"Call it Qids" or should that be "Qids in" SOA Kadesh Battle Game

It may not map directly onto my DBA Biblical Armies Project but under the recommendation of Trebian I purchased the "Call it Qids" board game from the venerable Society of Ancients (SOA, by Ian Russell Lowell). Looks and interesting little zip-lock (see below, if I want to convert it from counter to figure I may have to get more chariots):

An interesting booklet, a decorative laser cut piece of MDF with hieroglyphs, a map and some counters. All I need now is a cold beer, a quiet spot in the garden and some time to immerse myself in some reading!

Lost Battles/Strategos II with a Veteran Wargamer .. The Acid Test (Part II) First Mantinea 418 BC

The Argives make their momentous "march on Sparta" attack, thrusting their powerful right wing at the weak Spartan left (ahem, full of the 'suspect' Pelloponnesian "average" allies, sadly just off photograph, see below). The Argives were positioned ready to inflict a decisive round of combat, alas "next go". Meanwhile the Argive centre with its six average hoplites "took it to Sparta" with great effect, causing three casualties, of which the Spartan King Agis saved none but at least did not get himself killed in the process. The remaining Argive hoplites at the rear scurried forward to reinforce their comrades in the center before the inevitable Spartan riposte hits them (see below):

Sparta hit back hard, inflicting a savage three hits back in return on the central Argives, taking the Argives to six out of eight units spent (75%) while Sparta is only 'cruising' on (50%) themselves (see below, black counter indicates spent status):

Meanwhile the Spartan left manned with those expendable Peloponnesian allied hoplites, tickles the Argive "chosen men" on their right with a token 'hit' (hoorah) before the pseudo-Spartans are steamrolled into the ground, ow, I know what's coming as I have seen this movie before (see below):

So a round of mutual destruction follows, as the Spartan left disappears (a mere speed bump to the chosen men of Argive) a similar disaster befalls the Argive middle on a grander scale, double the number of units in fact. Note: The veteran Spartan "happily" hoplites soaked up another two hits before they destroyed the Argive centre. Each hit constituted 4VP worth of damage, which all adds up.

Cinematic direction "in slow motion" of the death if the Argive middle: 

As the first spent Argive Hoplite unit takes a second killing hit, the dreaded "don't roll a one or two" morale test is required. The result (slow motion close-up of dice being dropped and bouncing onto a 1), no more 'central' Argives. A litter trail of discarded Argive armour leads to the rear as they depart "helter skelter". Agis breathes a sigh of relief and orders his far wing right forces to turn to face the left hand threat, the day is his, but "don't count your chickens before the Helots have hatched them for you" as they say in Sparta (see below):

Out numbered by over two to one the Argives had great cause for concern, they were in a fight with a much more powerful foe that now distinctly had the upper hand. Yet they had played a textbook game and had caused the Spartans great pain but still they were on the receiving end. Frustrating to say the least. This is a cruel game of war we play and the Argives had to look deep into their hearts to see if they still had the will to fight. Indeed there was a strong argument to say that the Argives were best to retire with as much of their army intact to lessen the Spartan VPs and reduce their level of victory. There was an audible groan as Mr K to his great credit said no, he would fight on to finish the game "as history would have it".

The Argives and Spartans flung themselves headlong into each other to settle the matter, though not instantaneously, as from the Spartan perspective (me) it took an alarming number of turns (three) and the Spartans were sorely pushed. Agis himself fell  after an unsuccessful rally attempt which in turn caused the Spartans to take an "Army morale test" (which they passed to the credit of there superior quality and numbers). Now without a King the Spartans fought with a cold fury and inevitably a hit came to rest on a square full of spent Argives. The morale roll was not good enough to save them and it was over (see below, the final stand of the Argives):

Did it work as a gaming system? Mr K was unconvinced but There is something about its simplicity I like and its focus on modelling aka simulation. Certainly in comparison to Mr K's favourite miniatures rule system (Impetus) it lacked flavour, colour and a certain "edge of the seat" enjoyment factor. There was an air of predictability about the final outcome right from the start, yet that was partly my fault as I had chose this tutorial because it was so one-sided and simple in the number of troop types involved. I agreed with Mr K in that I think he had played a very good game (better than I had managed previously in his position) but there was still nothing he could do to change the course of history, but rather not lose as bad as the Argives had done. For this scenario yes, it was not finely balanced and Lost Battles simulates rather than entertains. It is not a miniatures experience although for myself I like to play on a board using miniatures as opposed to counters.

