Playing Phil Sabin's Phalanx

It's not a secret that Phil Sabin is one of my favourite game designers. The evolution of my 15mm Ancients figure collection, for example, has been directed primarily by a desire to play Lost Battles. But sometimes it is good to try something different from the norm, and I decided to have a go at one of Phil's earlier designs, Phalanx, published in the Society of Ancients's Journal, Slingshot.

My original plan had been to combine Phalanx with the combat system from another of Phil's games, Legion II, but after setting up thought it was probably best to play Phalanx as-is first: if I'm going to muddle something, it's just as well to have a baseline to allow comparisons.

The first thing you notice is that Phalanx has quite a good selection of scenarios. I hummed and harrred a little, then settled on Heraclea. Pyrrhus would be perfect for my purposes. 

For the terrain I am using the Memoir '44 battle board, and for figures I rummaged through the collection. It looks a little cramped, but is not entirely displeasing to the eye (and certainly better than my attempt at making an offset squares mat a few weeks ago!). 

In Phalanx the armies deploy from a camp on their baseline, with the Romans moving first in this scenario.

Rome has six units of heavy infantry, two units of light infantry, two units of heavy cavalry and a leader (Publius Valerius Laevinus). Pyrrhus has himself as leader, five units of heavy infantry, two of light infantry, two of heavy cavalry, and an elephant unit.

Once an army has had four or more of its units routed (the general's unit counts as two) at the end of its turn it loses - unless it has fewer units routed than its opponent.  

The battlefield is an elongated hex (marked on my board by terrain pieces to indicate the boundary) and the only terrain in play is a river. Both armies deploy out of their camp, so it takes a little time for the armies to close. 

The battlefield from the Roman side after two turns. 

Movement is one hex per turn for most units, but cavalry get to move two. Light infantry and elephants can move two at certain times. There are rules around facing, when units change facing, and whether units can attack after performing a particular move. This all combines to give different units different limitations and give each troop type its own characteristics. 

Of course, it takes a little time to assimilate all these characteristics, and while I did not realise it at the time, there were several weaknesses in the Pyrrhic deployment

Pyrrhus's deployment is not ideal, but he hasn't realised that yet.

Enjoy the view while you may, horsemen!

As with most Phil Sabin games, the nuances of the combat system come out in modifiers. Phalanx is deceptively simple - three units versus an infantry or elephant unit will kill it, while two units versus cavalry will kill it. But there are exceptions: some circumstances add an extra attack unit equivalent; some disregard one. Again, it all takes time and experience to assimilate.

The lines clash - Rome is about to launch attacks.

In two more turns it is all over. Rome kills off a unit of cavalry on their left, exposing Pyrrhus. The Epirote army kills a Roman light infantry in its turn; Rome then has the numbers to kill the elephant and Pyrrhus's unit, taking them to four units lost. The Pyrrhus-less Epirotes can only pull back one on their own turn, so Rome wins 4 units to 2, which counts as a sweeping victory. 

Rome has cracked the Pyrrhic centre left, has superiority on the Pyrrhic right, and has killed Pyrrhus. Game over!

Phalanx is an interesting game. I played this solo, and it was very much a learning experience. The combat system is largley deterministic, which makes it difficult to solo satisfactorily, in much the same way that chess is difficult to solo satisfactorily. 

Next step will be to try it with the Legion combat system ported on. 

Commands and Colors: Ancients mat. The jury is out

After the disaster that attended my attempts to get the Commands & Colors game mat I ordered from Tiny Wargames delivered, I gave up and decided to make one myself, using a ground-coloured curtain I'd brought back from Japan. 

I decided to go with offset squares rather than hexes so that I could use cork coasters for hills without needing to do any cutting. Fine in theory, but I did not properly consider the way that hexes use space more efficiently, and that the height-to-width ratio of hexes vs offset squares therefore makes the battlefield look more populated. 

What I have now is this (Ilipa scenario): 

As opposed to what I'd made before in Japan (Ipsus scenario): 

And what didn't arrive from Tiny Wargames:

I am not finding my new version very appealing in its current state.  The question is what to do. My choices are to beautify the mat with some spray paint and bulk up the number of figures used in each unit to give a heftier appearance, or to scrap it and either make or buy a new hex mat. 

