Hail Caesar! Greeks v. Persians

Greeks: Jim & Chris: 2 Hoplite divs of 4 hoplites + 1 skirmisher, 1 div of 2 hoplites, 2 peltasts & 2 skirmishers, 1 div of 4 small medium cavalry, generals all CR 9.

Persians: Mike & SteveJ: 2 infantry divs of 4 sparabara & 2 skirms, 2 cav divs of 4 heavy cav & 2 horse archers, generals all CR 8.

The Persians (on the left) did a traditional deployment with cavalry on each flank.   The Greeks put their hoplite divs in extended lines on the flanks and cavalry in the centre.   Their initial advance has turned into an echeloned attack due to bad command dice on the right.

The Persians hung back to maximise their advantage in archery.  The action started with a Greek attack with cavalry & hoplites on the left hand Persian infantry div.

A furious melee developed in the centre with the Greeks getting the upper hand.  The hoplites on the left are trying to attack the enemy cavalry but the Persians are firing and retiring and only one hoplite unit has charged home.

The Persian infantry div left of centre has broken, but the Greek cavalry is also about to break. The hoplites on the near flank are getting the upper hand over the Persian cavalry.  But on the far flank the hoplites are not doing so well.    The Greek's mixed infantry div in the centre is still fighting but has heavy casualties.

The Persian cavalry on this flank is about to break, but the Greek push on the far flank is running out of steam under storms of arrows.

The hoplites on the near flank have broken the Persian cavalry, but both divisions on the far flank have been reduced to two shaken units and now break giving the day to the Persians.

It was a interesting battle between two very different armies.  The Greeks knew they had to get in close while the Persians did all they could to turn the fight into a firefight they couldn't lose.  The first charge of the Greek cavalry may have been critical.  2 small units charged a sparabara unit and came within 1 pip of breaking it straight up.  A win there would have lead to the rapid demise LH Persian infantry div.  It was still broken by the attack of 1 & 1/2 divs but it took valuable time and cost the Greeks serious casualties.  For once we had a lot of cases of infantry attacking cavalry.  But Hail Caesar handled it well with the hoplite's long spears making it a fair fight - as shown by the Greeks winning one flank and the Persians the other.  In the end the Persian arrows won day.