Beware Greeks bearing gifts - sacking Troy with Ilium: A Game of Heroes

Here are summaries of two recent playthroughs of the Trojan Horse scenario for Ilium: A Game of Heroes. The scenario is modelled on book 8 of the Odyssey, the Aeneid book 2, and books 12-13 of the Posthomerica. Note that both games were 'ahistorical' because we were using heroes and contingents we had on hand, some of whom are generally regarded as having died before Odysseus has his great idea to shove a bunch of lads into a wooden horse.

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In the first of these games, I was playing the heroic/party-befuddled Trojans, with three contingents spread out across the table, while Laura ran the whiley Achaeans, silently waiting inside the belly of the horse and beyond the gates. 

Idomeneus and his Cretan promarchoi were the first to descend from the Trojan Horse.

While the Trojans slowly became aware there was an issue, the Cretans rushed towards the guards at the gate.

After a brief scuffle, the guards were dispatched, and the Cretans wrenched open the gates. Back at the base of the horse, Achilles and his Myrmidons had also emerged before being over-run by the Trojans in the middle of the square. Only Achilles survived the immediate slaughter.

Just as the Trojans were about to make a counter offensive against the gates, Machaon and Menestheus led in a new wave of attackers from outside.

Among the defenders, Glaukos the Lykian was the first big name to be felled, followed promptly by Aeneas, leader of the Dardanians, and Asteropaios, Lord of the Paionians. Achilles was wounded by a very lucky strike, but otherwise the Achaean leadership were all in good health.

As the Trojans continued to fall, Machaon made his way swiftly to the house where Helen was shelftering and dragged her back to the horse, thereby completing the Achaean victory.

Odysseus's cunning ploy has ended the war where countless direct assaults had failed. Troy burns, and it's time for the Achaeans to have a quick sail back home where they can all retire in comfort with their loving families and the respect of their people... perhaps.

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The second playtrough outlined below saw Andy T taking control of the dispersed Trojan defenders, while I led the villainous Achaeans.

Achilles was the first Achaean to descend from the great wooden horse this time. However, the gods of initiative adandoned the Achaeans as all of the Trojan contingents activated first and Andy managed to throw promachoi into base contact with the Achaean forward fighters, blocking their rush to the gate.

Despite their best efforts, the Achaeans struggled to wound their disorganised Trojan opponents and failed to move away from the base of the horse.

As Menestheus descended from the wooden behemoth to support Achilles, the Trojans under Helenos, Sarpedon and Penthesileia rallied their forces and pressed home their numbers advantage. Menestheus immediately took a savage wound, before a Lykian promachos caught Achilles off guard with an opportunity attack. He countered and felled three promachoi in a single attack but, before he could take advantage of the opening he'd created,  Penthesileia struck him in the ankle, bringing the mighty hero to the ground. By the gate, the goddess Artemis descended from Mount Ida to take the form of a Trojan archer, ready to cause havoc. 

However, it seems Artemis had donned a beard for no good reason. Penthesileia attacked Menestheus across the fallen body of Achilles, killing the king of Athens, depriving the Achaeans of their leadership, and preventing them from getting anywhere near the gates. 

The Achaean ruse failed, and Troy stands eternal!