It does look a little better when you get in a bit closer (and with better light!), as below:

And it will certainly be handier for representing terrain, which is a problem I never properly overcame with the hex mat I made in Japan.

Terrain concepts - cork hills (to be flocked), woods, streams (to be cut from desktop mats).

The other thing to think about is that I used hexes 88mm across in Japan; here I am using squares 100mm across, so even on a proper hex mat that extra width would affect the look of the battlelines.

Decisions, decisions!

The March of Father Time

Sadly, the house of Prufrock had a recent birthday, which forced the painful realisation that I am not as young as I once was. 

One bonus though was that workmates kindly put the hat around to get a prezzy card for me, accompanied by the stern directive to 'get something for yourself'. 

Needing not to be told a second time, I promptly ordered some Memoir '44 materials - the Breakthrough kit and the Winter Wars expansion, to be exact.

SP came over today (Labour Day) and we tried out the Sword Beach Breakthrough scenario. What a good game it was.

As the Allies I took an immediate pounding from a well directed air attack on my left. We had some hard fighting for the 6th Airborne to do around the Orne and Caen canal bridges while also trying to get off the beach. 

We took a beating, I have to say. Despite some fortunate dice, the Airborne were first ousted from the bridges and then destroyed as SP got reinforcements to where they needed to be.

We made heavy weather of it on the beaches. Fierce counter-attacks held up progress and took heavy toll on our men before looming reinforcements eliminated them. 

We were crushed. Thrown back into the sea, even.

Not far advanced from where we had started, but with significantly fewer troops, and about the same number of those damned Jerries!

Well played SP. We both thought it was a cracking scenario, and breakthrough a superior game to vanilla Memoir '44. 

You could almost call it...

The Lamps are Going Out - learning game

Earlier this year I was lucky enough to pick up a used copy of the The Lamps are Going Out, produced by Compass Games. I'd been keeping an eye out for it for a while after reading a review that struck a chord.

I set it up on Monday, have slowly worked through the sample game which takes you through the first two turns, and am carrying on from there myself to learn the rules and try to get a sense of how the game flows. It can be played solo, two-handed or four-handed. I think it will be a good one to get down: there is promise of replayability!

The map is pleasing. I like area maps for solo play, and it reminds of the Diplomacy board, which gives me the warm fuzzies. 

The game play is interesting. You have a fresh/spent model - familiar to me from Phil Sabin games - with a production model which allows replenishment of spent units, but production points are at a premium, and must also be used to do other things. 

Attacking units automatically become spent, but if they score equal or higher to the defender (with a few modifiers here and there as you would expect) the defender will also become spent. When all defenders in an area are spent, further successful attacks will either force retreats or cause casualties. 

You can probably imagine how the Western Front might go under such a system!

Alongside this you have event cards drawn each player turn which change the board situation in some way, and technology cards, which may introduce new types of units, or leave you with no advances at all, depending on what card your faction pulls.

There is 'chrome' to keep things interesting (trench rules, air rules, artillery rules, naval rules, U-boat rules, collapse-of-Russia rules, amphibious operation rules, a 'USA entry' track and so on) and allow players to put some Baldrickianly cunning plans into action.

I'm pleased with it so far and enjoying pottering around with it. It is satisfyingly large in scope, but without so many moving parts and so many decision points that you burn out playing it. 

The Schlieffen Plan - Germans in the Somme!

It has started well. Let's hope it continues that way!

Spartan cavalry done

The latest batch to come off the painting line is now ready for flocking. These are more Xyston cavalry with light infantry mixed in. It took me a while to get through these but last night helped by a little cider and some loudish music we got them finished off.

I used three shades of brown alongside grey and black for the horses. 

Tunics and cloaks were crimson with washes and highlights used selectively.

The light infantry I used crimson for either tunic or cloak and then other colours to add some variation.

  

I finished them off with my magic wash and a dousing in matt varnish.

Xyston are just lovely to paint. They have a lot of character and you never feel ashamed to plonk them on the table. Just as well - I have plenty more of them to do yet!

