From Our Own Correspondent: Part 2 Kate Aide reports “A Biblical Epic”

From Our Own Correspondent: Part 2 

Kate Aide reports “A Biblical Epic”

Continuing the Battle of Hannahon, in the south of modern day Lebanon, in the low lands just north of the plains of Megiddo; a wargame using Impetus rules; a later Hebrew army, with Syrian-Aramaean allies stands in the way of a Neo-Hittite Army from the north.

All views are from the North, Hittite side of the field.

The initial moves have closed the ground between the armies and committed the commands to their targets. The battle is now to unfold; opportunities exposed, gambles taken, domination sought, forces shattered, spears broken...

The Hebrew King at the centre, rode forth with his body guard, all mounted in Heavy Chariots, outdistancing the light foot in the rough ground. The Light chariots and camels, on the Hittite right flank, seeing this chink appear, themselves dashed forward across the face of the gathered hoards of Hebrew tribesmen. Their infantry were trying to close the gap that was opening to the flank of the mounted troops.

As they advanced, the Aramaean light chariots to the east are disordered by arrows shot from the elite Hittite chariots [the brown "dust clouds" are used to indicate disorder].

Now, in turn 5, the armies meet hand to hand.

In the clash to the east, the Hittite Light chariots act quickly to capitalise on the weakness of the Hebrew Heavy chariots when trying to hold their ground, but misjudge the extent of the rough ground (impenetrable to chariots), and take losses from both chariot mounted, bow armed elite and foot archers. The Camels move easily into the rough ground to shield the Chariot flank.

But the strike is indecisive and, with disorder on both sides all along this part of the line, the initiative passes to the opposing Hebrew forces.

whilst the Hebrew left flank, teeters in the balance, at the far side of the battle, the Hittite nobles sweep aside the rag-tag Aramaean chariots, leaving the Syrian, Aramaean foot disordered and exposed.

With little strength left to keep them in the field, the Aramaean foot fight aggressively; light foot race forward to desperately engage the hesitant, Hittite nobles and disorder them and inflict further losses. 

But it is not enough and the next turn, it is the Aramaean command that breaks.

With the Hittite left flank victorious but weakened, Hebrew light chariots from the centre race to engage the remaining Hittite Light Chariots.

The counter-strike by the heavy, Hebrew chariots to the West,and the relentless rain of arrows and javelins form the infantry, break the Hittite mounted, although with some significant losses of their own

The next turn, the Hittite command to the east fails its cohesion test, is broken and flees. The Hebrew tribes emerge from the rough gullies and run forward, triumphant.

Now, in desperation, the mighty Hittite centre moves forward. The Hebrew Gibborim are positioned in the rough ground, screened by sling armed skirmishers. The hill has a the tough Philistine mercenary spearmen with archers to their flank.

the Hebrew tribes try to dash across the battlefield to themselves threaten the Hittite centre, but the wheel is slow

Surprised by the aggression of the Gibborim, the Hittite king is unable to call the charge in time and his chariots receive losses and are disordered.

the Hittite “Super-weapon” is broken. The King remains amid the disordered casualties of his elite bodyguard. 

All senses scream that the battle is within the Hebrew's grasp. Their light chariots to the West risk everything and press forward, with sacrificial zeal to engage the great lines of Hittite infantry; but are able to tip the balance decisively!

And so, Kate Aide, somewhat south of war-torn Beirut, gets her piece, reporting the tragedy as it happens.

The Hittites flee northward. One strike south has met with ruin, but the key trading super-highway from Aleppo and all points North and East, to Raphia and all points South and West, remains a bleached bone of contention in the desert for time to come...

From Our Own Correspondent: Part 1 Kate Aide reports “A Biblical Epic”

From Our Own Correspondent: Part 1

Kate Aide reports “A Biblical Epic”

when I last war-gamed with these 15mm biblical armies (Essex Miniatures with a few Chariot Miniatures), using Armarti or DBM rules, my friends and I would position Cecil B D Mille and his film crew atop some vantage point to indicate the "Biblical Epic" was being played to enjoy.

More recently I have found a 15mm reporter and TV cameraman (among my 15mm Vietnam forces) who now represents Kate Aide: famous BBC war correspondent from the days of incessant civil war in Lebanon.

Following a burst of excitement, having come across Impetus rules, I embarked on a mega rebasing: fixing two or four DBM elements to a base to make a unit. This game was my first using full Impetus rules (without any rule amendments from supplement books).

So here, a later Hebrew army, with Syrian-Aramaean allies stands in the way of a Neo-Hittite Army from the north.

a small amount of map-work pregame, meant the battle was to be fought in the south of modern day Lebanon, in the low lands just north of the plains of Megiddo; mostly open, dry rock and desert, with some low hills and rough areas.

As the day began the armies broke camp in the chill morning, and moved to the open ground that would be a field of battle. Each force rumbled out of the mists and dust, to await the sun’s warmth. Deployment was by commands

The Hittite King deployed in their centre, himself commanding the Noble, heavy chariots with open ground to their south. His guard foot formed to his rear, themselves flanked by regular units of archers and spears extending in line almost to the small village of Hannahon to their east.

The Hebrew King matched this with his largest force; heavy chariots with a hoard of fleet-footed, javelin armed tribesmen to their west. The light foot were south of some rough gullies; hoping to shield them from the lighter Hittite chariots yet to appear from the dust. These tribes had archers on either flank and were screened by the skirmishing bow armed tribesmen. A unit of mounted, Bedouin scouts hoped to protect their west flank as it lay open.

A more agile Hittite command deployed to the west, with a low hill before them and the rough terrain further to their south. This command had the light chariots and a unit of camel mounted spears backed up by some lighter spear and bow armed foot. Skirmishing slingers protected the extreme right of the line.

The Hebrew King’s regular foot, the Mighty Gibborim, deployed south of another small area of rough ground with the bow armed Benjamite tribesmen skirmishing ahead. The household archers took the large hill to their east. In their midst was a tough unit of Philistine heavy, spear armed mercenaries.

The Hittite King then deployed another command with lighter infantry in the village and on the hill to the east, with a column of light chariots to their left flank; sweeping south. In response, the Hebrew line also extended east of the large hill with a small, ally army of Aramaean light chariots, light javelin and bow armed foot behind a thin cloud of sling armed skirmishers.

[The small pebbles are used to keep track of unit losses – white denote permanent losses]

With the stage set, Kate Aide, our intrepid reporter, did her piece to camera talking of the air, charged with anticipation and the grim determination of the soldiers arrayed as far as the eye could see on both sides of the plain.

As the sun continued to climb, the trumpets signaled the coming of the fated moment, and both armies moved forward.

The Hittites to the east emerged to the south of the village and the lower slopes of the hill. The light chariots began to open out to form a more aggressive line.

Aramaean Chariots wheeled from behind the big hill with their foot following close behind. Hebrew Light chariots swung east ready to protect the right flank of their archers on the hill.

The Hittite centre kept pace but the faster light chariots and the camels to their west wheeled over the small hill before them to threaten the Hebrew centre, with as much open ground ahead as they dared.

[The individual spearmen on 20mm bases are used to show (and keep track of) a command that has activated]

The Israelite tribesmen advanced swiftly to occupy the rough ground, confident the Hittite Light chariots intended to bypass them. Bedouin scouts moved to prevent the Hittites using the small olive grove as a secure flank.

To the east, Aramaeans advanced boldly to close on the Hittite Light chariots and deny them the open ground to manoeuvre 

That's where I'll leave it, at the end of turn 3.

How the battle unfolded, next time