FOG 300: Battle of Ecbatana Spring 220 AD

Special Report of the Babylonian Sun Times by correspondent Máikl KéliZ.

The Battle of Ecbatana:

Brother Against Brother

Desperate times call for desperate measures and on this late Spring day the situation appeared very desperate to Artabanus IV, one of two brothers claiming the crown of Parthia.  His brother Vologases was on an almost unbroken streak of success as city and tribe fell sway to his influence while Artabanus had suffered rebuff after rebuff.  Gathering his forces, Artabanus organized two expeditions into the lands of his brother.  One force moved against the trade center of Hatra and another against the great city of Ecbatana.  Artabanus decided to lead the force against Ecbatana himself and as events would should show, it may not have been well advised.  Not wishing to give up Ecbatana and his access to the Iranian plateau, Vologases led his forces out onto the plain to oppose his brother.

Army of Artabanus:  List and Host

BG 1 - Bow Cavalry
BG 2 - Bow Cavalry
BG 3 - Purple Cataphracts
BG 4 - Red Cataphracts
LH BG

Army of Vologases:  List and Host:

BG 1 - Light Horse
BG 2 - Bw* Lance Cavalry
BG 3 - Light Horse
BG 4 - Green Cataphracts
BG 5 - White Cataphracts

 Vologases wins the initiative and opts for Steppe.  Artabanus takes the compulsory open, a broken and the 2nd open.  Vologases takes the gentle hill but it is picked up.

Artabanus' forces deployed (left to right - red numbers and letters):  Light Horse BG, Cavalry BG 1, Cataphract BG 4, Cataphract BG 3, Cavalry BG 2, Artabanus is with BG 4

Vologases' forces deployed (left to right - orange numbers):  Light Horse BG 3, Cataphract BG 5, Cataphract BG 4, Cavalry BG 2, Light Horse BG 1, Vologases is with BG 4

Artabanus moves first and sends the Red Light Horse BG ahead 7".  Red Cavalry BG 1 moves 5" straight ahead.  The cataphracts moves as a group 8" straight forward.  Red Cavalry BG 2 moves 5" straight ahead and shifts one base away from the cataphracts.  There is no shooting in this turn.  In joint action, Vologases moves to Orange Cavalry BG 2 ending the 1st turn of Artabanus.

After Artabanus' 1st turn.  The single piece of terrain (a broken) is at the bottom right of the field

In Vologases' 1st turn, Orange BGs 1 & 2 move 3.75" straight ahead stopping just outside of 4" from Artabanus' Red Cavalry BG 1.  Orange cataphract BGs 4 & 5 move 4" straight ahead.  Orange Light Horse BG 3 moves 7" straight forward.  In the shooting phase, Vologases Orange BGs 1 & 2 manage three total hits on Artabanus' Light Horse BG who shrug it off with no ill effects.  At the other end of the line, Vologases Light Horse BG 3 scores two hits on Artabanus' Cavalry BG 2 who score two in return.  Both BGs drop to disrupted on cohesion.  In the joint action phase, Artabanus moves to Red cataphract BG 3 whole Vologases moves to his own cataphract BG 4 to end the joint action.

After Vologases' 1st turn.  Red are Artabanus' BGs and Orange are Vologases' BGs.

To begin Artabanus' 2nd turn, he opts not to launch his cataphracts just yet and rolls CMTs to hold them.  In the maneuver phase, Red Cavalry BG 1 moves to be even with the Red Light Horse BG.  No other movement is made.  In the shooting phase, the Red Light Horse BG split its fire and scores two hits on Orange Light Horse BG 1 and one on Orange Cavalry BG 2.  The Red Cavalry BG 1 scores three hits on Orange Cavalry BG 2.  Orange Light Horse BG 1only scores one hit in return to the Red Light Horse and Orange Cavalry BG 2 scores one on Red Cavalry BG 1.  Orange Light Horse BG 1 survives the cohesion test.  Orange Cavalry BG 2 survives his death roll but drops to disrupted on cohesion.  On the other end of the table, Red Cavalry BG 2 scores one hit on the Orange Light Horse BG 3 and takes two in return.  Red Cavalry BG 2 fails its cohesion test and drops to fragmented.  In the joint action phase, Vologases moves to his disrupted light horse and attempts to rally the unit but fails.  Artabanus holds with Red cataphract BG 4 ending his 2nd turn.

