Tuesday 12 May 2015

The Battle of Pattala 326BC Alexander's Conquest of India



Some Rejects got together over the weekend for our first game of Macedonians verses Indians for what must be at least 15 years!!!

The Battle of Patalla 19th July 326 BC
otherwise known as
The Massacre of Patalla, depending on who you want to win?

A few days after the Battle of Hydaspes, Alexander has sent a large force to the city of Patalla, to  force the city to surrender to his authority. But the cities leaders have set up for battle outside the cities walls, ready for battle.

view from our right
We drew out of the hat for sides, I was the Indian Commander (on our left) with Ian (centre) and Smiffy (right) as my 2 &3
The Macedonian Commander was John (their left), with Surj (their right) and BigLee (centre). Lee's posted a batrep about the game as well, clicky here!


And from the left


The Indian centre.


My Command on the left flank.


Smiffy held the city Pattala.


BigLee was in the centre, commanding the Macedonian and Greek phalanx's


In a rather strange move, Surj commanded their right flank with the armies best troops, 2 units of Macedonian Hypaspists, a Greek phalanx, a heavy and light bolt shooter and the Companion and Prodromoi Cavalry.
Sorry no pics of Commander John's troops, he held the left flank with mainly light troops, both foot and horse.


The killers!
Good grief these troops were good!


Ian's Heavy Chariot unit.


 Let the fun begin!
We had to throw for the Luck of the Gods
I failed and none of our troops could move until we gained the love of the Gods. Which I managed to do next turn.
Surj also failed the Gods test, so he couldn't move either. 
There's woes began here.


A couple of pics of my troops.




Lee was the first to take any casualties, from long range bow fire, which was insanely good?


Ian moved closer to the Macedonians, to get into a better range.


With Suj not moving I turned my infantry and aimed them towards the centre, to add my 
fire to Lee's troops in the centre. While the rest of my men moved forward.


Lee's right hand phalanx takes half....yes half casualties. I shot at him with 2 Indian infantry units
that were armed with Bow and a 2-Handed cutting weapon.
16 figures fired in each unit and I needed 4 or under on a D20!!


Which was gonna make it hard for them as Ian had 4 of the same units defending the hill.


Poor John's Thracian Peltast refused to move for the first 3 turns. He'd set them up
out of command range, so each turn they had to throw his morale to move.....which he didn't!


Contractual shot of the Evil one...


Surg still hasn't moved...... and I'm getting closer.


We were very quickly whittling away at the Phalanx's


Lee's right hand phalanx was destroyed, John made the mistake of moving too far forward
so Ian turned his chariots on their flank.
This could be messy???


The look on their faces says it all?
I even felt sorry for them? 


Ian was very happy
John was not!


Ian charged the Greek Peltast...


Surj was finally able to move and I did the dirty and reveled our hidden Cavalry.


I turned my Elephants to shoot at the Greek Phalanx and at Surj's Prodromoi
with devastating results. 


The charge on the flank had left Lee, no choice, he had to turn 1 of his Macedonian Phalanxes, to protect his flank.


Meanwhile we kept up a constant fire on the Phalanxes


Lee's Peltast were destroyed to the man, luckily for them Ian's charge was halted.


Surj had sat doing sod all for so long, when he could actually move he mucked it up big style.
But as I already felt their pain I let him off of his tit movement.


Which allowed him to move forward...at last!!


My first casualty of the day, 1 nellie bites the dust.


What a bloody mess!
Ian contacts the Macedonian Phalanx with his chariots, while be center is riddled with 
 with arrows again.


In a fit of excitement Smiffy move s his troops out of Pattala, 1 unit stays inside and shoots and destroys John Cavalry, on their left flank.


Why were they on the flank?


The Macedonians move forward again.....poor chaps!


Ouch!


Lee loses half his unit while Ian loses a chariot.


The game had to be called then, the Macedonian's had lost their left flank and their centre.
Only Surj's troops were left intact and battle ready.


The difference in casualties was crazy
I can't even be bothered to count theirs....


While we had.......3....


Lee took a pic of the winners, so I thought it only fitting to take a pic of the poor losers.

Conclusion
Postie needs to change the rules on this one. The Indians were unstoppable. Ian argued that their set-up was wrong. Which I tend to agree with, but I still don't think they stood a cat in hell's chance in this game. I'm sure they would agree??? Lee?


61 comments:

  1. Interesting! I've never seen you do an Indian battle. The setup and the elephants were nice. And now you know which side to be on!

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    1. We played 1 game a long long time ago, before Posties shed had been born.

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  2. Classic battle, classic gaming, terrain and figures, Ray. That is a cool fortress. Well done to you all!

