Hail Caesar Age of Bronze, biggest battle yet.

 In preparation for this weeks 6mm game I finished off a few more troops for my Hittites and a desert farm to add to the terrain collection. I now have about 580 points of Hittites plus 5 command chariots, so, nearly finished? The 'Irregular' 6mm miniatures look fairly basic initially but paint up really well. 

Today's games was ...The Battle of Karkemish.

A 4 player clash with 350 points per player.

There will be 4 deployment zones, one in each corner of the table, assigned, D1, D2, D3 and D4.

This can either be a complete free-for all game (players may forge alliances as they wish) or, after deployment, players throw a D6 each, the two highest throws and the two lowest throws will be allies.

Players then draw one of the random event cards. These vary from giving you objectives to fulfil in the game to improving your dice throws or increasing your general's leadership.  

Terrain is placed randomly across the board with the Oasis, Sphynx, Village and the Farm being the main objectives and count as 1 objective point gained.

However, the village and the farm are occupied and if a unit comes within 6” the dwellers within will respond (on a d6) as follows...

1,2: small unit of skirmishers with jav.

3,4:small unit of camel riders, bow

5,6: locals fled before you came.

Throw a d6 again...

1,2,3: friends and allies, add to your forces.

4,5,6: hostile, will fight against you with one of your enemy forces.

Egyptians are led by Pharaoh Philenkhamen

Elamites led by King Nigelemsaf

Hittites led by King Stutekh

Arab Raiders led by King Ianferka

So fate (the dice) decided that King Ianferka and his Arab Raiders would ally with my Hittites against the combined might of Pharaoh Philenkhamen and King Nigelemsaf  with the allied forces being placed diagonally across from each other.  What followed was an almighty clash as the armies maneuvered towards their chosen objectives. Ian opted to go for the farm and I moved quickly towards the Oasis which led to us ganging up on Nigel and his Elamites leaving Phil's Egyptians with the smaller half of Ian's force to deal with. What didn't help our cunning plan was that my division of Syrian Chariots decided not to move at all for the first 3 turns. 

Here you can see the blue objective token Ian has claimed at the farm (the farm workers had all fled) and he also claimed the Sphynx early on until Phil pushed him back and claimed that objective. 

A quick shot of Pharaoh Phil's Egyptians as they approach the battle. 

Late in the game the Egyptian's also claimed the village despite the villagers opposing him. 

Here my Hittites are advancing quickly, 

leaving their Syrian allies who refused to move far behind. 

Nigel's chariots approach the farm and were able to break Ian's forces over a number of turns.

My Hittites at the bottom approach Nigel's main force, he had a lot of archers who softened my troops up before the main melee. I managed to break one of his smaller division but we were still battling it our when the game ended after 6 action packed turns.  

My Hittite chariots trying to break through the Elamite centre. 

Pharaoh Phil grabs the Sphynx, pushing Ian back and breaking two of his divisions which led to Ian's Arab raiders being made to all withdraw. 

At 700 points per side this was our largest battle of Hail Caesar yet. There was a lot of shooting and fighting over the six turns with the Egyptian/Elamite allies claiming more objective points and therefore the overall victory. Another very enjoyable game. 

I have also finished my first command base of the Wiglaf  miniatures Early Saxons. Many more of these and other Dark Age (or Early Medieval) figures to do. For my banners I am sourcing line drawings of animals inspired by artwork of that era and then reducing them down. A quick paint job and you soon have a decent looking banner.