DBA Classic Indian vs Alexander Macedonian

Back to basics now & a nice little scrap with a very unexpected outcome.
We had watched the totally dreadful Alexander (Well I had, Jack had given up
& got bored). I ended up just marking where the battles scenes had been &
we watched them back together. Film story = pants, Film battle scenes = great.

So here we go the Macedonians vs Indians, we had no Jungle terrain so we played
with a flat plain & simple terrain.

II/3 Classical Indian(500BC-545AD)
1xEl(Gen), 2xEl, 2xLCH, 2x3Cv, 1x2Ps, 4x3Lb

II/12 Alexandrian Macedonian (355-320BC)
1x3Kn(Gen), 1x3Cv, 1x2Lh, 1x4Ax, 6x4Pk, 1x2Ps, 1x4Ax

My plan was simple destroy the Macedonian Cavalry with my Elephants, Light Chariots & Cavalry. Avoid the Pike at all costs. I set up with two areas of rough dominating the middle. "Great" I thought, Jack would have to send his Pike down the flank.

'Alexander Jack' to the Left & the Indians the right


The Macedonians, Cavalry on one side & ALL of his Pike on the other.
Light troops in the middle, they didn't concern me (my BIG mistake...)


My right flank was where I'd win it. I placed an Elephant led force on the other just in case.


My Right flank, after Jacks setup I'd have more elements there than him.


The Mighty Macedonian Pike, Jack kept them all together.


Jacks Auxillia & Psiloi rush off to dominate the middle of the board.


Advantage to the Indians on my Right.


The Battle unfolds - his Pike are gonna take a long time to reach my lines...


The plan is working, I'll crush his cavalry


View from Jacks side


Screaming Indians plough down on Alexander


Alexander(that Tough we put him on base by himself..), Cavalry(Xyston) & Light Horse


Jack senses the danger & puts an Auxillia out to support his Cavalry


Clash of Horse


It's looking good for the Indians & I force back the Macedonian Horsemen


That PESKY Auxillia is making life hard, I can't manoeuvre my troops - AArrrgghh!


Jack takes out a Indian Bowmen & a Psiloi in the centre.
He even has the cheek to attack my Elephant General with a Psiloi !!!!


I manage to take down the Macedonian Cavalry but it's a bottleneck


O.. O.. OOOO... Jacks sneaks in with an attack on my Camp & ousts the defenders.
"That's 4 to 1, I win, I think" utters Jack..........


Disappointing, my grand plan in tatters.


Final view from above, totally underestimated the light troops.
Jacks Phalanx haven't even engaged!!!


Well there you go, the power of Psiloi & Auxillia.
Definitely not involved in the initial plan but they won the game for Jack.
Shows that you don't just need the Big boyz to win Battles.

BBDBA 'Ain Jalut' - Mongols vs Mamluks

A BBDBA refight of 'Ain Jalut', where the empires of the Mongols & Mamluks clashed in Syria. This was a mass scrap of Horseman with the Mamluks having a few Foot Troops. Jack would play the part of the Mamluk commander 'Baibars', while I'd be the Mongols commanded by 'Ketboga'. Historically this was a win for the Mamluks & in doing so threw back the Mongols from a possible invasion of the Holy Land & North Africa.

The inspiration for this came from the 'Crusades' issue (#13) of Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy. The fantastic Spanish Wargame Magazine. The Terrain was just to be a flat plain, with Hills in one corner & a river on the other flank. Historically the Mamluks attacked from the South.
In our game the setup is the reverse.

BBDBA Army Lists

IV/35 Mongol Conquest 1206-1461
3x3Cv(Gen), 6x3Cv, 27x2LH

IV/45 Mamluk Egyptian, 1250-1517
3x3Cv(Gen), 18x3Cv, 6x2LH, 3x3Aux, 3x2Ps, 3x7Hd

Intial Setup & directions of attack


Mongol Attack from across the battlefield


Mongol Light Horse race into action


An impressive sight, 7 elements of Mongol Cavalry in the centre.......


....up against 18 Mamluk Cavalry elements. hhhmmmmmm....


Screaming Mamluks up close


Mamluk Foot, 3 Hordes , 2 Auxillia & 3 Psiloi. General at the Back.
This meagre bunch formed Jacks Left Flank


The Mamluk Juggernaut, view from Jacks side


Good Pips & the Mongol light Horse close the distance.
The plan was to take both Flanks & encircle the centre.


In a move that takes me by suprise. Jacks Mamluks split ino an 'arrowhead'
Eh I'm dumbstruck....What's he been reading?


View from the Mongol Left, suddenly they're in danger.


Nice view of the Mamluks Centre


The attack on the Mongol right stalls when 2 Light Horse Flee from combat.


Some Mongols make it to the edge of the board, but they are held by the Mamluk Psiloi.


Nice shot of the Mamluk Cavalry as it smashes into the Mongols


It's a big scrap but eventually numbers count, the Mamluks force back the Mongols.


Success on the left, Mongol Light Horse capture the Mamluk camp.


However also on my left flank it's Mongol Light Horse vs Mamluk Cavalry.


Again Mamluk numbers count, the Mongol Left then breaks.


The Mamluk General enters the combat on the right.


It's no good... Mamluk Cavalry swarm General Ketboga


The Mongol right is broken, Light Horse Flee from the field.


Jack is unusually bloodthirsty & offers no quarter. He goes for the complete destruction of the Mongols. With General Ketboga slain & the final Mongol command broken, the game ends.


Final view of the field from the Mongol Left,


Just like the Historical outcome, the Mamluks win in our version too.
I didn't like the look of this one from the start. 18 Mamluk Cavalry elements
was a lot to overcome. While the Mongol Light Horse got forward quick
enough, they just lacked the offensive punch when it came to combat.
Suddenly Mongol losses began to mount & Jack took great delight in
slaughtering fleeing elements.

III/73 Seljuk Turk(a) Rum 1200-1243AD

The strongest of the Seljuk states was the Sultanate of Rum (pronounced Rome) which had its capital at Iconium (Konya). At it's height the Sultanate held a vast area of Anatolia. Not suprisingly it's a horsemans army, with half the elements being Light Horse.

III/73 Seljuk Turk(a) Rum 1200-1243AD
1x3Cv(Gen), 1x3Cv, 1x3Kn, 6x2Lh, 1x4Sp, 1x3Bw or 2Ps, 1x2Ps or 3Bw or 3Ax

Seljuks of Rum




Spear, Bow, Psiloi & auxillia


Light Horse


Cavalry, General & Knight (Khwarizmian Allies)