discussion on the mailing list, but forget who suggested it originally. 

 The amendments we tested will be of most benefit to clumsy irregular armies, so we chose to test clumsy impetuous Sarmatians versus well drilled Early Imperial Romans. We played two 240pt games, with some scattered around terrain pieces. This isn't going to be a battle report, but instead I want to illustrate some points in the battle where the amendments applied and what effect they had.

Approaching Enemy Light Horse

 Here the two auxillia are able to march straight towards the Sarmatian forces in a very direct play style. Normally this would be suicidal, and they'd have to expand, then wheel carefully to make sure no enemy can attack their flanks, using at least one, and perhaps two extra turns to arrive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Command Focus

In the first turn the Sarmatian right flank command only rolled a one for pips. Their C in C therefore received a command focus token. In the second turn he wanted to ensure this command got moving, so used his command focus token on it. It rolled poorly again, but due to the command focus could re-roll, this time scoring a four and being able to react to the fast advance of the Romans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Close Approach

Here the Sarmatians are able to close quickly with the Romans, with two elements peeling off to attack and the others lining up a charge next turn. Normally this again would have been a dangerous move with the Romans getting hard flanks next turn, so the Sarmatian player would most likely have had to hold his position out of range until having enough pips to throw out flank guards. Players of other rule sets would also likely be surprised that the above move is dangerous under the current DBMM rules

Overlap Pushed Back

The Sarmatians charged in and killed a legionary just below the red stick. Because they're knights, they must follow up leaving the legionary above them on their open flank, now behind it. Even with the revised hard flanking rule, it would still be able to shut the door and flank them next time. However, another one of the new rules is that elements providing an overlap must recoil if the element they're supporting is recoiled, fled or destroyed, so the overlapping legionary has to fall back and the Sarmartian flank is safe. The Roman could of course spend a pip to advance beyond the flank in the next turn, and turn the flank in the turn after that.

Light Horse

Here the Sarmatian horse archers are in combat with the Roman Auxiliaries. In the Roman turn, the auxiliaries are on factor 2 + 6 on the dice making 8 total. The Sarmatians are 3 + 2 on the dice making 5. If they were classed as fast, they'd go down to 4 and thus be doubled and spent. Changing their grade to ordinary keeps them in the fight a bit longer. 

Psiloi Overlapping and Flanking

The Sarmatian knights have blown through the legion. The Roman general makes a desperate counter attack, but the only troops he has to help him are a couple of psiloi. Under the normal rules of course, the psiloi would be as effective as supports as legionaries or KnS. However, in the amended rules their effectiveness is more as you'd expect for some light armed skirmishers in a heavy cavalry fight. The psiloi in overlap towards the top of the picture don't affect the combat at all, while the ones that have moved into a flanking position on the other flank give the Sarmatian knight a -1 tactical factor, but will not cause it to be destroyed if it loses. The knight is still at factor 2F vs 4, hardly a good position, but dices well in enough to survive and recoil as shown in the bottom picture .The flanking psiloi slides along to maintain contact when the general follows up.

More Examples from Game 2

The Romans got ridden down pretty quickly in the first game, so we swapped armies and played another. Here are some more examples from the early part of that game.

The Sarmatian right again roles a one for it's first pip dice, granting the C in C and command focus token as compensation.

 In the second picture the Romans are able to quickly approach the pip starved Sarmatians without fear of being hard flanked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the third picture, the Sarmatian C in C really needs to get enough pips to wheel the large mass of knights in the center. So muttering under his breath "do not mess this up, do not mess this up" he assigns the command focus token to himself. He roles a two, but is able to re-roll and score a five. Using his own pip he would normally have been able to accomplish the wheel with a two, but since he had already used his free pip that turn using command focus, he needed at least three pips. 

Attacking a Column

This amended rule is a little complicated, so there are few pictures to explain it. Initially a two deep column of Sarmatian knights has charged into some Roman legionaries next to the green die, but lost the combat and is forced to recoil. It is now the Roman turn, and they already have an element in position to contact the columns flank. 

 

 

 What happens next depends on the order that the Roman player moves his elements. If he moves the flanking element into contact first, then it conforms to the front element's corner, then the elements in front move into contact, everything stays the same as the current rules, and the leading knight is hard flanked.

