Battle of Chaeronea (338BC) - A 28mm Wargame

 Afternoon All

Following my last post which focussed on my completed Macedonian/Successor army (HERE) , it was about time that this force saw some action on the table. 

Over the last couple of Monday nights we have refought the Battle of Chaeronea in two very brutal games.

This post wont detail the specifics of the battles but suffice to say that the Greeks won the first engagement and the Macedonians the second. These were extremely tight affairs and the results could have gone either way. This is definitely a balanced game.

 

Background

The Battle of Chaeronea was fought in central Greece in 338 BC. It was fought between Philip II of Macedonia and an alliance of Greek City states (chiefly Thebes & Athens). The battle was the culmination of Philips desire to be the dominant player in the North Aegean Greek peninsular and resulted in a final victory for the Macedonians.

The two sides met on san open plain near the city of Chaeronea which was boundaried by the Kephisos river and the foothills of Mount Thurion. The two sides were relatively well matcjhed with about 30,000 troops on each side. However the Macedonians were significantly more experienced and had much greater numbers of horse. Alexander, Philip's son commanded the Macedonian Companion horse on their left wing. The Macedonians fought with 15ft long pikes (sarissas) which gave them a longer reach that their Greek hoplite opponents. Many of the Greeks had been pressed into service to face the Macedonian threat and were as a result somewhat raw. The Athenians took the Greek left wing with the men of Thebes holding the right. The honour of holding the end of the Greek right wing fell to the Sacred Band, an elite unit of 300 hoplites.

The actual battle was a masterclass of Philips generalship. He drew out the Athenian forces to face his experienced phalanxes and wore them down in a brutal melee. As the Greek forces wavered Alexander lead a charge across the field splitting the City State Alliance in two.

At this point the Greeks morale crumbled and many fled the field. Only the sacred Band held firm dying to a man to give their companions are chance to escape.   

Wargaming the Battle

Using Hail Caesar this was a very straightforward battle to organise, both sides are comparable in size (number of units) and the field is open save for the flanks. 

Macedonians order of Battle

Right wing under Phiip (rating 9) plus two sub-commanders (rating 8)

6 units of Phalangites (veteran/Elite)

2 units of Hypaspists (veteran/Elite)

light troops (3 x slings, 3 x bows, 3 x peltasts, 2 x light horse) - all small units

2 units medium cavalry (small units)

Centre two subcommanders rating 8

8 units Phalangites

6 units of various light troops

Left Wing under Alexander (rating 9)

6 units of Phalangites

3 units of medium cavalry (Companions)

6 units of various light troops

Greek City States - all commanders rated at level 8)

Left Wing 

Eight units of Hoplites (of which four are levy)

Twelve units of skirmish troops - slings, bows, peltasts, lt cavalry)

Centre Wing 

Eight units of Hoplites (of which four are levy)

Two units of small medium Cavalry

Right Wing 

Seven units of Hoplites (of which four are levy)

One unit Sacred Band (Elite, Veteran Hoplites - count as Spartans)

Twelve units of skirmish troops - slings, bows, peltasts, lt cavalry)

The following are a series of photos from the games in no particular order

There are no special rules in play other than the standard attributes awarded to each of the units.

It became apparent in game one that the Greeks were better placed to attack given they would lose out against charging sarissas.

The game ebbed and flowed across a 16ft table

The ranked units looked fabulous - with about 1600 figures on the table

The impact of the cavalry was minimal in both games - they did manage to pin units but no stunning charges

In the first game the Macedonian centre collapsed under an assault by the Greeks - the flanks held firm giving the city states the win.

Fortunately we played this three aside and with a general familiarity of the rules across the table both games played out in about three and half hours.

We are going to try this battle with to the Strongest later in the year.

What next...well I have started on the Persians.