Victory Point Calculation (under the amended Lost Battle system):

Argive: 92 points

• Killed: 1xLHC[4], 1xAHO[6], 1xUL[6] = 16
• Routed: 2xAHO[6] +2 for each unit = 8
• Spent: 6xVHO[24], 3xAHO[9] = 33
• Offset: 19x3 = 57, reduced to 35 as max is half initial Spartan FV 70 = 35

Spartan: 74 Points

• Killed: 4xAHO[24] = 24
• Routed 3xVHO[12], 8xAHO[24] +11 for each unit = 47
• Retired: 1xAHC[3] = 3

Outcome: Although a clear tabletop victory for Sparta the Argive (+18) outperformed his historical counterpart [by a narrow margin]

Postscript: This game was still a play-test being my fifth Strategos II/Lost Battles game. I am really grateful for Mr K putting the game system through the hoops and giving it a good stress-test with no prisoners taken. Subsequent analysis and questions raised on the Lost Battles forum has revealed that my still incomplete grasp of the rules gave the Spartans a few more advantages than they should have.

Example: Agis was not so hot as an uninspired leader so never should have been able to give his guard unit a second command bonus for example.

Additionally a few amendments that affected both sides were highlighted.

Example: When a hoplite unit moves up adjacent to an enemy hoplite unit the inevitable attack that comes at it does not receive a +1 DRM of Hoplite fighting Hoplite until both units are static

All-in-all the above would have made it a slightly harder task for the Spartans but still odds on to win the historical set-up

Lost Battles/Strategos II with a Veteran Wargamer .. The Acid Test (Part I) First Mantinea 418 BC

This was the one I had been waiting for. No more playing-testing and explaining things to newbies but a rolled-up shirt sleeves, head-to-head with a "Grognard". This guy had seen it all, from death on the snowy plains before Moscow with Napoleon, to marching with Alexander The Great into Persia, to the modern slaughter of Hill 112 in Normandy. He is also no stranger to 'any' Wargaming genre and has been official play tester to several leading brand rule sets and organiser of convention events, notably Impetus. Most importantly he is not a "bad-ass" competition wargamer (pardon my DBM French). I implicitly trust Mr K's analysis as honest and revealing. He too had been intrigued by my Strategos II posts and wanted to play, so with great anticipation we set-up First Mantinea (see below, Argive to the top, Spartan to the bottom of the photograph [yes there is Frankie Howard joke there]):

As befits his character and genuine interest in playability Mr K even opted to play Argive knowing full well from history he was going to get the much harder time of it. He opted for a strong middle advance, feeding units from his weak left flank into the middle where he faced Spartan veterans. His logic being to win on his right, hold the middle until help arrives and use his Athenian horse to worry the Spartan right into guarding a "key zone" with hoplites. Arms folded he awaited developments (see below):

Sparta's turn. As the bulk of the average Argive hoplites (six average units) had come within spear thrust of the Spartan King Agis and his bodyguard plus another the Spartan veteran hoplite unit in the central square, it seemed reasonable to exchange cordial greetings of death. It also caused the first interesting conversation. The newbie's had not questioned the factors but accepted them but a Grognard will ask "what does that mean exactly?" Why does a "lead" unit benefit from a "+1 attack bonus" but not a veteran? Why when attacking outnumbered (in a local tactical sense) is there no negative modifier? Which is a very interesting point to be taken up with the Lost Battles YahooGroup. Meanwhile combat dished out two spent markers on the Argives, which in retrospect does seem a "good result" attacking at poor odds (1:3 if you count "units" but 1:6 if you calculate it out in terms of men), even considering the Command points spent on buying "attack bonuses". The Spartan's refused their left (not keen on meeting the best Argive troops any time soon) and advanced in the center to guard their king. On the Spartan right the two advanced veteran hoplite units advanced fearlessly forward to threaten the Argive central flank even though this also placed themselves in a perilous position to (flanked left and right by enemy troops which means they would fight at a -1 modifier). The risk seemed worth it as the enemy hoplites to their front were off to reinforce the Argive center and cavalry of this period does not (or was deemed) not to be a "big threat" besides the Spartan "levy" cavalry (levy=danger to themselves) was about to "have a go"! (see below):