After Artabanus' 2nd turn

To begin Vologases 2nd turn, Orange Cavalry BG 2 and Light Horse BG 1 declare charges.  The disrupted Orange Light Horse BG 2 also declares a charge against the fragmented cavalry to its front.  Both of Vologases cataphract BGs opt not to charge and successfully pass a CMT to hold.  Orange Cavalry BG 2 fails its CMT and refuses to charge.  Orange Light Horse BG 3 passes its CMT and charges. The fragmented Red Cavalry BG passes its cohesion test and stands.  The Red Light Horse BG opts to stand against the charging light cavalry.  In the impact phase, the fragmented Red Cavalry BG 2  score a single hit.  The Orange Light Horse BG 3 fails to hit.  It passes its death roll but fragments on cohesion.  Orange Light Horse BG 1 scores three hits on the Red Light Horse BG and takes three in return.  The Orange Light Horse loses a base on the death roll while the Red Light Horse emerges unscathed.  In the maneuver phase, Vologases moves to Orange cataphract BG 5. In the shooting phase, no one can hit enough to matter.  In the melee phase, Orange Light Horse BG 1 scores two hits and takes two in return for a draw.  Orange Light Horse BG 3 fails to hit the fragmented Red Cavalry BG 2 but takes one in return.  The Orange Light Horse BG 3 survives its death roll but breaks on cohesion and flees 8".  Red Cavalry BG 2 pursues 3".  In joint action,  Artabanus moves to the fragmented Red Cavalry BG 2 and attempts a rally but fails.  Vologases moves to Orange Cavalry BG 2 and attempts a rally and also fails.  The broken Orange Light Horse routes off the table.

After Vologases 2nd turn.  The black marked by Vologases' camp is the 1 attrition point lost for the broken light horse BG.

To begin Artabanus' 3rd turn, both Red cataphracts opt to try and hold and not charge.  Red cataphract BG 4 holds but Red cataphract BG 3 charges straight ahead.  In impact, Red cataphract BG 3 scores three hits and Orange cataphract BG 4 scores two.  The Orange cataphracts lose a base to the death roll and then disrupts on cohesion.  In the maneuver phase, the Red Cavalry BG 2 moves 2" forward and then wheels 2" towards the Orange cataphract BG 5.  In the shooting phase, Red Cavalry BG 2 makes no hits on Orange cataphract BG 5 while Red Cavalry BG 1 scores two hits on Orange Cavalry 2 who score one in return.  Orange Cavalry BG 1 fragments on its cohesion test.  In melee, the Red Light Horse BG score six hits on Orange Light Horse BG 1 and take one in return.  The Orange Light Horse automatically lose a base to hits and autobreak.  Orange Light Horse BG 1 flees 7" while the Red Light Horse BG pursues 8" and opts to charge into the fragmented Orange Cavalry BG 2.  The Orange Cavalry BG 2 passes its cohesion test and stands.  In the center, Red Cataphracts 3 scores two hits to Orange cataphract BG 4 but takes two from the Orange cataphract BG 4 and two more from the overlapping Orange cataphract BG 5.  Red cataphract BG 3 loses a base on the death roll and then drops to disrupted.  In the joint action phase, Vologases attempts to rally Orange Cavalry BG 2 but fails.  Artabanus successfully rallies Red Cavalry BG 2 back to disrupted.  The broken Orange Light horse flees off the table ending the turn.

At the end of Artabanus 3rd turn.  The two black markers in front of Vologases' camp represent the two attrition points for the two broken light horse BGs.  He is one attrition point away from breaking. 

To begin Vologases 3rd turn, the Orange cataphract BG 5 opts to try and hold to finish off the Red cataphract BG 3 but fails its CMT not to charge.  Red Cavalry BG 2 intercepts and strikes the rear stand of Orange cataphract BG 5 canceling its charge and dropping it to disrupted.  Artabanus, smelling victory, jumps into the frey and leads the Red Cavalry from the front.  In the impact, the Red Cavalry BG 2 scores only one hit while the cataphracts give a backhand of two hits.  Artabanus forgets to zig and is crushed by an enraged cataphract.  The Red Cavalry BG 2 also loses a base from its hits.  In cohesion, the Red Cavalry BG dissolves as it breaks from the impact.  Both Red cataphract BGs pass their cohesion tests for seeing Artabanus' death.  The Red Cavalry BG 2 flees 6" and the pursuing Orange cataphracts plow into Red cataphracts 4.  As this was still in the impact phase, this impact is resolved and both score two hits for a wash.  On the other end of the field, the Red Light Horse BG misses completely while the Orange Cavalry BG 2 scores a single hit.  The Red Light Horse emerges unscathed.  In the maneuver phase, Red Cavalry BG 1 forgets to move and as there is no shooting to be had into melee the turn progresses.  Red cataphract BG 4 and Orange cataphract BG 5 both again score two hits each for a draw.  Red cataphract BG 3 and Orange cataphract BG 4 score one hit each and also draw.  Red Light Horse BG scores three hits on the Orange Cavalry BG 2 who manages only two in return.  Although the Orange Cavalry survives its death roll, it fails its cohesion test and breaks.  In the route move, the cavalry flees 5" and the Red Light Horse pursues into them taking a base.  Vologases manages to survive.  This ends the melee phase and the game as Vologases' army breaks fleeing from the field.

After Vologases 3rd and final turn.