Another ADLG game this week, this time using my 15mm Alexandrian Macedonians against Gavin's Later Achaemenid Persians. Alexandrian Macedonian is an army with limited choices compared to the later Macedonian and Successor armies so I went for a simple army choice of one command of Companions and light cavalry, one of Phalangites and one of Thracians and Thessalians.
The battlefield had a waterway on my left and an area of fields and plantations on the right. The Companions and Prodromoi deployed on my left under 'Alexander the Ordinary' (while he can be a Strategist in this list it really isn't worth the points upgrading him!)
Next up for the Macedonians was the Phalanx with it's supports on the right of the Companions. The enemy can just be seen in the distance, some Thracians and an elephant.
Completing the Macedonian deployment the Thracians and Thessalians under Parmenion formed up on the right in front of the fields.
The Persian army arrayed for battle with mercenary Hoplites on the right, the Thracians and Elephant in the centre and a sizeable force of cavalry and light horse bowmen on the left.
The Persians advanced quickly especially with their cavalry. Initially I was thinking of trying to swap over the Companion and Thracian commands but it became very apparent that there was going to be no time for such fancy movements!
The full Macedonian battle line with the skirmishers on both sides coming into action.
On the right Parmenion attempts to hold up the superior Persian cavalry force which is aggressively advancing even into the plantation and fields.
The two lines clash! The Companions have held back as fighting Hoplites is not a good match up for them giving both sides an overlap at one end of the line. The initial combats don't go well for the Macedonians even though they have better factors and several units take hits, though the Persians do take some hits themselves.
On the right the Thracians are starting to take damage from the Persian cavalry archery. The Thessalian cavalry have moved into the plantation to try to support the Thracians but there are still some Persian cavalry unengaged who are beginning to outflank the Macedonian line.
The combat continues between the Phalanx, Companions and the Persian Hoplites and Thracians. One unit of Hypaspists has fallen to the Hoplites and the elephant is about to destroy part of the Phalanx.
On the right the Thracians keep taking hits from the Persian shooting and the Thessalian cavalry charges home against more Persian cavalry. Despite being overlapped the Thessalians do well and inflict a hit on the enemy.
The combat by the waterway rages on. Some Persian units have fallen but the Phalanx has also been damaged.
The elephant breaks through the Macedonian line! Phalangites and Companions continue to battle for supremacy on the left while the Phalangites to the right of the elephant have finally overcome their opponents.
One of the Agrianian javelin men behind the Phalanx has rushed the elephant and toppled it at last. The remaining light infantry dart about trying to weaken any surviving enemy, both sides have taken a lot of losses in this area.
On the right Parmenion and his force have also taken some losses but have held up well, with some of the Phalanx now free to move to support them help is in sight.
Both sides are now a few hits from breaking with units scattered all over the place. In the background a lone Prodromoi makes a dash for the Persian baggage, some Persian light cavalry try to cut them off but are not close enough.
The Prodromoi charge into the undefended Persian baggage winning the game for the Macedonians! "Alexander the Ordinary" can upgrade himself to "Great"!
This was a game of two halves, initially Gavin had much better die throws than me which reversed as the game wore on. It was an enjoyable game which could have gone either way but I remain unconvinced by ADLG, as ever it is fun to play now and then but I wouldn't want to play it every week.
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