 

If however, the legions in front move into contact, then the new rule allowing columns to defend their flank comes into effect. When the legion moves into flank contact, it contacts both Sarmatian elements, but since the first one is now in combat, the legion must slide down to contact the second one which turns to face it. The first element is still somewhat inconvenienced from a having no recoil.

The rule was written this way so that wandering columns could still be punished if outflanked, but that columns could move into contact and still be able to defend their flanks somewhat with out having to detach a protecting element. The need for these single element detached flank guards has always seemed an unsatisfactory element of the game to me, and is something that I've seen new players struggle to grasp. This rule attempts to reduce their necessity, but in this instance is a little inconsistent I'll admit.

 

 

 

Overlapping Psiloi

Here the two legions advance against a line of four psiloi. They are able to do so without fear of being flanked next turn. Normally of course under the amended rules overlapping psiloi wouldn't count in the combat, but since the legions are also fighting skirmishers to their front, the overlaps do count. The rationale being that if two heavy forces are clashing, then there is little opportunity for the psiloi to affect things (unless they can right round the flank and start chucking things into the enemy rear ranks), but if the combat is already a ranged skirmish, they can effectively contribute.

Aligning with a Flank

Here the column of Sarmatian knights in the center of the picture has again bounced off the legion. The Romans want to counter attack and use their legionary element to the right of the Sarmatians to charge into their flank. However, another Sarmatian element has arrived on the other side of the column facing it. Under the current rules, the flanking Roman would need to align with its TZ and be unable to legally contact either of the two intervening Sarmatian elements. The amended rule removes this anomaly by allowing the Roman to slide to conform while in the TZ, since the element exerting the TZ won't be behind their flank.

Closing Thoughts

Overall the changes worked pretty well we thought. The game played quickly, less time was spent worrying about flanks, and I don't think a single one element flank guard was used by either of us. The Sarmatians benefited most, feeling powerful surging forwards, and not having to worry about their flanks getting mugged before even getting into contact. However, there were several instances where the Romans were able to advance more directly.

So the Sarmatians rode over the Romans in both games. Did it make them too good ?. Maybe, but too early to say. We didn't use the proper terrain system, and the Romans played in a pretty gung-ho style. In a more competitive game they'd like have been more defensive and used the terrain better. Also 240 AP with three generals is a pretty sweet spot for the Sarmatians command wise. At 400 AP they'll have far more troops to command with the same number of PIPs. 

It was the first time testing the Command Focus system. We only used it three times over the two games (seems we rolled far less ones than statistically expected), and only once did it make a significant difference. Needs further testing, but does add an extra interesting decision point.

Thermopylae 2500th Anniversary Game Day

 To commemorate the 2500th anniversary of the battle of Thermopylae, the Thailand DBMM group held a small game day. Four players, DBMM 200, round robin style. Unfortunately no-one in the group has an Achaemenid Persian army, so we had to content ourselves with four armies from the Aegean world in 480 BC, and had ourselves a spear fest.

Runners and Riders

Myself (Bob):. Early Hoplite Greek (Athens): A big command of 22 hoplites, a small command of 10 hoplites and the best light troops, and a Thessalian ally with 6 light horse (including the general).

Anthony: Lycian: A big command of spearmen, with 6 fast blades. A command with another block of spearmen and 4 CvO and a light command of AxO and Ps.

Nash: Highland Thracian. One huge command of PsS and PsI with a few AxS and two smaller commands of Ps, Ax and a few LH.

Peter: Early Hoplite Greek (Spartan). This list pretty much writes itself at 200pts. It had one large command of SpS backed by SpO and a smaller command with more Sp and a few Ps.

Round One

Game 1:. Athens vs Thrace.

The lines close. Game 2 in background

The Thracians were hoping to defend, but ended up attacking. I just picked an open field for my terrain choice, so the only terrain was one difficult hill on my left. My plan was pretty simple mask the hill, extend my line to the table edge on the right, then advance and push the Thracians off the table. The Thracians plan was to confront my hoplite line with a line of PsS backed by I, hoping to break up the line and get a few kills with overlaps and his S bonus. Meanwhile another horde of Ps would swarm over the hill and LH would come round on my extreme left.