In other news, I'm off to Auckland tomorrow to meet up with my brother, who's coming from Adelaide, to go and see Iron Maiden. The old metalhead in me is getting quite excited. If you're wondering what the loudish music that attended last night's painting session was, you can now probably guess! 

I'm also really looking forward to catching up with my brother. We've not seen each other (apart from video calls, of course!) since 2019, so it will be a mighty reunion. We might even have a beer or two. 

Tunis again with SP - a mighty clash

SP popped over today Sunday to play Tunis in our Washbourn Trophy series. An earlier post gives some information about the initial set up. 

SP took the Syracusans under Agathocles, an inspired leader. I took the Carthaginians under Bomilcar (on the left) and Hanno (on the right). We decided to play without the Favour of the Gods rule. The Carthaginians (to the right in our pictures) have first move each turn.

A high command roll gives Carthage options: they attacked on each wing but not in the centre in order to keep the levy heavy cavalry there out of the clutches of the enemy. One attack was successful, but it was rallied by Agathocles himself. 

SP then rolled a 1 for command, meaning he either could attack or reinforce, but not both everywhere. He attacked in all zones and then reinforced the centre and the right, trusting Agathocles to hold firm without further support. The attacks inflicted three hits, but two of them were all-out attacks by his hoplites (who must all-out attack given the opportunity).

After turn two. Syracuse on the left; Carthage on the right

In turn three feeble attacks from Carthage - despite another high command roll - are met with grumblings of discontent by senior leadership. They manage just one hit from thirteen attempts. 

The Syracusans roll another 1 for command. They reinforce Agathocles' wing and attack in the centre and the right. They are very successful on the right: the Carthaginian units are all left spent, but at the cost of another hoplite unit spent from an all-out attack.

At this point SP is reasonably content with his start, but is heard indicating some concerns about the centre. On my side of the table there are mutterings about being pounded.

After turn three, with the Washbourn Trophy shining at the far end of the table in all its gilded glory. In the foreground the shaky Carthaginian left is visable.

Carthage rolls high for command again. I decide to pull my left back onto the hill. With spare commands, I double-move the chariots onto the hill to their left, creating a pocket. Elsewhere we manage a solitary hit.

SP is a little non-plussed by the withdrawal of the Carthaginian left. Should he advance into the pocket? To do so will put him at a morale disadvantage and the hoplites, with enemy on their flanks, will not be as effective in attack. 

Another low command roll sees him leave things on the right as they are for the moment and press on in the other zones. In a turn up for the books all of the Syracusan attacks are unsuccessful. 

It seems that when the Washbourn Trophy is on the line even the dice start to feel the pressure... 

After turn four. The Carthaginian left retreats.

Carthage attacks. Great dice see three hits scored in the centre, leaving just one fresh unit there. On the right, another flurry of hits leaves Agathocles as the only fresh unit in his zone. Those mandatory hoplite all-out attacks have weakened the Syracusans more than expected.

Syracuse decides to advance into the pocket on the right. SP needs to shatter some units. After all the movement and fighting is done, Syracuse has five fresh units across three zones; Carthage has four. 

After turn five. Carnage in the battle line.

Turn six is more grim attrition. A unit is shattered in Agathocles' zone, but the rest hold firm. Both centres still have one unit fresh each, and the Syracusan right still has two units fresh, but the rest of the units on the field are spent.

Agathocles is faced with a choice: retreat from his zone to prolong the battle and give time for his right to clean up the levies on the hill, or stand. SP chooses to stand. He will not give up his key zone.

After turn six. Still the Carthagian levies survive!

Carthage has a royal opportunity to put Agathocles, now in the lead unit position, to the sword. Heroically, he stands firm! Did we only imagine an owl or two in the air? On the right the Syracusan hoplites shatter an average heavy infantry unit. Bomilcar attempts to rally the hit, and dies. Disaster! Two morale checks needed on d3s. Fortuitously for Carthage, the scores are 3 and 3, and even the levy light infantry refuse to rout. Disaster averted.

Agathocles strikes from the lead position: two units shattered, two units routed. Only the veteran heavy infantry remain in place to hold the zone for Hanno. But the morale check results are high enough to prevent the rest of the army from routing. 

