Annual Magnesia battle

Yesterday was our first chance to refight Magnesia in almost a year so I tagged it the annual game.
Republican Romans vs Seleucids. 5000 points per side using Clash of Empires.
As before a very tight battle with the Hellenes just pulling out a win.
More pics to come.

Seleucids

Romans

Andrew Jordans beautiful Roman Cav

Romans vs Seleucids rematch!

Been months since we fought the Battle of Magnesia, and we've been aching for a rematch. So Saturday we got it at Treefort Games. I Andrew brought his beautiful Republicans Romans, I brought the Seleucids and Steven brought some Greek mercenaries to fight with the Seleucids. had been painting Cataphracts the whole week and Steven had stayed up till 3AM the night before to get his Mercs ready.
Clash of Empires, 4000 points per side. Romans Andrew and Stelios vs Seleucids Mike and Steven.
Game proceed with the Roman left flank attacking the Galatian warbands and cavalry while driving the skirmish line back. Soon the Galatians were nowhere to be seen.
On the Roman right a unit of Cataphracts decided to test it's mettle against the Roman infantry and found it a tough nu to crack, meanwhile the Roman flanking force appeared on their right.
By turn 3 things looked very good for the Romans on both flanks as all melees were going their way.
By turn 4 the Roman flanking force had slowed in it's pursuit of the Seleucid Companion cav. While the Roman left had a pesky elephant that refused to run in any direction except towards more Romans.
And the Phalanxes had begun to move.
Turn 5 saw the clash of the Phalanx and the Maniple in the center, plus a scythed chariots and armoured elephant. This time almost all the melees went against the Romans and the advance grounded to a halt as cascading  morale rolls took effect.
By then it was time late and time to call the game. A hard fought draw in the end.
Still enjoying the Clash of Empires rules, really gives all the unit types a distinct feel. We just need to play more often so that we can get all the special rules done pat.


I

LtoR, Steven, Mike, Andrew and 'I can't believe I'm playing Romans' stelios

Start: Seleucids on right Romans on left 

Start, with more on the flanks

Roman left and some very effective Italian Allied Cav

Seleucid Left. Cataphracts, Chariot, Elephant

The center

Phalanx vs Maniple (slightly shot up)

center on turn 5

Pesky Elephant

The Battle of Heraclea

So for 3 years now Andrew Jordan has been slowly painting up an Early Republican Roman army. During this time he has been coming down to Treefort and running small games of Clash of Empires with David Clayton. Well Andrew's beautifully painted figures will get just about anyone's attention. So slowly I started painting up some of those wonderful Warlord plastic Macedonians. Then last month Andrew suggested Heraclea, Pyrrhus versus the Romans. Andrew would provide all the Romans, Elephants and most of the Cav, David the Italian allies and I the Phalanxes. So the night before I was basing the last 8 stands while Andrew was finishing the river.
We were joined by Stelios and Steven the next day, neither of which had ever played Clash of Empires.
It was Awesome! Who knew Andrew had so many Romans.
 It was Beautiful! Those Romans were breathtaking.
It was a close run thing! Those Roman Maniples are nasty,
I now give you Andrews pics and commentary.

Romans begin surging across the River Siris

Having crossed, the leves skirmishers chase off most of Pyrrhus' skirmishers/ light troops holding the opposite bank

Pyrrhus riding to engage the enemy cavalry. His forces dominated his right flank. Elephants chased off most Roman allied cav.

The dreaded Macedonian phalanx. Most leves were chased off by the more experienced peltasts.

Hastati widen the maniples and discharge pila as the Macedonians charge to throw them back into the river.

Meanwhile on the right the Thessalian cav grinds down one unit of Roman cav but is eventually defeated by the remaining unit, led by its tribune. Right flank becomes a stalemate, with the victorious Roman unit exhausted.

Back to the center, where fighting is fierce. Hastati forced to retire and the Principes take up the fight. Armred with thrusting spears, they make more of a in impression on the Macedonians.

With Pyrrhus having cleared the Roman left flank, history is almost repeated by an elephant charge into the Roman flank...stopped at the last moment by an unnamed Italian ally who wounded the elephant, causing it to run amok back into the Cretan archers. A number of Roman units on the left were retreating.

Good pic of the battle's effective end. Romans break a pike unit and another nearby panics and flees. But with neither side having a coherent battle line, both sides retire - so a tie was declared. Though he didn't win this one, Pyrrhus at least kept the Romans at bay, so a semi-historical outcome. Roman leadership by Consul Laevinus in the middle kept this from turning into a full rout.