Conquest Sacramento - Ancients

[willb]

This past Saturday I ran two games of Scutarii from Hoplite Research at Conquest Sacramento.   These were the battles of Hydaspes and Asculum.
Battle reports and photos can be found at
http://18clovehamhock.blogspot.com/2014/03/conquest-sacramento.html

Bill

[Patrick Waterson]

Interesting, Bill, and thanks.

Curiously enough, in both cases it was the Hellenistic army (the historical winner) which bit the dust.

[willb]

HI Patrick,

Pure bad luck at Asculum.   The other times that I have run that battle Pyrrhus won.   Some tactical mistakes cost the Macedonians at Hydaspes.   This was the second time that I had run Hydaspes.  The previous time Alexander died.

Bill

[Duncan Head]

This was the second time that I had run Hydaspes.  The previous time Alexander died.

Interestng in view of next year's Battleday.

[Patrick Waterson]

Indeed.

For what it is worth, my own understanding of the Hydaspes is that Alexander ganged up on Porus' left wing (where Porus happened to be) rather than trying to front the entire Indian army.  The unengaged 2/3 or 3/4 of the Indians seem to have stood there while Demetrius' cavalry did its circuit and following that there seems to have been nobody to give them orders, so they either spent the battle standing and waiting or shuffled in piecemeal to be minced together with Porus' wing (or Porus' wing was driven down his own infantry line bit by bit).

It is nevertheless good to see Scutarii finally on view, Bill - all those who have been waiting can now observe it in action.

Is it worth a run through of a selection of the rules mechanisms?