More games soon

Macedonian/Successor Army now complete

Good Afternoon Folks

Delighted to report that I have completed another army ! Back in March I notified the world that I had started on my Macedonian/Successor army. Link HERE. At the time I had purchased the forces and already completed 300 Phalangites in 2022. So wind the clock forward and the force is complete.

All the figures present are either sourced from Warlord Games or Victrix. All are 28mm and plastic.

The total force consists of

18 units of Phalangites /Pike ( each unit 32 figures strong)

2 units of Hypaspists (32 figures each)

3 units of heavy cavalry (8 figures each)

3 units of Companion Cavalry (8 figures each)

6 war elephants

10 command stands

When this force does come to the field it will be supported by the light troops and Hoplites painted for my Greek Army

The total force arrayed in three ranks covers a sizeable part of my table

The Macedonians (minus the elephants will battle my Greeks), then they will battle my next army project (Persians) and finally they will pitch themselves against each other (Successors) 

The Heavy Cavalry are gorgeous victrix figures. Four packs made up my six cavalry units - the shield transfers are spares I had from my Greek Project.

The Companions have been distinguished with purple cloaks and their long lances.

The cavalry commander started off life as a mounted Roman General but a head and shield swap brought him into line with the period.

Likewise my Macedonian General and standard bearer were Roman Generals but again a switch of heads and shields was all that was required.

The two units of Hypaspists both started og in the lives as Victrix Hoplites but again using head swaps they have been repurposed. 

The shield transfers are old GW ones I had knocking around

This unit I suspect might be refeered to as the Captain America unit ! Should have found some white stars

The core of the army are the Pike - all are Warlord Games plastic pike units. Ranked in fours with 32 figures to a unit

The famous silver shields !!

The infantry commanders are just spare plastic figures I had mounted on round bases

Finally I have six war elephants...these beauties are all from Warlord Games 

Each has been given a different paint style

Just need to add some tufts to these bases to finish them off....

So that's another force complete and they will appear in my next Monday night game.

Next up the Persians 

More soon

Isandlwana - the refight - 28mm wargame

 Evening All

Last night we took the opportunity to refight my Isandlwana scenario which was last fought over seven years ago in the old shed. A lot has changed since then , not least of which I have so many more Zulus painted (almost 1000 at last count), and as such it only seems right to share this with the larger readership and on the various forums.

Aside from the number of Zulus available I have also upgraded the terrain and tweaked the scenario rules. To all intents and purposes this is a new scenario and I felt it played much better and even gave a chance for the British to rewrite the history books.

The original post can be found HERE

The table for this game was L shaped with the two long edges each 15ft long. In the corner of the L lay the mountain top with the British cam nestled in its foothills.

Full table (game has started with Zulus advancing)

The British companies (6) were strung out as per history away from the camp, and Durnford's horse division lay in the Donga to the east. A lone Rocket battery occupied the gap between the Donga and the camp.

British Order of Battle

Number 2 Column -

Number 2 Column -	Commanded by Durnford 9+
11 Battery 7th Brigade R.A. - 3x 9pdr Rockets.	One Rocket Units
Sikhali Horse	One Unit Sikhali (Small Unit)
Edendale Troop - 50 men. Hlubi's Troop - 50 men.	Two Unit Boers (Small Unit)

Number 3 Column commanded by Colonel Glyn	Commanded by Glyn 9+
N Battery 5th Brigade R.A. - 2x 7pdr Guns	Two Artillery Battery
1/24th - 5 companies - 415 men.	5 units British Infantry
2/24th - 1 company and detachment - 180 men.	1 unit British Infantry
1/3rd Natal Native Contingent - 2 companies - 200 men	N/a
2/3rd Natal Native Contingent - 2 companies - 200 men	N/a
No.1 Squadron Mounted Infantry - 27 men. Natal Mounted Police - 34 men. Natal Carbineers - 29 men. Newcastle Mounted Rifles - 17 men. Buffalo Border Guard - 8 men.	Unit of Natal Mounted Police (Small) Unit Mounted Infantry (Small) (For game purposes this will be transferred to Number 2 Column)

 Notes: 

All Units have a local commander with a rating of 8+ thereby allowing each unit to act independently

All British regular units have the drilled ability ie they can make one order regardless of whether successful or not

All British regulars have the steady & stubborn ability

All Units have finite ammunition - if the unit rolls more 1's than 6's a firing pip is lost, Resupply can be made by runners to ammo wagons (two in camp)

Once British units have been shaken they may NOT rally. They can continue to fight but at a disadvantage.