The line of Ps and Sp quickly collided, with poor Thracian dice seeing a number of Ps being spent and the hoplite line holding firm. I moved my reserve Thessalian ally over to reinforce the left, while retreating my heavily outnumbered psiloi from the hill. The Thracians surged up onto the hill, but then the advance was stymied by several bounds of poor PIPs. The Thessalians and spears on the left polished off the Thracian light horse, while the hoplite line continued pushing forwards and spending Ps. One Thracian Ps did make a breakthrough on my extreme right, but it was too little too late and the hoplites polished off the last few opposing Ps to reach the 20 spent needed to break the command and army.

Hoplite line totally broken up

The Thracians only killed two hoplites, but did completely break up the line and most of the hoplites ending up surging forwards impetuously in isolated columns. Had there been reserves positioned to counter attack, the Athenians could have been in trouble.

Result: Athens 25 - Thrace 0.

Game 2: Sparta vs Lycia

Spartans top huddle btetween crag and baseline

 

The Spartans were very worried about being surrounded and formed a defensive perimeter on the base edge (even if it doesn't look that way in the photo) anchored on a craggy hill. The Lycians were eventually able to take the hill but were still unable to pierce the Spartan defenses with their swordsmen failing to make an impact. 

Result Lycians 13 : Sparta 12.

 

 

Round Two

Game 1: Athens vs Sparta

A good old fashioned local derby this one. Spartans invaded, and placed a sea on my right. I placed two difficult hills on their base edge to disrupt their deployment, and a gentle hill in the center for me to defend.

Deployment

Getting the win in this game would be tricky. The superior Spartan hoplites would easily defeat mine in a frontal fight, though they'd have a hard time defending their flanks, and if I formed too deep, they might use their regular maneuverability to march round my line. If the Spartans defended they'd be hard to defeat within the time limit even though I had enough light troops to take one of the hills they'd anchor on. Therefore I'd have to lure them out by offering them something they could attack, while making sure I could hold on long enough to turn their flank.

Spartans advance

So I deployed a two deep line of hoplites between the sea and the central hill to act as bait, with a large force 3 deep on the hill to be a strong anchor and flank threat, or to advance and pin the Spartans frontally if they defended. I sent the Thessalian on a flank march across the sea in improvised shipping. The Spartans placed their large command in a line resting on the sea, with a deep column on their right. Their smaller command was placed further back on their right with some Ps thown out on the flank.

Spartans advance in silence

The Spartan line advanced along the sea, bringing their baggage with them, while the Athenian spearmen held position as their light troops moved round to drive off their Spartan opposite numbers. These fell back while the hoplites from the small Spartan command moved behind their main line to protect their rear from the impending flank march. The Thessalians did arrive, but the Spartan second line fended them off easily. However, this left the main Spartan command facing two Athenian ones, with very stretched flank protection. 

Spartans totally surrounded

The lines clashed by the sea, with Spartans killing a fair number of Athenians. However the latter also bagged a couple of Spartiates, and turned the right of the Spartan line and started rolling it up. Meanwhile the force on the hill pivoted and overran the Spartan flank protection breaking the army.

Result: Athens 23 - Sparta 2. 

 

 

 

Game 2: Lycia vs Thrace

Nash's lunch in top left corner

The Lycians placed a wide river running between the two short table edges midway into the Thracian deployment area. The Thracians defended the river with two commands, and sent a third on a flank march. The Lycians stormed across the river, and eventually broke the enemy there. The Thracian flank march rolled a six to arrive at an opportune moment, but then rolled two ones in succession for PIPs and was unable to come on. Eventually it headed towards the Lycian baggage, where it appeared there would not be nearly enough booty to go round.

Result: Lycia 25 - Thrace 0.

 

 Round 3

Game 1 Athens vs Lycia

The Athenians invaded, and the terrain ended up with two gentle hills in the Lykian deployment area, one on their extreme right, and one nearer the center, with a difficult hill on their baseline protecting their left. They deployed with a large command on the central hill with a two deep wall of spears fronted by their six fast blades. Another command extended the spear line out towards their right, with their cavalry at the end of the line. Another command of auxillia was placed to the rear.