And what is the health of the battle lines at this point? Agathocles has three units against Hanno's two. All spent. The Syracusan centre has five units all spent, against Carthage's four spent heavy infantry and one levy heavy cavalry kept - wisely as it has turned out - out of the lead position, still fresh. Syracuse has one fresh and four spent units on the right facing four spent infantry units and the Chariots mucking about on the hill.

After turn seven. Both armies out on their feet.

Hanno attacks, and scores two double hits from his zone. Agathocles rallies one, but suffers a close shave with the next, is laid low, and can do nothing to stop the second double hit. They are all shattered. Hanno advances to take the key zone and Syracusan morale will now suffer accordingly.

A succession of failed attacks by Carthage in the centre is redeemed by a final attack which does enough to shatter a unit. With morale now at a -3 (general killed, four-plus units shattered, key zone lost), the army flees.

Turn eight, the moment before the Syracusans are swept away.

Well, after a great start from Agathocles things went a bit pear-shaped for the Syracusans. The longer the game went on the more the Carthaginian position improved. SP was hampered by poor command dice. 1, 1, 2, 3, 2, 4, if my memory is correct. This meant he was unable to get his army into position as quickly as he would have liked, and nor did he have commands to spare for combat bonus purposes.

For me, the command dice were extraordinary. 5, 5, 6, 4, 5, 4, 5 or similar. This allowed me the luxury to pull back on my left, and gave the ability to load up my attackers with combat bonuses. 

In the end, I think this (and my high morale rolls at crucial times) were probably the difference.

As usual, it was a gripping game. We both felt from turn four onwards that "THIS turn will decide it!" but that feeling went on for five turns. 

We will look forward to contesting the Washbourn Trophy again soon. I will have to have a think about what battle to do - it was refreshing to have hoplites and chariots on the table. Funnily enough, the battle was quite similar to the account in Diodorus, except that it was Bomilar who died, not Hanno, and the Carthaginians managed to resist the urge to rout at that point.

Final scores were Carthage's 97 to Syracuse's 60, for Carthage to register a clear victory. On the day I had 85 to 60, but forgot to include the withdrawn Agathocles in the count. 

Tunis 310 BC, the battle.

Before we get to the action, there are two points to note. One is that for this game I am playing Lost Battles pure; that is, without the Favour of the Gods rule that allows players, when conditions are right, to demand the re-roll of an attack result. Suggested by Charles Vasey, this rule variation was adopted by Phil Sabin for the deluxe board game edition of Lost Battles. Since I am playing solo and feel there is a chance I will use the Favour rule more in aid of one side than the other I have decided this time to play pure, to reduce the chance of - shall we say - authorial intrusion.

Lines meet in a grassy area of North Africa....

The second point is that I will be mentioning lead units. Lead units are a Lost Battles game mechanism requiring one unit to be nominated to take the point position for each zone in the battle line and remain there until either the unit suffers a hit or is replaced by a different lead unit on a subsequent turn. 

This mechanism allows advantageous match-ups in attack, but as the lead unit will be the focus of enemy attacks on the other side's turn it is key in defence as well. While in attack, for example, it may seem like a reasonable idea to have a levy heavy cavalry unit in the lead position, it can seem quite unreasonable when it comes time to defend! Decisions around which class of unit to put into the lead position when are part of what makes Lost Battles such an engaging game. 

Anyway, enough of that. To the action! We have already seen in a previous post the initial deployment positions (turn 1), so let us move on from there.

Turn 2 - Carthage. 10 commands plus those of the two generals. 

In the right centre the chariots take the lead and attack the opposed Syracusan unit of veteran hoplites. Usually requiring a 9 on two dice to hit heavy infantry, the lead unit bonus and a combat bonus purchased from army commands reduces this to 7. A roll of exactly 7 sees the chariotry decide to prosecute an all-out attack (a hit to both the attacking and defending units) to hurt the precious veteran hoplites. Agathocles must attempt a rally. The rally fails, and his own veteran guard, being the only other unit currently in the zone, now takes the lead position. A Carthaginian light infantry attack follows in support of the chariots, but is unsuccessful. 

