The Battle of Cunaxa - 401 BC

This was another battle played using Phil Sabin's Strategos (or Lost Battles) rules.  The historical battle was fought between The King of Kings, Artaxerxes II and his brother Cyrus who had risen in revolt in order to try to grab the throne.  Althought most of the troops present were Persian levy units, Cyrus had engaged a force of Greek mercenaries which were represented as 10 Veteran Hoplite units. 

A good source for the is Xenophon's 'The Persian Expedition' which devotes a chapter to the battle.  I highly recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in the period - very readable and real 'boys own' adventure stuff!

I played Artaxerxes and Martin Rapier was the revolting Cyrus.  All the toys were Baccus 6mm from my collection.  Photos were all taken from Artaxerxes' side of the table.

Below - The King of Kings army is already deployed with scythed chariots on the left and the King himself top right.  Cyrus is still arriving.

The King of Kings (in the chariot) with cavalry bodyguard.

Hoplites advance screened by Persian light troops.

Battle is joined.  The black counters mark the 'key zones' for Cyrus (left) and Artaxerxes (right).  Red counters mark 'spent' units.  The King's left wing is looking OK although the centre and right are under pressure from hordes of Hoplites.  Cyrus has died a traitor's death leading his bodyguard against the King.

The King of Kings leads his bodyguard against some rare veteran cavalry and more hoplites.

Crisis!  Artaxerxes has perished heroically at the head of his army and the enemy advance into his key zone.  Quite a few of the King's units have by now been eliminated of run off.

Victory!  After hanging in the balance (and looking pretty bad for the King's Army), the rebel force finally disintegrates.  The Persian troops flee while the Greeks march off in good order.

Historically Cyrus was killed during the battle and his Persian troops fled while the Greeks stood firm.  The Greeks, refusing to surrender,  offered their services to Tissaphernes (a leading Persian noble and 2ic of the King's Army).  He turned them down but after inviting the Greek leaders to dine, the King had them killed.  As the Persians knew they couldn't defeat the Greeks in battle, they were allowed to march northwards and (eventually) home. 

The Battle of Platea - 479BC

On Wednesday night Martin Rapier and I played another scenario from Phil Sabin's Strategos II rules.  After my drubbing as Darius at Marathon a few months ago we swapped sides and I commanded the Greek coalition facing Xerxes' Persian host.  The Persian were still full of themselves after the burning of Athens and the battle started off as a confused skirmish which intensified as more troops were fed in on arrival.  All of the photos (for the illustrated edition of Heredotus!) were taken from the Greek side of the table.  The Persian host was enhanced by a recent ebay purchase of a painted Baccus army.  These are the chaps on the darker bases.

Below - the early arrivals square up to each other.  Pausanius with his Veteran Spartans and Mardonius with a load of cavalry.  The King of Kings, Xerxes, went off back to Asia Minor in a sulk before the battle.

More arrivals - hoplites in the centre and Persian cavalry on both flanks.

The Spartans had the worst of an exchange with Mardonius and now the Persian centre begins to solidify.  In true Persian fashion their line is anchored by treacherous Hoplites!

The Greeks (on both sides!) begin to get stuck in.

Pausanius fights a desperate battle against the Persian cavalry to secure the Greek flank.

The blood flows in the centre while Persian cavalry heads for the flanks.  Pausanias has legged it after the demise of his bodyguard.  Mardonius has been killed in battle but the rest of the army seems not to mind!

The Greek line finally solidifies as the Persian host starts to feel the pressure.  Shortly afterwards both Persian flanks crumbled and the host fled the field.  Greek civilisation is secure (credit crises aside!)