Sadly (for the Spartans, aka me) the "charge of the party ponies" (sorry I have been reading too much Percy Jackson with my son lately) came to naught. After concluding the cavalry action on the right flank Agis posed for an heroic "action shot". One may perhaps deem this as un-Spartan and tempting fate as Greek gods were known for their love of teaching mortals the meaning of hubris (see below):

The Spartan battle-line composed themselves to receive the Argive attack (see below, the "party ponies" despite their number seemed a tad nervous):

For good reason it turned out. The first Argive action was to charge them with "average" Athenian horse, but average is still a quality ark above "levy" and when you throw as good a dice as this Grognard you simply shatter and scatter them to the four corners of the battlefield (see below):

First blood to the Argive, can he turn it too his advantage and help the political career of the young Alcibiades by ruining Sparta in the field of battle?

To be continued ...

(Another go at) Strategos II - First Battle of Mantinea 418 BC (Part 2of 2)

The Spartans push hard as only they know how. In the center successive hits from the 'seven' (ow) veteran hoplite units capable of attacking, rock the Argives. As the hits roll in the Argive force quickly becomes totally spent. This means another hit would mean a shattered (dead) unit and a dangerous Army Morale Test for the Argives. The Spartans make that kill, an Army Morale Test is required and the Argives pass, but only just and it is not over yet. Another Spartan kill (ow, ow) and this time the Argives luck does not hold, the average spent hoplites have had enough and break en masse, routing to the rear. This clears the Spartan right from a dangerous Argive envelopment and (without that penalty DRM of -1) they pummel and destroy the weak Argive left wing. The final command point is spent on the weak Spartan left as it makes a spoiling attack on the powerful Argive right with some limited success )just to add insult to injury). Sparta seems to have done enough, well done Agis (see below):  

The Argive commander looks forlornly at his shattered army. All he can do is push on with his right wing but with reduced command points (as a lot of his officers are now running to the rear) it lacks impetus to drive forward and the Spartan left bends but does not break. Ominously on the Spartan turn, the central phalanx of Spartan veteran hoplites turn as one readying their spears for a terrifying flank attack "next turn" on the remaining Argives. Meanwhile the Spartan left is not inactive and again has limited success in wearing down the Argive elites (those "chosen men" veteran hoplites of Argos). The Argives have one last chance of a push on these cheeky average Spartan (Peloponnesian allied) hoplites before the hammer-blow catches them in the flank (see below):  

The Argives remove two of the three Spartan commanded hoplites, but as a point of honour Sparta passes its Army Morale Tests and can proudly claim that their hoplite line did not break even in its weakest sector [which is better than their historical counterparts] (see below, the Spartan left just to say holds on):

The Argive commander requested this 'swan-song' picture of 'what could have been' were it not for this brave Spartan (or Peloponnesian allied) hoplite unit. Seven Argive hoplite units are about to receive a death blow from the Spartan killing machine coming in from their left (see below, Spartans coming in from the right of the picture):

The Argives first become spent and then as the first Argive hoplite unit is shattered they spectacularly fail their Army Morale Test and the remaining six units, even the "chosen men" of Argos, are routed off the field (see below, "where have all the Argives gone?")