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  3. Great work, gentlemen.

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  4. Lee most certainly was not happy on this day. Can't say as I blame him though. These are some nice looking figures here and a great change for you guys. You seem to be gaming and blogging more of late Ray??!

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    1. I certainly would have been a little miffed if I'd have picked the Macedonians out of the hat!! Your right both do seem to have picked up, I just wish I could add painting to them. Not touched a brush since the Challenge ended!!!

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  5. Oh to be on the winning side of a crushing victory! Thanks for the entertaining AAR, Ray.

    If Postie's going to rejig the rules, I'd love to see a re-fight and see how you go then.

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    1. You may get your wish, Ian wants to play the game again but swap sides to show them what they did wrong. I don't think it'll matter, the Indian firepower was just sooo strong.

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  6. Cracking game Ray - good to see the Indians beat the Macedonians!

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    1. It was a good win by a massive margin...but I still for sorry for them now, 4 days later, just look at that pic of their faces?

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  7. Great looking game. Name a period and you seem to have a table full of nice figures for it!

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    1. We do yes, Posties a greedy git!! Who does seem to own nearly all of the worlds history??

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  8. My batrep will be posted shortly but it's largely the same as yours...an utter massacre of the Macadonians in a very one sided battle. We made some mistakes but that doesn't explain the utter disparity in forces we faced. And after ensuring your total victory you brought out the Reserves!!!! That was just rubbing salt in our wounds...swine!

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  9. All those elephants how could the Indians lose ? Great looking battle thanks for posting

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    1. There were a few elephants on the table wasn't there? Thanks Matt

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  10. Great report and it all looked marvellous! Great read mate.

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  11. What a super looking game, love the fortress and the Indian Nellie's and Chariots

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    1. We should use these figures more often..........i think?

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  12. What a super looking game, love the fortress and the Indian Nellie's and Chariots

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  13. A very nice change for the usual game I have seen in the Shed of war. If the rules were "wrong" as you seem to suggest I am sure Postie will do a re-write but then you will have to play a few games with them and no lace and tricorns for a while! And if the rules are indeed "wrong" then there will need to be a return match where you Ian and Smiffy deserve a beating! Revenge is a dish best served FREQUENTLY! Nice one mate. But It does sound like a Postie loss this time!

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    1. There was a big talk after, Ian insisted that we could win a rematch if we swapped sides, I just don't see the Macedonians doing anything to be honest??

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  14. Run elephants, run! Love the lil' fortress and the chariots

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  15. posties looks very happy in that last shot, he looks like he was haveing fun,good looking game.

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    1. Cheers Dave, Yeh Postie is quite evil don't you know!

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  16. You've got to love elephants, even if they are trampling your forces underfoot.

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    1. And I didn't even get into contact with the buggers!!!!

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  17. Nice AAR Ray.War is never fair!!

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  18. Elephants: the best war kit until Tiger Tanks were invented.

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  19. Two wonderful armies, happy and unhappy friends, beautiful city walls, nellies and chariots, peltats and phalanx...what can we ask more...ummm...no beer?
    Amazing report, love it!

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  20. Nice change of pace Ray! Cool batrep too dude!

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  21. Great looking game Ray! It sounded like quite a lop sided affair.

    Christopher

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  22. Easily the most one sided battle you've ever posted about Rae.

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    1. Spelt my name like your name Brian....been on the booze?

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    2. Which reminds me Ray? Did you get my email with my new email address when I closed down the Lead Legion business account?

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    3. Ah. You and about fifty or sixty other fellow gamers it seems. Not to worry. Will hopefully see you at Broadside and pass it along then :D

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  23. Stunning looking game, shame about the massive difference in the result.

    Ian

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    1. Yeh, it did quite spoil the game. I let Suj get away with murder in his, lets just say loose movement. Just to let the poor bugger get into the game, and what do I get??? I lose my 2nd casualty of the day??

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  24. Great battle report and pictures! Good to see opposite views on your and Lee's blog!
    Thanks for sharing!

    Greetings
    Peter

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  25. Great batrep and a superb looking table. Elephants are always fun, how much fun depends on where you are situated when they decide to go on a rampage :-)

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    Replies
    1. Indeed! Just wish I got to use them in the game.

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  26. Did you really feel sorry for them?

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  27. Ah, this brings back memories of some classic ancient battles in an ancient times. Elephants, chariots, phalanxes and always, always those Indian bowmen who made the difference..Guess time did not change..Excellent report from the shed!

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  28. Great looking table and report! It could be titled the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The last shots comparing casualties was a bit ugly!

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    1. I'm not always called Good, but I'll take the compliment, thanks Monty! ;0)

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