Jackson Gamers' 20mm Ancients Game
Pharaoh's Arrows fell like Rain
Our Ancients game, played on March 15, 2008.
While compiling the report of this game, I received "Dispatches" and photos from one of the Egyptian players, Ed Sansing and one of the Egyptian players, Jim Pitts. Each one had some cutting comments about the enemy army and instead of editing these to a neutral tone, I will keep them as they are. The Egyptian comments are in
Brown while the Assyrian's comments will be in Green. Enjoy!.
As the neutral scribe toiling over this report, my comments will be in a nice shade of Purple - Jay Stribling.
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
The hated Assyrians (from Left: Jim Pitts, Phil Young and Bill Hamilton. Photo taken during the set-up. The temple ruins surrounded by date palms can be seen in the center of the table. The two herds of horses can be seen, one at bottom center, and the other by the pile of dice.
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
The Egyptian line looking from the left flank (my flank). The Egyptian army has a large number of light 2-horse chariots, which are missile platforms. They are able to dash out, fire and then move back to safety.
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
A portion of the Assyrian middle. The heavy 4-horse chariots shown are Assyrian command stands.
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
A close-up of two of the prizes of this battle, one of the herds of horses and the ruins of the temple of Ra. Any time anyone galloped or ran at the horses, the game-master rolled a D6. On a roll of 1-3 the horses spooked and ran away 2D6 distance. If a unit walked quietly up to the horses, only a D6 result of 1 would spook the horses.
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
Jim Pitts charged toward the horses and they spooked and galloped away, toward the Egyptian lines. Sean Pitts eventually captured this herd for the Egyptians.
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
After two turns have been played, my chariots have reduced 2 of Jim's cavalry units to less than half strength. One is still in front of the chariots while the other is back in the rough ground near the Assyrian purple command chariot.
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
In the center Sean Pitts maneuvers to take control of the ruins with his Nubian spearmen.
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
Early in the game one of Bill Hamilton's Assyrian units tries to ease up to the 2nd herd of horses. They were able to secure these horses for the Assyrians.
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
Jim's cavalry take additional casualties. The casualty rings are dropped behind the units till the end of the shooting phase. Then they are placed on the units and "dead" stands are removed.
The smallness of the Assyrian mounted units told against them in this game and they were severely attrited by the Egyptian shooting. After the game a discussion began about my offer to increase the size of the Assyrian cavalry units. One of the players, Larry Reeves, who was on the Assyrian side in the previous game, and the Egyptian side in this game made the following email comments:
"You need to play test a few more times before changing the rules. The rules have only been played twice. The Assyrians won one and the Egyptian won the other. If there is a unit problem I think that the Assyrians have the advantage. The reason why the Egyptian won Saturday was the sequence of the cards. We had some pretty good cards and they were played at the right time. That first turn killed the Assyrians. The Assyrian army is made to attack and the Egyptian army is made to move and shoot. If the Assyrians can move the Egyptian as we did on the right flank will move circles around the Assyrians and wear them out.
If anything you need to give the Egyptians more troops that have impact weapons. They have far too many troops that can not attack. Most of their units can only shoot. All the Assyrians have to do is keep attacking and the Egyptians will eventually get caught and run over. As far as the Assyrian troops units being too small is yet to been seen for sure. Most of their troops are heavy and it is harder to kill the heavy troops. That in my opinion balances it out."
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
Larry Reeves' forces anchor the Egyptian right.
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
Bill Hamilton's units on the Assyrian left flank. His infantry are still trying to capture the horses
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
Sean Pitts's Egyptian infantry go up against some Assyrian bowmen under the command of Phil Young.
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
Heavy fighting around the temple or Ra
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
Bill Hamilton's heavy chariots hit Larry Reeves' infantry.
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
Phil Young's Assyrian infantry take the temple ruins, but only for a little while.
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
Egyptian units under the command of Sean Pitts' re-take the temple ruins. Some of my units are able to support, since there were no more Assyrian forces on our flank.
Photo and commentary by Ed Sansing
Bill Hamilton's units are about the only Assyrians still on the table at the end.
The Players
The Assyrians:
Phil Young, High Commander, also general of the center force
Jim Pitts, The High Priest, General of the right wing
Bill Hamilton, General of the left wing
The Egyptians
Sean Pitts, Right hand of Pharoah - Commander of the center
Larry Reeves, Commander of the right wing
Ed Sansing, Commander of the left wing
Game MasterJay Stribling, also writer of the rules.
Photo and commentary by Jim Pitts
The right flank of the Assyrian battle line, commanded by Jim Pitts. Look and behold the cream of the Assyrian might. By the end of the battle, they would be no more - totally destroyed by the devil Egyptians and their accursed archery.
