Sassanids v Byzantines 2

In a second game of Sassanids v Byzantines, the same terrain pieces were used and did not play a significant part in the battle.

The battle opened with some strong pip die.  As the Byzantines have the greater power the Sassanids were  pushed forwards to cut down their maneuver time, with the light foot screened by a cavalry element in the centre. As the Byzantine had moved a mixed force over to the east with his C in C, it was felt that the Sassanid Cavalry could engage the blades on equal terms.  A Sassanid cavalry element was sacrificed drawing out two Byzantines and exposing their flanks. This gave the Sassanids a chnce to pin and kill the Byzantines in the centre and then flank the  Byzantine C in C's force, which was the main objective. By the end of turn 3 the situation looked thus:

 Turn 4 - As planned the Elephants and Auxilia make quick work of the Byzantine cavalry...

To give the Sassanid centre a chance to finish off the remaining Byzantine cavalry in the centre, the flanks move forward to engage their opponents. The Sassanid left flank is unlucky and loses a couple of elements. The Byzantines saw their opportunity and reinforced  their C in C's force by moving a cavalry element across from the opposite flank. The Sassanids are two units down to 1 Byzantine and so use the El and Aux in the centre to flank and hopefully pin the  Byzantine forces.

The Byzantine cavalry take advantage of the isolated cavalry on the left flank of the Sassanid Army, killing it and pushing fowards after the Sassanid's left flank light horse. In the centre, the Sassanid elephant flanks and hopes to destroy the Byzantine psiloi, whilst the  Sassanid Ax pin the now reduced  block of Byzantine cavalry on the Sassanid  right flank. The elephants are unexpectedly repulsed and attack again - the Sassanids are down 3 to 1 and things are looking desperate.

The Sassanids finally sweep away the Byzantine psiloi in the centre. Bizarrely, the Byzantine psiloi, on the Sassanid right, survive the both the pinning and head on fight with the Sassanid C in C, whilst equally unexpected was a 6 v1 kill in the adjacent cavalry fight. Now it's 3-all and getting tense!

End Game - The Byzantines fail to make a kill on the  following move and the Sassanids quickly destroy the pinned Byzantine Psilio in order to snatch a win. By dividing his forces the Byzantine allowed the Sassanids to turn the flanks in the centre and failed to commit his Blade reserves to holding the centre. Lucky win for the Sassanids. :)

DBA 3.0 Battle Report. Sassanids v Byzantines

My first chance to play the new DBA rules and although there are many changes the game flowed well and the most visible change was the movement. Light troops were  fluid and were critical in the first game as the ploughed fields became rough going when i threw a 1 for my first pip.

 With the first pip - 1, the Ax advance into the  west field to stall the Byzantine Light Horse on the Sassanid left flank. The Byzantine advance their  infantry line and send a mixed mounted force of Cav, Lh and Gothic Kn down the right flank.

With the Sassanid Second pip 1 :( , the ax moved across into the east field to stall the Byzantine  cavalry centre. In following turns the Sassanids send a weaker force of Lh up the right flank to hold off the Byzantine force and reinforced with cavalry from the reserve. In the centre the Sassanid Cin C and some cavalry engaged the  main force of the Byzantines whilst the Aux turned and killed the cavalry from the safety of the field.

The Byzantines forced  some Sassanid cavalry in the centre to retreat, replaced with the elephant. The Ax in the field continued to create problems as two more Byzantine cavalry units tried to  keep them busy and make progress on the right flank. The byzantines on the right flank were gradually pinned and killed, one of the Sassanid Lh breaking through and pinning the Byzantine C in C as the Ax killed them with the advantage of the poor terrain. 4 v1  win to the Sassanids.

The  ploughed fields and the control of the centre by the Auxilia was the critical aspect of this battle.