BBDBA Delium 424 BC (Peloponnesian War) Part 4

Demoralisation and defeat of the Athenian Army in glorious "blow-by-blow technocolour"

The (now demoralised) left wing Athenian hoplite phalanx suffers the ignominious fate of being flanked and then completely routed (see pictures below, the outflanking through to the "coup de grace"):

Even the cavalry contest on the left goes badly (so to be expected as the right wing of the army is now demoralised), with the Athenian cavalry stand being killed, note how Alcibiadies' "light horse" standing forlornly alone in the Athenian backfield (see below):

Athenian Right Wing Losses: 0
Athenian Left Wing Losses: 5 (Demoralised)
Athenian Total Army Losses: 5 (Note: Only 12 needed to break whole army, almost half way)

Two Athenian hoplite stands fall (see below):

Athenian Right Wing Losses: 0
Athenian Left Wing Losses: 7 (Demoralised)
Athenian Total Army Losses: 7 (Note: Only 12 needed to break whole army, therefore over half way now)

The jaws close on the last left wing Athenian hoplite stands. Of the original DBA Army force only the "Light Horse" of Alcibiadides remains (his once in a game 'potent' +1 attack option rule having been long forgotten about by the Athenian player). The Theban "deep phalanx" doubling its opponents, as does a traditional group of Theban hoplites. The Athenian hoplites fall like leaves from the trees in autumn (see below): 

Athenian Left Wing Losses: 0
Athenian Left Wing Losses: 11 (Demoralised)
Athenian Total Army Losses: 11 (Only one more point required to reach the army breakpoint)

The Athenians push hard at the Thebans extreme left flank, the very flank the Athenian general Aristogoras dreamed of "turning quickly" earlier in the battle. Here is an unusual DBA contest of Cavalry (in bad going) defending against advancing hoplites (Spear) trying to slow down the hoplite advance and buy time (see below):  

It goes well for the Athenians killing one Cavalry (its retreated impossible in the bad going, blame the dice I say) and making a perilous situation for the other (see below):

Theban Right Wing Casualties: 1 (25% to breaking point)
Theban Left Wing Casualties: 2 (50% to breaking point)
Theban Total Army Casualties: 3 (25% of breaking point)

Again the Theban left wing suffers, but this time the Cavalry lives to "flee" to fight another day. The Theban left wing is battered but not broken (see below):

The Theban come back fresh, straight at the outflanked Athenian hoplites, rolling them up from the side. These are the final Athenian casualties being the 'straw that finally broke the camels' back. Two right wing hoplite stands so flanked die in close combat (see below, there is a big hole in the middle of the photograph "where" they used to be):

Athenian Right Wing Losses: 2 (50% to breaking point)
Athenian Left Wing Losses: 11 (Demoralised)Athenian Total Army Losses: 13 (army broken)

Victory, and a hard fought one at that, to the Thebans. They chant their Boetian paean (victory song), which roughly translates to "Athenians go Home!"

A nice battle and well played to all, the Theban C-in-C commander gets MVP as he persisted in a brave cavalry attack on the ford which ultimately helped turn the game. Rolling good dice in the Theban attack on the Athenian hoplite center also helped for sure.