Chaeronea - The Battle under Field of Glory

The battle under Field of Glory  2.0 from the NWS Battle Day 8 November.

Order of Battle

Greeks

Athenians

2 * Troop commanders

3 * 8 Hoplites                                       HF          Protected               Av           Undrilled                Off Sp

2 * 6 Hoplites                                       HF          Protected               Av           Undrilled                Off Sp

1 * 8 Javelinmen                                 LF           Unprotected          Poor        Undrilled                Jav/LS

1 * 6 Bowmen                                      LF           Unprotected          Av           Undrilled                Bow

Minor States

1 * Field Commander

3 * 8 Hoplites                                       HF          Protected               Av           Drilled                    Off Sp

2 * 6 Hoplites                                       HF          Protected               Av           Drilled                    Off Sp

1 * 6 Cavalry                                       Cav        Armoued               Av           Undrilled                LS/Sw

Thebans

1 * Field Commander

1 * Troop commander

5 * 8 Hoplites                                       HF          Protected               Av           Drilled                    Off Sp

1 * 6 Hoplites                                       HF          Armoured              Sup         Drilled                    Off Sp

1 * 8 Javelinmen                                 LF           Unprotected          Poor        Undrilled                Jav/LS

1 * 6 Bowmen                                      LF           Unprotected          Av           Undrilled                Bow

Macedonians

2 * Inspired Commanders

2 * Field Commanders

2 * Troop Commanders

1 * 6 Companions                               Cav        Armoured              Elite        Drilled                    Lance/Sw

1 * 6 Thessalians                                 Cav        Armoured              Sup         Drilled                    LS/Sw

1 * 4 Prodomoi                                    LH          Unprotected          Av           Drilled                    Lance/Sw

2* 6 Hypaspists                                   HF          Armoured              Sup         Drilled                    Off Sp

2 * 12 Pikemen                                    HF          Protected               Av           Drilled                    Pike

8 * 9 Pikemen                                      HF          Protected               Av           Drilled                    Pike

1 * 8 Agrianians                                   LF           Unprotected          Sup         Undrilled                Jav/LS

1 * 8 Javelinmen                                 LF           Unprotected          Av           Undrilled                Jav/LS

1 * 6 Cretan archers                            LF           Unpotected           Sup         Drilled                    Bow

The Macedonians were commander by Mark Haughey (Philip), Geoff Marshall (Alexander) and Gerry Emmons (Parmenion). The Athenians were under the control of Stephen Bush, and the rest of the Greeks run by Andrew Card. (As one Greek commander was unable to make it on the day)

The Greeks set up with Athenians on the left on some high ground, with their flank abutting a difficult hill and skirmishers occupying the hilly ground. The Minor States were central and the Thebans on the right, their flank resting  on some marshy ground near the river. More skirmishers occupied the marsh. The Greek Hoplites were deployed 2-3 deep, 120 elements with a frontage of 44 elements.

The Macedonians deployed with  the Hypaspists  2 deep on the right under the command of Philip, with Agrianians up in the hills. To the left of Philip stretched the Phalanx, mainly 3 deep so as to match as much as possible the length of the Greek line. On the Macedonia left were the companion Cavalry and Prodomoi and the  rest of the skirmishers.

Deployment - the opposing armies from behind the Macedonian lines.

Victory conditions were such that both sides needed a decisive victory - the Macedonians so that they could move on quickly with their imperialistic agenda, the Greeks as it might prove difficult to keep the coalition forces together in the field long term.  Each Greek contingent could be broken separately.  If the Macedonians broke the Greeks, but lost both Philip and Alexander, it would be considered a strategic defeat.

The Macedonians opened by advancing their light infantry on both flanks and wheeling their main battle line to face off against the Greeks. 

The Macedonian skirmishers advance.

The Athenian skirmishers withdrew in the face of the Agrianian advance, while the Greek cavalry redeployed from the centre towards the right flank in case support was needed.

The retirement of the Athenian skirmishers allowed the Agrianians to try and tempt the Athenian hoplites off their hill. The Athenian hoplites indeed charged once without orders but then held firm. The rest of the  Greek battle line moved up to join them and the Athenian skirmishers recovered their courage and forced the Agrianians to withdraw after suffering minor casualties.

On the Macedonian left their skirmishers charged into fight against their Theban counterparts, relying on their superior quality to prevail. However first the javelinmen and then the Cretan archers were broken - The Thebans were victorious! Alexander intervened to rally the broken javelinmen.  Meanwhile, the main Macedonian phalanx was slowly advancing. 

The Macedonian Javelinmen flee.

But the work of the Agrianians had been crucial, as while the Athenians were still on their hill, they were now towards the front edge of the slope and any further forward movement meant they would be on the plain. The Macedonian phalanx rolled forward - into charge range of the Greeks.

These now faced a slight dilemma, they could try and hold their current position with their left flank uphill or they could charge the Macedonians on the plain. Holding was risky, as about 14 units  needed to pass complex move tests  or the Greek line would be broken up.  They charged!

The lines clash.

The factors were fairly even upon impact along most of the line. However, two of the Macedonians phalanxes had contracted frontage and formed 4 deep, giving them an advantage. The Hypaspists superior armour and training would give them an edge over time, but the Greek units had rear ranks which could take the place of any initial casualties, meaning they would keep their fighting factors for longer, whereas any Macedonian casualties would immediately result in  a loss of  points of advantage.  They also had the longer battle line, which they could exploit in an extended battle after clearing away the Macedonian light cavalry.

The initial charge went badly for the Greeks - they disrupted two phalanxes, but had 4 units disrupted themselves and in the subsequent melee a couple became fragmented.  In the Macedonian turn  things became even worse.  The Hypaspists, with Philip fighting in the front rank,  were making quick work of the Athenians , and at the other end of the line the Pikemen broke through the Theban line in two places.  Even where the Greeks were winning the combats the Macedonians resolutely continued to fight on with only limited cohesion losses.  

The Theban line starts to break.

It was all downhill now for the Greeks - The Athenians started to break under pressure from the Hypaspists, and the Greek Minor states also began to crumble. The Thebans had not had time to exploit their advantage on the Macedonian left. 

Disaster!

Theban hoplites did manage to break one phalanx, but that was the limit of Greek success. In a short time the Athenian and Minor states contingents were both routed in the same turn, and the Greek army was defeated on its cumulative losses. A complete and decisive victory for the Macedonians.  Presumably the Sacred Band would have stayed around to die heroically. 

Theban success 

Victory

Conclusion. The battle was over very quickly once the main clash started, much quicker than I had expected. The combat dice rolls were even enough , but the cohesion tests were vastly different. The Greeks failed often, and often catastrophically, going down two levels a time. The Macedonians generally held when they lost the fights. The one pike phalanx which broke did so due to accumulated casualties rather than due to cohesion. The Greeks may have had an advantage in  a long grinding fight, but it never became that. Where the Macedonians did have an advantage they were able to quickly overcome their opposition.  

The Macedonian command team.

So, an interesting and fun day for the first Battle Day of the NWS. 

Text and pictures supplied by Andrew Card.