Photo and commentary by Jim Pitts
Two of Jim Pitts' cavalry units try to corral some wild horses, but the idiot horses run away from them straight into the hands of the Egyptians!
Photo and commentary by Jim Pitts
Phil Young's center division of the Assyrian horde as it advances towards the temple ruins. After a hard fought battle, the Assyrians were not able to defeat the axe wielding Egyptians who held the temple at the end of the game. In the foreground is one of Jim's heavy guard infantry units. You will see more of them at the end of the battle as they go out in a blaze of gory, ah, glory.
Photo and commentary by Jim Pitts
Jim's Assyrians are being outflanked by the devil chariots of the Egyptian left wing. No matter how eagerly the Assyrians targeted them, the Egyptians were protected by the gods this day and suffered minimal casualties compared to the Assyrians.
Photo and commentary by Jim Pitts
While the Egyptian chariots are outflanking the Assyrians to the left, the rest of Jim's division is also getting shot to pieces. In the foreground are what's left of a bow-armed light cavalry unit (on left) and a javelin armed light cavalry unit. In the center ground, Jim's two heavy guard infantry units deploy to face the Egyptian bowmen.
Photo and commentary by Jim Pitts
Stymied by Jim's javelin armed light infantry (who will shine with honor in defeat), his light cavalry (or what's left of three units!) attempt to shoot up and ride down some Egyptian chariots. But the bows missed, as did the javelins. The Egyptians didn't miss however, and sent the javelin armed light cavalry fleeing.
Photo and commentary by Jim Pitts
The hole between the Egyptian chariots and the line of Egyptian javelin light infantry was occupied by one of Jim's heavy guard infantry units before it was completely destroyed by Egyptian missile fire. The ubiquitous Assyrian javelin armed light cavalry are charging the Egyptian javelin armed light infantry. Although they inflict some casualties on the Egyptians, most of the cavalry falls in the melee and the sadly depleted remnants flee the field of battle. In the background, Jim's other heavy guard infantry unit chases after fleeing Egyptian light infantry. They will catch them...
Photo and commentary by Jim Pitts
...and engage them in hand-to-hand combat. The Egyptian archers are the hill are being charged by what's left of Jim's javelin armed light infantry who had previously been engaging the Egyptian chariots. They sent the Egyptian archers fleeing with severe casualties, but the fight was too much for them with the victorious survivors leaving the field. Meanwhile the heavy guard infantry was surrounded by Egyptian infantry and chariots...
Photo and commentary by Jim Pitts
...and slain to the last man. Thus perished the last unit of Jim's right flank Assyrian division. They fought hard but were no match for the gods' enchanted bows of the Egyptian chariots and infantry.
Large black "hoops" on some of the chariots show "hits taken." On a cavalry or infantry stand, one hit removed one figure. On the chariot stands, five hits removed a heavy Assyrian chariot from the battle, and three hits removed a lighter Eyptian chariot.
The Miniatures.
No your eyes do not deceive you. These really are ancient miniatures. These are 20mm Ancients designed and made by Jack Scruby in the 1970s. Eric Teuber purchased and painted this army when he lived in Memphis TN, prior to moving to Jackson MS in the late 1970s. They were individually mounted on pennies, and most of the figures are at least 30 years old.
Through dark and devious channels, Jay Stribling came into posession of this army and painted several new units of new figures, obtained from Historifigs the successor to Scruby Miniatures. These new figures filled out units and replaced some old broken figures. I also touched up (NOT repainted) some worn figures. In every case I attempted to match Eric's painting style.
There are now also some new 20mm Irregular Miniatures troops which are made in England.
Three of the Egyptian chariot units are mounted in plastic 1/72 scale Atlantic chariots, drawn by Historifigs horse. Both of the Assyrian chariot units are similarly plastic, crewed with metal men and drawn by metal horses. All the other figures are 20mm metal soldiers - not much bigger than modern "18 mm" figures. So - who won the game?
There were two "herds" of horses that were skittish and could move if one approached them too rapidly. Each was worth 2xD6 of victory points. There was also a ruined temple of Ra, lately despoiled by the Assyrians. Posession of this was worth a single D6 of victory points. Each enemy unit destroyed was worth 1 victory point.
Each side captured one "horse herd" and the Egyptians reclaimed the temple of Ra. The Egyptians destroyed or drove from the field 14 Assyrian units for a total of 25 victory points.
The Assyrians eliminated 7 Egyptian units and received 10 poiints for the captured horses, for a total of 17 points.
It was a notable Egyptian victory, far more so than the points show.
Go to the rules set that we used in this game
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