The two threats posed by the Lycians were their blades chopping their way through my spear line, and their superior mounted and light troops sweeping round a flank. The first threat could be countered by forming 3 deep, which would exacerbate the second one. However the Lycian line was a bit thin towards their right, so I formed up a big block of hoplites three deep opposite their blades on the hill, with the rest of the hoplites extending the line towards the left table edge with a view towards pushing the Lycian cavalry off the hill on the edge and overwhelming the force between the hills. Ps and the Thessalian ally would I hoped be enough to protect my right given that the Lycian heavy horse were on the other side.

Blades crash into spears

Initially the game played out as expected with the Athenians extending their spear line towards the left table edge while moving up to mask the force on the hill. The Lycian reserve Ax came out to line up opposite my light troops on my right. The Lycians would eventually triumph in this area as I moved a couple of Thessalian LH over to support my left.

It was soon "game on" for real though when the Lycian force on the central hill came down, and their six blades crashed into my hoplite line killing five spears in the first hit. This was bad, but as the spear line remained two deep, I hoped that any just dice gods would allow some severe retaliation against the fragile blades in my turn. Sadly the dice gods are not always just, and I killed just one blade in retaliation, and worse still it was the only one I managed to kill all game.

Athenian line broken up and depleted

The Athenians did have some success on their left killing some Cv with lucky die rolls and pushing back the parts of the Lycian line held by light troops to get some nice overlaps on their spears. However, in the center the Lycian swordsmen kept chopping down spears, breaking the small hoplite command and disheartening the large one. As the time limit approached they needed only one kill on their last turn to defeat the Athenians, but our luck held and when the bell arrived we were severely battered but unbroken.

Result: Lycia 15 - Athens 10

Game 2 Sparta vs Thrace

Spartans form semicircle

Once again the Spartans formed a tight defensive perimeter on their baseline, and the Thracians swarmed around them. However, Peter hadn't flown 300 miles just to sit the corner and started pushing out after the Thracian Ps. He didn't catch many, but they did manage to kill a few Spartans, and by the time the bell intervened the Spartan position was looking a bit dodgy. 

 

Ps bag a Spartiate

Result Thrace 13 - Sparta 12. 

Final Results

Bob (Athenians) 58

Anthony (Lycian) 53

Peter (Sparta) 26

Nash (Thracian) 13

All in all a great day's gaming with three of the four contestants enjoying it, and the fourth swearing never to play DBMM again. There was some concern before the event that it might be a series of dull grindy spear clashes, but in the event this wasn't the case as all the armies had a different character. The Athenians were big but unruly, the Spartans most dangerous, and the Lycians the best supported. The Thracians of course were something completely different.

Personally I was happy that my new Athenian army was able to get a couple of wins. I had originally planned on using them in a COVID cancelled event where they would probably have struggled, but glad that they fare ok within a historical setting. 

Thanks to Anthony for noticing the anniversary and organizing, and to Chris's Pie Shop (aka Battlefield Bangkok) for hosting us.

Smelly Yak Cheese

Buoyed by his army's improved performance against the Indian catering crew, Bobroes once more turned his thoughts towards securing control of the Kush, the wealth of the silk road, and of course the cute goatsies. However, on the march, word arrived that another Indian army had emerged from the sub-continent to challenge Ganasha and his Huns, so it seemed prudent to let them fight it out, then crush the victor. In the mean time, there was some unfinished business with the Tibetans, so waiting for the spring thaw, Bobroes pushed into Tibet to avenge their invasion of Persia.

His army caught up with the Tibetans who were encamped on a plain beyond a narrow pass. Two craggy hills narrowed the battlefield in the center, and between them a gentle rise offered a perfect spot for Bobroes to conceal his elephants.

Deployment

As they crested the rise, the Persian scouts expected to see the Tibetan army arrayed in all its (modest) glory on the plain below, but while its camp was there, it was guarded by a scant half a dozen companies of troops. This meant one of two things*, the most likely of which was that the Tibetans were trying something clever, and that the rest of their army was held off the battlefield, and would be arriving from an unexpected direction.

Tibetan armies are usually small, but not this small.