Zulu Forces

Zulu Units and their approximate strengths.

Whilst searching for unit descriptions of the Zulu Army I discovered that an Impi is just a generic term for an Army/Regiments. Regiments were actually called IButho’s and these were made up of several units called Amaviyo’s.  Amaviyos ranged in size from fifty to three hundred men. The Amaviyo will become my standard warband and each warband will represent 300 warriors.

Zulu Forces (actual Deployment)

Right Horn
Regiment	Number of Men	Warbands
uDududu	1500	5
iMbube	500	2
iSangqu	1500	5

Left Horn
Regiment	Number of Men	Warbands
uVe	2000	7
iNgobamakhosi	6000	20

Centre
Regiment	Number of Men	Warbands
uNokhenke	2000	7
uKhandempemvu	2500	8
uMbonambi -	2000	8

The Zulus have a total of 52 units in play which gives them a 4 to 1 numerical advantage

 

Once a regiment has lost more than half its strength the regiment must retire. Zulu units may NOT rally once shaken

Cards for all of the Zulu Regiments were produced to aid identification of the units.

The Zulu player will receive one commander for each regiment. These are all +8 commanders.

Zulu units all have the initiative ability that allows them to move forward one move provided they have not been ordered.

All the Zulu units were standard warband units as described in the book  with no differention between married and unmarried units.

The Battle started with the Zulus bringing on 50% of each regiments forces (the remainder would join in turn 2) This was done so we could get them all on the table !!

As expected the rocket battery was quickly overrun in the first turn and the left horn swept into Durnford's horse in the Donga. Some of the mounted units got away, other weren't so lucky

The Zulu centre and right horn make their appearance...

The Donga was the scene of fierce action as the mounted units tried (badly) to make a fighting retreat. Had they been mounted they could have evaded the restless natives.

More Zulus appear on the field. It looked epic.

The hordes began to rush forward. Some desultory fire from the camp failed to hinder their progress.

The centre and right horn began to mass their attack against the besieged redcoats.

As the fight progressed the Zulu commanders taunted the defence....

 By now the Zulus had swarmed across the Donga eliminating 50% of Durnfords force. The Sikhali horse put up a brave stand but fell to the sharpened assegais

The British edged their way backwards to the camp. Hoping to trade distance for time.

The British prepared their volley fire..... 

A lone unit of Boers is forced to flee....

The Zulus crashed in and the line held, driving back the first wave.

But no sooner could they draw breath more Zulus were rushing forward.

As the Battle reached its climax the British had delivered withering fire on three of the opposing Zulu regiments forcing them to retire from the field.

With all three Zulu forces closing in the British were starting to falter. To begin with the British left collapsed as two companies succumbed to the spears

The right of the camp held firm and delivered more punishing fire on the Zulu force

Again the Zulus charged and again they were driven back.

But it was all too late - the loss of the British Left gave the Zulus the opportunity to hit units in the flank

By now the Zulu left horn had closed in for the spoils. Bouyed by their victory in the Donga they came steaming into the camp.

It was alost over...

The Zulu forces flooded into the camp

A gallant stand by the last two companies of redcoats. The King's Colour held aloft in the dying moments of battle.

A Zulu victory but at what price?

The British had managed to drive off just under 30% of the Zulu force. Was their a chance they could have done better? Possibly if the dice gods had been kind but this was not going to be their day.

More soon