FOG 300 Ptolemaic vs Kyrene Greek circa 320 BC

In the summer of 320 BC, the Greek inhabitants of Kyrene availed themselves of the absence of the Ptolemaic governor, Ophellas, to rise up against the garrison and declare themselves free once more.  Ophellas, upon hearing of the rise of the populace, and having only a handful of men, withdrew to Alexandria to consult with his lord, Ptolemy of Lagus, and gather more troops.  The oligarchs of Cyrene, taking advantage of Ophellas' withdrawal, quickly sent out a call for men to defend their new found freedom recruiting near and far.  As late summer dawned, Ophellas returned to retake his province. On a plain seven miles west of Cyrene, the Army of the City formed up to face the armies of the oppressor...

Ptolemaic list and host:

Kyrene Greek List and Host:

The Kyrene Greeks won the initiative and opted to play in Agriculture.  The Ptolemaic took the compulsory open field, an open and the gully.  The Greeks took a gentle hill.  The open field fell on the left side of the Greek board edge.  The gully fell on the other side of the Greek edge.  The open ended up in the center of the Greek deployment area.  The gentle hill fell on the Ptolemaic side but ended up getting picked up.

Once deployed, the Ptolemaic forces presented a solid line with the Xystophoroi on their left followed by the red shielded pike, the blue shielded pike and the white shielded pike with the fortified camp behind.  Ophellas took station with the blue pike.

The Kyrene Greeks deployed with the light javelinmen in front of the two 8 stand hoplites with their own Xystophoroi cavalry anchoring the end of their line.  The six stand hoplites formed up in a three deep, two wide column to the left of the temple.  The Greek stratigos deployed with the hoplites next to the cavalry.

The Ptolemaic won the roll to move first and opted to double move the blue and red pike 8" forward.  The white pike moved 4" on their end and the cavalry advanced 5."  There was no shooting so the first Ptolemaic turn ended.

For the Greek first turn, the Greek cavalry moved up to just outside 5" of the Ptolemaic mounted.  The Greek light foot moved a full 5" straight ahead into the face of the Ptolemaic wall of pike.  The main line of hoplites moved 3" straight ahead.  The reserve hoplites wheeled 3" to their left to move towards supporting both front hoplites.  In the shooting phase, the Greek javelinmen scored 3 hits on the blue pike who shrugged them off with no ill effects.  The Greek stratigos moved to the middle of his line.

To start the Ptolemaic 2nd turn, the both center pike BGs successfully rolled not to charge and held their posts.  The white pike moved 3" up to be only 1" behind the blue pike front.  The Ptolemaic cavalry moved to within 2" of the Greek mounted.  In the shooting phase, the blue pike took 2 hits but passed their cohesion test again.  In the joint action phase, the Ptolemaic general moved to his cavalry while the Greek general moved back to the left end of the left hoplite BG.

For the Kyrene 2nd turn, the cavalry passed a CMT not to charge and held their post.  The left end hoplites tried to move short but failed their CMT which prompted the rest of the front line to sit still for the turn.  The reserve hoplites wheeled up to be behind the joint between the two front hoplites.   In the shooting phase, the blue pike took two hits and subsequently disrupted.  In joint action, the Ptolemaic general moved to the red pike.

To start the Ptolemaic 3rd turn, the entire Ptolemaic host rolled CMTs not to charge.   The blue pike failed and charged forward.  The Greek light foot evaded 6" and ended up behind the reserve hoplites.  The blue pike rolled normal and trundled forward 3".   The red pike moved up to stay on line with the blue pike while the white pike moved a full 3" to stay 1" back.  The Ptolemaic cavalry moved up into the face of the Greek mounted.  There was no shooting this turn and in the joint action, the Ptolemaic general moved to the blue pike and attempted to rally.  He failed.

The Greeks opted to wait a little longer before charging.  The Greek mounted successfully held but both front line hoplites threw caution to the wind and charged into the Ptolemaic pike.  With both front line hoplites in contact, the reserve hoplites did not have to roll not to charge through friends in combat.  In impact, both generals joined the front line.  The red pike scored 3 hits on the hoplites to their front and took 1.  The blue pike scored 0 to the left Greek hoplite and 2 against the right Greek hoplite.  The blue pike took 1 hit from each of the hoplites BGs.  The red pike scored 3 hits to the right hoplites who gave 3 in return.    Neither Greek hoplite BG suffered a loss from hits and the left hoplite passed cohesion.  The white pike lost a base from death roll.  The only maneuvering to be done by the Greek saw the Greek light foot turn to their left and begin moving to their left flank,  In melee, the red pike scored 2 hits and took 2 in return.  The blue pike scored 1 hit on the right hoplite and 2 on the left.  In return, the blue pike took 2 and 1 respectively.  The white pike scored 2 hits and took 3 hits.  The left hoplite escaped the death roll but the right hoplite and the white pike both lost a base.  The white pike suffered a cohesion loss as well and disrupted.  In joint action, the blue pike rallied back from disrupted.