However, King Bobroes was possessed of deductive skills to rival Sherlock Holmes himself,  and quickly deduced that there must be at least two Tibetan forces to arrive, and that since the left flank offered only a narrow pass onto the battlefield, one force would be arriving on the right, and that another was delayed in the center. Accordingly, he send his largest force forward and to the left to outflank the Tibetan delayed command when it arrived, while keeping another force in reserve near the central hill to lure the Tibetans towards the elephants concealed behind it**.

Flank march and reception commitee

He also prepared a warm reception committee for the Tibetans arriving on the right, blocking their way with a line of levy infantry, lining the craggy hills with light infantry to fall on their flanks, and sending his small reserve command, together with some heavy horse from the center to counter attack. A Tibetan command did eventually arrive as predicted, but not liking the look of the welcome, declined to advance, and the battle was over before the Persians could catch them.

A huge force of Tibetan cataphracts arrive.

Meanwhile the a huge Tibetan force arrived in the center, consisting of cataphracts and some light infantry. The Persian force on the left attacked their flank attempting to kill off the light infantry who might pose a danger to the elephants. Losses were exchanged before the Persians were forced to fall back to avoid a potentially disastrous head on fight with the Tibetan cataphracts.

The Tibetans had advanced some way towards the central hill,  but with the imminent arrival of the Tibetan flank march, Bobroes felt it was time unleash the elephants, who stormed out of ambush and down the center of the battlefield with astonishing speed (spent 6 pips to move them four times). However, while surprised, the Tibetans were confident in their ability to evade the clumsy beasts, and continued pursuing the Persians on the left.

Main Moves

The elephants continued their advance, supported by Persian cavalry from the center, while the small original Tibetan force moved to threaten their flank. The Persians on the left had worked back towards the center, and formed up for a final confrontation. The elephants in the center finally moved within range of the Tibetans, and Persian light horse rode fearlessly into the gap between the two Tibetan commands to threaten their rear. Finally the left wing charged ferociously into the cataphracts, killing one and pushing back the other.

Tibetans stand helpless after the feigned flight.

And at this point King Bobroes deployed his smelly yak cheese, declaring a feigned flight with the left hand command. This left the bewildered Tibetans rooted to the spot, unable to move away from the elephants, or to react to the light horse in their rear. On their next bound, the elephants stomped all over the Tibetan cataphracts, a Tibetan general fell to a rear attack, and the heavy cavalry fell on the disoreded pursing cataphracts. Unsurpsisingly, the Tibetans broke and fled under such a fierce assault.

This battle yielded another 23BP to be used for another attempt against the Huns. Unfortunately, a crushing Hun victory over the Indians had left king Ganasha in an unassailable position, and all the warring parties were forced to recognize him as King of the Kush and Keeper of the Goats***.


* The other possibility was a really bad spreadsheet error in Wayne's list.
** This was the same trick I'd used in the previous battle, but I thought that Wayne would think that I would think that he wouldn't fall for it again, and that therefore I wouldn't try it again.
*** Under the campaign rules, if the reigning king of the table defeats all the other players in succession, he wins the campaign.

Goat Jalfrezi

After the rather poor showing in the last battle, no-one in the Sassanid army was keen to return to Persia, and answer awkward questions such as "what happened to the old king", so the newly anointed (and imaginatively named), King Bobroes II decided to lead the army for some RnR in India. Consulting his Horsebacker's Guide to the Subcontinent, he found a little place that was rated 5 stars for its goat jalfrezi, and decided that a good meal would be just the thing to revive the mens' spirits.

Not expecting any trouble, Bobroes rode up and politely requested a table for 50,000, only to be met with the surly passive-aggressive response "Do you have a reservation ?", Suppressing the urge to answer "Do I look like a *#@**## Red Indian", Bobroes drew himself up to his full height and inquired "Do you know who I am ?", only to be met with the rejoinder, "I don't care if you're the Shah of Persia, you're not getting in without a reservation." Of course the only suitable response to such insolence was to draw his sword, and remove the greeterwallah's head with a single stroke.

Now perhaps it's a cultural thing, but this totally justified act seemed to annoy the Indians greatly, and there was a great deal of shouting, finger pointing and probably some bad language. More and more angry Indians started to arrive, and after a while an ugly chick on an elephant turned up (apparently her name was Anne-Toni Gupta), and the Indians squared up for a full on battle.