View from the Syracusan side.In the picture above a spent marker is visible next to the veteran hoplites. The Carthaginian chariots, also spent, have retired from the lead position they held at the start of the attack and are now at the rear of their zone. Since the attack the reinforcing infantry have moved up.

In the left centre no attacks succeed. The levy heavy cavalry in the central zone demonstrates only in order to allow the more defensively capable infantry to come up and move into the lead position. This was a tricky decision: if Carthage had used the cavalry to attack, they could have scored a hit on a 9, or all-out attack on an 8, but would then themselves be hittable on the Syracusan turn on a 7 (or 6 for an all-out attack) and an increased chance of a double hit (a score 4 above what is needed for a single hit). In this instance caution prevailed.

After the attacks are complete the infantry is brought up into the line in all three central zones.

View from the Carthaginian left after their turn. Each carpet tile is a separate zone.

Turn 2 - Syracuse. 12 commands plus those of Agathocles.  

The Syracusans are slow to action. Attacks by the forward units in the centre and centre right fail. On the centre left, Agathocles declines to attack so as to preserve himself fresh for later in the battle. If he had attacked, he would have been in the lead position in the next Carthaginian turn and with a corresponding increased risk of being hit or even killed. 

The rest of the infantry comes up into line. 

View from behind the Syracusan left center as the lines close. Agathocles can be seen on the left, having left the lead unit duties to some less valuable troops.

Turn 3 - Carthage. 8 commands plus those of the two generals. 

An attack in the centre yields a successful hit. The next attack roll is 12 - 3 above the required 9 - and it is converted into a double hit by an all-out attack. From five fresh units Syracuse is down to two - both hoplites - and Carthage has four of five units fresh. The Syracusans are somewhat rocked by the onslaught.

The attack from the left centre hits the Syracusan veteran light infantry. The roll is actually a double hit, but as the defending lead unit is light infantry supported by wholly fresh heavy infantry, only the first hit counts. No other attacks from this zone are successful. The veteran lights have done their job.

On the right another hit is scored against Agathocles' zone. If he had been in the lead position he would have taken the hit and been forced to attempt a rally. 

Five hits to one over the turn. Carthage is inflicting damage.

Spent markers litter the field after the ferocious Carthaginian attack.

Turn 3 - Syracuse. 9 commands plus those of Agathocles. 

Agathocles' left centre attacks, scoring a double hit on the vulnerable levy light infantry in the lead. Being levy, and with a spent unit in the zone already (meaning they are unable to ignore the second hit like the Syracusan light infantry could the turn before), they are automatically shattered rather than being able to pass the second hit to another unit in the zone. The morale roll is a 2 - safe so far.

The right centre and its formidible hoplites score three hits. The centre scores another. Six hits to none over the turn. 

The Syracusans are settling into their work, but there is more to do. Carthage still has three fresh units in its centre left and centre, and four fresh units on the right centre, where Hanno leads the veteran Sacred Band. Syracuse has four, two, and three respectively in the zones opposite.

Spent units now on both sides.

Turn 4 - Carthage. 10 commands plus those of the two generals. 

The Carthaginian left centre attacks. The average grade units are all spent, so a unit of levy grade infantry is put into the lead role. The attacks score two hits, leaving only two fresh units for the Syracusans in that zone, but the levy will be vulnerable when attacked themselves. 

In the centre another two hits see the whole of the Syracusan central zone now spent. All five units spent in just two rounds of attacks. Future hits there will cause units to shatter. Is it time for the Syracusan centre to pull back to buy some time? This will be a question for next turn.

The Carthaginian right then attacks. Tension is high, but the attack fails to score any hits. Carthage has managed four hits to none this turn. Agathocles' army is running out of fresh units, but his own zone is still relatively intact. 

Hanno and Bomilcar are in a strong position.

Turn 4 - Syracuse. 11 commands plus those of Agathocles. 

Agathocles loads up on attack bonuses where he can. His right centre attacks the lead levy heavy infantry and scores a double hit, shattering the unit outright. The morale test this causes sees the spent light infantry in the same zone rout. Elsewhere, morale holds. No more attacks on this zone succeed.