In the Ptolemaic 4th turn, the Ptolemaic held once again.  The Ptolemaic forces had no maneuvering to do and there was no shooting.  In melee,  the red pike scored 4 hits on the left hoplites.  The blue pike scored 1 hit on the left hoplites but missed on the right hoplite.  The white pikes also failed to score a hit.  The left hoplites scored 1 hit on each of the red and blue pike.  The right hoplites managed 1 hit on the blue pike and 3 on the white pike.  The white pike passed their death roll but fragmented.  The left hoplites lost a base to the death roll but passed cohesion.  With both generals fighting, the joint action phase was inconsequential.

The Kyrene 4th turn opened with the Greek mounted rolling not to charge - they held.  The Greek light foot continued their movement towards the Greek flank and began wheeling to turn.  In melee, the red pike scored 4 hits and took 1.  The blue pike scored 2 hits on the hoplites to their right and 1 hit to the hoplites to their left.  In return, the blue pike suffered 1 hit only from their left.  The white pike only managed 1 hit  and took 1 in return.  The hoplites with the general suffered a base loss from hits but passed cohesion.  With both generals still fighting, joint action and the turn ended.

To begin the Ptolemaic 5th turn, the Ptolemaic cavalry rolled a CMT not to charge and held.  With no maneuvering to be done, the Ptolemaic proceeded into melee.  The red pike scored 2 hits and took none.  The blue pike scored 1 hit to the hoplites to their right front and 2 to the left front.  In return, the blue pike took a total of 2 hits, all from the hoplites to their right front.  The white pike scored only 1 hit but took 2 in return.  The hoplites in front of the red pike suffered a base loss from the death roll and disrupted.  The hoplites in front of the white pike survived both their death roll and cohesion test but the white pike were not so lucky.  Surviving the death roll, the cohesion test saw them break fleeing 4" away.  The blue pike where not so happy with that and disrupted.  

To start the Kyrene 5th turn, the Greek mounted opted to charge in an effort to protect the wavering hoplites next to them.  In impact, both cavalry BGs managed 2 hits for a draw.  The Greek light foot continued moving towards the Ptolemaic flank by moving up alongside the Greek cavalry.  In melee, the Ptolemaic cavalry scored 2 hits to none.  Th Greek cavalry passed their death roll but disrupted on cohesion.  The red pike scored 3 hits on the hoplites to their front taking none in return.  The blue pike managed no hits on the hoplites to their right front but 2 to the one to their left front.  The blue pike took 2 hits total from the hoplites to their left front.  The hoplites in front of the red pike survived their death roll but fragmented on cohesion.  In joint action, the blue pike rallied from disrupted once more.

The Ptolemaic 6th turn opened going straight into melee as their was nothing else to be done. The Ptolemaic cavalry scored 3 hits to 2.  The Greek cavalry survived their death roll and their cohesion test.  The red and blue pike combined for 5 hits on the hoplites with the Greek general while only the blue pike took a hit in return.  The other hoplite BG failed to hit the blue pike who also failed to hit in return.  The hoplites in front of the red pike survived their death roll but disintegrated on cohesion and broke.  Fleeing short, the red pike caught them from behind inflicting another base loss.   Both remaining hoplites shrugged off seeing their friends break but the Greek cavalry fragmented as a result.  The Greek general moved to the reserve hoplites and the red pike passed a CMT to stop pursuing.  As the turn ended, the broken hoplites were removed from the table as they were at 50%.

To start the Kyrene 6th turn, the reserve hoplites passed a CMT and expanded to in front of the red pike.  The other hoplites shifted a file to cover the blue pike's overlap.  The Greek light foot continued moving around the Ptolemaic flank.  In melee, the blue pike scored 3 hits and took 3.  The hoplites passed their death roll but the blue pike took a base loss.  The Ptolemaic cavalry scored 2 hits to 1 causing the Greek cavalry to break.  The Greek light foot disrupted from seeing friends break and in the pursuit the Greek mounted moved 6" only to be caught by the Ptolemaic cavalry losing a base.  In joint action, the Ptolemaic cavalry passed a CMT and stopped pursuing as the Greek cavalry fled off the table.

The Ptolemaic 7th turn opened with the red pike rolling not to charge and they held.  In the maneuver phase, the red pike moved up into the face of the reserve Greek hoplites.  The Ptolemaic cavalry passed a CMT, turned 90 and moved to be within 2" of the reserve hoplites but also positioned themselves that with slight wheel, the Greek camp would fall.  In melee, the blue pike scored 4 hits on the hoplites to their front taking only 3 in return.  The hoplites passed their death roll but disrupted on cohesion.  

At this point the Kyrene Greeks called it quits as no matter what they did in their next turn, the jig was up.  Charging with the reserve hoplites would have the Ptolemaic cavalry intercept.  Holding would have the camp lost to the same cavalry in the next Ptolemaic turn.