Resolving to instruct his scribes to send in a one star review (rude staff, unable to handle large parties), Bobroes took stock of the situation, and drew up his army to meet the insolent Indians. Their army was formidably large, and drawn up in a strong position with their left protected by a wood and a village, and their right by a large area of scrub. The open ground between was filled with two commands, combining their SpI to make a central infantry block, that was flanked on each side by BwI and HdO. Each side also had some elephants behind, and one had a large block of 8 CvO held back in reserve*. Some psiloi and horde held the the wood on the left, and the third command lead by Anne-Toni herself occupied the scrub on the left with elephants, fast blades and archers.

The armies square up

Bobroes plan was to ignore the Indians in the scrub, unhinge their position by seizing the wood on their left, and then ride down their infantry and cavalry frontally with the Asavaran, while trying to avoid engaging the elephants. A force of psiloi occupied a wood in the center of the Persian position, with the task of engaging any elephants who ventured forwards, before they could engage the Persian horse.

Once again, many of the Indians were overawed by the magnificent sight of the Persian army, and the central Indian command was unreliable, and only agreed to fight after several turns of cajoling by Anne-Toni. Meanwhile Bobroes moved up his crack Dailami infantry to seize the wood, forcing the Indian cavalry reserve to cover them off. This cleared the way for a frontal attack by the Persian heavy cavalry, who make short work of the Indian archers and horde, and on their right broke through and started attacking the Indian reserve cavalry.

Persians storm through the wood

Having already taken losses attempting to defend the wood, the Indian left, collapsed, but the center held firm, and with support from Anne-Toni's elephants that had moved across from the scrub, counter-attacked the Persian left. The light infantry in the center, who had been supposed to counter any elephants, never got enough pips to get into position, and were masked by Indian infantry. Since the Persian left was the low pip command, it was unable to disengage quickly enough, and its horsemen were trampled underfoot by the Indian pachyderms.

The Persian center now engaged with spearmen of the Indian central command, while each side endeavored to intervene with their victorious flank. While the Persian center took considerable losses, eventually their regular C and C prevailed, and they were able to break the Indian center before losing their own, and win the game 19-6.

The battle unfolds

Once again, the Indian cavalry and foot were vulnerable in the open to Persian CvS and they had no answer to the Persians AxS seizing key terrain. Having to deploy first, and with an unreliable central command, the initial Indian play seemed a bit passive, but it turns out this was a cunning plan, and a flank march was expected on their left, whose mission was to intercept the Persian thrust through the wood. Had it arrived in time, it would have caused considerable difficulty, but in the event it didn't arrive at all.**

Still craving goat jalfrazie, rumours reached Bobroes that the annoying Tibetan shopkeeper (the Deli Llama) was now heading for Persia. Reluctantly he prepared to march the army back home, hoping to get their in time before the whole place started to reek of yak's milk.



* This was an exaggerated size stratagem, and there were actually only four.
** Of the three flank marches attempted that night, only one showed up. The following day, the local news carried a story about a contractor hired to repair a canal bridge, who'd removed said bridge, but neglected to leave any warning signs, resulting in three cars and a motorbike ending up in the water. Perhaps the missing flank marches suffered a similar fate.

Kapissa is Mine

Now you may recall that in the previous installment, King Bobroes the Magnificent of Persia, had defeated the rampaging hordes of Hepthalite Huns, slain their leader Gnash, and began marching towards the pleasant valley of Kapissa, which he reasoned would be an excellent place from which to control the crossings over the Hindu Kush, and prevent any powers from India interfering with his plan to control the Silk Road.

However, as he drew near, he learned that King Chantony Gupta from India had already crossed the Kush, and taken control of it. This would mean war.

Now in his heart of hearts, Chantony knew that Indians had never successfully invaded anywhere. and unwilling to risk too much of his own army in the endeavor, had concocted a sort of military pyramid scheme, and coerced invited all his Maharaja chums to take part. Thus besides Chantony's own contingent, the army that faced Bobroes contained no less than three allied contingents, two from India, and one from Arakan in Burma.