View of the Syracusan right centre on the attack.

In the left centre, Agathocles decides that it is now time for his guard to take the lead position. With his centre in danger he decides to force the issue. His guard unit is assigned a double attack bonus. He is hitting on a 6 (9 for a double hit) or 5 for an all-out attack. He rolls a 10 and a double hit is scored. The next attack also succeeds by converting it to an all-out-attack. The remaining attacks are unsuccessful, but even so there is now only one fresh unit - Hanno with the Sacred Band - left in the zone. It will be a fight between the two leaders' guard units next turn.

In the centre, the Syracusans ponder whether to stay in place or pull back. If they were only facing infantry, pulling back would be a good option. They would about-face and retreat one zone. The enemy following up next turn could move into the vacant space but would not be able to attack; in effect, this would buy a turn's grace for the left and right to try to win the battle. But in this case Carthage has fresh cavalry, and cavalry can move and attack in the same turn. Cavalry attacking spent heavy infantry from the rear would not be a happy proposition. Moreover, to about-turn and move the hoplites out of the zone would require four commands (they don't like to turn around in Lost Battles), so they decide to stay and fight it out.

Their opponents in the lead role are levy heavy infantry. Once more they are vulnerable: another double hit is scored on the lead unit, which shatters the levies outright. A poor morale test then sees the other levy units in the zone flee the field. A subsequent attack also scores a hit, shattering one of the remaining average quality units. 

The Carthaginian centre is now reduced to a single spent unit. The decision to stay in place has been vindicated!

Turn 5 - Carthage. 4 commands plus those of the two generals. 

With the centre melting away, the chance to defeat the Syracusan there is gone. For Carthage to win now, the formula is simple: Hanno must kill Agathocles. A roll of 1 for commands does not, however, give too many options for attack bonuses.

The left centre attacks first. Two hits are scored, leaving the Syracusan right completely spent. A third hit, which would have caused a unit to shatter, proves elusive.

It is now Hanno's turn. He is in the lead position and needs a 7 to hit Agathocles' guard. He rolls an 11, a double hit! Agathocles is forced to make a rally roll. A high score will cancel the hit; a low roll will kill him. The roll is high and the hit is cancelled. He makes a rally roll for the second hit. The dice are shaken in the hand... again he rolls high. Again the hit is cancelled. Fortune has a favourite! The remainder of the attacks from this zone fail.

There is just the centre to activate. The lone unit there makes its attack. Success! At last a Syracusan unit is shattered. 

Carthage is left to rue what might have been.

The field after Carthage's attacks.

Turn 5 - Syracuse. 11 commands plus those of Agathocles. 

Leading off the with right centre, Syracuse mounts its attack. A double hit is scored on the levy unit in the lead. The unit shatters. As there are four or more Carthaginian units shattered now, the morale test is taken at a -1. A 1 is rolled; there is is a catastrophic morale failure, and the entire army streams from the field.

A double six does the trick!

Results:

Carthage scores 6 points from units shattered, 38 from units spent, 18 from the handicap.

Syracuse scores 22 points from units shattered, 42 from units routed, 12 from units and leaders withdrawn.

62 vs 74 - it is a narrow victory to Syracuse. 

Thoughts:

Initially the battle seemed to be favouring Carthage, but once Syracuse had punched through the better infantry, the poor quality of Carthage's levy second-line troops told. A succession of double hits allowed Syracuse to quickly reduce Carthage's fighting fitness. The brutal dismantling of the Carthaginian centre in turn 4 turned the battle, but another key moment was Agathocles managing to rally both hits scored against him on turn 5. 

It was interesting to see how many double hits were scored across the game. When playing with Favour of the Gods, many double hits are cancelled and re-rolled. Here, playing 'pure', the double hits had a noticeable effect and the battle finished more quickly than I have been used to.

It was enjoyable to play a lesser-known battle in a lesser-known war, and to have such an interesting mix of troops on the table. Fresh hoplites are deadly against heavy infantry!

I might leave the table set up and see if SP and I can find time for a game this coming weekend. 

** with thanks to Duncan Head, the original account of the battle can be found in Diodorus, here.