The Spartan (levy") cavalry sensed 'their wargaming moment' was at hand and charged the Athenian (Argive led) average cavalry in an "all-out attack" and succeeded in making the Athenian force spent (see below):

The already victorious Spartan right now turned to face the Athenians to make them be under no allusions as to what fate awaited them if they did not "get out of dodge" next turn and retire (see below):

Rubbing salt directly into the wounds of the bloodied and broken Argive army, the surviving Spartan left flank hoplite unit (an unnamed Peloponnnesian allied unit), although spent from its efforts, moved onto the Argive "key terrain square" and started building a victory monument from the cast off Argive arms and armour that littered the field (see below):

Meanwhile the Athenian cavalry quietly slipped away in search of their ships and a safe passage home to Athens before Argos changed sides in the Peloponnesian War and once their once friends & hosts became enemies (see below):

The result, a clear Spartan win, not only on the tabletop (which was expected given the force composition) but also according to the Victory Point off-set chart. A good game played in great spirit with a lovely educational narrative throughout the night. Looking forward to another game with my old friend, he just might have been bitten by the wargaming bug? The game flowed well and was not perceived as "chancy" or a "fidgety fiddle" with a good intuitive "what you see is what you get" feel to it (oh and the Spartan dice rolling was very good).

This is a good set of rules from the Society of Ancients and Phil Sabin!

Note: I will have to dig a little deeper into changes to the Strategos II system refined in Lost Battles and move forward with their newer rule system, but I have been assured the core concepts play the same.

(Another go at) Strategos II - First Battle of Mantinea 418 BC (Part 1 of 2)

Following hot on the heels from my first rekindling of Strategos II, I had the opportunity to run The First Battle of Mantinea (418 BC) again on a second outing with another wargaming newbie (albeit with a degree in history including modules covering the ancient Greek period). The by now familiar set-up is shown below before hostilities started (see below):

Randomly drawing lots for sides I found myself acting as good king Agis with his chief adviser Hippeis (see below, phew I am glad not to be on the receiving end of he Spartan phalanx, the newbie gets the tough assignment - who said war is fair?):

After talking things through with the Argive commander he launches into a fairly historical solid advance into the center and with his strong right flank (the historical point of honour for the best troops), the Argive weak left hanging back in conspicuous Greek fashion (see below, looking at the Argive advance):

In response the Spartans go for it, throwing their powerful right as far forward as it can go (double timing) against the weak Argive left (just two paltry average hoplite units). The Spartan king's guard unit also severely spanks the cheeky Argive center (obtaining a double hit) that dared to come within reach of his spear. (Note: the bulk of the veteran Spartiate hoplites now come to his assistance, it would not do to replay a Leonidas scenario here). In customary Greek fashion the Spartan left flank is also slow to move/engage the more stronger Argive right [even Peloponnesian's can show discretion] (see below):

Time for the Argives to show their mettle. They boldly advance deep against the Spartan left (aka the Argive right with their best troops), setting up a powerful attack for the next turn. Meanwhile in the center and Argive left they attack, in addition bring up their sole unit of the cavalry onto the flank the most advanced Spartan units. These Argives attacks bruise the Spartans but this serves merely to whet the Spartan appetite for punishment and relish their turn in the combat to come. The Argives also suffer with casualties this turn, as per the hoplite "all out attack rule" leaving them 50% spent against a very powerful force of veteran Spartan hoplites next turn. (see below):

Across the board the hoplite lines are in contact (see below, as viewed from the Spartan side, Agis in the center square amidst the chaos of war):

The battlefield as seen from the Spartan far left flank viewing across the battlefield (see below):

The Spartan young king Agis knows that he must effect a "ruthless round of combat" to secure his advanced right from an Argive envelopment. A good result in the center is the key and will be the main focus of his command point distribution .

Next: "This is Sparta!"

Rumaging and Reviewing through some Rules Sets for "Interest"

During the hiatus I caused myself looking for my misplaced "For God King and Country," I discovered some interesting rule sets in "other" peoples's collections I just "had to borrow".

There was something "old" relating to earliest naval times, from the very credible David Manley (see below):

Something "new" to me, as in Phil Sabin's first Society of Ancients (Soc) rules pre-Strategos and Lost Battles, trying to mix board games with miniature rules style of play (see below):

Some thing(s) "borrowed" (as in all three of them) and something "blue" an early [1970's] WWII Pacific naval game ziplock game (see below):

Lots of interest but so little time to cram them all in. It is one fine thing to find them, then quite another thing to read and then quite yet another thing to sit down and play, past the "taster session" stage.

Watch this space to see ow far I get. (Do not remind me of my New Year's resolutions)