After the Macedonian victory at
Charonea, Macedonian dominance of Greece was a given. However, the
Greeks were always a fractious and quarrelsome country. The
independence of Greek City-States was always a hallmark of Greek
society. Therefore, Macedonian forces had to “mop-up” various
resistance groups.
Eventually, contingents of
Macedonian soldiers reached the edges of the Greek world, especially
around the Black Sea. Here, they met independently minded Greek
colonists who were not so eager to bend to Phillip II's yoke. With
the help of hired Spartan mercenaries, they were ready to test
Phillip's resolve in the region.
A group of Greek Mercenaries
sponsored by the Milesian (Ionian) colony of Panticapauem were there
to challenge the oncoming Macedonians. Panticapauem tended to align
themselves with the Ionian rather than the Doric Greeks, and had a
loose association with nearby Black Sea cities in the Bosporus
region. They intended to use plausibly deniable Mercenaries to test
Phillip's resolve in the region before determining if they needed to
bend their knee to him. The Macedonians had marched a small force
into the region to act as standard-bearers and pacify it. The
hostilities of the Greek Mercenaries hired by the natives was
unexpected.
Clearly, this is
another “ahistoric” battle or possibly an encounter lost to
history. It is based on only the thinnest of pretexts and historical
background. I have some generic Greeks painted, a unit of Macedonian
Pikeman, and some assorted light units. Therefore, I had to make
armies that fit what I had painted. Of course, you can get your set of rules from Osprey.
Forces
Greek Mercenaries
1 Elite Phalanx- Spartans
1 Militia Phalanx- Eager Panticapauems
1 Psiloi- Mercenary Greeks
-22 points
Macedonians
1 Macedonian Phalanx
1 Light Phalanx- Thessalian allies
1 Peltasts- Thracian Mercenaries
-22 points
Mission
This will be a standard pitched battle scenario.
Set-up
The Greek Mercenaries choose their ground carefully at a pass between
craggy, forested rocks and a river. The Macedonians will not be able
to bypass them easily, and the area is just wide enough for a
battlefield. The battlefield is a 48x48 base widths table, with 1
base width equally 1 inch.
The Greek Mercenaries place their elite Phalanx of Spartans on the
shore near the river. Their flank I anchored by the river. They
stay in open order for rapid deployment or re-deployment as needed.
Next to them is the Militia Phalanx from Panticapauem, who are also
in loose formation. Finally, their line is ended with a group of
mercenary Psiloi near the woods.
The Macedonians also anchor their flank on the river, with the main
Macedonian phalanx stationed there in phalanx formation. To their
left is the Thessalian light hoplites in open order. Finally, next
to them is the Thracian Peltasts.
Turn 1:
Both forces collect their 3 Arete Points. Neither side bids to go
first. The Spartans win the roll off. They move forward unopposed
and stay in loose formation. The Psiloi take a position in the woods
and use a Arete Point to skirmish in.
The Macedonians slowly move forward. The Peltasts dart across the
front and start to form a skirmish line in front.
Turn 2:
Again, no one bids to go first. Instead, the Greek Mercenaries win
the roll-off. The Psiloi skirmish again and move tot eh edge of the
woods in a position to provide flanking fire to a Macedonian advance.
The Militia and Spartans move forward. They stay in open order.
The Peltasts finish their skirmish line as the Macedonians and
Thessalians follow them slowly and cautiously.
Turn 3:
The Macedonians bid 1 to go first. The Macedonians want to get their
main Phalanx in combat with the Spartans, but the Peltasts are in the
way. The Peltast drop back between the two, ready to support.
The Spartans try to interrupt, but fail. The Thessalian light
Hoplites move up to support the Macedonians and form Phalanx.
The Militia from Panticapauem move forward and form phalanx. They
are at a slight angle and ready to support the main Spartan push.
The Spartans move up as well, but stay in Open Order to taunt the
Macedonians into a charge. The Psiloi hold their position in the
woods, ready to hurl javelins from the protection of the woods edge.
Turn 4:
Neither side bids for initiative and the Greek Mercenaries win. The
Spartans and Militia Phalanxes move forward. The Spartans finally
form up. The Psiloi move from the woods and behind the battle line
looking to support as needed.
The Macedonians also rejigger their lines. The Macedonians
themselves advance slowly, trying to judge the distance. Meanwhile
the Peltasts hold the center, with the Light Hoplites on opposite
flank.
Both sides begin to chant the Paean expecting a clash to be imminent.
Turn 5:
The Greek Mercenaries win the initiative by bidding 1.
They use an Arete Point and charge into the Macedonians, who also use
one Arete Point to counter-charge. The two phalanxes crash together
with the bang of spear on shields. Both sides lose 1 Courage in the
initial pushing match.
The Macedonians try to use an Arete Point to steal the initiative but
fail. This allows the Ionian Miltia Phalanx to charge in the side of
the Macedonians as they struggle with the Spartans to their front.
The This causes them to lose additional Courage. The Psiloi hang
back in the back field.
Seeing the battle going against their Macedonian allies, the Thracian
Peltasts hurl themselves into support their fellows. The Thessaliens
break into open order and move to set-up for a flank charge into the
main melee next turn.
The Macedonians are pushed back in the main melee.
Turn 6:
No one bids for Initiative and instead save their Arete Points for
re-rolls and charges. The Spartans win the roll-off. The Spartans
push in the main melee with the help of the militia. They reduce the
Macedonians with their Thracian allies to 1 Courage, and they start
to waver. However, the Spartans took casualties in the process, and
they are also reduced to 1 Courage.
The Psiloi use an Arete point and make an unlikely charge into the
Open Order light hoplites moving to attack the flank of the big
melee. They manage to hit the flank harder than Psiloi should, and
reduce the Thessalians in open order two courage! The Thessalians
are pushed back and start wavering!
Turn 7:
Again both sides hold onto their Arete Points since everyone is
involved in Melee.
The Macedonians win the roll off and decide to start with the big
melee between the Spartans and Militia allies and the Macedonians and
Thracian Peltasts. In the battle, Arete points are used for re-rolls
and both sides are reduce to 0 Courage.
Onthe flank, the Light Hoplites manage to push back the Psiloi and
reduce them two Courage, despite wavering. However, they are reduced
to 1 Courage themselves.
In the end phase, the bulk of both forces flee. However, the Psiloi
and Light Hoplites both manage to pass their collapse tests!
Turn 8:
Each side only has a single Arete point, and they both hold on to it
for re-rolls.
The Light Hoplites can not form as they are wavering. Instead, the
two sides viciously hack and slash at each other in open order. The
Psiloi loose 2 Courage and the Thessalian Light Hopites both are
reduced to 0 Courage.
Both units flee the field, leaving it for the crows. No trophies
will be erected this day.
Conclusion:
They say that in war, there are no winners; only losers. That was
true today as both sides fled the field as they lost their courage to
keep fighting. That means the battle was a bloody draw.
The elders in
Panticapauem were uneasy. They had made their point to Phillip II
but at great cost to themselves. They sent word to the Greek cities
in Ionia as fast as they could to recruit more mercenaries to bolster
their defenses. They also sent emissaries to Phillip II to offer
terms. They were willing to bend the knee, but only on favorable
conditions.
Perhaps fortunately for the Elders, Phillip II was soon
assassinated. His son Alexander was the new leader of Macedonia. He
had his sights set elsewhere and on a greater purpose than Greeks
city-states around the Black Sea.
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