FOG 300 Playtest Sassanid Persian vs Chionite Huns 375 AD

I managed to work this playtest in last weekend but today is the first chance I have had to share.  This time you get Sassanid Persian vs Chionite Huns circa 375 AD.

Sassanid List and Host (Disregard the date on the list):

 Chionite List and Host (Initiative was actually +2, I used Hephthalite Hunnic Terrain Options):

The Chionites won the initiative and opted for Steppe.  The Sassanids took the compulsory steppe plus another steppe and a broken.  The Chionites opted for a gentle hill and a broken.  All the terrain fell on the Chionite side which resulted in the Chionite hill and broken not fitting.  Once the camps were deployed the terrain looked like this (Sassanid board edge to the left):

Once deployed the Sassanid host looked like so with a LH on the left then an armoured horse archer followed by the cataphracts and the LF archers with a second armoured horse archer in reserve.

The Chionites deployed with one cavalry archer on the left flank with the lancers next to them with the general attached.  Three LH archers were deployed in the center.  The last cavalry archer was deployed in the broken on the right flank.

The Sassanids moved first and moved the LH a full move angled to the right.  The LF did a full move forward and slid one base width to the right to get in front of the cataphracts.  The cataphracts wheeled to their left to get completely behind the LF.  The armoured cav on the Sassanid right did a full move forward.  The left wing armoured cavalry did a full move angled towards the left.  Everyone was out of arrow range so the turn ended.

The Chionite 1st turn witnessed the the LH line making a short move forward.  The left wing cavalry moved as far as they could to get on the left of the LH line.  The Lancers passed a CMT for their first move and expanded two bases.  For their second move they moved up behind the extreme right end of the LH line.  The right wing Chionite cavalry moved up to stay in line with the lancers.  In the shooting phase, 3 hits were scored on the Sassanid LH but the arrow storm had no effect.  The Sassanid LH scored 0 hits in return.  The Sassanid armoured cav on the right scored 2 hits on the middle Chionote LH who in turn failed their cohesion test.  The Sassanid LF scored 2 hits on the Chionite LH on the right end of their line who passed their cohesion test.  The turn ended with the table as below:

Sassanid 2nd Turn:  The Sassanid Cavalry on the right flank of their line charged at the Chionite LH.  The middle Chionite LH and the right end LH evaded full.  The cavalry pursued full.  The right LH was forced to collapse into a single wide column to avoid the lancers behind them and the LH in the center.  The Sassanid LH squared up with the last Chionite LH.  The Sassanid LF moved a full move angled toward the Chionite Lancers.  The Cataphracts moved up behind the LF.  The Sassanid cavalry on the left flank moved a full move towards the right end of the Chionite cavalry.  In the shooting phase, the Sassanid LH used their bow strings to pick their teeth instead of shooting arrows while the Chionite cavalry and LH facing them scored 3 hits,  The Sassanid LH passed their cohesion and death rolls.  The Sassanid LF scored 2 hits on the Chionite Lancers who passed their cohesion test.  The Sassanid Cavalry on the left scored 3 hits on the right flank Chionite cavalry who passed their cohesion test but lost a base to the death roll.   The turn ended with the table looking like below:

The Chionite 2nd turn began with both ends of the Chionite line charging.  The Chionite LH and cavalry on the left end of their line both moved 5" while the Sassanid LH in front of them also evaded 5".  The Sassanid LF evaded from the Chionite Lancers and ended just behind the cataphracts. The Chionite Lancers crashed into the left flank Sassanid cavalry and the cataphracts (2 bases hit each).  The Chionite cavalry on the right end of the Chionite line also charged into the fray.  In the impact phase, the cataphracts inflicted 3 hits on the Chionite lancers but took 3 in return.  The Chionite lancers and the cavalry on their right managed 0 hits between them on the Sassanid cavalry.  The Sassanid cavalry scored 2 hits on the lancers and 1 on the cavalry.  The cataphracts passed their death roll while both the Chionite units passed all of their rolls.  The Sassanid general, however, was not so lucky and died in the impact phase.  The cataphracts and the Sassanid LF both disrupted due to the death of the general.  In the maneuver phase, the cataphracts conformed to the lancers while both Chionite LH turned to face the Sassanid cavalry in the center and moved to within shooting range.  In the shooting phase, no one remembered how to use a bow.  In melee, the cataphracts, the Chionite lancers and the Chionite cavalry all failed to score a hit.  The Sassanid cavalry, however, scored 1 hit on the lancers and 2 on the Chionite cavalry.  The Chionite cavalry failed their cohesion test and fragmented.  The Chionite lancers passed their cohesion and death rolls.  The field looked like so when the turn ended:

The Sassanid 3rd turn saw the Sassanid cavalry in the center charge the two Chionite LH units.  Both LH units evaded off the table.  The cavalry rolled short and advanced only 3".  In the maneuver phase, the Sassanid LH turned around and moved up to outside of the 4" arrow range of the Chionite cavalry.  The Sassanid LF turned 90 and moved 3" to be within shooting range of the sole Chionite LH left on the table.  The Sassanid lights scored 2 hits on the Chionite LH who passed their cohesion test.  The Chionite LH bow fire was ineffectual.  In melee, the Chionite cavalry and lancers scored 0 hits.  The cataphracts scored 2 hits on the lancers while the Sassanid cavalry scored 1 more hit on the lancers and 2 on the Chionite right flank cavalry.  The lancers disrupted and lost a base.  The Chionite right flank cavalry lost a base and broke.  This caused the lancers to fragment.  The turn ended with the table like so:

The Chionite 3rd turn began with the Chionite left wing cavalry and LH charging the Sassanid LH.  The Sassanid LH evaded off the table.   In the maneuver phase the right flank Sassanid cavalry conformed to the Chionite lancers.  There was no shooting in this turn.  In melee, the cataphracts scored 2 hits on the Chionite lancers while the Sassanid cavalry scored 3 hits.  The Lancers only managed 1 hit on the cataphracts.  The lancers failed their cohesion test and were caught by the cavalry and cataphracts in the pursuit.  The Chionite general also died.  The game ended at this point with 6 Chionite points to 1 Sassanid point.

This game was very fast and the shallow table definitely had an effect.  I will have to think about the table size going forward as it impacts mounted armies signifcantly.