Starting Positions

Chantony drew his army up in a strong position, with his centre protected by an area of enclosed fields, his right protected by a wood, and his left by a large area of scrub that would hinder the Persian horsemen, but present no obstacle to his own elephants. He placed one Indian ally on each flank, and the Burmese (who were all light footmen with no elephants) in the center. His own contingent of elephants, armoured cavalry and well drilled (if someone effete) spearmen, deployed in reserve behind the centre.

King Bobroes the Magnificent deployed his own contingent of armoured cavalry (known as Asavaran) on his left, another contingent of armoured cavalry in the centre, and yet another contingent of armoured cavalry on the right. Each contingent also contained some light foot, that on the right some light horse archers, and his own contingent contained many Dailami, the best rough terrain troops in central Asia.

As the armies faced off, it became apparent that Chantony's marketing materials had mainly focused on the balmy climate, pleasure gardens, and the cuteness of the native goats, and had made little mention of conflict with angry Persians Kings, or the possibilities of expedited entry to the next life. Faced with the serried ranks of armoured horsemen, the commitment of his allies started to waver, particularly that of the Burmese and the Indian's on his left. However, with many blandishments (got six for his first PIP dice, and spent them all on persuading his allies), Chantony convinced the Burmese to join battle, but the Indians to the left remained obdurate that they would not fight.

Main Movements

Seeing the disharmony in the enemy ranks, King Bobroes determined to strike on his left (the Indian's right). He lead his own contingent on a long march around the outside of the wood to outflank the enemy, while the central Persian contingent moved towards the gap between the wood and the enclosed fields, and the rightmost force, moved into the centre, ignoring the unreliable allies on the Indian left.

It was apparent to both commanders that the area of enclosed fields in the centre of the battlefield was a crucial piece of terrain. Chantony ordered four companies of fierce swordsmen (IBdF) from his rightmost ally to move up and line its edge. As karma would have it though, while Chantony had put much study into that famous sutra, he had neglected the deebeehememasutra, and was surprised when his force did not stay on the field's edge as expected, but instead rushed impetuously into it, seeking battle and glory. King Bobroes though, well understood the command difficulties involved in clearing such difficult terrain, and had arranged converging forces from three different commands to occupy it. With the Indians falling into disorder as they rushed forward, the Persians fell on their flanks and utterly routed them, securing the enclosed fields and allowing their own cavalry to advance safely.

Tiring of arguing with his allies, Chantony resolved to take action against the Persian threat. He ordered the rightmost ally to throw out some cavalry to screen Bobroe's flanking maneuver,  while moving its elephants and archers up next to the wood. The Burmese command moved rightwards to cover the enclosed fields, and Chantony's own command moved to the right behind his ally with the intention of  making a solid front against Bobroes.

Only slightly worried as it was the Indians bound next

King Bobroes rounded the wood, and started to engage the Indian cavalry screen. Initially the encounter did not go well, with the king at one stage in danger of being surrounded, but eventually the heavier and more numerous Persians prevailed.  However, by this time Chantony had brought his own force of spearmen and archers up to prevent further Persian progress. Meanwhile the Persian cavalry had moved up to attack the long column of marching Burmese. The later launched a surprise attack and scored some initial success, but lightly armed footmen (AxO and I) fighting heavy cavalry in the open are always going to have a difficult time, and eventually they were defeated and their contingent routed. At the same time, Persian cavalry, being almost immune to arrows, had killed many archers of the right-hand Indians, and with their cavalry and swordsmen already destroyed, that contingent too, broke and routed.

If you're going to make a final desperate charge, don't roll a one

This left Chantony himself in very exposed position, facing off Bobroes in a line from the wood to the battlefield edge, while Persian cavalry from the centre poured towards his rear. Realizing that all was almost lost, he spurred (or goaded or whatever you do) his elephant on and attempted to engage King Bobroes in personal combat. The latter, being somewhat disadvantaged by being mounted only on a horse, did not think it unkingly to give a little ground, and as Chantony pursued, Persian cavalry fell on his flanks, pouring arrow fire at his elephant, until maddened by its injuries, it through off poor Chantony, and trampled him into the ground. With this the remainder of the Indian army broke and fled.

So with another glorious victory, King Bobroes secured control of Kapissa, but even as he began to relax beneath a pleasant date palm, rumours came that once again the Hepthalites were mobilizing. It seemed that like cockroaches, however many you killed, more will always come.