Chris Harrod and I christened my new Hittite army – one of Biblical armies – against New Kingdom Egyptian. It was Big Base DBA. Chris took the Hittites and I was Pharaoh.
Deployment
As I was attacking Chris chose the terrain. He went for a river, road and two big gentle hills and a small gentle hill. After I rolled for table side we discovered the river split the table in two. So although both main armies were deployed on the respective hills, I also deployed a small force on the far side of the river. My plan, vague as it was, was to annoy Chris’s flank.
The entire Hittite host deployed on the hill in front of their camp. Chris kept his skirmishers (Psiloi) in a back rank to support some of his close combat fighters (Blade).
I also deployed on a big hill. I had the close combat fighters (Blade) in the centre, bows to their flanks, and chariots on the extreme flanks. My right was congested because of the table edge so I deployed my right flank chariots in a column behind the bows so they could expand out when the game started. On my left flank, over the river, I had three stands as an on-table flank march – a skirmisher (Psiloi), Bow and Chariot.
The Battle
In bound one I rushed forward with my entire army.
I particularly pushed forward on the left where the skirmishers forced march to get ahead of their companions.
After my main body got to the far side of the hill I had a crisis of confidence, and started to withdraw them back up the hill. I was debating, with myself, where to position my army to get best advantage from the +1 for uphill. After this momentary backward movement I ended up deciding that near the flat was best as this would give me ample scope to recoil and still be uphill – remember that I had Bows facing Blades so I wasn’t expecting a pretty fight.
My flank march kept pushing ahead and quickly got parallel with the Hittite army.
Then my flank marchers turned in to face the Hittite right. The Egyptian bow killed the Hittite chariot on the end of the line.
Chris left his skirmishers behind to face my flank march but advanced his battle line into the valley.
The Hittites then advanced across the flat.
With Chris pushing his battle line forward I advanced my flank march into the river …
… and out the other side.
By now the two battle lines were very close to each other.
Because he now had my flank march force behind his C-in-C Chris decided to go for broke and charged his general into my chariots opposite. What he didn’t realise is this was also my general stand. That +1 with the overlap meant that a 4-1 scored a kill. Game over.
Observations
A fairly quick game over after only a couple of combats.
Were you using 3 or 2.2? I found the Bow can be more deadly against Blade when they defend only at +4 rather than +5. In the former case, three Bows shooting at one Blade gives +2 vs +2. Lots of chances for doubling! Also the Bow range of 3BW instead of 2″ allows 2 shots at the Blade line battle is joined. A whole new dynamic.
We habitually use 2.2. What you describe for 3 would certainly even up the two armies.
Indeed. I agree that troop type count is way up in v3 but I find the addition of fast Pike, Auxilia, Blades and Bow add a lot of colour and flexibility. I think Hannibal’s Spaniards and Celts aren’t bad as Blade fast.